Rafe remembered his first day in school. His heart was heavy, and his thoughts were a blur. So much that he stepped on Norah without even realising.

He now ran up the same stairs, into the same school, and saw the same students swarming from all directions. Three months ago just the look, the feel, and even the smell of the place made him sick.

As he took his steps towards class, he felt more confident and even looking forward to being back. In a month they would submit their university applications, and he had limited time to impress his teachers and boost his personal reports.

He walked into the classroom as Miss McGrath began taking down the register. Norah was already seated, her back straight, her pens and pencils neatly in order.

She saw him and nodded. He acknowledged her with a nod, too. Taking the usual seat behind her and next to Luke, he also took out his homework, which he neatly folded in plastic wallets.

"Is that a Hello Kitty paperclip?" Luke said, pointing at the little Japanese mascot on the corner of the paper.

Norah pretended she didn't hear the comment as he glared into the back of her head.

She had placed Hello Kitties everywhere. He adamantly refused to use the tacky stationary, and yet her ninja-like fingers clipped the little creature everywhere. It was a matter of days before Rafe would notice and grumble.

"Yes, but it's not mine," Rafe muttered before kicking Norah's chair. She turned around with nonchalance. "Take this shit back before I throw it away."

"Fine. But there's a reason I gave it to you," she explained.

Rafe looked at her and waited for an explanation.

Luke was interested to hear too.

"It brings luck. It's also one of my important superstitions."

Her face was always so passive and serious, Rafe could never tell if she was joking or not. She looked innocent enough, and with a sigh he took back the Hello Kitty paperclip and put it back on his homework. He needed all the luck he could get, even if it made him look like a douche. Her superstitions really intrigued him.

"Oh my god," Luke said and laughed into his hand, "she has you by the balls, mate."

Rafe went past the point of caring. Norah could take his balls and put it in a pink Hello Kitty purse if it meant him getting into LBU.

As if on queue, Miss McGrath turned around after rubbing the board clean. "Who has who by the what, Luke?" She stared so hard at him it made even Rafe uncomfortable.

"Nothing Miss, sorry Miss," Luke muttered as he shrunk into his chair.

It was Rafe's turn to be amused.

As Mrs McGrath turned around to face the board again, Rafe whispered to Luke, "Speaking of having your balls held hostage, what's up with you and Amber?"

Luke shrugged, and a small smile formed on his lips. "We're kinda dating. Happened over half-term."

Rafe nodded in understanding. "Nice one."

"But she's acting more like a mum than a girlfriend," Luke complained under his breath. His blonde teammate had his eyes glued to Miss McGrath in case she told him off again. Rafe smiled to himself as he looked at Norah, who since becoming his tutor had made him more organised, made him clean his bag, eat healthier food, and have a better sleeping pattern.

"They do get like that," he muttered to himself.

"It's their way of showing they care I suppose," Luke replied.

* * *

Miss McGrath looked at Rafe with admiration as he finished his point in front of the class. It looked like she was falling in love with him.

"So you see, in the end, maybe Milton wants us to sympathise with the Devil when he seduces Eve to take the bite of the apple."

Miss McGrath gave him a small smile. "Why is that? Milton wanted to 'justify the ways of God to men,' not the ways of the devil."

"Because us sympathising with the devil shows that we are the fallen, weak men who are also easily tempted by the ways of the devil," Rafe said, looking earnestly into the teachers eyes, quoting Norah word for word. "We're all flawed, miss."

"I must say Rafe, half-term does you wonders," their now rosy cheeked teacher praised. "I'm impressed. Well done. Class, we'll continue with this on Wednesday," she said as she dismissed the students.

Norah folded away her things neatly into her schoolbag. "Well done indeed, Rafe," she said with a smirk.

Rafe winked back. "Milton, piece of cake. I should teach him how to write epic poems."

"Yes of course," Norah muttered with irony and followed him out. "See you tomorrow then."

"Oh, by the way," he said, stopping her mid way. "Can't do a lesson tomorrow, we have a match, against Christchurch. Can we reschedule?"

"Sure. Wednesday then?"

"Sure... Do you want to come?"

Norah wasn't sure what he meant. "Come where?"

"To the game. It's a home match," Rafe said, and Norah watched him closely and could've sworn he looked a little nervous. It was probably pre-game jitters. Typically, Norah could find over one hundred better things to do than to come to a field and watch a bunch of testosterone filled boys running around and chasing a ball in the freezing, damp weather. But she found herself mirroring his smile and nodding.

"Yeah sure. I'll check it out."

"Cool man, see you later then."

Rafe gave her a short wave before heading to join his group of friends.

She saw Hazel, standing and waiting for him with a scowl on her face.

"What?" he asked her. Norah overheard the last part of the conversation as they headed to the cafeteria.

"Why did you just ask her to the game?" She asked as she tried to match his pace.

"Because she's cool," Rafe replied simply. Hearing that put a smile on Norah's lips. She hugged her books close to her chest and went to her next lesson.