I took a cold shower, not voluntary; apparently we didn't have hot water. I dried my hair and went through my bag. I didn't have many clothes, and now my other ones were muddy. I pulled out yet more ripped up jeans and a black shirt on it with a skull with blood coming out of its mouth. Then I pulled on a pair of skaters gloves, you know the fingerless ones? Luckily I had the sense to take my shoes off before I had started the course. So I tied my laces of my big work/combat book things and headed off to the hall. I was the last one to arrive but we still had ten minutes before Sam would show up. I stopped and looked at my group for the first real time. I was good at reading people. Max was dressed in jeans and a blue tank top, but not in a slutty way. She was talking to Fang and I would see she was a lot like me, but like everyone, still so different to me. Fang stood there in ripped jeans and a black top with 'Bite me' in small, white letters across his chest. He was quiet and didn't talk much. At a first glance you'd swear he was gothic or emo, but I knew there was more to it then that. Nudge was dressed in skinny jeans and a very fashionable purple top. I could tell she was a very hyper and talkative girl that loves fashion and stuff like that. She was talking non stop to Angel and Gazzy. Angel was wearing a white top with 'Princess' scribbled on it and tights. She looked innocent and sweet, but she was very evil. Gazzy wore shorts and a brown and orange hoodie. He looked cute and innocent to, but was mischief and just as dangerous as any of us. Iggy sat there in jeans and a long-sleeved, v-necked shirt with 'Pyro' scribbled on it in what looked like permanent marker. He was sitting there singing what sounded like 'she'll be coming round the mountain' to himself. Iggy was a weird case. He was immature and a perv but was funny and a bit different. I walked over there and Iggy bounded up. "Wow, you look, clean. It's a nice look on you" he grinned. I just gave him my were-you-born-retarded-or-did-you-have-to-go-to-a-special-school-for-it? Look and he just grinned at me even more. "Nice dog tags" he said reaching up to touch them. Before I knew what I was doing I grabbed his hand flipped him over my shoulder and he landed on his back with a heavy thud. Josh taught me how to do that. "Wow, Lexi. Can you teach me how to do that?" Gazzy asked. I looked down at Iggy and his eyes were wide open and he was trying to suck in air. I helped him to his feet and dusted him off. "Sorry. Just a reaction" I apologized. "Well you're stronger than you look. It's cool, I understand. Sorry I didn't think" He said and I said "Don't worry about it." Sam showed up and I held back my urge to punch his face in, see I have self control. I decided that I would just ignore him, by reacting I was jiving him what he wanted. "Ok guys, lets try a trust game" he grinned in my direction and I moaned in my head. I didn't trust anyone. He led us towards a rock climbing wall. It was massive. Probably about 6 meters high. We were all suited up in harnesses and were given a run down on how to use the equipment. We were put into groups of three. I was with Iggy and Gazzy. The other group had four, Max, Fang, Nudge and Angel. "Dibs first" Iggy called shooting up the wall. I jumped up and grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back down. "I said it first so to bad" he sulked crossing his arms and I rolled my eyes. "You might want to make sure you're clipped on then" I said taking the rope and attaching it to his harness. "Oh. Thanks" he grinned jumping up and once again shooting up the wall. I was at the front of the rope and Gazzy had back up. It wasn't long before Iggy was at the top. "Hello down there!" he called. "Yoddele yehoooo" he yodeled. "I see London, I see France. I see Lexi's underpants" he called and I checked to see if they were showing but they weren't. "Shut up and get ready to come down" I called and he sniggered. We started hauling him down and about halfway I let the rope slip from my hands and he plummeted to the ground screaming like a girl and I pulled him up way before he hit the ground. He came to a haut but he went to grab the wall and missed, flipping himself upside down. I lowered him down so his face was inches from mine. Even though he was upside down, his arms and legs were crossed and he frowned at me, his hair sticking up everywhere. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. He couldn't help but laugh either and I untied him and let him down. "Me next!" Gazzy called. "And I want Lexi to be in front" he called connecting the rope and bolting up the wall. As he was coming down, I did the same thing, like he had practically asked me and he flew towards the ground laughing like a maniac and I grinned, pulling him up and then slowly letting him down to the ground. "You turn" Iggy grinned handing me the rope. I swallowed. I wasn't scared and if you say I am I'm gonna punch your lights out. Its just I have always relied on myself and have never had to trust someone before. Iggy noticed my hesitation and clipped me on. "You'll be fine, I promise" he said dead serious for one. "Your in Iggy's hands" he grinned the last bit taking the front of the rope and I rolled my eyes. "I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse" I said starting to climb. I reached the top in no time and made the mistake of looking down. Ok so heights weren't my favorite thing in the world. "It's ok Lexi! Let go of the wall" Iggy called and I hung onto the wall even more. "I swear I won't let anything happen to you. You have to trust me" he called and I looked down at him. I must be out of my mind; I thought slowly letting go of the wall and hanging there in mid air. Iggy slowly brought me down and I reached the ground. "I told you didn't I?" he grinned and I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. We walked over to the others and it was Angel's turn. "I don't wanna go up there" she cried. "It's too high. I'm scared of heights; please don't make me go up there" tears were running down her face. "Angel listens to me. I will never let anything happen to you. Trust me" Fang said holding her hand. She thought about it then nodded and they clipped her on and she scampered up the wall. Once she got to the top she froze. "Angel sweetie let go" Max called. "No" she cried hanging on to the wall for dear life. "Ang you can do it" Gazzy called to her. "Angel let go, I wont let you fall" Fang called. Slowly she closed her eyes and let go of the wall. We got her down safely. "Well done guys" Sam said walking up to us. "Ok, so its lunch time, so back to the hall" he instructed and I held myself back from saying some back. We slowly walked back down to the hall where everyone else was. Kids were running around everywhere and I dodged a rock. Someone bumped into me and I spun around. "Watch it" a boy about my age with brown hair and brown eyes glared at me, he looked familiar. "Watch it yourself jerk" I pushed him back. "Oh you think you're so tough?" he pushed me again. "I know it" I growled pushing him so he fell on his butt. "Don't think just because you're a girl I'm gonna go easy on you" he said jumping up. "And don't think just because your retarded I'm gonna go easy on you" I said getting in a fighting stance. "Break it up you two. Ari shove off" Max said coming up behind me. "You know dog boy?" I asked pointing at the boy with me thumb. I had said dog boy because his features made him look like a cute dog, but don't tell him I said that or you won't live to regret it. "Yeah he's my dorky cousin" Max said glaring at Ari and he grinned. "Whatever cuz" he grinned even more. "So who's this?" He asked pointing to me and I growled. "I'll let her introduce herself" she smiled walking off. "I'm Ari and if you want me to teach you how to really fight I'm in cabin 7" he said holding out his hand and winked at me. "Hi I'm Lexi and if you say something like that again I'll make sure you wont be able to use that ever again" I said flicking my eyes down to his crouch and shook his hand. He looked nervous and Iggy and Gazzy burst out laughing at his expression and he regained his cool. We were walking to the hall when I noticed a lighter sticking out of a leader's back pocket. "Sorry" I mumbled as I bumped into the leader. "Nice to see you're learning some manners" said the leader and I noticed it was Jeb. "Thanks" I said walking off. "What was that about?" Iggy asked me. "What? I was just thanking him for his beautiful lighter" I grinned flipping the lighter in my fingers. "I will give you anything for that" Iggy said not taking his eyes off the lighter. "Hmm" I thought about it, clicking it so a flame came out. "Please. I'm a pyro. I. Need. Fire" he begged. "Well what if I want to have some fun with it to?" I asked running it over a table cloth as we walked into the hall and it burst in flames but I kept walking innocently as a leader brought out the fire extinguisher. "Please. Please. Please. I swear if you give it to me I'll make it worth it" he asked. "It better be. And you owe me" I said tossing it to him. "Mwa ha ha" he laughed and I grinned. We walked towards the back of the hall and yet another person bumped into me. "Am I like invisible or something?" I yelled then turned to see the red haired slut from the bus was who had run into me. "Well if I wore clothes like that I'd want to be invisible to" she sneered. Oh no she didn't! I stormed over to her, my fist clenched to punch her with it. Iggy grabbed my hand and stopped me. "She's not worth it" he said. "Oh, hello, I didn't see you there" she smiled at him and I almost barfed. "Hi?" he said confused. "Another fight? I'm liking you more and more" Ari said coming up behind me. "Oh. Hi I'm Lissa" she smiled at him to. "Hi I'm Lexi and if you continue to be a slut and make me feel as though I'm about to puke up my guts then your going to have to deal with me" I said cutting Ari off. "Slut? Looks who's talking. I'm not the one with two guys trailing me and refusing to share them" she gave me a pathetic glare. "One: Iggy is my friend. You know what friends are right? Two: I only met Ari like a minute ago" I looked at Ari then shrugged, "You can have him" I said and Ari frowned and Iggy laughed. "And three" I said pinning her up against the wall. "You call me a slut again, hell if you come near me again I will punch you so hard no amount of plastic surgery will help you" I threatened and she tried to suck in air but was failing for my arm was cutting off her airway. I was half expecting Iggy to be pulling me off but he was to distracted eyeing off a wires sticking out of the wall where there was a hole and I rolled my eyes at him. Ari was standing there giving me an amused look. Lissa was trying to claw my arm but the only damage it did was break her own fake nail. She was turning red and I was just about to let her go when I dropped to the floor once again my body exploded in pain then numbness. "You ok?" Iggy asked picking me up and I shook off the tasered feeling. "Wow you took that so well" Ari said standing beside me. "You're drooling" I mumbled as his mouth was open in awe. He wiped it away and blushed. I looked over at Sam who was standing there whistling swinging his taser around. "Did you see that crazy bitch? She almost killed me!" Lissa cried and I noticed everyone had stopped and were watching us. Great. Max, Fang, Gazzy, Nudge and Angel came and stood next to me. I cracked my neck in a dramatic way and glared at Sam. "You did that one for fun" I growled. "You were going to kill her, but yeah" he grinned at me. "I wasn't going to kill her. I was about to let go when you came swinging with that weapon like it was a rubber chicken" I accused. I noticed that Iggy had left my side and for once I felt a bit of hurt, but I brushed it off as I glared at Sam again. "I only did what I had to. You ok Lissa?" he asked the red haired wonder that was still holding her neck and pretending she was dying. I rolled my eyes at her patheticness and Sam's just general pathetic existence. He helped her up and they looked at me. "What?" I asked. "You should be put in mental hospital" Lissa threw at me. "And with the amount of makeup on your face you should be in a cake factory" I shot back. "Psychotic freak!" She spat at me. I fixed my jaw and wiped off her spit and whipped it on Ari. "Die!" I yelled throwing myself at her and we fell to the floor. I kicked out and knocked Sam's taser out of his hand and I saw Gazzy pick it up and run. Sam dived at me and now all three of us were rolling around on the floor. I kicked Sam in the stomach and punched Lissa in her face and she screamed. Sam grabbed me and Lissa got up and ran. Sam got up and pushed me against the wall. "Well this looks familiar" Sam growled in my ear and my knees became weak. Flashback. I was lying on the bed with Sam watching a movie. He started kissing my neck and I tried to push him away. "Come on babe" he mumbled trying to take off my shirt. "Sam stop it. What's gotten into you?" I asked. "We've been dating for ages now, lets have some fun" he said. "Just stop it. I don't want to" I said. "Aww come on" he said pinning me down on the bed. "Sam stop it" I said pushing him off and getting up to leave. Sam jumped up and pushed me against the wall. "Come on babe" he whispered sucking on my ear and undoing my buttons. "Sam stop it!" I cried, but there was no one to hear my cries. End of flashback. "Fuck off Sam" I growled. "Come on babe" he said in the same whisper and started sucking on my ear and my knees almost buckled and my eyes stung with trying to hold back tears. I took a deep breath and let it out. I kneed Sam in the stomach and grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled back so his head snapped up to look at me. "I am not the same girl you knew. I am stronger and I am your worst nightmare if you ever cross me again" I growled hitting his head against the wall and letting go and walking off. "Lexi look out!" Nudge called and I swung around to see Sam pull out yet another taser. I froze then all of a sudden Iggy ran in between us and screamed "Everybody get down!" Without thinking I dropped to the ground and there was a BOOM! Iggy had managed to steal the lighter and had blown up something. Rubble flew past me and Iggy laughed as he was lying down next to me with his hands over his head and I couldn't help but laugh like a crazy person as well. It was silent as everyone laid there in shock and the dust began to clear. I looked up and blew a piece of hair out of my eyes. Iggy sat up and I looked at him and he looked back then we grinned and got up to look at his, well ours because I gave him the lighter, mess. "Oh yeah" he said holding up his hand and we high-fived. "LEXI BLADE! IGGY GRIFFITHS!" I saw a red faced Jeb stand up. "Uh oh" I said. "Run?" he asked. "Run!" I yelled and we bolted out of the doors. As we ran we laughed and I couldn't stop. These people had turned me into a new person. It had been years since I had even smiled and now I was laughing and actually having fun. The closest thing I had ever felt to home with was the jail cell. Strangely it was where I felt free. I may have been in a giant metal cadge but I knew I was there because I had struck out and been who I was and what I wanted and I was free. No matter what ever happens I will never be a good girl, I will always be bad and a lost cause and a need for freedom. I looked at Iggy and he grinned at me as we ran and I realized that right now running with Iggy by my side as my stomach hurt from laughing and from the excitement from everything that just happened, was the best thing that has happened in my life. Finally we had run into the bush that surrounded the 'camp' and we were sure they wouldn't find us. We stopped and sat down together leant under a tree to catch our breath. "That was so awesome!" he yelled and I giggled. I Giggled? The world is coming to an end? "You have a beautiful smile and laugh" he said seriously. All of a sudden I felt my cheeks go red and for the first time ever I blushed. "You should do it more often" he said running a finger across my cheek and I shivered under his touch. "Sorry" he said blushing. "It's ok. I don't know what it is about Iggy, but you make me feel so alive. You're the first person in a long time to make me smile and enjoy myself. Thank you" I said then instantly regretted it. I didn't regret saying it because it was true, but I regretted it because at that moment I had let someone into my thoughts and therefore let them through my walls of hostility. As if he read my mind he took my hand in his and said, "Lexi I see those walls you put up around yourself. I don't know what it is but I just connect with you like no one I ever have. I feel as though I've known you my whole life. And I'm hoping if you can trust me, we can be friends, the best friends even. I want to be the one you can tell anything to" he said and I don't think I've seen him so serious. "I feel the same way" I admitted. And from that moment a silent promise had been shared. A promise to always be best friends and be there for each other.