SAT ON A DRUM STOOL IN THE MUSIC ROOM Melanie was deep in thought, about kissing Nick Polous, pretty much about everything. Including what Patrick would want her to do this time, as her drumsticks hit the snare and the hi-hat. Her right foot practically stomping on the bass pedal she was in her element, Melanie found drumming therapeutic.

The rhythm and the sounds was the equivalent to hearing waterfalls on a meditation tape, Melanie had been turning up to school early to play the drums since her own drums were currently broken.

Her snare drum was the victim of Peter River's drunk stupidity as much as the Irish girl wanted to make him wear said the snare drum she was too busy focusing on other things.

To which her best friend still hadn't figured out or even the reason she wasn't at school for three months in the first place, all he knew was she had to work to keep her rent steady. But he didn't know the entire story which was something Melanie was just about good at keeping from him for the time being.

Meanwhile in the yard the group of friends consisting of Nick Polous, Con Bordino and his twin sister Anastasia, Anastasia Polous was different to her brother in some ways. She had the style and the rap lyrics whereas nick had looks and most times idiocy.

But it was well balanced between the siblings, both of them inseparable almost like best friends rather than brother and sister. Anastasia teased her twin on a daily basis about his infatuation with Melanie Carson, to her it was becoming a nuisance.

"Come on Niko, when will you ever give up? It's becoming boring now, you kissed! Great! But where has she been since? You gotta think wether it's going to turn into a thing or just left as just a kiss" Anastasia told her brother with a slightly frustrated tone. Nick simply shook his sisters analysis off.

"Ana, she wouldn't kiss me if she didn't feel anything for me. There is something there I can tell" Nick was adamant that Melanie liked him back but he didn't know that she wasn't ready to admit it properly.

However, Nick continued to wait despite the fact it was eating him alive, the carson girl was impossible to tie down for now. Melanie made him work for it and work for it he was, the polous boy had no intention of giving up as yet.

In the meantime, the faint noise of drums was heard throughout the yard. The noise wasn't annoying as such it was almost like a siren call only it wasn't a voice leading curious ears in the direction of the music it room, it was the sound of percussion.

Nick Polous smiled to himself knowing that the drumming noise was caused by Melanie, the one thing on the list of things her liked about her. He admired her musical talent and enjoyed listening and watching her play at the same time.

"Drums? This early? I wonder who's playing them" Rose Maluf asked out of curiosity as the group rushed to the music room to see who it was.

it was obvious to the greek boy that it was the blonde Irish girl, the others were stupid in his eyes.

No one else in the school could play like she could, a melody so hypnotic it was like as stated earlier, a siren song but instead of it being sung it was being played on a drum kit.

The group peered through the narrow window in the door, "Melanie? Since when did she play the drums?" Chaka asked causing the majority of the friend group to laugh.

"Since forever, Chaka" Danielle responded with a slight eye roll. The Carson girl caught sight of her audience and smiled slightly, as she finished playing.

Opening the door she laughed, "Can I help you?" She asked out of breath from playing a metallica song. Nick simply smiled in awe at her, although she was sweating he still adored the ground she walked on.

"Well you can teach us your ways because that was awesome" Con cut in as Nick and Steve both stared at the clad in leather jacket and a black corset top girl holding the drumsticks.

Melanie simply let out a laugh that rang like a bell in the ears of everyone stood there, it was almost musical.

"Well thank you for the compliment, so are you all gonna stand there all day or can I leave the room?" She asked with a slightly raised eyebrow, the group soon parted to let her go through. Half of the group soon left the girl alone apart from two of the boys, by no surprise it was Nick and Steve.

"So Melanie, how did you learn to play like that? Because that was amazing" Steve was first this time to talk causing Nick to stomp his foot and curse quietly, the boy had no chance to talk to her as of yet since his friends kept interrupting.

"Well, my favourite movie is a hard days night and I used to watch the way Ringo played... Steve I've watched it with you before" Melanie let out a chuckle as she opened her locker.

Nick tapped Steve on the shoulder as he pulled him to one side, "Mate stupid questions won't work, we both know she's gonna pick me. Melanie and Nick just sounds better" Nick said to his friend in full confidence.

The Polous boy was set on getting Melanie Carson to be his girlfriend, almost like she was a prize he wanted to claim. Steve didn't like the way his friend treated winning Melanie's affections like a game. In his eyes she wasn't a prize or an object, she was a human being.

However, if it was a game then he knew he had to turn it up a notch because as much as he hated to admit it. Nick was always tactile when it came to Mel, he knew how and when to push certain buttons.

The Wiley boy had to figure out what those buttons were, "You talk a good game mate but you ain't winning this one. Melanie doesn't like uptight guys, she's more for subtle. Something you lack mate" he gave his friend a wink and the irish girl chuckled from behind her locker door, hearing what the boys were saying.

In her mind she was astounded by their obsession with her, Melanie didn't see herself the way they saw her. She was a bad girl, who once skated her way to school on a skateboard spray painting anything in sight.

Now she was a leather jacket wearing biker girl, all part of her confidence building. Melanie wasn't going to let the predatory actions of a man define her life, the jacket was her mask for the time being.

Whilst she seemed tough on the outside, she was still shaken up by what happened to her. Melanie Carson was usually never afraid of anything, her past proved that.

Sadly, it took one man to try and have sex with her to really knock her for six, she stood at her locker for a moment. Zoned out, thinking of that night over and over again as the noise of the two arguing boys faded out. The kiss with Nick was the first time she let a man touch her, in fact she forgot all about that night.

But the anxiety of touch came back once she eyed the hat in her locker, daydreaming about the events Melanie simply closed her eyes and continued on with her day.

Walking away from the bickering boys, she went into the English classroom and sat with her friend Peter
Rivers. The girl gently nudged into her best friend as she sat with him causing him to flick a piece of paper at her.

"hey dickhead, I heard ya drumming it sounded like the drummer took some kind of drugs and was too high to play in time" he joked to the blonde girl who simply kicked his shin, "funny that you say that, it sounds like the noises your da made wit me last night" melanie chuckled as the two shared banter.

"Hey Melanie, I was thinking we could go for a little joy ride later what do you think?" Bolton asked as she and peter continued their slight play fight and Melanie simply sniggered at the bald boy, "Oh aye I definitely want to die surrounded by dickhead one and two" she joked throwing a piece of paper at Bolton.

Making her best friend Peter chuckle, "At least hang out with us it's been ages" Peter said as he began to play with her hair which Melanie didn't mind him doing, it was a comfort to her anyway.

"I might do if I'm not working which I can't guarantee" she said with a slight sigh.

Peter Rivers nodded slightly disappointed at her obvious reluctance to hang out with him and their friend. However he did understand her circumstances and decided to leave it at that for now, since he still hadn't figured out the true meaning of melanie's three month absence.

Miss Milano set her desk up as Nick and Steve entered the room, they both gave the Irish girl a wink as they sat opposite her and Steve sat in front of the girl.

"Where did you get off to beautiful?" Steve whispered to the girl as the lesson began, "I went to Narnia and back" she joked back with a quiet laugh.

Then she turned her head as she placed it on her bag with her hands underneath as she looked over at Nick Polous, both of their eyes connecting.

Without really talking they spent most of the lesson looking at each other and smiling, the urgency to touch one another was prominent.

Especially with Nick, he longed for her lips again. Melanie Carson had a power over him so strong he couldn't shake it, neither could his best friend Steve.

"Melanie, could you read Juliet's line?" Miss Milano asked, interrupting nick and Melanie's visual love language.

"Miss I really do hate the idea of juliet, she's already in love with him and she's only known him three days! Love doesn't happen straight away, it's gradual and quite frankly if this was written now in 1994 Juliet would've made the poor bastard actually work for it" Melanie scoffed brushing the idea of the story off.

The seventeen year old hated cliche romances and Romeo and Juliet was one of them, through gritted teeth and a very loud huff.

The Carson girl decided to actually do what she was told and read the page. Much to everyone else's surprise that she was even cooperating with what miss milano had told her to do, usually melanie didn't do anything a teacher told her. It was either a sarcastic comment or a stupid joke in refusal to do a task a teacher set but the grey eyed girl decided to read out Juliet's lines, which for some reason weirdly resonated with her at this time.

"O Romeo, Romeo. Where for art thou romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name or if not thou wilt not, be sworn my love and I'll no longer be a capulet" Melanie began to read and her voice silenced the room, each person including Bolton listened.

"Tis but thy name that is my enemy thou art myself though, not a Montague" as she read the speech Nick and Steve of course hung on each word, Juliet sounded so much more angelic read with an Irish tone.

Especially with Melanie's soft but sharp Irish tone, it was like heavenly music to their ears. Con Bordino however watched her in silent awe at Melanie as his cousin and friend swooned over her words.

"What's in a name? in which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, retain that dear perfection which he owes without the title.

Romeo doff thy name, and for that name, which is no part of thee. Take all myself" Melanie finished looking only at Nick for that moment, as if she was reading it to him. The words only matched her deepest emotions, she longed for the Polous boy. She was falling in love so to speak but she couldn't hold back the feelings she had for Steve Wiley, feelings she knew too well was more than lust.

It was a passionate need for him, Melanie could feel it within her but it didn't balance out her constant yearning for Nick. The emotions she felt for both boys were a mix, she couldn't tell them apart. Melanie was in too deep and had no idea which Romeo she wanted. Miss Milano smiled at the dazed Irish girl. "Well done Melanie" she said as the class ended, making Melanie walk out as fast as she could go.

Melanie needed to breathe, the tension got too much for her. "Mel! Hey! Wait up!" Called Peter from behind her as he ran up to her, Melanie tried to walk away but he had caught up with her. Along with Bolton, "Where you going to? I was thinking we could play basketball, you know show Bolton up again" Peter teased his other friend Bolton who simply let out a sarcastic laugh. "I.... Fine but just one game" Melanie hesitated but she knew if she declined again it meant that Peter will only interrogate her again, something she didn't need.

Bouncing the basketball she was once again deep in thought, the faces of Nick and Steve clouding her focus. Without thinking she had clashed into a girl, the girl that was always hanging around Peter. Someone Mel never really liked anyway, "Watch it scrubber!" The girl exclaimed as Melanie shoved her accidentally, the Irish girl slammed the ball back on the ground and got in her face.

"Do you want to repeat that? Hoor" the Irish girl wore a face that was full of rage, her grey eyes narrowed and darker than usual. That's when you knew you could either run or suffer the wrath, "I said.. watch it" the girl pushed Melanie making her double back slightly. Melanie let out an anger filled laugh as her eyes widened like she was a mad woman, Peter Rivers ran over knowing his best friend was about to beat the shit out of the girl in front of her.

"Mel, come on she ain't worth it mate" Peter warned as he tried to turn his best friend away from the girl.

But it was too late, Melanie had pounced first. Throwing the first punch and grabbing a handful of hair, wrestling the girl around the yard. Nick Polous and his friends spotted the fight as half of Hartley High formed a circle around the fighting girls, Melanie was the dominant force within the fight.

Not letting the girl she was punching and kicking get a foot or fist in, whilst the word 'fight' was being chanted Melanie could hear the voice of Nick Polous. Only faintly since she was so full of rage and the colour red that she wasn't listening properly, "MELANIE! STOP!" The voice of Nick shouted but it was more like a faded voice to Melanie, it was only time until Mr Southgate came and pulled the Irish girl off the Australian teen.

"GET OFF ME!" She screamed kicking her legs out as the man picked her up, "Deloraines office, come on" Bill Southgate motioned the girl out of the yard, Melanie wiped the blood of her opponent off her cheek wearing a smirk as she walked off.

"That... was so hot" Con said with a lip bite as his cousin Anastasia laughed at him, "Con trust you to make a serious situation cringe worthy" the two other boys looked at each other debating on who should go after her.

"Well only one of us should go, I call it first because you'll only make some corny speech about how hot she was in the fight... which i won't deny she was but she needs a friend" Steve said to nick hiding the fact that seeing Melanie fight was slightly arousing.

Nick scoffed at his friend, "Come off it, we both know I'm the best person to comfort her after a fight" Peter Rivers over heard the boys and shook his head. He was the one who went to the office, not wanting the boys to replace his role. The boy was slightly getting irritated by one of his friends that being Steve hogging all the time with Melanie, he missed how close they was.

"Well, I'm not suspended but I have detention tomorrow" Melanie told her best friend as she was dismissed from the principals office.

"Melanie you promised no more fights, you know one more strike and you're out" Peter said to her causing the Irish girl to scoff and laugh. "Your one to talk, didn't you start a fight with Jack Tran whilst I wasn't here?" She brought up his own actions making him roll his eyes with a chuckle.

"Fine you've got a point there but Mel I like spending time with you even at school, I don't wanna be left alone with Bolton" He said opening up to her, Mel looked at her best friend with a sympathetic expression.

"Is this what it's about? You're getting worried that the attention I'm getting from Nick and Steve... is driving us apart, rivers! That will NEVER happen! Bros before those boy hoes, you are my number one man. My best friend... now stop making me say soppy shite" Melanie said hugging him.

After that Melanie had gone for a walk on the beach, it was one of those days where she wanted to be alone. Especially after a fight, refresh and reset was the routine. Grudges and revenge was never a good cocktail for Melanie to drink so she left it at that, "Melanie! Hey!" Her friend Con said running over to her. Melanie smiled in relief that it wasn't Nick or Steve, Con Bordino was her best friend as well as Peter Rivers. They had a bond that no one ever questioned or made assumptions about, Con and Melanie were just close.

But only one of them saw the other in a different light,  hugging Con Melanie couldn't help but smile. "Hey Con, what brings you here?" She asked him as they broke apart from their embrace.

"Well I see a leprechaun stood by the ocean I had to go and see it" Con joked making Melanie laugh and shove him gently. "You're lucky that I allow you to make leprechaun jokes or I would've polluted the ocean by throwing you in it" Mel joked further.

The grey eyed girl stared out into the ocean in front of her watching the waves move gently but they seemed to crash aggressively onto the rocks, Melanie's emotions matched the movements of the waves. Clam but rocky.

"you know Con, I look at the sea and there's something about the waves. Call me crazy but it's like nature reflects our emotions, the sun shines when ya happy. It rains when you're feeling shite and the waves, well it's a crazy one. Unpredictable" Mel told him in a slight daze, Con could only nod along to what she said.

He was a little bit confused but he got the gist of it, "So what about when it snows? That does mean you're feeling... cold?" He asked making Mel laugh. "Well it doesn't snow here does it? But I guess snow could mean that.. I never gave that much thought" she sighed, in that moment and that moment alone Con Bordino knew he definitely felt something for her.

Of course almost every sane boy at school did but not the way he did, sure she was already his best friend but he didn't see her that way or at least he thought he didn't anymore. There had always been some magnetic pull between the two but Melanie was yet to discover that, she was too deep into her complicated feelings for his two best friends one of which was his cousin Nick.

In the world of Melanie her emotions were weird, one minute she feels guarded and like a giant ogre scaring everyone and everything away. A monster upon a lonely and cold hill, she enjoyed that feeling most times that way she didn't have to answer to anyone.

The other times she craved interaction, Melanie was very sociable of late. She grew close to her new friends, something that is still taking time but she decided to let her issues be set aside. Melanie wanted to try and enjoy her new life in Australia, she just couldn't escape her past. Her gang life was never far away from her, where there was a sunshine there was also a dark cloud ready to rain hell.

That's exactly what her emotions were like, she was happy in a sense she could be open to romance and friendship like every girl her age experienced. Then there was the rage and the trust issues. Clouding her mind not to mention the little cog within the machine she called a brain, paranoia.

Melanie was always paranoid, mostly because deep down she didn't trust herself. When you've been raised on your own by yourself surrounded by people who kind of get it in a care home in a country at war, you'd be some kind of insane too.

The Irish girl was also impulsive, she enjoyed the feeling of adrenaline. Speeding on her bike fuelled her curiosity of defying death, people would call her mad and they'd be spot on. Melanie Carson didn't care if she lived or died as long as her end was epic and not tragic, she took risks since her parents didn't exist in her mind.

Melanie never knew them, to her they were an egg and sperm donor. They had sex and left the result in a care home to fend for itself, that's the way she saw it. It was a relief, the blonde girl was independent. Melanie loved her life of no rules, no mum or dad telling her what to do or wear. She was her own mother and father, the Carson girl raised herself.

Some days she wondered why she wasn't at least a feral kid, maybe she developed quicker. Melanie was smarter than most people thought, she was quite good at maths and science, if she bothered to concentrate or turn up that was.

Her mind was more advanced than most, she was a quick learner. She put it down to having to grow up quick, her abilities were self taught or learnt by others around her. It's what also made her dangerous.

The Carson girl was a genius, but she used her brain to manipulate and negotiate her way into getting what she wanted. Melanie knew how to lie like a pro when she needed to dodge a cell or cover for someone, being quick on your feet was a massive advantage in her world. Because if she wasn't, she'd be dead.

The next day at school Melanie had turned up on her bike, she was clad in a leather jacket as usual along with her leather pants to go over her baggy jeans.

Melanie lifted her helmet off her head as she got off her bike and she ruffled her curly and wild blonde hair, she could hear music coming from the centre of the yard. She lit a cigarette unbothered if a teacher saw but she could hear the majority of the school chanting "burn! burn!" She was curious as to what it was all about. Walking over she could see a girl in the middle, a girl rapping it seemed. The girl had a similar shade of blonde to Melanie and she was dressed in a floral shirt and jeans with a black cardigan wrapped around her waist. and heavy ish eyeliner underneath her blue eyes.

For a moment Melanie was mesmerised, the rapping girl was that of Jodie Cooper. A new girl at Hartley High, Melanie hadn't met her properly yet but she was curious about the girl but in this moment she was jealous. All the boys were cheering and rapping along to her song and Melanie's presence wasn't yet noticed not even by Nick Polous who was always first to notice the irish girl, melanie caught sigh of her best friend peter and walked over to him.

"Burn down the school? Drown the fecking song in gasoline more like, who is this lass like?" Melanie scoffed stomping on the remainder of her cigarette as Peter stopped messing around with Bolton putting an arm around Melanie and laughing, "Oh come on Mel it's crap but it's an excuse to dance eh? What's got your panties in a knot now?" He asked noticing her irritated nail biting. "Nothing I'm just waiting for the music to stop" Melanie said keeping her eyed fixated on Nick watching his enthusiasm towards Jodie and her rapping.

Melanie ran a hand through her hair as her jealousy crept up, she thought this would be a dream. Nick not hassling her and pestering another person but for some reason it made the girl feel nauseous, she weirdly wanted his attention.

Melanie enjoyed it, people would call it crazy but she couldn't help it. The way she felt about Nick was so strong she could feel her heart beat in her mouth when he was near, she couldn't deny that even if she tried. The Carson girl simply sighed as she watched the scene continue and then her prayers were answered once Mr Southgate turned the music off,

"About fecking time" Melanie muttered to herself, causing Peter to snigger. "Okay, enough of that rubbish!" Mr Southgate shouted as the chanting continued.

"The school is on fire!" Nick shouted and Melanie looked at him, "Shut up Nick, your chanting is setting my ears on fire" the girl said in an annoyed tone as nick realised Melanie was there.

"Melanie! Hey, I wasn't that bad was I?" He chuckled as she rolled her eyes and ignored him as Southgate continued. "Now if anyone wants to disagree, then they can discuss the matter with me in the peace and quiet of detention" as mr Southgate finished his threat a string of 'booes' were heard throughout the yard, Melanie got restless and decided to take no notice of what was happening. The girl simply started playing basketball, since Jodie was the one in the spotlight.

"Hey! Melanie! Pass me the ball!" Bolton shouted as she dropped her jacket down and bounced the ball. Melanie spun around and threw the ball, missing the hoop as she did she was too distracted by her thoughts to play the game.

"Ha! Crap shot Carson!" The bald boy laughed at her as she picked it up again and threw it at him. "Just fuck off Bolton" she picked her jacket up and walked off from the boy pushing past Nick and Jodie in the process, "hey! What's your problem Mel?" Bolton called after her as Nick began to try and catch up.

"Mel! Melanie, wait!" Nick shouted as the blonde girl placed headphones on her head and pressed the play button on her walkman, refusing to stop. Melanie hated that her jealousy was becoming prominent and no doubt the Polous boy saw straight through it, she didn't want to admit that she was falling for him.

And very quickly, she was new to the idea of real love. Melanie thought love came with a catch, her paranoia lead her to believe that it was a placebo.

However it wasn't the case for Nick Polous, he was sure that the girl he used to call a close friend was the very girl he'd fall in love with.