*leans back and soaks in applause* yes, thankyou, thankyou, I am aware that I started a new story yesterday and I have ALREADY done another update. Yes yes, I am aware I am great! Wait, what's that? The only reason I updated early is because I have no life? What a ridiculous notion!

Yeah, anyway... here's the new chapter, hope you like it :)

Zero's P.O.V

"No," I whimper, backing away from her. "No. I'm begging you! Anything but that!"

It's a dress (A/N- well done to the people who guessed :D). Made from this weird reddish-pink coloured fabric with a white bow tied neatly around the middle. It's the kind of dress models would wear. It's the kind of dress some girls would die for. It's the kind of dress that someone could effectively torture me with.

"Z," sniggers Vin. "If I have to wear the suit, you have to wear the dress. It's only fair!"

"But..." I stammer, "it's pink."

Vin's mum shoots me one of her haughty little smirks, "it's Amaranth red. I called up a friend who has a daughter about your age, and she kindly said you could borrow it."

"There is no way I'm ever-" I start, but Vin's mum cuts me off.

"If you want to stay here, you wear the dress," she spits, throwing the vomit-inducing garment at me. "It should make you look a little less... lower class." I open my mouth to protest, then shut it again. It's no use arguing, either I wear the dress and stay or I reject it and leave.

"Fine," I mutter mutinously, looking down at my bare feet. "Whatever you say, mam'." She gives a satisfied smile and flounces out of the room. I swear there's a spring in her step that wasn't there before.

She enjoys this, I think, disgusted. She enjoys making me feel bad. She gets a kick out of it! How could someone be so horrible!

Vin's P.O.V-

My mum walks out and Zero glares after her, looks mutinous.

"Well Z, what are you waiting for?" I tease. "Put it on!" To say that Zero looks apprehensive is an understatement.

"Its so... Girlish," she says, looking like she's about to be sick. "And what about the bandages!"

I frown, thinking hard. "Well... you could borrow a jacket?" I rummage in my closet for a while before pulling out a long grey cardigan. It's really disgusting, kind of see through and floaty, but it might be alright for Zero.

"Isn't this a girls cardigan?" she sniggers, taking it from me. "How come you have it?" I feel my cheeks redden.

"My mum bought it for me," I mutter, staring at the ground. "It's not like I would ever wear it." She grins, then grabs the dress and the cardigan, disappearing down the hall into the bathroom.

I finish pulling on my suit then stare in horror at my reflection. My mum insisted I restyle my hair, so it lies flat on my head, all trace of hair gel removed. The suit is a good fit, but it makes me look like some little wannabe movie star. The door clicks open and Zero enters, blushing furiously. Her shoulder length hair (A/N- yeah... It's grown. Forgot to mention that.) looks beautiful, like a waterfall of frost.The dress looks amazing on her, and the cardigan only complements it. She looks beautiful... but she doesn't look like the Zero I know.

"I hate this," she mutters, storming over to my side. "I feel so... yuck. I can't even move! What if I have to defend myself?" She snatches up her black combat boots and laces them up, still disgruntled. The boots give her outfit a bit more edge. I smile as I look at her. That's more like the Zero I know.

She raises her eyebrows and I realise I'm staring at her. I quickly look away and she smirks.

"You um, you look nice," I stammer. She snorts.

"Thanks. You look horrible."

"Thanks," I laugh.

"No problem," she smirks. We sit in silence. It's not an awkward silence though, thats one of the best things about our friendship, no silence is ever awkward. I glance at Zero out of the corner of my eye. Her eyes are slightly unfocused and she's staring off into the distance, a small frown creasing her brow. Suddenly she shudders a little, closing her eyes for a second.

"You okay?" I ask, worried.

"Yeah," she mutters. "Sorry."

"Are you going to tell me what that shiver thing was?"

"Nope," she says lightly, standing up. "Come on, let's go see what's happening out front, I can hear people yelling." I strain my ears and also make out the faint sound of raised voices.

"He told me this was the address!"

"Well it isn't! Please leave my property."

Zero and I creep to the front door. Z takes a peek out then withdraws her head, looking horrified.

"Oh my god," she mutters. Her legs give out and she slides down the wall, her face hidden in her hands. "No." She starts trembling, her whole body violently shaking. "No."

"Zero? What's wrong?" I say urgently. "Are you alright?!" I grip her shoulders, scared she's going to break into a million pieces.

She slowly gets her breathing under control and lowers her hands.

"Its nothing," she says quietly. "Don't worry. Sorry if I scared you."

"You didn't scare me, you really scared me," I say earnestly, giving her a huge hug. "I thought you were having a heart attack or something!"

Zero's P.O.V

"Moron," I say, pushing him off me. "I'm fine."

"So, did you see who's out the front?" asks Vin, peering around the corner. I violently push him back down the corridor, shoving him into his room and slamming the door shut behind me.

"Zero," he protests, his voice voice full of hurt. "Why'd you do that!"

"No reason," I say tersely. Vin frowns. He gets to his feet and makes for the front door again, but I spring into action and tackle him back down onto his bed.

"What's the big idea, Z," he yelps, his voice growing higher as his agitation rises. "I don't get you!"

"Look," I hiss, my own agitation reaching a peak. "I know the guy outside, okay? He's dangerous. If he sees me with you you and your parents are as good as dead. Not like, when you don't do your homework dead. Shot in the head lying in the gutter dead."

i have no no idea why, but it's taking me SO long to move this story along! Honestly I introduced the restaurant thing like... TWO chapters ago and I STILL haven't gotten there!

I'm going to make a promise RIGHT NOW!

i solemnly swear that the next chapter will be about them at the restaurant.

THANKS FOR READING and please pleeaaaseeeee review! Pretty please with cherries on top!