April's POV

I ended up waking up in my room, on my bed, in my apartment, sunlight filtering in through the curtains. Memories flooded my mind and I touched my cheek absent-mindedly, a small smile forming on my face.

You fainted and ruined the moment, embarrassing yourself in the process April. I snapped back to reality, grimacing at the memory. School had just begun now and it was dreary. Sunday had been spent with me wincing at scenarios in my head of when I would see Aiden again. Today, I was careful when walking in the corridor and turning corners – I was dreading facing him.

Nina was smiling non-stop in school and my Cupid-meter was ringing in my head. I kept silent, smiling at her jokes, noticing how her eyes kept flickering around, how relaxed she'd become. Diego. Obviously.

"So, how was the party?" I said nonchalantly.

"Good," she replied, not looking me in the eye. I frowned slightly. Her hair had been tossed over her shoulder revealing a mark of some sort etched onto her neck. She noticed me staring and quickly covered it.

"Nina, what the hell is that on your neck?"

"Nothing!" She turned. "The lesson's started, be quiet."

"Don't ignore the question. Did... Did Dieg-" She interrupted me smoothly.

"Yes, Diego did give me that mark. I also know about," she paused, looking around carefully, "werewolves. And, I know that you know. Why didn't you tell me? I spent all that time with Diego and Aiden and Emma and their friends and you couldn't tell me they were werewolves? I had to find out from Diego and trust me, it's pretty hard trying to think straight when there's a hot boy standing in front of you, baring his teeth and telling you he's not what you think he is."

How the hell did Diego mark her so quickly? He only discovered he liked her on Saturday. I snapped back to reality, pressing my mouth into a thin line.

"Look, I had no idea that you knew." I defended quickly, glancing at the board Miss Rosalinda was writing Spanish phrases on.

"Okay, fine I get it. You weren't allowed to tell me." She pouted.

"How are you so okay with this?" I frowned. "I mean, how have you and Diego accepted each other so fast?" I was mind-blown.

"We just did. I mean, I always felt a pull to him, but I tried to ignore it and flirt with Aiden instead to see if my feelings for Diego were genuine. I felt wrong doing that - it just didn't feel right. I guess I never realized it until the party when I was dancing with Matt." She shrugged. "My feelings were real, and I guess we just accepted each other like this because it was mutual." She clicked her fingers to visualize her point.

"Well, that's great," I gave her a small smile, turning around to the board, still wondrous at the ease with which she accepted this situation. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, silently dying of boredom.

I felt Nina's gaze on the side of my face but didn't move. "Quit staring."

She poked me with her pencil and I winced, glaring at her. "You don't poke people with the sharp bit. That hurts." I grumbled. "You never told me you and Aiden were... Well you know," she waggled her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"No! We're - we're not whatever it is you're thinking." I whacked her with my textbook, my stomach knotting in embarrassment.

"Well, I must admit, you do look cute together. Especially at the party – you guys were just adorable." She smirked at me knowingly.

"Whatever." I mumbled, ignoring the burning on my cheeks.

Nina carried on, oblivious to the fact that I did not want to her going on about me and Aiden. There was no me and Aiden. Or is there? "I hope you don't turn all Sandy from Grease on me. I love my little adorably weird April. And if Aiden ever tries to change that, I'll cut his balls off."

I looked up, shocked. "Gee, thanks Nina."

She grinned. "Anything for you, Ap."

"Nina and April. Detention for talking throughout the lesson." Miss Rosalinda's voice called out from the front of the class room. My jaw dropped.

"W-what?" I stuttered.

"Miss, that's not fair. You didn't even give us any warning's during the lesson to be quiet. You can't just spring a damn detention on us!" Nina drew up besides me.

Miss Rosalinda had pressed her red lips into a tight line. "That's an after school detention for swearing Nina. And I shouldn't have to shout at you to gain some respect around here."

"Sorry, Miss."

"You apologized too late. Now go, you'll be late for your next lesson. The detention is at lunch for you April and after school for you Nina." She snapped, her eyes flashing.

"Bitch," Nina growled under her breath, stomping out of the classroom, leaving me alone. Damn. Why did I have to go and get myself a detention? Now I'll never get my lunch on time today.

*** ***

The detention at lunch hadn't been as bad as I had anticipated. It went surprisingly fast, apart from when the teacher taking detention gave us death glares every two minutes. My last lesson also vanished in a blur - maybe because I spent all lesson trying to catch Kayla's attention. She sat by the window, staring out of it stonily, her expression unreadable and conflicted. She had isolated herself from all of her friends recently and only spent time focusing on cheerleading, her third love in life. Damn you Noah.

The bell rang and I had prepared myself to leap out of my seat and talk to Kayla before she left. I bashed into a table and knocked over a chair whilst pushing my way past students to reach her desk. "Kayla! Wait." I yelled her name. I saw her flinch but she carried on walking anyway, quickening her pace. I ran after her and grabbed her by the shoulders, panting.

"Stop, I need to talk to you," I managed to say, rubbing the side of my stomach where someone had elbowed me in the stampede to get out of school.

"What?" She said, her tone laced with obvious irritation. She barely glanced at me.

"Look, I need to know what's wrong with you. We haven't spoken for the last week and it's beginning to freak me out."

"You want to know what's wrong with me? I can't be your friend any more, that's what. So please stop trying to get my attention and talk to me. Just leave me be." Her icy blue eyes glared down at me, her voice a whip.

"How can you say that?" My eyes widened, taking in her appearance. "What the hell has happened to you?" Realization stuck me and I stepped back in disgust, taking in her cheerleader outfit, eye bags and constant scowl. What has happened to my best friend?

"I can just say that because I mean it." She snapped, pushing a junior boy out of her way who stepped too close to her.

I turned my glare towards Kayla. "You can't just push around who you like Kayla – not everyone is going to take your crap all time." I shook my head. "And I know Noah's changed you, but he's changed you in a bad way. An unhealthy way – this isn't the Kayla I know and love. You're one of my best friends and you've been there for me, so I'm not going to stop being here for you. If you're going through a rough patch, then fine, me and Nina will stand by you, but you're making it a little hard by expressing your bloody undying hatred for us all the time."

Her look of genuine surprise faded and she replaced it with a grim smile. "Well I'm sorry you feel that way, but I love Noah. And he loves me. I'm glad I've changed and I don't care what you, Nina or any of other god damn students think about me." She turned on her heel, ready to leave but I called her name, grabbing her attention again.

If there's one thing that grates at me, it's bullying. I just can't stand it. "Look Kayla, stop putting up this fake bad girl act. It's fooling no-one – and if it is real, then don't push around innocent bystanders. They don't deserve it."

She didn't reply. I hadn't realized that the hallway had emptied, leaving me all alone, reeling and angered from her words.

I pulled my scarf around my neck tightly and plugged in my earphones as I stepped out into the icy, winter chill. Nothing could dampen my mood anymore than it had already been dampened. I caught movement in the corner of my eyes and my head whipped towards it quickly. I had lied – seeing Noah slouching on his car, his arm slung around Kayla had certainly dampened my mood more.

My heart panged with anger and I shot him a dirty glare as I turned on my heel and walked away from them.

"Hey April. Where's Nina?" I heard Noah call behind me. "Or... any other friends?"

I spun around, narrowing my eyes at him. That's it. No more nice April. I glared at them as I advanced towards them, my anger growing by the minute. "I have friends Noah – I'm just not that insecure that I need a constant bubble of them surrounding me all the time like you."

"I'm not the one who's insecure April. You're too naive for your own good."

I shook my head. "I'm not naive and I'm not this girl who can't look after herself like everyone thinks. I can and I have done so for nearly 2 years because I've been by myself. You know nothing about me."

A brunette haired cheerleader interrupted us, looking me up and down several times. "How can you come into our territory and talk to us like that." Her voice was grating.

"Two things wrong with that statement. First thing, I wasn't addressing you – I was talking to Noah. Second thing, this isn't your territory – there aren't any set rules stating that this ground belong to you. Capiche?"

"Don't talk back to me."

"Don't tell me what to do." I shot back heatedly.

The girl withdrew as soon as Noah clicked his tongue against the side of his cheek. "Shut up, Melissa. April, I apologise on behalf of her. We were just joking around with you." His dimpled smile didn't fool me and nor did his false apology. More like you wanted to embarrass me.

"You can save the false sympathy, Noah. I'll just wait and give you Homo sapiens a chance to catch up with evolution." Here, I shot Kayla a look, but she turned, ignoring me.

Then, I seethed silently on the way home, becoming even more agitated when the school bus splashed a dirty puddle onto me. I let out a groan and assessed my damp clothes and dirty Converses, pouting slightly at my dire situation and lack of car because the old thing had broken down. My anger didn't last long – it soon turned to disappointment and sympathy for myself as I considered my situation. Dirty, wet clothes. A best friend who hates my guts. A detention for talking in class. An embarrassing fainting moment when I was kissed on the cheek.

And worst of all, not seeing Aiden today had been the cherry on top of a very bad cake.

A/N Not edited at all! Vote, comment, enjoy - a filler chapter to bring Nina, Kayla and April's friendship into the story more :)

Hugs and MIKA lovers! - IICupcakesII