We zoomed out of the gates, and I dimly heard the cheers and awed shouts from the students in the school grounds, and then gave a muffled shout myself as the tyres screeched around the corner.

I felt him shaking with laughter and showed my appreciation by thwacking him hard on the shoulder. We stopped at traffic lights and he grabbed my hands, stopping me from hitting him again. I tugged, but he pulled them around his middle once again. I had no choice but to leave them there, since he roared off once again and I didn’t want to die.

Soon enough, we pulled up outside my house. As soon as Aidan kicked the stand down, I practically catapulted myself off the bike. He laughed as I tried to regain the feeling in my legs. In response I yanked off my helmet and thrust it straight in the middle of his sternum. He laughed, and took off his own helmet with the one hand. Amazingly, his curls were completely perfect, unlike her own hair which was most likely the most gigantic mess on the planet.

‘What,’ I ground out, ‘are you laughing at?’

‘You, you little wildcat. You best put away your claws, ‘cause here comes your mom.’ He tipped his head looking behind me. ‘Good afternoon Ms Sanchez.’

I whirled just as my mom came out the gate. She scowled at me, and then at Aidan. ‘What are you doing home? And who’s he?’

Aidan stepped forwards before I could do more than open my mouth. ‘I’m Aidan Hunter, Ms Sanchez. Fiona was assulted at school, and I brought her home.’

My mom’s eyes widened. ‘Assulted!?’

‘Mom, it wasn’t all that bad. Just a drunk kid who trussed me up a little is all.’

‘Look at those bruises on your neck! You were strangled!’ I was yanked into a tight embrace. ‘My poor baby!’

‘I’ll be getting off then,’ Aidan said, smiling. My mom was leading me back inside the house. ‘I’ll see you in school Fiona.’

I wrenched out of my mother’s arms at the doorstep. ‘Wait!’ My voice sounded so desperate that even I winced. Aidan turned round, one brow raised, and leant against his bike. I blushed, and hoped my mother had gone inside.

‘I just wanted to say thanks, I guess.’ I couldn’t believe I was being this tolerant of a guy. Hell, I’d been laughed at by my supposed ‘one true love’ and the rest of my year, and had almost been killed by Orange, so this couldn’t be any worse. ‘Thanks, for everything.’ I forced myself to hold out my hand, forced myself to accept his touch when he clasped it. But when I tried to pull back, his own hand tightened, then his fingers laced with mine. I looked up, the panic probably evident on my face, and his eyes became suddenly hard. The panic mushroomed within me.

‘Let me go,’ I said, quietly and precisely. I began to shake.

‘Lord, Fiona-‘

‘Let me go.’ I couldn’t describe what I was feeling. It was horrible, yet strange at the same time. I didn’t want him touching me; I’d lash out any time soon. But yet, no one had ever persisted after I told them to let me go. And Aidan was definitely not fooling around.

But I became horrified when he took my other hand. ‘Fiona, have you got a problem with me?’

‘No! Just let me go.’ I was near hysterical by this point.

‘Then what...’ His face became stormy. ‘Did someone hurt you?’

My mouth dropped open. ‘Hurt me? You mean...No, I just...’ I took a deep breath. ‘I just don’t like people touching me. Please let me go.’

‘People?’ he asked shrewdly. ‘Or men?’

‘Men!’ I cried in desperation. ‘I won’t let myself like any of you! Men just complicate things!’ I began struggling, trying to free myself. I was now officially petrified. Without any thought, I lashed out, catching him a hard whallop on the shoulder. And it wasn’t a soft hit either. My years of being a man hater had sharpened my right hook.

There was silence for a plit second, then Aidan blinked. ‘Fiona, I...’ He shook his head. ‘Stay here.’

I watched, trembling uncontrollably, as he proceeded into my house. Slumping against his bike, I tried to calm my pounding heart. Aidan came back out of my house, strode straight up to me and looked down at me.

‘You,’ he declared. ‘Are coming with me.’

I gaped. ‘You can’t tell me what to-Hey!’ He hand picked me bodily up and plonked me on the back of his bike. I tried to leap off but he kept me firmly on the seat, then he plonked the helmet on my head to muffle my protests.

He swung a leg over the bike and kickstarted it to a roar. Five minutes later we were outside a house which I presumed was his, and he was pulling me inside. I dug my heels in, but it was no use, I was soon enough inside a very stylish lounge. For some unknown reason, I’d expected it to be green.

‘Aidan-‘

‘You are going to sit your curvy butt down on that chair and talk to me,’ he said, shoving her down on the sofa without ceremony.

I knew an insult when I heard one. ‘I’m not sitting here and listening to you.’ I went to get up but he shoved me back down. ‘Will you stop manhandling me?!’

To my utter shock, Aidan leaned over me caging me in. I hit him solidly in the chest. ‘Get lost!’

He stuck his tongue out at me. ‘Make me.’

I scowled and attempted to shove at him. He was rock solid and wouldn’t budge. ‘Get out of my space.’

‘Not until you talk to me.’

Admitting defeat, I pulled up my knees and burried my head in them.

I felt the sofa dip as he sat beside me, making my body lean to his. I froze, tensed, concentrating on breathing regularly. I refused to raise my head. His hand came to rest against the top of my arm and began to rub gently, intending to sooth. It made me tremble. My constant mantra was ‘Don’t touch me, don’t touch me, don’t touch me, don’t touch me,’ within my head.

‘Talk to me Fi,’ he murmured quietly. ‘Tell me why you hate men so much. If you haven’t been hurt, why are you so offensive?’

I figured he wouldn’t leave me alone until I gave him an explanation. It was sometimes better to pour your heart out to a stranger anyway. ‘I have no self confidence,’ I began, talking into my knees. ‘Because of the way I am. Fat, nerdy and all that.’

Before anything else was said, he cut me off. ‘You’re not fat.’

I sighed. ‘Right, I’m cuddly. Anyway, as if that isn’t bad enough, the guys at school don’t exaclty make things any better.’

‘You mean they bully you?’

‘No,’ I insisted. ‘It’s the little things. Like, they tease me subtly, if you get my meaning. Now, if anyone was ever interested in me, I’d never know because I close off around guys. I think they’re making fun of me.’ Now that it was all out, I felt so much better, enough to bring my head off my knees.

His eyes were soft as they gazed at me. His hand was still continuing its soothing rubbing of my arm. ‘Not all men are the same,’ Aidan said softly. ‘Take me for example. In my mind, I see no reason to make fun of you. If I say you’re sexy, or sassy, or smart or whatever, I mean it.’

I smiled wanly at him. ‘Well, you are an Irish weirdo.’

He grinned. ‘Hey! I may be Irish, but I’m no weirdo. Well...’ With a good natured shrug he conceeded. ‘So, you make yourself stone cold to guys.’

‘I don’t let myself care. But I get in such a panic if a guy touches me, hugs me or anything. I’m scared that they’re taking the piss.’ I sighed, but smiled at him. In return, he ruffled my hair.

‘Right. Tomorrow, we are going to work on your attitude towards youself. I’m going to make sure that you have enough self confidence to last you through your educational life, and then some. Then we’re going to get you a boyfriend.’

First I blinked. Then I sniggered. And then I began to laugh, uncontrolably. ‘Boyfriend? Me? God, what a joke!’ He couldn’t be serious! God, the man must be mad.

‘Don’t put yourself down!’ he scowled.

‘I’m not,’ I chuckled. ‘Its men I put down. I have no use for them whatsoever. Why do I want a boyfriend?’

‘To prove to yourself you can tolerate men,’ Aidan said defiantly. When I laughed even more he suddenly got up. ‘You know what, if all people here are what you’re like, I give in. So bloody stubborn. I thought I’d lend you a hand, and you aren’t even willing to try.’

That halted my laughter. ‘Hey, I’m not-’

He swung around and gave me such a ferocious look that I balked. ‘You are stubborn, admit it. And I’ll tell you what, if you aren’t even perpared to try and help yourself change then it’ll never happen.’

I scowled at him, then suddenly stood, determined to win back my ground. ‘You just have no idea do you? You have no idea how hard it is trying to change!’ I yelled, not meaning to shout but doing so anyway. ‘The number of times I’ve said to myself that I’ll act normal, not be sarastic, try and be nice, and the number of times I’ve made myself sick with worry over my...my...’ I couldn’t think of the word, and couldn’t see a thing for the tears that swam in my eyes.

‘My abnormality!’ I finally burst out, turning on my heel and making a beeline for the door.

‘Fiona!’ I was siezed around the shoulders and spun around. ‘God, I didn’t mean to upset-’ I lashed out, struggling to break free of Aidan’s hold.

‘Let me go, you asshole! You think you can just waltz into my life and then dictate to me who I am, and how I should be?’ He yanked me close to restrain me, and I was quite proud of myself when I struck him across the face.

There came the surprising sound of applause from behind me. I whirled to find a cluster of blonde people crammed into the open doorway. I gasped at the audience, and they all laughed, tumbling through the door.

‘Wow, Aidan, new record buddy! One week in a new place and you’ve already had one girl hit you!’ A tall, gangly boy that couldn’t have been much younger than Aidan himself stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder. He had the same classical looks as Aidan, but mischeif danced in his eyes.

He butted Aidan out of the way. ‘Hey Fiona. I’m Gideon, and I’ll be your date for this evening.’ Eyes spakling, he took my hand and swiftly kissed it, leaning forward to stage whisper in my ear. ‘Quickly now, I’ll disract them, and you run out the back. We’ll be away in no time.’

Before I could react, Adian bodilly moved Gideon out of the way. He turned and grinned wryly at me. ‘Fi, meet the Hunters.’

Another lad, quite a few years older with darker hair than Aidan shook his head. ‘Brother, you get worse every day.’ He turned to me and held out his hand. ‘I’m Nial, this lout’s older brother.’

Hesitantly, I shook his hand. ‘Hi. I’m Fiona.’

Two little girls bounded through the door. They were exactly identical from the bright smiles on their faces to their long blonde braids that swung down their backs. They bounced around Aidan like they were dancing around a maypole, and he swung them both up onto his shoulders.

‘These are the brats. Five year old twin girls who are not as angelic as they appear.’ Adian turned them both upside down so that they screeched in delight, then set them upright. ‘Rosie, Arwen, say hello to Fiona.’

One girl moved shyly forward. ‘Hi,’ she mumbled.

The other leapt to my side and began to tug on my hand. I knelt to her level, and she whispered extremely loudly, ‘Are you Aidan’s girlfriend?’

I managed to laugh. ‘No, I’m not. Which one are you then?’

‘I’m Rosie!’

As the rest of the family moved inside and began unpacking the things they had, I turned to the other girl. ‘You must be Arwen.’

The little girl nodded and moved cautiously to take my other hand. ‘You’re a really pretty lady.’ She tangled her other hand in my hair. ‘I wish I was as pretty as you.’

I laughed. Who knew a compliment from a five year old could make you feel better about yourself? I glanced up, and Aidan gave me a look as if to say ‘I told you so.’

‘You’re both very pretty yourselves. I wish I had your hair. It’s like angel hair.’

The girls beamed, tossing their braids. They bounded off to follow the lads, leaving Aidan and myself alone. ‘Don’t!’ I warned before he could say anything. ‘I’m leaving. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t ever come near me again.’

‘You can walk away today Fiona, but I’ll still be on your doorstep tomorrow.’ His clear, calm voice made me pause, my hand still resting lightly on the handle.

‘You may be, but I won’t answer.’

There was silence. I pushed the door open and stepped out into the sun. It was a bright day, a wonderful day. I could most certainly live my life without male company; I had been doing so for a very long time. Being a pestered by a man was the last thing I needed. There were so much more important things in life.

‘Fiona, wait.’

What was it about his voice that made me halt in my tracks? Just my name made me whirl around. I was fuming at the teeth that a guy was doing this to me. Back to normal, I thought, unsure whether to be depressed or relieved. ‘Listen, Ireland, I don’t need your help. I don’t want you butting into my life! You have no rights whatsoever and I’d appreciate it if you just left me alone!’

He just looked at me. ‘Is that what you really want Fiona? To be left alone?’

‘Just shut up and bugger off.’ For lack of a better comeback, I stomped down the driveway. I couldn’t believe I’d poured my heart out to a complete stranger and then...urg what had I done? Why had I done it?

‘Is that it then? Do we even say ‘hi’ to each other at all?’

I glared at the gate infront of me. Why couldn’t I walk through it? His voice kept stopping me. Well, I had to put a stop to this once and for all. ‘Aidan I don’t want to acknowledge you in any shape or form. As far as I’m concerned, we’ve never met.’

‘Well, that’s just stupid.’ My hands clenched. Why was he being so damn persistant? No one had ever bothered with me before. I’d dismissed myself as a lost case. Yet there was actually someone who could be bothered to fight to know me.

A hand came to rest lightly on my shoulder. Despising myself, I shrugged it off with more violence than I felt. ‘I’ll live through this, I’m sure. I might hate myself, but that’s nothing new.’ With a forced laugh, I glanced back. ‘Hope I don’t see you around Ireland.’

‘You will,’ he promised, albiet to my retreating back. ‘You bloody well will!’