Here is Chapter 4! I do not own any characters (not even Mr Ryan, he's actually my form tutor at school and I just like that name. His name's Daniel as well btw. Not that you were interested) Derek Landy owns Skulduggery Pleasant, Valkyrie Cain and new student. Lauren Kate owns Luce, Daniel, Arianne and Gabbe. Alyson Noel owns Ever and Damen. Mr Ryan owns himself. Lol

Enjoy:

Chapter 4: Expect the Unexpected

Stephanie had been at school for about a month now and she liked to think that she and Cam were an item. They weren't though. She spent a lot of time with him but also with Luce, Daniel, Ever and Damen. She had apologised for the way she acted on her first Sunday there at breakfast. She had learnt the real truth about Cam and he had apologised to her for it and he would never act that way with her. He was jealous of Daniel because he always had what he wanted. Well now he doesn't have that with Stephanie. She was all his.

She and Cam were sitting at the edge of the school pool dipping their toes in while waiting for the teacher to actually show up the lesson. Well. It wasn't a proper lesson just that the students weren't allowed in the pool without a lifeguard there. When the teacher eventually showed up everyone jumped in except for them. Cam was staring at her like he didn't get to see enough of her.

She was wearing a red bikini with black stars on it. She didn't like it that much because it showed her stomach and her long, shaven legs. She was used to wearing the outfits that Ghastly makes her and protects her in the fights she always got in. She didn't need that clothing so that was left at home. She was going to wear her one piece costumes but everyone persuaded her to wear this. Cam was wearing his light blue trunks with dark blue swirls on them. His chest obviously bare that was pressed against Stephanie's back and he had his arms around her protectively.

"Stephanie have I told you that you look beautiful in that bikini?"

"Yes you have. Eighteen times now," she giggled.

"Well, have I ever told you that you look beautiful generally?"

"No you haven't but you just did,"

"Stephanie? Will you be my girlfriend?" She gasped. She had wanted this since he was the first one to show how kind he was. Never mind what he had done to Luce she liked him. Maybe even loved him. She looked at him.

"What?" She asked.

"Will you go out with me? Be my girlfriend? You know. Whatever you call it?" He asked again.

"I- um... Yeas," She said and he kissed her. The kiss was sweet. His lips were warm and she felt like a new person. She felt like she was Stephanie Edgley, normal girl living a normal life, now with a normal boyfriend. She felt like Valkyrie Cain was a different lifetime. A whole different person to how she felt now at Sword & Cross. Now as far as she was concerned... Valkyrie Cain didn't exist.

They were interrupted by Luce calling to them.

"Are you two going to get in the pool or just sit at the edge snogging each other?" this made Daniel laugh. They had forgiven Cam for everything that happened and were temporarily getting along, for Stephanie's sake. But they both knew Cam was up to something. And they wanted to find out.

They both laughed as well and stood up, went to the deep end where Daniel, Luce, Ever and Damen were and Cam jumped in, making a splash that soaked Stephanie before she even had a chance to get in. She quickly got in because she was getting cold. The boys decided to have a race so the girls talked for a while.

"So is it official yet?" Ever asked, her blond hair plastered to her head.

"Yes. He just asked me," Stephanie replied.

"Ah. Lucky you babe," Luce said.

"So now you can stop worrying about, um, what's his name?" asked Ever.

"Fletcher? Yes that dick," Stephanie said remembering him even though she had forgotten about him.

"What actually happened between you two?"

"I don't really know. I feel that one minute we were alright and the next he split up with me. OK. He said he had to split up with me because he couldn't have a relationship if we couldn't trust each other. I walked in my uncle's house one day and I saw him with another girl. One of his ex-girlfriend's apparently. I saw her kiss him and he said 'I'm splitting up with you because you've got the wrong idea and I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me.' I did trust him. I believed him when he said she kissed him and he liked me not her but he wouldn't listen. I still liked him even when he dumped me. That's why I didn't hang with you lot when I first got here. I realise now that he isn't worth it."

"Well if he didn't trust you then you're better off without him,"

At that moment the bell went to symbolise the end of the lesson. They all got changed and went to their final lesson of the day. Music. Stephanie had started to like music when she was here. NO-one did anything but stand on a table and sing for each other. And play the instruments like he class was a big band. Everyone who sang was amazing and she liked sitting down and doing nothing but listen to her classmates sing an incredible song. Also they never made her do anything, which she was grateful for. They started walking towards the music class.

"Hey Stephanie. You know one of these days everyone is going to figure out that you've never done anything in music and they will make you sing right?" Luce asked.

"I know I never do anything in music, but I was kind of hoping that everyone wouldn't notice. I like not embarrassing myself in front of everyone,"

"Yeah we know. Luce here was the same until I made her do her first performance. She then realised she enjoyed it a lot and became best in the class," Arriane said listening in the conversation.

"Thanks A but I'd rather sit out of the way," Stephanie said, as they walked into the classroom and she went to sit at the back.

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Arriane muttered. She stood on the table grabbed the microphone off the teacher and made an announcement.

"Right everyone. I've got a little challenge for you. There is one person in this room who sits and does nothing throughout the whole lesson while everyone else gets on this table and sings you a song. You have five minutes to find out who this person is and make them sing. Go," everyone started thinking and muttering to each other about who the quiet person could be. With one minute to go Arriane's friend Gabbe shouted:

"Isn't it Stephanie Edgley A?"

"Yay someone guessed it," Arriane said, while everyone looked at Stephanie who sunk low in her chair.

"Sorry Steph but that means you have to sing now!" someone shouted. Ever and Luce grabbed her arms and pulled her over to the table. When she got up there she froze. She had never sung in front of anyone in her life! In fact she can't remember the last time she sung at all. Before she met Skulduggery she knew that much. She remembered she hadn't thought about Skulduggery in weeks. She didn't realise how many people were in her class. But it was a lot.

"OK. Here's a list of songs. You pick one and sing it," Arriane said giving her a piece of paper

There were so many and she didn't know what to sing.

"Well? What song?" Arriane asked.

"Um I don't know." she replied.

"Sing Firework!" Someone shouted out.

"Yeah. Katy Perry!" someone else shouted. She knew the song. She liked the song. Why not? If she enjoyed herself she could do it again. If she didn't maybe not.

"OK," everyone cheered as the music started playing and she sang 'Firework' by Katy Perry.

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag,
Drifting through the wind wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin,
Like a house of cards one blow from caving in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep,
Six feet under screams but no-one seems to hear a thing?
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
There's a spark in you,

You've just got to ignite the light, and let it shine
Just own the night, like the fourth of July
Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go oh, oh, oh
As you shoot across the sky, ay, ay..."

As she was singing she realised she was actually enjoying it. When she finished 'firework' the class asked her for more as they have never heard her before and they thought she was really good.

She was just finishing the final verse of Kesha's 'Blah Blah Blah' when she saw a new student walk through the door. She only caught a glimpse of him but quickly finished the song so she could get off the table before he saw her. Too late he was looking straight at her. She tried to ignore him but his eyes were fixed on her. Finally the music finished and the teacher, Mr Ryan, got on the table when she got off. The blonde-haired boy with those blue eyes stood next to him but off the table and tried to get in her way but she managed to move around him and go to the back of the room with her friends.

"OK class we have a new student here with us today," Mr Ryan said. "He's just moved to around here from Dublin. Please make him feel welcome as most of you know what it's like to be the newbie." He got off the table and didn't even realise he forgot to say his name. Everyone started crowding around the newbie but he was looking straight at Stephanie.

"So what's your name?" the class 'tart' asked. He wasn't listening though. Stephanie walked out the classroom because his stare was getting too much. Cam followed her and put his arms around her. He tried to get her to look at him but she wouldn't. She just rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Neither of them would say anything until Luce came out.

"Oh my God have you seen his hair?" she asked amazed.

"Yes," Stephanie said, standing straight in Cam's arms. "I have. He looks like a demented porcupine,"

"Gee thanks Val," he said as he walked outside to join them, followed closely by Daniel, Ever and Damen.

"You're welcome. So come on tell me. What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighbourhood so I thought I'd enrol here. I hope it's not a problem," he said smiling that cute smile she used to love so much.

"Well it is a problem,"

"Wait." Ever said. "You two know each other?" They ignored her.

"I can't believe your cheek!" Stephanie yelled. "You think you can just turn up here and expect me to be OK with it? What did that useless bag of bones do to make you agree to come here then?"

"You know what he's like. All he had to do was ask! Or have you been here for so long you forgot? We haven't had a call from you in weeks Val!"

"I never called you though did I? And don't call me Val. That's over now you useless twat!" They were shouting at each other now.

"Anyway I wanted to come here. I wanted to talk to you properly. Skulduggery didn't ask me, I offered,"

"Well it's too late for that now isn't it you piece of shit!"

"I'd be careful what you say to me. You would not like me when I'm angry," he warned.

"And you know what I'm like when I'm angry. Oh drat I left my ring at home. Looks like I have to settle for the simple torture. How about I burn your hair?"

"OK hold it. Time," Cam said putting his hand in a T shape to say stop. They looked at him.

"Stephanie who is this joker?" Luce asked.

"Oh sorry guys. This is my ex-twat-boyfriend Fletcher Renn," and everyone gasped.

OK I know you all probably guessed who it was ages ago. And the argument was them just covering up how they really felt for each other. So please review.