Two steps forward, one step back.

My first two lesson's past with a lot of snickering and a lot of whispering. Mainly because hope was sat at the front of the class, the back of her hair on show to everyone. Luckily for me, she had no close friends in English and maths, my first two lessons of the day, so everyone left her to her own devices while they bitched about her quite literally behind her back. Of course, she remained oblivious to it all.

When break came I left my maths lesson in a hurry. Hope's friends were waiting at the door, worried looks plastered over their faces, obviously they had heard from someone in my English set how awful Hope's hair looks. Confusion outweighed the worry though because they had already seen Hope once today and when they did see her, her hair was fine. In fact it was pin straight and beautiful. Now however, it's not.

As soon as I entered the dining hall Chrissy hurried over to me, a wide smile splitting over her face, an evil glint sparkled in her eye and she looked more alive than ever. The look was contagious, I already felt myself beaming back at her.

"Has she found out yet? People are talking about it!" Her voice was filled with the same excitement that spilled from mine.

"No she hasn't, but the whole class was talking about it behind her and she was oblivious! It was actually hilarious! Did Melinda go and meet Shane in the end?"

"No, she had to get to school since she started back today. I forged her a doctors note so that she wouldn't get into any trouble for arriving late. What did your teacher say when you turned up late?"

"Oh nothing, I had Mr. Leonadus so I was fine. I'm actually surprised I had him for English this year, apparently he requested for me because he thinks I'm a great story writer. I feel loved!" We both laughed happily as we walked over towards our table, everything here was in a cold silence. Chrissy and myself however didn't realize until we sat down and shut up.

I tried kissing Reed on the cheek but he turned his head away from me, his eyes downcast. My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I faced the rejection. Why was he acting like this? Before I even had a chance to ask Hope came storming up to the table, her hair brushed back into a ponytail, and slammed her hands down, a loud thud echoing through the hall.

Tears were streaming down her pale cheeks, but sadness and embarrassment were not the emotions playing on her face. No. All that I could see blazing in her eyes was a plain, undiluted anger. It was very obvious by the way her hands were twitching that rage was seeping through her veins.

"What the fuck you bitch! You think this is funny do you! I've had the whole school talking behind my back and you think that's funny." She screamed at me, her voice cracking at the end from how loud she was shouting.

Both Chrissy and I looked at each other, our eyebrows furrowing in a clear confusion before we faced her again.

"What the hell are you talking about Hope? Please enlighten us since we're in the dark here." I told her, my voice remaining at a normal level, although a tint of irritation carefully seeped it's way through it.

"Don't act like you don't know! You did this while we were in the toilet!" My eyes went wide at her assumption, disbelief showing on every inch of my face.

"Whatever I did I couldn't have done it in the toilet! I was talking to you the whole time! Facing you! And I couldn't have done it in any class because there were people in front of me separating me from you. Now what the hell is going on. Maybe I can help you."

"Don't act as if you don't know Sapphire. You know. And I'm going to get you back for it, just you wait." She hissed at me and for once I was actually scared, not that she saw this. Turning on her heel she stomped away back to her friends her were fluttering around her uselessly, trying to sort out the mess I had created. And of course, failing.

"That wasn't nice Sapphire. You've really upset her." Reed mumbled, his face as blank as stone.

"It's not like she hasn't hurt me. She upset me the other day in class, it's only fair I got my own back." With his face still impassive he turned towards me looking me dead in the eye.

"I know you had that fight with Katelyn. What's that got to do with Hope? And why didn't you tell me?"

"That 'fight' was set up by Hope. And I didn't tell you because I didn't want you and everyone else to get involved." I answered easily, my good moods dampened.

"I'm your boyfriend Sapphire! You should have told me! What you did to Hope was plain nasty and you know it, whatever the fight was about with Katelyn should not have caused you to do that." Now he was barely able to control his features, ever now and then a glimpse of hurt or annoyance would flash through his mask before he could conceal it.

"Why the hell are you sticking up for Hope, Reed? And who are you to say what I did was nasty! Do I need to remind you of what you did to me? It seems I do, so here I go. You pushed me around, you spread rumors about me, you turned the whole school against me! You chucked food over me, you've torn my clothes before, need I go on!" In a flash Reed was on his feet storming out of the lunch hall. He was beyond angry by my words and I felt as guilty as hell. Looking towards the rest of the table I exhaled sharply before slamming my head onto the table. "Shit!" I muttered before looking at the guys.

"I'm sorry I never told you, but I wanted to do this on my own. I would have told you sooner or later1 I promise. Please don't be mad at me." Shane just looked away while Phil glared at me and followed Reed out of the hall.

"Okay, fine I forgive you! You haven't done anything wrong to me! Your business is your own business, your life is your own life. You choose to live it how you please. But you should have at least told Reed, and saying that stuff was like kicking him below the belt Sapphire. He still regrets all that you know. He loves you. And you've changed us all you know. How many kids have we beat up so far? How many did we beast up last year by this time?"

"None so far and loads last year." I sighed.

"Exactly, and think of how we talk, how vulgar our language used to be and how it is now. You've made us better people and seeing you just do that can be shocking to us Sapphire. It's almost seeing what we used to be in you And we know you wouldn't like that. So that is why they're angry with you. Besides you not telling us you were going to do it. And I wanted to help!" He whined the end part and suddenly the mood lightened. Chrissy who was sitting awkwardly between us giggled while I nervously laughed realizing what he said was completely true.

What I did today was a shadow of what the boys used to be. And I used to hate them for what they did. If I wasn't careful I would turn into the old them and then I would hate myself along with the rest of the school population hating me. But part of what he said was wrong, Phil's only angry because I made the person he is crushing on upset, and he can't do anything about it because he's not going out with her and he doesn't want to ruin things between us.

Quickly I made a decision, whipping my phone out I typed a quick message and sent it before I could change my mind. But the words were glaring up at me as I stared at the screen. If he does what I says then this is going to cause a lot of problems, but it will make him happy.

Look, Phil. I'm sorry x
But you liking her isn't going to change what
I do or how I feel about her. Get over it. Or if
Don't get over it but do something about it.
Go bloody find her and ask her out will you.
Nothing will change between us, I will still
be your friend as long as you are mine. But
we will both have to overlook somethings.
If your with Reed don't tell him it's me that
sent you this, he'll just wonder why I'm texting
you instead of him and then he won't speak
to me for even longer.
I love you as a friend Phil. Don't forget that OK?
Now go ask her out.
~*~

I felt slightly sad telling him that knowing that half of what I was said was a lie. Hope was inevitably come between us if she said yes, and she was going to say yes to spite me.
Looking up at Shane with teary eyes he stood up, hopped over the table and wrapped his arms round me in a hug before finally I full on bawled into his shoulder, his hands rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"Whatever you did Sapphire, I'm sure you did the right thing." He whispered into my ear.
Slowly I stopped crying only to remember...

...'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.'