Chapter 7

"You can't go to school dressed like that!" Nancy said when I was so close to the front door.

I had deliberately skipped breakfast and I wanted to get this day over and done with and the least hassle in it the better. "Why not?" I huffed.

"Because it's your birthday! You need to dress a little more nicer." Nancy yelled from the kitchen.

I was wearing my faded-dark-blue jeans, a red top and John's leather jacket - which smelt like him, but it was a good smell, yet I can't identify it. "Like you said, it's my birthday and I'm eighteen. I can wear whatever clothes I want." I also had black eyeliner and mascara on. "Tammie, come on!"

"I'm coming!" Tammie ran down the stairs with a slip of paper in her hand.

"What's that?"

"Oh, I have to hand in this reply slip to Mr Sutton" Tammie grabbed her keys. I can drive, I just don't own a car and Tammie doesn't let anyone - other than herself - drive her car. Max, of course, has to use his to drive to Uni.

"Happy birthday!" Was all I got from everyone - people I don't even know or talk to - as I made my way to registration.

But that was nowhere near as bad as Mr Sutton getting my classmates to sing happy birthday to me all because Tammie had given him that stupid note - the one that was meant to be a reply slip - which said it was my birthday and my party would start at five. My face went as red as my top!

First lesson: english. No way was I planning on going to Mr Ward's office. That's the last thing I needed after being called 'hero' and 'birthday girl' - to be lectured.

"So did you guys read the next chapter of 'Deadly Life'?" Mrs Lane asked as we all settled into our seats.

"Yes." The class mumbled.

"Okay so we are going to go along the rows and tell me one thing you've learnt. Um.. let's start with..." Mrs Lane was looking to pick on someone. "...Ah, Florence. Why don't you tell me something?"

"Okay... " I had to think, I forgot about the homework but luckily I knew the story inside out. "Well, the small boy hid in the shadows because of how he looks but he still cared for people - he was kind."

"Could you link that to anything?" Mrs Lane began to hand out copies of the book.

"Yes." I blurted out. "Today's society. How we judge people on what we look like but just because we may not look appealing it doesn't mean that we aren't good hearted." Then I think my own emotions poured into my answer, "just because you're different doesn't mean you're not the same. You can still... feel." Then I realised that I was trying to prove my own personal point so I added, "It's like the settings in the chapters. It's a gloomy night, spooky, in a cemetry but that's just the stereotype. Some people find a cemetry... calming. Maybe that's why the boy was walking alone there in the first place." I finally understood why it's not stupid and Mrs Lane noticed this.

"Finally." She smiled. "You're reading between the lines."

"Err, Mrs Lane?" Winter's hand shot up. "Don't you find it odd how Florence can read the next chapter in 'Deadly Life', do other homework, have detention and save people? Clearly she didn't do her homework. As she has had a very long time - like her whole life - don't you think it's fair to ask someone else your questions so the rest of us can learn?"

"Winter," Mrs Lane sounded fed up with her, "Florence is learning just like the rest of you and if she answers some questions she may be able to give better points than me since, like you said, she's had a very long time to read and study it." Then to my surprise Mrs Lane winked at me.

"Sorry Mrs Lane." Mr Ward appeared in the doorway. "I would like to remove Florence Ryder from your class."

Snap! I thought. And there's nowhere I can run - or hide! I packed up my stuff.

"Off to save some more people, Florry, the psychic freak?" Winter hissed as I walked by her.

"No actually. But you know, saving all them people - and seeing how they've ended up - you do learn some things and if you want I can make you go missing and no one will be able to find you." I whispered loudly - loud enough to cause the class to snicker but not loud enough for Mrs Lane and Mr Ward to hear as they were talking.

I swear, I have woken up to a parallel universe! I mean, everybody talking to me and Winter getting into trouble for once. Mr Ward didn't even call me to his office to lecture me!

"Well, I guess you saw the news, then?" I asked Mr Ward as I slipped into one of his chairs.

"Yes, but I didn't ask you here because of that. Although that does explain a lot." Mr Ward tried not to smile. "Actually, I wanted you here so I could give you this." He pulled out a small bag.

I peered inside. It contained a card and my mobile! "Thanks Mr W."

"Well it is your birthday and I know that you're not supposed to have your phone back until after your detention. I also have this to give to you." He pulled out an envelope. "You know, just incase you do decide to catch that westbound train."

"Thank you Mr Ward, you didn't have too!" I hugged him. He had given me a hundred quid so I could hop on a train - stay in a bed and breakfast - and visit my parent's graves, my old house and try to find Blake. "D'you know that this is my first present to day?" I was trying to swallow back that lump in my throat.

After the 'meeting' in Mr Ward's office and some boring lessons, lunch was so bizzare that it felt like a dream. I was sitting with Tammie and Josh, just drinking my can of pepsi and Winter strolls right up to me and apologises for call me a freak! I almost choked on my drink!

"So all of us will see you at your place at five" Winter smiled, flipped her hair and trotted off.

"What do you have last lesson?" Tammie asked.

"Dance why?"

"Oh no reason. Just curious." As she was saying this I pulled my phone out which was vibrating. "Hey I thought you weren't getting that back until the end of the day?"

"Birthday present." I shrugged and answer the call - even though we are only aloud to text and listen to music, no phone calls - "Hello?"

"Hey Ryder." It was so good to hear John's voice.

"John." My heart flipped in my chest.

"Well you sound happy" he laughed.

"I'm just glad you didn't call me birthday girl. It's so weird, I mean, everyone wants to talk to me. Winter even apologised!" It was really overwhelming.

"Wow, that is weird." John agreed. "Did you get out of your det tonight?"

"No, I'm going to be a little late because I have dance too." I totally forgot!

"That's fine. I'm going to have a little surprise waiting for you." John voice made my knees go weak.

"Okay... as long as it's not another cheerleader that's gone missing." I joked making sure no one heard me.

"I think you'll like this one much better." John laughed - like properly laughed - he thought I was funny?! "Well I'll see you later, Ryder."

"Bye." I hung up with a smile.

Josh smiled at me looking amused, "you know, your convocation sounds weird when you only hear one side of it."

"Anyway, I've got dance now and then detention." I smiled, shrugged and pulled my bag on to my shouder, "catch you later."

Chapter 8

John wasn't wrong about that surprise. It was a big surprise! I was in the dance studio and we had to perform our solos in front of each other. Of course, I was the last person to go. I don't mind performing. If you make mistakes, you make them. You're human? It was just as I prepared to perform Mr Ward and John slipped into the dance studio. It seemed that Miss Brown had agreed to them being present to watch my performance, to see me more on the 'lady-like' side instead of the 'tom-boy' side, I guess.

"When you're ready, Florence." Miss Brown nodded to Amelia to play my music as I tried to hide my smile.

I don't know what happens to me when I dance. I kind of just... lose myself. Or find myself - my true self - or whatever. The solo was for five minutes and we were being graded on it - which made me more nervous as I wanted to impress John how 'gracious' I could be. When I had finished my solo, everyone clapped - they clapped after each individual performed.

"Okay girls, give me a minute whilst I finalise your grades" Miss Brown said as she sorted out pieces of paper.

All the girls - well it was an all girls class since no boys wanted to dance - flocked around me as if they were seagulls and I had a chip, they wanted to know who John was and why he was there. I also wanted to know too. Why he was there, that is. As I broke free from the clutter of girls, I was highly aware that I was in my leggings and dance top. Luckily my toe-nails were painted a nice red.

"What are you doing here?" I asked trying not blush.

"Surprise," John shrugged, "well half of your surprise." He was grinning, showing his beautiful white teeth.

"Florence," Mr Ward finally spoke to me, "you dance with... such... such... grace and... "

"Thanks" I said stopping him from finishing that sentence. "What are you doing here, Mr Ward?"

"Well, first of, I had to supervise this young man and Tammie said that you know each other - since it is your birthday, I let him come on the premises. And secondly, I wanted to see if your behaviour is different when you are doing something that you actually like and where no one can judge you." Mr Ward pushed his glasses back on to his nose.

"Alright... " I looked at him suspiciously.

"Also, your detention is... terminated." Mr Ward whispered. "Just don't tell anyone. John, here, explained how horrible Mr Simpson was being and it is your birthday. But that doesn't mean if you do that again you won't be punished." He raised one of his eyebrows.

"Got it," I saluted in a joking way, "thanks Mr W-"

"Come on, Florence!" Amelia ran up to me and nervously glanced at John. Then she added, "come and find out your grade!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me over to Miss Brown. I didn't even care, I was just so happy that John had shown up and Mr Ward let me off of detention!

"Thanks" I took a piece of paper from Miss Brown.

"You just need to not smile since you are doing a serious solo" Miss Brown seemed happy with me.

"Understood." I answered but who can really help smiling when your boyfriend surprises you when you're about to dance?

"What would you say to performing that piece in the presentation at the end of term?" Miss Brown asked. The presentation is where we all meet in the assembly hall and show pictures, demonstrations, speeches, presentations or whatever, of what we have succeded in.

"I'd rather not. It's just... doing it in front of our entire year? Some people would get kicks out of that!" I smiled apologetically.

"Oh, well..." Miss Brown looked disappointed in my rejection, "if you change your mind, just let me know."

As I walked back over to John and Mr Ward I read the piece of paper that Miss Brown had handed me.

"What d'you get?" John asked before I was anywhere near him.

I froze in my tracks and turned to Miss Brown. "Are you serious?!" Then I turned back to walk up to John. "I got an 'A'!"

"That's your first ever one!" Mr Ward took the paper to read so he could see for himself that I had got an 'A'.

John picked me up and spun me around, which made me go really red. But it was cute. It was like a scene out of a movie.

"Well done, Ryder!" John kissed my forehead and you could hear the girls faintly go 'aw'.

"Thanks" I said as I pulled on my black high tops and John's leather jacket.

Tammie - as we share the same locker, I don't use it except for my dance kit - would have taken out the bag, I left my original clothes in, home as this was her custom everytime I had dance (or P.E). So I had only my school bag to carry.

"You know," John said as he held the door open for me, "I want that jacket back."

"I know, it's just..." I was too embarrassed to finish.

"It's just what?" John put his arm around me.

"It's smells like you." I whispered and probably went all red like my toe-nails.

"I hope that's a good thing. Although," John stopped as everyone was walking out of the dance studio, "you may not be able to keep my jacket but..." He pulled out a small - neatly wrapped - box.

"Shouldn't I wait until later?" I didn't want to show off in front of everyone because it was enough having a super-hot boy showing up, watching me dance, getting me out of detention and it was my birthday.

"Ryder," Oh yeah and there was the fact he called me 'Ryder' which is really cute coming from him, "if you want to open it, open it."

So I did. An to my total surprise, I found in the small black box was a silver bracelet. I was shocked as it is that John had shown up let alone bought me a bracelet. I was speechless as John put the bracelet on my hand and then I saw he had it engraved. Original & Stupid & Fearless it said on the front and on the back a million stars in the sky, your the only one that catches my eye. I was so touched that I was trying not to cry.

"I... I..." I was speechless, "I have no words... except... thank you! I love it! It means so much!"

Pleased that his present was a success, John smiled and said, "you ready to go?"

"Oh. I'm not meant to be home until four. Do you maybe want to go somewhere before we go to my house?" I suggested.

"God, this is embarrassing," John was trying to hide that he was going red, "I think it's best if we go to my house so I can change to, you know, make a good impression and that."

"If that's what you want to do," I said as we walked down the stairs, "because you know I don't care what they think about you. They're not even my real parents."

"No but they are people that care about you and if they don't like me they can make... situations quite... er... sticky, so to say." The way John was talking I missed the step and nearly fell over if it wasn't for the fact that John was holding my hand. "Alright?"

"Yeah. Why are you talking politely and sophisticated?" Then I realised. "John, please, don't be anything other than yourself, I like you how you are and Nancy and Terrance, they will have to accept you for who you are or they can stick it up-"

"No, I'm not talking like this to impress Nancy or Terrance. I am not that stupid. I made a deal to Mr Ward, that's all." John looked amused.

"What deal?" I wanted to know.

"That I have to talk in a good manner when he is around and he was lecturing me about going to University." John looked down at me with a grin.

"Did you explain your situation?" John works at his friend's dad car garage. John doesn't have much money, enough to live on - like a house, one truck, one motorcycle, food and so on - but not enough to go to University, his mum just got made redundant and is now looking for a new job.

"Yes, I did." He lifted his gaze to the doors at the end of the hallway, still looking amused. "Mr Ward said if I study and complete an exam and get a good grade, he will put in a word for me to get a scholarship." John glanced back at me again with a flash of his bright, beautiful smile. "He also advised me to do it because it would be good for you."

"Good for me?" I blinked at him. "How is it good for me? Wouldn't it be good for you?" I asked blankly.

"Yes and he said, and I quote, 'because Florence would be influenced to study and if I'm going to date her, I would need to make sure I have a good future if this is to go anywhere when we're older.' Also, he said if I want to open up my own car business or something then I need some qualifications to get an insight on it and get a better-paying-job." John rolled his eyes - his beautiful eyes - as he said it.

"He really said that?" I almost choked on my words from trying to restrain from laughing at what Mr Ward had said to John.

"Yeah, he really did." John held the door open for me to walk out on to the parking lot.

"So where's the truck?" I asked scanning the cars in the car park as other students began to fill it.

"Mum had to borrow it, she was going into town for something" John casually shrugged and then a smile crept across his face because he knew what my reaction would be.

"We get to ride your bike?!" I grinned.

"That or you can go with Tammie and Josh" John nodded to their direction as they were approaching us.

"Get your hiney into detention now before you are suspended!" Tammie stomped up to me.

"Actually Tammie-"

"I don't want to hear 'that wouldn't be so bad'," which I've said plenty of times, "you remember what happened with mum and dad last time they got a phone call saying if you missed one more detention you'd be suspended and you said that." Tammie said and slowly began to lower her hand that she had used to shush me.

"Tammie, I haven't got detention."

"What?" Josh was in disbelief - can't blame him really.

"John got me out of detention." I laughed at their faces.

Tammie took my arm and whispered to me, "can John get me out of me doing the history report that's due Monday?"

I didn't answer her, I just laughed and rejoined John and Josh, just in time - unfortunately - to hear Josh ask John, "do you need a lift?"

"Nah, I've got my bike, thanks." John smiled, I was happy that Josh and John got on alright.

"It was nice of you to check on Flo and get her out her det, we really ought to get going though, so we'll-" My laugh interrupted Tammie's little polite good-bye speech. "No, na-ah, no chance, no way! You are not getting on any motorcycle! Do you know how dangerous they are?!"

"Er, hello?" I laughed, "have you met me? If I can handle muderers, kidnappers and Winter and Tom, I think I can handle riding a motorcycle. You know how much I've wanted to ride it! I promise I will come home in one piece!"

"Fine but if you end up with a single scratch on your body or you end up dead, I will personally kill you myself." Tammie eyed me.

"Okay you can kill me if I end up dead" I laughed at how ridiculous it sounded coming out of my mouth.

"Where do you want to go?" John asked as we made our way to where he had parked his motorcycle. "How about Florry's?" 'Florry's' is one of the business Terrance owns. It his milkshake, ice cream, cake place. He has a resturant called Nancy's - a more adult/ sophisticated resturant. Terrance also owns MaxTam Cafe.

"Sure." Florry's was the cheapest - even though I get it all free - and did the best milkshakes I've ever tasted!

Everything was perfect! Best birthday yet!