"Nicole!" Christian called. "Wait up!"

"Christian!" Nicole smiled. She slowed down. "What you doing, besides being with the ladies?"

"I heard a new kid's joining," he grinned. "A guy, but still, a new kid's joining."

"Haha, Christian," she said sarcastically. "You've stolen the hearts of every girl in this place, don't tell me you want another."

"I want a challenge," he complained. "A girl is hardly a challenge. They all fall for my looks as soon as they see me!"

"And that's why it's hard to resist the oh-so-magnificent Christian," she joked. He glared at her playfully.

"Say what you want, I'm still looking forwards to this new kid," he said.

"You know, it's rather strange," Nicole said thoughtfully. "It's half way through the first term, why would anyone join now. Don't you find it awkward timing?"

"Plenty of things could've happened to make a new kid join this school, Nicole," Christian explained. "He could've been bullied, he could've had a hard family life... he could be a teenage spy who's out to save the world!" he added jokingly.

"Yeah, and you're the villain - the heart stealer!" she joked back, grinning. "I guess you're right. I don't know, I just found it strange, that's all."

— — — —

They were in their second class of the day when it happened. They all heard a small sound, like someone was dragging their feet down the hallway, or being dragged down the hallway.

"Why do I have to be here?" A voice cried out. It didn't seem to be an accent they recognised.

"Because I said so, now come on!" Another said harshly, probably dragging the poor boy even quicker.

"No! I already said that I didn't want to do it, why do I have to do it now! I'm British, in a school of Americans. Who knows what's going to happen to me? It could be the end of the world!" The boy said dramatically, clearly joking around with the man. His accent had been identified - a Brit.

"If you don't do this, it will be the end of the world," the man hissed, glaring at the boy.

The man was, of course, John Crawley. And the boy was obviously Alex Rider.

For the moment, they were being the Leoni family, Alex Leoni and his uncle. Uncle because they already had someone to be the dad, and Crawley couldn't stay there for two years; he had another mission to go on.

"You know I don't like it," Alex snapped, slipping out of character.

"Neither do I, but you have to do it, no matter what I say or anyone else!" Crawley answered, also slipping out of character.

"Oh, you know that's not true. The only reason I'm even here is because of what someone said!" the boy snapped. "I just want to go back to Tom, not be here in this school for a couple of years! You know they abuse me, like I'm just some kind of toy to them. And you know that I don't like it."

"And you know that there's nothing I can do about it!" this man replied angrily. "Now hush, your classroom is here. Have a good day."

"See you," the boy grumbled as he strolled into the room. "Sorry I'm late, I had some... complications."

"Of course," the professor grinned. "How about you introduce yourself to the class. Nothing better than to get to know your new classmates than to walk in late to school, eh?"

"Fine," he said, looking down at his feet then up at the class. "My name is Alex Leoni. I'm British, even though my name doesn't sound it. I'm not here voluntarily, my dad had to move here because of his job. My mother is dead. And hopefully, I'll be gone in a couple of years."

"Okay..." the guy seemed a little creeped out. Alex didn't feel any remorse. "I'm Professor Belli, nice to meet you."

"You too," he said dryly, as though he'd been in this situation a lot of times.

"Okay, you're seat will be... second row from the front, next to Christian. Christian, give a wave, would you?" Belli laughed.

A boy gave an over exaggerated wave, like he wanted Alex to know that he was definitely him he had to sit next to.

"Christian," Alex said. "Taken note of."

"Alex," Christian mocked playfully. "Taken note of."

Alex flushed. "Sorry," he murmured. "It's automatic."

"It's fine," he gave an easy grin. "So, you already know that I'm Christian, but in front of me is my friend Nicole."

Nicole smiled at him. "Hey."

"Hi," Alex said, faking a smile back.

"We're friends now," Christian said, grinning. "You're stuck with us for life."

Well, that was a weird thing. I enjoyed it though! So, as you have seen, they haven't met Sam and Emma yet, I'm planning that for the next two chapters. Again, there will be slower updates than my other books because I will be doing two chapters at a time then publishing them. Okay! See ya!

- WriteCrazily101