Two steps forward, one step back.

Read authors note please
Sapphire's POV
Once I was finally able to collapse onto the sofa that night it felt like a huge weight had been lifted. Surprisingly enough, my little argument with Katelyn hadn't actually spread round the school yet and I didn't plan on telling Reed or the boys anytime soon. This was my problem and I want to sort it out, on my own. Well, not completely on my own, if Hope has back up then so shall I. The girls were coming round later for a girls night and I plan to tell them the whole story, I will get pay back.

"Fire! Have you seen my shoes?" Ollie frantically called out, and by the sounds of it he was turning his and Chrissy's room upside down.

"Yeah I have you dim-witted freak! They're by the front door where you placed them five minutes ago!" I told him through a fit of giggles.

"Oh. Thanks." He was so stressed out today, all he's been doing is rehearsing. Apparently his band is really doing well and next week is their first concert at the school when we have our welcome back party. I wasn't going to go originally but as soon as I heard that he was playing there I had to go.

Hurrying out of his room he threw on his shoes and hurried over to me giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. Grabbing his arm I spun him round to me and looked sternly into his eyes.

"Ollie. Calm. Chill. Breathe. It's just a boy's night, they really are not going to be bothered if your late. If you don't slow down your going to hurt yourself. Now your going to take a deep breath, then your going to walk calmly from the flat. Have you got that?" Taking a deep breath he nodded his head and walked from the flat with a small smile on his face, but as soon as he had left our apartment he was legging it down the hallway as fast as his legs could carry him.

Chuckling I closed the door and flopped back down on the couch. Only an hour left until the fun started.

Forty Seven Minutes Later. (precise I know.)

A knock on the door jerked me away, I hadn't realized I had fell asleep, well of course I hadn't. I was asleep.

With a groan I stood to my feet, plastered a smile on my face and stumbled towards the door. Swinging it open I welcomed a very gorgeous looking Melinda into the house. To my surprise she was holding a bottle of Vodka and some orange juice in her hand, an even wider smile spread across my face.

"Sorry I'm early. You don't mind do you? But after Shane left to meet the boys I was lonely." She explained with a giggle.

"No no! Of course not. Your the first here. I'm sorry I couldn't get any alcoholic drinks, no-one would buy any for me. A nice looking guy was about to until his wife dragged him away. The bloody cheek of it!" Both of us laughed as we sat down waiting for the others to arrive.

"It's alright. The vodka's for everyone but the orange juice is strictly for Lori. She was complaining about how she had to have orange juice and that if she didn't have some soon she would kill someone. She's already said she definitely isn't drinking and that if any of us start smoking she will kick them out even though it isn't her house!"

"Well that's completely understandable, but no one here smokes so I don't know why she said that!" While we were both half way through laughing once again a key sounded in the lock making us both jump. Melinda looked slightly worried.

"Sapphire? Who else has a key to your house? You haven't lost yours have you?"

"Whoa your slightly paranoid. The people with a key to my house are...Myself, Ollie, Reed, Shane, Phil, Finn and Chrissy, since if you remember, Chrissy does live here, and so do the guys practically." I said the last bit as if it were an after thought while Melinda looked relieved.

"Sorry, It's just that strange things have been happening around me recently. I dunno if it is me just being paranoid like you said but I hear noises. Like people walking round my house, on the outside of course, looking for a way in. And when I was meeting Shane this morning I swear I heard footsteps follow me to the school. I'm seriously creeped out." She explained to Chrissy, Lori and I, the two just having walked in.

"That doesn't sound good. See how it goes and if you hear the noises again ring me. You can stay hear tonight though. Lori is." Chrissy offered in return getting a wide smile and a nod of the head.

"Great! Now lets start drinking! Lori, Melinda brought you the orange juice you wanted. Sorry if we get slaughtered although I doubt we will." All of us laughed while I stood up and collected glasses. Tonight was going to be a good night.

An hour later

"...so then miss whatever her name is said, 'Get out both of you!' or something along those lines and we walked out! She was being such a bitch though, I mean, Reed loves me!" I slurred at the girls, I had just finished explaining my encounter earlier.

"That slag! Lori explained, she was the only one out of all of us which was still entirely sober, maybe that's because she's not drinking but still. The rest of us were only tipsy, there wasn't enough alcohol in the end to get us entirely drunk.

"She can't get away with that! We have to get back at them. Both Katelyn and Hope. But Sapphire? Are you sure you don't want to tell the boys?" Melinda said clearly, although she had had as much as Chrissy and I, she could hold her alcohol better so therefore was almost sober.

"I was planning on getting back at her, why do you think I told you girls? Anyway, I'm not telling the boys because I want to work this out without them, they have done way to much for me and I don't want them to have to stick up for me again, even though they say it's fine. And Chrissy's already involved anyway, I mean, she is the reason Hope hates me. No offense to you Chrissy, you know I love you." Nodding at me vigorously she planted a huge kiss on my forehead.

"And I you my dear friend." Funnily enough this was how she acted anyway, this was nothing to do with the vodka.

"Anyway, what happened to you date with Shane, Melinda? I thought you were meant to go out with him tonight?" I asked, curiosity lacing through my voice.

"Oh yeah I was. But then the boys were having a boys night and I felt bad because I've been taking up most of his time. And I haven't really spent a lot of time with you guys, I mean, whenever I've been with you it's been with the guys. In fact, this is the first time I've ever been around you guys without having at least on of the boys here!" She exclaimed slightly surprised.

"Oh my god that's so true! We should all go shopping soon without the boys. I mean last time I went was with the bitch and Hope...er...I mean, Chrissy and the bitch!" We all burst out into hysterics, even Chrissy did after she whacked Lori on her arm.

"Yeah we should, but for now let's make a plan." Chrissy suggested making us all shut up and nod our heads.

The next day.

The sun was hidden behind a mass of clouds, I usually see the rain as a bad omen but today was different. With out plan made and everything ready, I couldn't help but let an unwilling smile cover my face as I sat in the seat behind the boy who held back Katelyn yesterday.

Turning my gaze to the window I caught a glimpse of Melinda sneaking through the school gates, a rucksack containing the things we would need on her shoulders. She looked completely relaxed as if she had done this many time's before. In fact, she looked as if she went to school here, she has borrowed a spare uniform of mine for the day In case she got caught walking in. She was going to hide out in the toilets for a bit so that once she was actually in she wouldn't get caught by any of the teachers. Phase one of the plan was complete.

Hope was sat near Katelyn today and they were most likely deep in discussion over what happened yesterday, a smirk playing at the corners of their lips. Turning round Hope caught me staring intently at her and sarcastically waved at me. I flipped her off before I noticed the boy in front of me looking my way.

"Hey, I'm Danny. Sorry about Katelyn yesterday, usually she doesn't get so worked up over things." Danny apologized on her behalf confusing me. Was he her boyfriend. After voicing my thoughts he began to splutter out words in between laughter, it wasn't that funny.

"No! God no! HELL NO!" By now the whole class was turned in their seats looking with obvious alarm at Danny who was now trying to catch his breath, Katelyn and Hope glaring at him with a hurt look hidden in their eyes.

"Class! Your attention please!" Everyone turned to the front, even Danny, but he shifted his chair back ever so slightly so he could explain what Katelyn was to him, to me. Wow that is ever so slightly confusing.

"No, Kate and Hope are my best mates. I'm part of their big group. Kate's closest to me out of all of them and Hope is closer to Lizzy and that lot. Usually Kate sits with me but since you and Hope split she's ditched me." Nodding slightly I glanced back to the front at the two girls, both were sitting moodily with their arms crossed tightly, a frown claiming their features.

"Doesn't look like they want you talking to me. Thanks for saying sorry but I would rather not make them think I'm trying to steer you away from them just because they're insecure. And don't get mad because I said that because you know it's true. If it weren't Hope and I would still be friends." A puzzled look crossed his face before he finally answered.

"What actually happened between you two? I mean, one second you were best friends and she was over protective over you and now you hate each other and she plots against you." He quickly noticed his slip up as he told me she plots against me, but I already knew it so he need not worry.

"Don't worry about your slip, I already know. Well you may not believe me over this, she may have told you something different. But I made friends with Finn, Reed and that lot and then I met Chrissy. She was fine until we went shopping with Chrissy and Lori. Chrissy and her were constantly at each others throats and when I told them off about it when we got home, Hope snapped at me and said she didn't want to be my friend. Don't tell her I told you this, she'll hate both of us, but to be honest I think she was jealous that I actually had more than just her as a friend. I mean, she used to have me all to herself without having to share me. And when I got with the boys we started drifting away from each other. So there you have it, the reason why Hope and I are no longer friends. I can guarantee you she will give you a different story though. Ask her."

Danny just furrowed his eyebrows to show he heard, but he hadn't got time to answer the question since the bell rang. A smile once again spread across my face as I realized, it was tome to put my plan into action...