OMG sorry i was so slow to update! I have to admit, i was being lazy. I've been having boy trouble at school, so i spent ages fussing over a guy who likes me and trying to figure out if i like him and ... blah blah yada yada so not important and I'm probably boring you.

ANYWAY! Finally finished this chapter though, so I'm happy! Oh, and this is really random, but you know in Storm Hawks where everyone's eyes have that little white dot in them next to their pupil to make them look more real? Yeah well, i just watched episode 49 'Payback' again as i haven't seen it in ages, and i noticed that at the start, when they walk out of restaurant thingy, there is a close up of Aerrow's face, and if you look at his eyes there is no little white dot, and it makes his eyes look really freaky. And in the next close up of him the little white dot is back. You probably already know this though, but i didn't so have mercy! And my stupid laptop is playing up and its making everything soooo sloww and i just wanna throw it in the chicken coop, but no, i need it, so i wont!

BUT FORGET THAT! ITS NOT IMPORTANT! Just read chapter 9 thanks XD

Chapter 9 – F is for Friday

Thank Atmos it's Friday.

I'd survived my first week of classes. Ms Pespa had passed back our quizzes on Tuesday. My grade – an F. I'd pretty much assumed I'd failed the quiz already, but it didn't stop me from nearly having a heart attack when I saw the letter on top of my paper. Thankfully, Ms Pespa told us that that quiz didn't count, and it was only to prepare us fo a quiz on Monday.

Whew.

I was never going to get an F again. I planned to spend double the amount of time studying from now on.

By Wednesday, I no longer felt nervous about going to the cafeteria by myself, and I was even too busy to feel homesick.

Starling caught up with me in the hallway after math. "Going back to the dorm?" she asked.

"I've got to go to the office and pick an elective class," I told her.

"Have fun," Starling said. "There are some good ones this semester."

When I got to the office, I signed in with the secretary and took a seat. A guy slid into the chair next to me.

"You here to pick an elective class?" he asked. For a second, I almost wasn't sure he was talking to me. "Yeah," I said, turning toward him.

Holy. Atmos.

It was the hot boy I saw before! Up close, he was even hotter. His eyes sparkled like emeralds and his hair shone, even in the dim light. I could feel my heart fluttering in my chest, and the newly-hatched fire scorpions barging about in my stomach threatened to break free.

I realised I must look like a startled rabbit, so I relaxed my shoulders and looked straight into his eyes. Man, they were stunning.

He smiled, showing gorgeous teeth, and I instinctively leaned a little closer. He could do whitening commercials, seriously. "I already did my schedule, but the Colonel signed me up accidentally for algebra, yuck."

I didn't realise that I had been holding my breath. I let it out slowly, so it sounded like I was just sighing. "Oh. That sucks, I hope he doesn't do that to me." Speaking wasn't easy since all I could focus on was his beautiful eyes.

"I'm Aerrow, by the way," he said.

Oh shoot, please tell me he didn't just say that. How could I be so blind? This guy was the son of Lightning Strike. I should have seen the resemblance before, when I was looking at my poster. He was just a baby, but I should have recognized the fiery hair and green eyes. I'm so stupid!

Oh man, stuff his heritage! It doesn't matter right now! I need to stop gawking at him like an idiot and say something.

"Um, I'm Pi. Well ah, not the food pie, the… you know. It's spelt P-I. But that's not my real name, Pi is short for Piper. So, ah… my name is Piper. Not Pi. Forget I ever said that." Ugh.

Aerrow grinned. "You're new, right?"

"Yeah," I said, rather breathlessly. Omigosh! He'd noticed me? He knew that I was new? He'd noticed me enough to know that I was new?! Oh, I could die happy.

"Some words of advice," Aerrow said, leaning in closer to me and throwing me under his delicious scent. He flicked those stunning eyes of his toward the office door. (Swoon). "Just watch out for the Colonel. That's who you talk to for the electives. He's kind of scary. Rumour is, he wrestles on weekends."

I laughed. Aerrow started laughing with me, though I noticed that he didn't take his eyes away from mine. But yet again, I couldn't take mine away either.

Out of the corner of my eye, a large man with four, yep, count 'em, four legs appeared in the doorway. "Piper?" He called. I instantly stopped laughing and glared at him. Way to ruin the moment. I should have been surprised by his appearance, but I was too flabbergasted by actually talking to the hottest guy on the entire planet.

Aerrow gave me a friendly, lopsided smile before I – reluctantly – followed the Colonel into his office. A large, gold championship ring glittered on his finger. I wondered if Aerrow was right about the wrestling.

"Sit," he commanded, his voice sounding even scarier than Mr Moss's. "So, how was your first week of classes at Helix?" He gave me a wide smile and showed huge, sharp-looking fangs.

"It was great," I squeaked. Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. I'm never going to survive this school.

"Good," he said. "Now, you've already got Crystal Mage classes. That's enough for your first year. But you still need to pick an elective class. Here are your options." He slid a piece of paper across the table to me.

I slowly reached out a hand and took the paper. I scanned the page. Web design, environmental science, art history, music appreciation, film.

"Film sounds perfect," I said, too scared to look up at him.

"Film starts next Friday with Mr Raven," Colonel said. "You're all set!"

I grabbed my papers and stood up, going extremely slowly. I was worried any sudden movements might startle him and make him jump up and leap on me and bite me and suck the blood out of me and rip my insides out and eat them and…..okay Piper, deep breath, and relax.

I started walking to the door. "Have a good semester," He called after me.

"Thank you," I said back, my voice sounding all scratchy.

Outside his office, Aerrow's chair was empty. Damn. I glanced at my watch and gasped. I was five minutes late to my lesson!

I reached the Lab and ran straight into the Supply room. I scanned around, looking for the little white board, and I saw it hanging above the mop. Friday – Warp crystal practice. Warp crystals? No one had Warp crystals, they were pretty rare, and so I guessed we would be borrowing them.

I walked round to the Crystal room, and peeped inside. There were hundreds of carefully organised shelves, all laden with crystals. I gasped and circled round and round, taking it all in. Suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder, and I whipped around. There was a rather tall, young-looking wallop standing there, smiling at me with his hands behind his back.

"Hello! I'm Junko! How may I help you miss?" Guessing he was one of Ayrgyn's assistants, I turned my head and looked at him out of the corner of my eye. He was still grinning like a mad-man. But if I looked past the muscle and tough-ness, I could see that he was kind and friendly.I smiled softly and turned towards him.

" Hey, I'm Piper. I'm just looking for a Warp crystal."

"Oh, how lucky! There's one left! Stork'll get it for you." He turned away and walked over to a door on the other side of the room. He opened it and yelled "STORK! STOP COWERING IN THE TOILET AND GET OUT HERE!"

I winced. This guy's got some lungs.

Junko turned back to me and smiled. "Won't be a second."

I watched as a strange-looking green head popped out from behind the door. The long ears and green skin told me he was a Merb. His yellow eyes bored into me as he creeped out from the door and inched behind Junko. Junko, still smiling, stepped to the side and turned to the Merb.

"Stork, we have a request for a Warp crystal. Could you please fetch one? And please be snappy about it."

"Mmm," was all Stork said as he once again fixed his eyes on me. He wondered into another room and came back holding a Warp crystal. When I say holding, I mean holding it at arms-length.

Remembering that I was in a hurry, I stepped right up to Stork and held out my hand. "Thanks, but I'm in a hurry, so if you could just-" I stopped talking when Stork screamed, took five paces back and stood shaking, looking terrified at something behind me.

My eyes widened and I turned around to see what he was looking at. But there was nothing there. I frowned, and turned back to Stork. I then realised that he wasn't looking past me, but looking at me. I frowned even more and stared back at his terrified expression.

Junko smiled sheepishly and snatched the crystal from Stork's hand. He then held it out to me and said, "Here. Sorry bout Stork, you just startled him."

I took the purple crystal and stared at Junko like he needed medical help. My eyes shifted to Stork and I noticed that he didn't look so terrified any more. That was good. But now he was looking at me like I needed medical help.

"…Thanks." I said, turning round and walking quickly out the door like there was a hundred Magma Beasts behind me.

When I got to the outdoor arena, Ayrgyn held up a hand to stop Ravess, Lark, Nella, Cyclonis and Dove, who were spread out practicing using Warp crystals.

"Everyone, please come to the centre," he said, tapping his toe in the dirt and glancing at me.

"Ayrgyn, I'm so sorry I'm late!" I said, gripping my crystal as I jogged over to him.

Ayrgyn crossed his arms. "I'm guessing no one told you about our new late policy."

I shook my head.

"If a Mage is late to a lesson, then the entire rest of the class must finish the remainder of the lesson doing exercises, and not practicing."

Great.

"Please go stand next to Cyclonis," Ayrgyn said.

Oh, this just gets better and better! Now she's going to hate me even more.

I made my way to Cyclonis, and when I reached her, she hissed "Nice job, Pie."

I glared at her from under my bangs. How did she find out about the 'Pie' thing, anyway? Does she stalk Aerrow or something? Or does Aerrow work for her? No, he wouldn't, I told myself.

Standing opposite us, Ravess and Lark's faces were mashed into scowls. At least Dove and Nella gave me sympathetic looks.

"Sit-ups, please," Ayrgyn called out.

We all groaned, but plopped onto the ground and lay on our backs. We started rising, and holding for 1, 2, 3 seconds before plopping down again. Then we did it again. And again. And again and again and again until our forehead's were slick with sweat and our stomach's ached.

It was a massive relief when Ayrgyn gave the order to stop. I flopped down and lay panting, along with everyone else.

"Okay everyone, your all dismissed. I expect you all to be on time next time, (glancing in my direction) as well as organised with all the required equipment. I'll see you all next lesson."

Everyone slowly got to their feet and left, but I stayed a bit longer, before I too got up and headed to the Lab to return the Warp crystal that I didn't even get to use.

Yay! I need to hurry through this as i have ultra-important stuff to do, so i'm just gonna ask if people could please review, it gives me motivation as well as making me feel all happy and bubbly. Thanks guys! XD

~LouiLuvr