My first thought when I wake up, is that my bed is a bit softer than it usually is. I sit up and look around my room, but it looks a bit different. There are no books on the table for one thing, and the windows are drawn so that the sun is shining through the window. Then my room door opens and I see Xavier step in the room, dressed in a robe. Suddenly, the events of last night flash through my head – the photo, my parents and me leaving with Xavier. But if I left with Xavier, why am I still in my bedroom.

"Good morning.", Xavier says in a soft and gentle voice that I've never heard before. "Do you like your room? I made it to be a replica of your own from the night that I stayed over. I hope you don't mind... should I change it or..."

I smile. I can't believe that he made a room based on my own bedroom. I should be creeped out by that, but I find it sweet.

"I love the room. Thank you"

He gives me a small smile, before inviting me downstairs to join him for breakfast and I agree. Luckily, I am still dressed in my outfit from yesterday. I would have been mortified if he had undressed me.

Breakfast was pancakes and bacon served in the kitchen by a woman in her fifties who introduced herself as Hannah. I dig into the pancakes, which are still warm and tast amazing. Xavier is sitting opposite me at the table, hardly eating the pancakes, only nibbling at one. However, I notice that he seems to be fond of bacon because he eats eight pieces.

I want to talk to Xavier about last night, but I don't know how to bring it up. There is a silent tension in the room until Hannah quietly leaves, I look up to see Xavier's eyes on me, a serious expression on his face. I clear my throat,

"Thank you for coming to get me last night", I say quietly. Xavier nods, but doesn't say anything, keeping his eyes locked with mine. We are in silence and I feel the need to say something.

"If you hadn't come, I don't know what would have happened."

"They were angry about the pictures right?", Xavier asks, in an angry tone, and I flinch. Is he also angry about the pictures?

"Yes they were, they don't usually get angry at me like that. I am really sorry that the pictures came out and I – "

Xavier leans across the table kissing me hard and forcefully. His hand is in my hair, maneuvering my head, his tongue flicking out to catch mine. He lets me go and drags me over the table to where he is sitting, setting me down so that I'm straddling him.

"I don't want to hear another word out of you. I never want to hear you defend their actions.", he says, claiming my mouth with a kiss. I don't respond, as I struggle to keep up with his tempo. Our previous kisses have been calm and gentle, but this kiss is passionate and way more intense than ever. He bites down on my lip and I moan slightly, allowing his tongue into my mouth.

His hands start to roam around down my shoulders over my body, and sliding under my shirt. I gasp as his skin comes in contact with mine. This is getting way out of hand, and I do the only thing I can think of at the moment.

I pull away gently, removing his hands from under my shirt. "I don't want to have sex with you", I say, the words shocking me with their slight forcefulness.

Xavier looks shocked. "I don't expect you to have sex with me", he says, suddenly looking concerned. "Was I rushing you? Did I make you feel like you had to have sex with me? Are you..."

"No, no, you didn't do anything wrong", I hurriedly interrupt him, feeling a bit embarrassed now. "It's just that you have had sex a lot and I've never done it before so I feel a bit weird and..."

"Wait a minute", Xavier holds up his hand, interrupting my babbling. "Are you seriously a virgin? You didn't tell me that you were a virgin."

"Was I supposed to?", I ask a bit confused. "Look I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before. I'm just not used to this whole dating thing and I don't know if this is the sort of thing that girlfriends tell their boyfriends so..."

I am interrupted by Xavier's harsh laugh. "You think I'm your boyfriend? You think we're dating"

Now I'm really confused. "I thought that we were..."

"You thought", he says in a mocking voice. "Candy please. I told you when we first met. I don't date"

"But then what are we", I ask, my voice in a near whisper.

"We're friends, Candy. Or friends with benefits if you prefer the term. Yes, I like care about you, but no, I am not going to put a label on it or publicly announce it."

His words hurt me, but the cold emotionless look in his eyes and his distant expression feels like someone dropped a load of bricks on my hopes and expectations.

"I'm going to work", Xavier says, standing up and adjusting his clothes. "You don't have to come in today if you don't want to. Just stay calm, and make sure you eat. If you have any questions, ask Hannah". And before I can blink, he strides out of the room, leaving me wondering how we went from making out to arguing in less than ten minutes.

I stay in the room until I hear the door slam, and the sound of Xavier's car has died off. I know I shouldn't feel hurt, but for some reason, I feel a hole in my heart whenever I replay his words in my head. I stood up for him to my parents and my bff. I literally got kicked out of my home because of those pictures of us and yet he says that we aren't dating, that he wants nothing to do with me except makeout. None of this would have happened if the pictures didn't come out.

The pictures.

Suddenly, I bring out my phone, and search up Xavier's name. The first picture that comes up is the one where he and I are kissing. I analyze the picture, trying to understand what seems to be unsettling me. The pictures are unclear and amateurish, but there is something about them that is familiar, something seems to be catching my attention. It takes me a few minutes, but I find it eventually, and when I do, it's all I can do to stare in horror.

***

I storm down the hallway, and into the girls' bathroom. After I got over my initial shock, I made a quick decision. Obviously, I had to change my clothes, so I asked Hannah if she knew where I could get some clothes and, to my surprise, she showed me a whole wardrobe where Xavier had apparently kept a bunch of clothes which were all in my size. Just the fact that he had gone shopping for me made me love him a little more, but remembering our earlier discussion, I held down my emotions. I was able to shower and dress, then I asked Hannah to call a cab for me. When she did, I told the cabbie to drive me to the one place that I knew I could get answers.

School.

I stormed into the girls' bathroom, and there she was, applying her lip-gloss in front of the mirror, just as I knew she would be.

Before I could do anything, she saw my reflection in the mirror, and turned around to face me.

"Candy", she said in her calm voice, "I thought that you were not going to come today because of the picture and all the..."

"Quit the pretenses Audrey", I snapped. "I know you're the one who leaked the picture of me and Xavier. What I want to know is why."

I glared at her, hands folded over my chest, as she stared at me, and gave a slow smile.

"Well, well", she said in a malicious tone, "you finally figured it out."

My heart sank. Part of me had hoped that I was wrong.

"It wasn't that hard", I said with false boldness. "You may have thought that you were smart, but you made a crucial mistake. You let your nails get in the way of the photo."

And that was what I had noticed that gave her away – there was only one person I knew with long hot pink nails.

"Well it was worth a shot. Trust me, you have no idea how hard it was taking pictures with my nails. But you were stupid. Who kisses in a public place like a gala? It was so simple to take a pic of you, and yes, I invited Xavier to your party in the hope that he would slip up and allow me to get a pic of you. That's why I tripped you up so that you fell in the pool – it was all part of my master plan", she cackles like a witch.

I stood staring in shock, my face pale. "But why, Audrey?", I ask, my voice nothing but a cracked whisper. "We're friends"

"Friends?", Audrey mimics, then snarls. "We were never friends Candace. You were simply a stepping stone." She sees my confused look and laughs. "Don't be so dumb. You were the quiet weird girl while I was the social outgoing friend. Being with you made me look even better than I already do. However, you were beginning to become more noticed, and I needed to prevent that, so I did what I did."

"You're an insecure little – ", I start angrily but Audrey cuts me off.

"Let's not resort to threats here Candy", she sneers. "You were the insecure one who was so desperate to have a friend that you ignored all the subtle hints. I thought that when you saw me at that party, you had actually figured things out, but a few tears from me, and you believed everything. Hon please – you only made things easier for me. And from what I see, your pretty little boyfriend isn't going to even claim you. Face it Candy you'll always be a sad, lonely, desperate excuse for a human, and there's nothing you can do about that."

I am fuming in silence throughout her speech, but at that last statement, I snap, grabbing her by her long hair, I bring her face crashing into my fist, sending her to the floor. I jump on her back, get a fistful of hair and smash her face against the floor, while she screams for help. I don't stop though, and I keep on hitting her until the bathroom is full of people who pull me away from her, treating me as if I am a wild animal.

***

"In all my time, I have never seen such violent and antagonistic behavior", Mrs Brodie, the Principal says, her face red and puffed up.

After Audrey had had her head bandaged, we had been ushered to the Principal's office where Mrs Brodie demanded to know why we had fought – or rather why I had beat Audrey up.

Audrey had faked a few tears while she told her version of the story. She had been advising me to leave 'Mr Reyes' as a 'good friend would do', and I got angry and flew at her and she tried to defend herself, resulting in the fight. When my turn came to defend myself, I had nothing to say. No matter how hard Mrs Brodie tried, she could not get a word out of me, and she became very angry.

"The school has noticed your relationship with Mr Reyes, but has decided to say nothing on the issue. However, your recent act of violence cannot be condoned. Miss Greene, you are hereby suspended from school for a week, and you shall be placed on probation. Anymore trouble from you will result in your expulsion from the school. Now out of my office, both of you."

Audrey and I go out, Audrey smirking slightly. At the door are a lot of students who were obviously listening in on our conversation. As they see Audrey, they rush over to her.

"Audrey we're so sorry that this happened to you – "

"You were just being a good friend – "

"Thank god she got suspended – "

I ignore the comments and glares, pushing through them all and going out of the school building. Once I am outside, I start to look for a cab to take me back to Xavier's place which is the only place I can stay now. However, after fifteen minutes without seeing a single cab, I am forced to call Xavier.

I call twice, but I only get his dial tone.

Maybe he's at the office and switched his phone off?

I dial his office number, allowing it to ring. After five rings, someone picks up.

"Sorry", says a bright voice. "Mr Reyes is not in."

The voice is familiar. "Asher?", I ask, questioningly.

"Yes it is. Who is this please?", he asks in puzzlement.

"Asher this is Candy. Is Xavier around?"

"Hey Candy. Xavier is not around at the moment, but I am happy to help with whatever you need". I can hear the smile in his voice, and the sound of someone friendly makes me want to breakdown in tears.

"Well, I needed Xavier to pick me up from school but you don't have to – "

"I'm on my way", Asher interrupts me. See you in ten minutes.

And in ten minutes, I am comfortably seated in a red Ferrari beside Asher.

"You don't look so good. Tell me what the issue is."