AN: ok so this is the 2nd chapter. I've written it a while ago but never got to typing it out. Sorry about that! Anyways, thank you guys for the reviews! They mean a lot to me so keep it up! Also, I've already written the third chapter but I need to type it out.

Alex's POV

During class, I found myself watching her. Every time she glanced at me, I quickly turned away. As soon as class was over, she bolted out through the door without even looking back.

I left and tried to find my assigned locker and once I did, my breath stopped. There she was, at the locker beside mine.

"Hi," I grinned as I approached her.

She turned around slowly. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Alex."

She sighed and shoved the rest of her books into her locker. "I'm Madison," she replied, and with that she turned and left.

Suddenly I realized that what I was doing was wrong. Girls betray you. They hurt you, and move on without a care in the world. Images of America's incidents flashed through my eyes… one face in particular kept coming back, but I pushed it away.

What was I doing? I couldn't be comparing this girl I'd just met to Sabina.

Alex, I thought, you can't fall for her.

Trying to push her from my mind, I headed for the cafeteria. There was laughter and noise everywhere and I felt overwhelmed. I didn't know anyone – where should I sit? Suddenly I badly missed Tom, who had been pretty much my only friend back home but was there, without fail, every day. I understood now how he must have felt all the times that I had disappeared on missions, how he must be feeling now that I'd gone for good.

I spotted Madison; she had earphones in her ears and was hardly paying attention to the girl who was talking and gesturing wildly next to her. I thought briefly about going to her but remembered how she had pushed me away earlier. I'd spotted an empty table and was starting to walk towards it when my path was blocked by a huge guy. He wore a baggy t-shirt and jeans half below his ass. He had jet black hair, green eyes and his face was sprinkled with acne.

"Where's the Brit boy going?" he growled. Spit flew out of his mouth and landed on my shirt. I wiped it off and pointed at the empty table.

"There," I said.

He snarled and picked me up by my shirt. "Listen, new boy. I'm in charge around here and you're gonna sit where I tell you to. Got that?"

"No. I don't got that."

He dropped me. I fell, but reacted quickly and landed skilfully on my heels. After all I'd survived; I wasn't going to let this guy beat me to the floor.

"You think this is funny?" he growled.

I suppressed a laugh.

"You are going to sit over there."

He pointed to a single bench by the trash. Suddenly anger reared up inside of me. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? I remembered my first week of school back at Brookland – I'd taken care of a nasty bully then, too. It looked like history was about to repeat itself.

I lashed out with my leg and he fell with such a force that everyone turned to look. Before he could get up, I put my foot on his chest.

"Look, mister. Nobody tells me what to do, so I will sit wherever I want. Got that?"

I didn't wait for a response and I walked over to the empty table and sat down. The guy came over to me.

"Think you're so cool messin' with me? Huh? Well listen up sonny boy. Messin' with Dean Harvey equals consequences."

He spat in my face and left. As I wiped the spit with my sleeve, I noticed that everything had become quiet. From the other side of the room, Madison was glaring at me. What did I do? Dean barked out an order and the cafeteria resumed its laughter and noise.