CHAPTER 5

Connie Temple, nurse at Coates Academy, looked up from her paperwork as the new girl limped in. She gasped, shocked, the girl's face was covered in blood and yellow bruises were forming on her tanned skin. The girl's face screwed up in pain each time she took a step, but, looking up at Connie, she forced a smile.

"Oh my gosh, what happened to you?" Connie gasped, the girl shrugged and then winced.

"I, err, walked into a wall?"

"You walked into a wall." Connie repeated not believing it for a second.

"Yeah...hard." Connie shook her head.

"Who did this to you?" She asked angrily, she couldn't believe a child would do this! She knew the kids at Coates weren't normal children, but they were still children! The girl shook her head vigorously.

"It was no one." She said firmly. "I walked into a wall." The girl's face was so adamant that Connie didn't dare question her any further.

"Ok...I'll see what I can do, err...what's your name? Sorry I don't think I've seen you before..." The girl nodded.

"Yeah, I'm new. My name's Rose. Rose Azalea."

"Ok, I'll see what I can do Rose." Rose smiled and waited while Nurse Temple collected plasters, wipes, cream and various other things from the cupboards in her little office. As she waited she thought of Drake Merwin. Her heart raced and her tummy filled with butterflies whenever she thought of him, but it wasn't from fear. She knew it was completely wrong, especially after what he'd done to her, but she liked him. Whenever the rational part of her brain argued that he was a dangerous sadistic psychopathic bully, the gooey girly side retorted with memories of the kiss. True, it hurt like hell with his superhuman strength that came with being a psycho, and her newly mashed up face, but hell it was worth it. It wasn't just about the kiss; it was about what came with it. But of course, she was reading far too much into it, he'd probably forgotten about it already. She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts and returning to reality, as the school nurse came at her with antiseptic wipes.

Caine looked up as his roommate and 'friend' (he wasn't really a friend...accomplice was probably more appropriate) stormed into their dorm.

"S'up Drake." He said from his bed, where he was reclining casually with his arms behind his head. Drake just glared at him and then stormed into the bathroom. Then he appeared again and paced across the room. He sat on his bed, got up again, and then went to the bathroom. Then he came back. "Something up?" Caine asked the obvious question. Drake glared at him again. He carried on pacing, and then suddenly turned to face him.

"I don't like her!" He almost shouted, Caine hid a laugh.

"I never said you did..." He said calmly, loving every minute of this. Drake was going crazy; Caine didn't think he'd ever liked anyone before. He hated all the teachers. He hated the other students at Coates. He hated his only 'friends', Caine and Diana. Hell, Caine bet he even hated his own parents.

"I DON'T like her!" Drake repeated, sitting on his bed and holding his face in his hands. Then he growled. "Argh, she drives me MENTAL! D'you know where she is now? At Nurse Temple. She's properly messed up. And she said I was all talk..." He tried to look triumphant but it didn't work. He clenched his fists angrily. "But do you know what sucks? It didn't make me feel ANY better! Beating people up ALWAYS makes me feel better! And I was there, punching her in the face and I didn't feel ANYTHING! I actually felt kinda bad..." His face softened slightly, then he realised he was speaking out loud and he growled again. "What is her PROBLEM?"

"Look mate, I'm no psychiatrist, but it seems to me that it's not her problem...it's yours. You obviously fancy her..." Drake lunged at him but Caine casually flicked his hand and he fell back onto his bed, looking angrier than ever.

"I don't fancy people. Fancying people's for softies. I'm no softy." Caine considered. Then he remembered the smudge of blood on Drake's mouth when he first came in. He grinned.

"You kissed her didn't you!" He laughed and Drake reddened slightly.

"You tell anyone, you die." He said through gritted teeth. Caine rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, it's nothing to be ashamed of. She's hot." Drake considered, then he smirked slightly.

"Not anymore she's not, no other guy's gonna be checking her out now." Caine smirked too.

"You really like her don't you? Like, majorly." Drake didn't say anything. Instead he punched his bedside light so hard his fist went through it. Caine took it as a yes. "Well a bit of man to man advice for ya." Drake looked up, interested. Caine leaned closer. "Girls don't like being beat up." He said and Drake lunged again, again Caine pushed him back. "Easy tiger, save it for your girlfriend." And with that he chuckled and switched off the light. "Night mate, sweet dreams of lover-girl. He heard Drake snarl as he closed his eyes.

It was late by the time Rose finally returned to her dorm, looking like some kind of monster from a horror film. She was hoping her roommates would be asleep, but no such luck. Opening the door, she saw them sitting on their beds in their pjs, waiting for her. Their eyes widened when they saw her.

"What happened to your FACE?" Taylor asked, her own face screwing up in distaste. Rose rolled her eyes, then winced at the process. Brianna's mouth dropped open.

"It was Drake wasn't it." Rose shrugged and winced again. Brianna shook her head.

"Ohmygod, I told you to stay away from him, now look what he's gone and done! I take it he doesn't like you back then, huh?" She looked at her sympathetically. Rose shrugged.

"The kiss said otherwise..." She said quietly, smiling from the memory. Both girls looked at her in horror and amazement.

"You KISSED him?" They both almost shouted. Rose shrugged.

"Maybe..." She said, biting her swollen lip and playing with her blood-caked hair.

"Wait hold up, before or after he beat you up?" Taylor asked.

"After..." Rose admitted. Taylor shook her head.

"And you LET him?" She asked, aghast.

"I kissed him back..."

"You WHAT? Look Rose, you have messed up taste, we've established that. But for God's sake just stay out of his way now, yeah? You've had your little kiss...and your little beat up session, now just move on." Brianna said angry. Rose shook her head.

"Hey, I can make my own decisions. Just stay out of my life, yeah?" She shouted and then quickly changed into her pyjamas, ignoring the pain, climbed into bed, and turned out the light. Fuming and in agony as she closed her eyes tight.