"Gina, please no."

"You'll look so smart!"

"No, please no."

"You are wearing the uniform, Ramona."

A click and a burst of laughter caught Ramona's attention. Liam and Frank were standing on the staircase, spluttering, with a phone in their hand. "I'll murder you both!" Ramona yelled, sprinting up the stairs as they retreated. "But you look so smart!" Liam's voice echoed down the corridor. She wrenched a shoe of her foot and threw it in their general direction. Frank caught it, and passed her it back, still laughing. "Bastards," she muttered under her breath. Storming back up to Sapphire's room, she flung open the door and picked up the rucksack. Sapphire, who had been doing her eyeliner, snorted when she saw Ramona. "I know, I look like an idiot." She untucked her shirt and rolled up the skirt so it wasn't below her knees. "I swear I'll choke if I have this top button done up the whole day. What sort of school makes girls wear ties?"

"Gina'll not be happy."

"I don't care." She grabbed her converse and laced them onto her feet. "Right, where do I go?"

"I'm not ready yet!"

"Fine, I'll find someone else," Ramona said, slinging the bag onto her back.

Ramona hammered on Frank's bedroom door. "I'm going, is anyone else?"

"Yep." Frank opened the door and looked a bit embarrassed. "It was just a laugh you know."

"I know. Delete the picture and we'll call it quits." He relaxed, and poked his head back through the door. "Liam, delete the picture and come ON!" Liam came out, dressed in a scruffy uniform like Frank's. He waved his phone, and pressed a button. "Deleted!"

"Finally, let's go."

"Gina won't let you leave the house."

"Then she won't-" Ramona grabbed their hands. "Know." Ramona ran down the stairs, and shouted "Bye!" Liam and Frank followed, and the three began running up the road.

Once they had caught their breath, Liam began laughing, letting any breath he had just caught escape again. "I'm starving." He reached into his pocket and fished out several pound coins. "Snack, anyone?" They walked until they reached a small corner shop. "It's dead cheap, but you gotta be careful with the pick n' mix," Frank told Ramona. "Why?"

"Cause I'm fairly certain it's inedible."

She laughed, and Liam pushed open the door.

"Mornin'," he cried to the man behind the counter. He received a grunt in reply. He pressed a pound coin into Ramona's palm. "Aw cheers Liam!"

"No problem." He picked up a Dairy Milk bar. "How much is this?" The man glared at him with small, beady eyes. "Forty pence, you know that you little bugger."

"Just wondering," Liam replied cheerfully. The man scowled, and the door swung open. Four boys who looked about a year older than Liam and Ramona walked in. Frank pulled her aside and whispered quickly in her ear. "They're in my year. Be careful." Ramona gave him a puzzled look, but picked up a packet of wine gums and joined the que. Liam immediately fell in behind her, and the four boys started muttering to each other, grinning and looking at Liam and Ramona. "Uh oh..." muttered Liam.

"Hi." The shortest boy stood behind Liam with large, green-brown eyes. They were wide, and staring, and his smile didn't reach them. Ramona personally thought he looked stoned. He tried to move past Liam, who remained there, facing away from him. "I'm Jack, and you are beautiful."

Ramona's jaw hit her chest. "Excuse me?"

"Will you go out with me?"

"What the hell?" The rest of his mates had surrounded them, grinning.

"I love you." Liam attempted to ignore them, and started talking to Ramona about anything. "Are you excited, new school and all?" Ramona started to speak, when one of Jack's friends shouted "O'Donovan, don't be such a cockblock!" Ramona started giggling, and then shook herself. They were taking the piss. Liam was shoved out the way, and held against the wall. "Get off of me!" he shoved the guy back, and dropped the chocolate bar. "Let's go Ramona." Frank waved bye to Liam apologetically. and Ramona started walking after him, when Jack put a hand around her waist, his face inches away from her own. "Ramona, what a sexy name."

"Bugger off!" Ramona shook his arm away, and walked out of the shop.

"Who is he?" she asked Liam, as Jack and his friends followed from a distance. "An arsehole."

"Bit more info please."

"Jack Matthews, an idiot in Frank's year. Avoid at all costs."

"He fancies me."

"Nope, he just likes annoying people."

"Ugh. I hope he stops it, I do not need to fight on my first day."

"He can't hit you!"

"Why not?"

"He's a guy and a year above."

"Doesn't mean he won't hit me if I hit him..."

"Ramona." Liam put a hand on her arm, and stared at her. "Don't start anything. He will make your life a living hell."

"Well, it's already pretty close," she joked. "How come Frank stayed?"

Liam smiled. "He likes this girl and she goes in that shop all the time. So he waits."

"That's so cute!" Ramona squealed. Liam rolled his eyes, and they continued walking.

"How's your registration?" Liam said. Ramona was sitting on a bench with Frank and Liam. Lunch had started, and the three wanted to get chips but really, none of them could be bothered moving. "They're okay. No one really all that nice."

"That's what it's like here." Frank nodded, and added "My year is bad too. Apart from Annabel." Liam and Ramona exchanged looks, trying not to giggle. "So, Frank, when you gonna introduce us? I've seen her often enough..." Liam tried to stay nonchalant, but he looked eager for a response. "Not now Liam." Ramona batted her eyes. "Go on, I'm a girl and I need friends otherwise I blow up." Liam spluttered at this fantastical lie. "Sure," Frank muttered, pushing Ramona a little. "Oh jeez, here comes the cool crew," Liam said, trying not to look in the direction of Jack and his friends. "That's Pablo, the tanned one. He's the joker. The one on the left is Archie. Fancied by everyone," said Frank, with a dark look in his eyes. "I can see why, he's hot." Liam rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrows. "Cole... Who's that?" he asked sarcastically.

"Oh, shh."

"Hey guys, look! Ramona!" The three boys walked up to Liam, Frank and her. "And the special care kids."

"I'm a "special care kid" too, actually." She stood up and tried to stare at him, but he towered over her. "But you are special," he said, and winked.

Ramona felt like she was being drawn into a light. The eyes which she had previously thought resembled a druggie were a complex mix of hazel tones, greens and even blues. They stared back into her eyes, and almost out the other side of her head. Liam's voice echoed somewhere behind her, and she heard Jack's voice, but not really what he was saying. The eyes kept her there, gazing and gazing.

"I said, will you go out with me?"

Suddenly, with a jolt, she took in his whole face. He had a sleazy smile on his face, and looked at her, expecting an answer. "No, she's got a boyfriend."

What was Liam doing?

"Oh I'm sure orphan boy. Who is it, you?"

Oh no. Ramona could tell what he was going to do seconds before he did.

Lie, and spectacularly at that.

"Yes, actually." Liam grabbed her hands, and kissed her