A/N: Thanks to Niffer01 and guardian music angel for their reviews! This chapter is kinda short, but, there ya go. The next couple of chapters are gonna be more exciting, and I'm hoping things are going to heat up soon. I'm writing this as I go along, so if you have any suggestions or ideas, let me know!

It was in the nature of all shape shifters to crave the presence of another. As children, they were raised surrounded by others. Their days were spent in the company of their age-mates, and their nights were spent sleeping, soothed by the nearby heartbeats of their siblings and parents. They were always surrounded by warmth, life, and comfort. One day, when they matured, they would take a mate, and provide the same comfort for their children. Until then, they still sought that warmth from friends or lovers. The desire for contact was not necessarily sexual, although that was sometimes an element.

The truth was, shifters instinctually sought physical contact with others. It was just an innocent craving for assurance, nothing more.

At least that's what Talia kept telling herself when she found herself allowing Reid's arm to remain around her shoulders. It has absolutely nothing to with the tingles twining in my stomach. Nothing at all.

Jess had arranged her schedule so that every class had at least one of her new friends in it. But by lunchtime, she was beginning to feel like the one being stalked.

Every time she left class, he'd be there, waiting for her. From the disapproving looks the others were giving him, she was beginning to suspect that he was cutting the classes that they didn't share. It was either really sweet or really stupid.

Her head was spinning as she exited her last class before lunch, computer sciences. She was beginning to remember the many reasons why she had got her GED at fourteen. Why would Jess sign me up for computer sciences? Anything beyond standard computer use, like oh, say, turning one on – and Tal was lost. Maybe she's trying to tell me something.

As always, Reid he had been all morning, Reid was waiting to ambush her outside. By this point, she didn't even notice his arm. The guy was relentless.

"So, to lunch?" he asked, gesturing broadly with his free arm, causing a confused looking freshman to duck to avoid a concussion.

"To lunch," she nodded, smiling at the thought of fooood.

As they made their way to the dinning hall, she became increasingly aware of the stares they were receiving. Being the centre of attention didn't normally bother her. Back home, she always got a lot of stares. As a young, unmated, high-ranking female of her pack, and a council agent to boot, she was desired by the men and envied by the women, but here she was just another student. She didn't know why they were staring now.

Maybe my tattoos are showing! Casually looking down at her self, she made sure her skin was covered, and checked to make sure she hadn't done something embarrassing like tuck her skirt into her panties. It had happen to her once, when she was seven. She hadn't worn a skirt since. Well, 'till now.

Finding nothing out of place, she made her way over to the food line and began to load her tray. Food! Food! Food! Food!

Reid disengaged his arm and began to load his own tray, chuckling at her voracity.

Once they had paid, Reid led her over to when Sarah, Caleb, Tyler and Pogue were already sitting. She set her tray down but paused before sitting, confused by their amazed looks.

"What? Why is everyone staring?!" she asked in frustration.

They just looked at her food tray. She looked at it. Then she looked at theirs.

"Oh. I uh…missed breakfast," she mumbled.

"For how many years?!" Tyler asked, eyeing the heaped tray.

"Whatever. It still doesn't explain why people were staring before," she pointed out.

They looked up at her in puzzlement, then Sarah began to talk, as if she was explaining to a small child, "It's your first day of school and you've been walking around with Reid's arm around you all day, and people think, well…" she trailed off.

Pogue took over, having no qualms about being blunt. "They think that you're fucking him," he grinned.

Reid just sat there looking very pleased with himself. Obviously, he thought this would piss her off.

"Oh. Is that it? I was worried I had pen on my face or something," she sat down.

The five of them stared at her in shock. "It…it doesn't bother you? People think that about you?" Sarah finally asked.

"Why would it? I know I'm not fucking him, you all know I'm not fucking him, and unless he's having some very vivid hallucinations, he knows I'm not fucking him. What do I care what people I've never met think?"

The others just stared, well, except for Tyler, who had been choking since she had made the comment about Reid hallucinating.

"For gods sake," she muttered, getting up to slap Tyler on the back.

"Thanks," he wheezed.

"You're bizarre," Caleb finally remarked.

"Yup," she shrugged, then a wicked smile began to cross her face, "I know exactly what to do to stop people thinking Reid and I are together," With that, she promptly sat down in Pogue's lap. "I think we gave up on our relationship too fast, we've been through so much together, I think we should give it another try," she said batting her eyelashes.

Pogue looked thoughtful for a moment and replied, "Yeah, maybe you're right. I've missed you so much," he grinned.

Sarah and Caleb quickly caught on and began to chuckle, but Reid and Tyler, who had been playing pool the last time they 'dated', were looking very shocked and confused.

After catching her breath, Sarah remarked, "You know people are just going to think that you're with Pogue, not Reid. It won't change anything,"

"Sure it will. They'll realise I have better taste," she deadpanned. No I don't.

They all laughed at that, even Reid.

After Caleb and Sarah had explained Pogue and Talia's little whirlwind romance, Tal asked, "Do people here really think that just because I let Reid touch me, we're together?" They shrugged, nodding. "That's stupid. Where I come from, it doesn't mean anything. It's just a touch. People here are pretty uptight, huh?"

No one answered, because Reid chose that moment to shoot up from the table and stalk off, leaving his friends staring, yet again.

"Weird," Pogue remarked around a huge bite of hamburger. The smell made her stomach growl, so she quickly went back to her own seat to begin filling her belly.