A/N: Hello! Thanks again for the reviews! nn You people are the best!

Chapter Three: Swipe Cards! Woo!

So, I'm now sitting in Maths, and yes, he's still sitting by me! I'm beginning to hate stupid alphabetical seating arrangements! I used to sit by James in almost all of my lessons. When's he getting back, anyway? Ugh, I probably won't survive that long, so who cares? My thoughts are interrupted as he 'accidentally' brushes my hand again.

"Oh, sorry!" He says, in mock surprise, "I was just reaching for my calculator, and I didn't notice your hand there! How rude of me!"

"That's ok." I grind out. How many times does he need a calculator?! Ugh, I just want this day to end, and to go and see Hailie. I'm going to have to be very hetro to make up for all of this.

"So, it's break next." He sings, lounging back in his chair.

"Yup."

"Got any plans?"

"Yup."

"Do they include me?

"Yup- I mean, no!!"

"Aww isn't that sweet! Thank you for looking after me! You're the best guy another guy could ask for!" he winks at me, and I just pray that no-one's listening to our conversation.

"Listen, can't you find someone else to hang around with? There are tons of guys here."

"But I don't want to 'hang around' with any of them, you're the one I want." He pouts, and for a second I almost smile, but catch myself before I do. "Anyway, Miss Rivers says that you're to look after me and make sure that I feel welcome!"

I groan and rest my head in my arms again. I feel a hand on my back.

"There, there! I'm not that bad! Besides, you might even get to like me! Hey, how about I give you a massage, you're pretty tense."

I gingerly remove his hand from my shoulder. "I really don't think that would help me to feel less stressed right now."

"Fine, whatever! I'm just trying to help you, and you're shoving it all back in my face!"

"What?!"

"I was really nervous about coming to this school, but when I met you I thought 'Oh well, he seems nice! At least I'll have someone to stick up for me!' But as soon as I try to be nice to you, you start acting as if you hate my guts! So, you know what, forget it, maybe I will find someone else to hang around with."

"Wait, Kurt, I didn't mean to upset yo-"

"Nope! You had your chance!"

Now I'm getting quite annoyed. What the hell do I care, anyway? It's not like I like him. He's one of the most annoying, embarrassing people I've ever met. Why am I so worried that I've upset him? "Look, I'm sorry if I offended you. I shouldn't have been so harsh, and, well, if you want, you can hang around with me at break."

A huge grin breaks out across his face, and it's hard to believe that he looked like he was about to cry a moment ago. "Thank you so much, Seth! You're the best friend a guy could have!"

He looks like he's about to hug me, so I quickly turn back to my work. I can't believe that I've just agreed to that. He's a smart one… I'll have to be careful. Somehow I don't think that he will be…

Break Time

I wait for him as he packs his bags, and we file out of class together.

"So, where do you normally go?"

"Well, for morning break, I tend to go to the field, where I sit with my friends, and at lunch time we go to the canteen."

"Ah, ok! Are you sure you don't mind me coming with ya?"

"Um, sure, I don't mind." I hated saying that sooo much. "I'll introduce you to my friends."

"Wow, thanks!" he grins again, and after a moments wrestle with my brain, I find myself smiling back. Nooo! He winks and turns away.

We go out through a pair of green doors, and I take the opportunity to show him how they work. We have a swipe card system, whereby you need the small piece of plastic given to you at the start of the year to enter. He tells me about how cool swipe cards are.

In our school, their main purpose is safety, but the kids have turned it into a new way to bully each other. Many a poor little boy or girl has ended up having to pay for a replacement card having 'lost' theirs. After the third time this had happened to me, I started to put it in the back pocket of my trousers, 'cause no jock wants to be seen by his friends, hand in the back pocket of some nerd boy. I tell him this, and he laughs.

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"But who wouldn't want to put their hand in you back pocket?!"

I stare at him, speechless, and he smirks. I can't believe he just said that! I can feel my mouth's open, so I shut it out of courtesy. I guess I should've known not to mention my back pocket in front of this fellow.

"Anyhoo, come along, I want to meet your friends!"

I mentally shake myself, and lead him to the school field. Daniel is waiting there, along with Philip, who's in the year below.

"Howdie, Seth! Who's ya new fella?" the slightly younger, far more immature boy yells.

I groan. Not the thing to say around this one, Phil! I hear Kurt beginning to laugh beside me. He flings an arm around my shoulders, and grins.

"I'm Kurt, pleased to meet you. He uses his free arm to shake hands with my friends, as I steadily turn redder and redder, face fixed on the grass at my feet.

Daniel peers up at me. "You alright, mate?"

"Fine." I mumble in reply. He removes his arm from around my shoulders, and I can finally breathe again. "Kurt's new to the school, he moved into that house that was for sale down my road."

"Ah, I know the one!"

In the distance the bell rings, signalling the end of break time. Did it really take that long to teach him about the door system?

We file back into the building, and enter our next lessons. I ask Kurt which group he's in for non-academic subjects, such as Music, and Woodwork, in the vague hope that we're in separate groups. No such luck, of course. We head off to cooking, and leave Daniel and Philip behind us.

The day passes slowly but surely, as I endure more and more of Kurt. At least he doesn't seem to flirt with me in front of my friends. I guess he saw how embarrassed I was after he put his arm round me. Maybe he is human after all?

…

…

…

Nah. I wouldn't go as far as to say that.

I end up walking home with him, as well, and I sigh in relief as I finally wave goodbye. He skips off down his drive, shouting, "Hey, Mom, I met this really HOT guy called Seth!"

I groan, and continue to walk down the street. I wonder if his Mom's really that supportive of his preferences, or whether he just likes to wind her up as much as he does me. I make it to my house, greet my mom wearily, and collapse onto the sofa.

James had better be coming back soon.