Hey! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Exams start next week and I've been so bogged down in revision it I've barely had time to do anything other than study lol. Anyway, here's a new chapter but sorry if it's a tad on the rubbish side. I wanted to take a bit longer on it but I didn't want anyone to think I'd abandoned this already, lol, so I hope you like it
Please R & R! I would be eternily gratefull! Flames accepted also since everyone needs a bit of balance in their lives
xxx

The morning passed by in a blur to Christina. She'd been forced to work the early shift at the pool which had both its positives and its negatives. On the plus, Provost Higgins allowed her to skip first period – AP English, not exactly her favorite class of all time. On the downside, it forced her from her bed at 5.30 in the morning.

As the alarm buzzed loudly on her bedside table she heard her room mate, Isabelle groan and roll over and wished she could do the same but she needed that $10 an hour. Trying her best not to disturb Iz, Christina pulled on her bathing suit and threw some reasonably clean-looking sweats over the top. She pulled a granola bar from a family-size pack under her cluttered desk and began munching, pulling her sleep-knotted hair into a rough ponytail between bites.

As much as she complained about working the early shift, she loved walking through the campus when everyone was still asleep. It was peaceful somehow and quiet enough for undisturbed thinking. As she walked through the thick grove of trees, listening to the sounds of her sneakered feet against the tarmac path, her thoughts turned to the upcoming Gloucester meet and state qualifiers. Every swim team in school was obsessed at the moment, every coach and captain trying to book as much pool time for their respective teams as possible. The freshman boys had 3 sessions today alone and Olivia was trying to extend the pools opening hours to get the Varsity girls a few late night sessions. It was crazy but by striving for perfection the school's teams were almost famous. Three of the country's Olympic swim team had attended Spenser and scouts came to almost every meet the Spenser teams attended. It was rumored that both Caleb Danvers and Pogue Parry were being closely watched by Olympic coaches. Most of the scholarship students were brought in because of their swimming ability. Christina herself had been the number one swimmer at her middle school and so in an attempt to better her chances of getting in to Yale, she'd applied to Spenser's scholarship program. She remembered the shock on her first day of training. Everyone had been so amazing. She immediately went from being the best swimmer that everyone relied on to being an average swimmer with good potential. It had been hard at first but eventually she'd learnt there was no point trying to compare herself to girls like Olivia and Lily. Christina had learnt it was better to compete only with herself and ignore everyone else. It was the only way to stay grounded in a school full of amazing athletes otherwise jealousy would turn a person bitter and angry and she definitely didn't want that.

By the end of first period as she changed into her uniform, she could feel herself drooping, the early morning wake-up taking its toll. World History was a nightmare as she struggled to keep her heavy eyelids open and try to at least feign concentration and interest. By morning break it was all she could do to walk the 100 yards to the cafeteria for the largest coffee she could possibly lay her hands on. Sitting at her usual table did not help either: listening to Lily and Isabelle compare make-out stories in annoyingly high-pitched and chirpy voices just made her feel more tired as she struggled to keep up, although their unthinking jabber did only require her to nod or smile occasionally.

It was then that she realized Lily had been speaking to her.

"Sorry what was that?" Christina asked, trying in vain to rub the tiredness from her eyes.

Lily rolled her eyes and flipped her long curly blonde hair behind her shoulder, "I said do you guys mind if I come over later so we can coordinate our outfits for tonight?"

"That's so stupid Lily" Isabelle smirked, "It's just Nicky's, not dinner with Jake Gyllenhaal".

Christina frowned, "Since when are we going to Nicky's? Don't we have a late practice tonight?"

"No Chrissie, late practice is tomorrow and Nicky's is tonight. You need to get some more rest, you're falling asleep over there" Isabelle joked, watching as the brunette struggled to keep her eyes open as she sipped her coffee.

She shrugged, "Caffeine is the way forwards my friend. Who needs sleep when you can get all of the same benefits from a hot cup of Joe?"

Isabelle just shook her head in response, returning to her conversation with Lily, the two now debating whether Jake Gyllenhaal looked better with short hair or long hair.

They were always like this, chocolate and cheese, two things that shouldn't go together but somehow did. Isabelle was a tomboy, driven by her competitive nature and always looking for the next adventure. Lily on the other hand was much more conserved and a hundred times more girly. Where Isabelle was straight to the point and almost brutal in her opinions, Lily flounced around the topic, trying to please everyone and stay on their good side. They were a deadly pairing when they wanted to be.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur wit exhaustion making concentration almost impossible for Christina. She was being grouchy and she knew it, snapping at James during Bio Lab when he'd dropped a test tube, arguing with Isabelle over the meaning behind one of Macbeths monologue in Lit class and of course practically yelling at the school librarian for scolding her late return of some books.

She made the decision at lunch to skip her last two classes – Modern Politics and Creative Media – opting instead to sleep. It was a no-brainer, a simple choice between falling asleep at her desk only to be woken by some angry teacher or cut and have a good long nap in her own comfortable bed. As soon as the first bell signaling the end of lunch, she snuck through the back doors of the cafeteria. Everyone knew cutting behind the kitchens and across the faculty parking lot was the quickest way to get to the upperclassman dormitory buildings without being seen. The only problem would be getting past Mr. Logan. It was common knowledge that he spent every lunchtime sitting in his beaten-up, rusted red 1969 Roadrunner listening to old Smiths songs and having a few smokes before afternoon classes began. Provost Higgins disapproved of smoking on school grounds, faculty included, so it was almost a proven fact that Mr. Logan was given his exemption in return for preventing students cutting class and going to the dorms during school hours.

As she rounded the corner, keeping low and readying herself for a crouched sprint through the mass of expensive cars, she spotted Logan's car, smoke slowly trickling from the driver's side window. It was to the left of the main doors but he would definitely have a clear view so that way was a no go. It also meant climbing the fire escape on the left of the building was also out of the question. That left the basement entrance at the back which meant heaving open an ancient iron trapdoor, walking through a pitch black corridor, climbing over unused furniture and finally hoping she could remember the access code for the door into the building.

She sighed, was a couple of hours of sleep really worth that much? But she'd made up her mind and if she turned back now, there would be a detention in her future for sure. Sighing again, she adjusted her bag strap and readied herself for the obstacle course ahead. But then a miracle happened: Logan jumped out of his car and strode towards a clump of pristine shrubbery by the corner of the building. He shoved one fist into the bush and came out with a fistful of shirt and blazer. Inside the shirt was none other than Reid Garwin, face set in an expression of amusement and defiance. Logan was yelling, his back to the dormitory entrance and Christina saw her perfect opportunity.

She sprinted as much as she could in a crouch to the edge of the cars then slowed to creep over the grass verge, across the small road and up the steps. Logan was really digging in to Reid, pointing his finger accusingly in the blondes face but nothing seemed to faze the rebellious student. He simply flashed his signature relaxed smile, chuckling every now and then. As Christina looked over in one last check before entering the building, she noted Reid looking back in her direction over Logan's shoulder. He wouldn't snitch on her would he? She pleaded with her eyes, begging him not to give her away. The brunette watched uneasily until Reid sighed a little, smirked and shook his head. Christina beamed, sure he was on her side and mouthed a thank you in his direction, he chuckled.

Exhaustion and relief took over as soon as her foot hit the parquet flooring of the main corridor. She walked in a blur to her room and crashed out completely. The next thing was conscious of was Isabelle storming into the room.

"I cannot believe some guys!" she fumed, throwing her bag onto her unmade bed.

Christina pushed her bed-head hair from her eyes and looked over at her friend.

"What has he done now?" she replied, voice raspy from sleep. She noted that she was wearing her old Spongebob T-shirt and Snoopy Pajama pants although she couldn't remember changing.

Isabelle huffed, pulling off her blazer and shoes, "He's decided to follow us out on our girls night out tonight. He won't let me have even one night of freedom!"

Christina shook her head. Isabelle's relationship with her boyfriend Alfie was always full of drama, her outspoken, straight to the point ways clashing with his quiet determination. The pair could turn from Romeo and Juliet to Sharon and Ozzy in ten seconds flat but they were the ultimate power couple, feeding from each others success with their competitive natures pushing them both to try and better the other in any way possible. This however did sometimes create their most explosive arguments like the time Alfie had gotten higher than Isabelle in a pre-SAT or when Isabelle beat Alfie's PB 400m freestyle time.

Christina sat up, pulling her swim team jumper over her head.

"What do you mean he won't let you have on night of freedom?" she freed her hair from the collar, letting it fall across her shoulder in loose waves.

Isabelle puffed again, emptying a couple of folders onto her desk, "When I told him about tonight, he just invited himself along. He said that we hadn't hung out in forever which is ridiculous because we have homeroom together every day and pre-SAT sessions every Thursday"

Christina couldn't help but let a small burst of laughter escape her lips but silenced it quickly as Isabelle shot daggers from her eyes.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing" the brunette replied, "It's just that homeroom and pre-SAT don't really count as 'hanging out' do they?"

"Not the point C, tonight is supposed to be girls night! Team bonding! I can't do that and spend time with him, it doesn't work that way"

"Have you explained that to him?"

"No" Isabelle replied, coming up short, "but it doesn't matter, he's an idiot"

Christina shrugged. It didn't matter what Iz said right now, she'd be loved up again by dinner, joking and kissing and making fun of him like she always did, feigning hurt when he teased her back. It was an endless cycle of arguments and true love. Watching them though, Chrissie couldn't help but think relationships were far too much hardwork to even consider. She barely had the time to maintain her A grade average, work at the pool and attend swim practices, let alone adding a relationship to the mix. That was probably why she contented herself with the stalker-esk behavior she'd developed as regards a certain popular brunette boy. It was much less time consuming and much more satisfying – she could create the perfect relationship in her mind so who needed a half-baked attempt?

Sighing Christina heaved herself out of bed, readying herself for a night of burgers, gossip, and pool. Who needed imaginary boys anyway when you had junk food and a jukebox?