A screech from hell echoed throughout the dormitory. I groaned and pulled my pillow over my head. 8am wake up calls sucked. After about thirty seconds the bell finally stopped ringing much to everyone's relief.

June's head popped over the side of the bunk bed, looking down at me. "Are you telling me, we have to deal with that every morning?"

"Please no," I replied.

"Good morning!" A girl named Holly chirped from the bunk beside ours. There were sixteen of us in our dorm. June and I, and two other girls from the year above were from Dartington, and then four from each of the other schools. Thankfully it seemed as though we had a solid bunch.

"How did you sleep?" I asked.

"Like a log," she replied with a grin.

"What do you have on today?"

Holly pulled on her jumper. "History. You're taking chemistry right?"

"Yep."

"When does your chemistry session end?" June asked, climbing down the ladder.

I sat up and stretched. "11:30am I think. I'll come find you after, I'm assuming you'll be at the courts?"

June nodded. "First game at 1pm."

We got dressed and headed to the great hall for breakfast. Neither Ruben or Noah was there yet, along with half the other students. Everybody had a different timetable based on what they were participating in. For example chemistry was only on the first five days and then I would be free of the 8:30am starts.

Well, almost free.

While everyone had a different subject or sport they were competing in, there were also a bunch of random other activities and challenges to earn points in, meaning that I usually had something to be doing. I smiled, capture-the-flag was legendary according to Jack.

After breakfast June and I gathered our bags and then went our separate ways. I headed to the science building which was far newer than the main school with pristine, white washed walls. I stepped inside the building, joining the small trickle of other students.

I glanced quickly down at my timetable:

Shouldn't be too hard to find. 7A... 10B... 12B... I rounded a corner and smiled: 13A. With a breath I opened the door and stepped into the classroom. I looked around, it was spacious with benches only half filled and spread far apart from one another. I grinned when I spotted Jordan sitting in the corner.

"Howdy partner." I pulled out the chair beside him.

He smiled. "Rory! I was wondering if you'd be on time."

I elbowed him. "I'm not that bad."

Though maybe I was. Jordan was the other kid competing in chemistry from my school. We'd shared chemistry class the entire year and I had a notorious reputation for running in about a minute late. My class before was English on the other side of the school and it usually ran late meaning that getting to chemistry on time was always a challenge.

"Are you ready for this?" Jordan asked.

"Absolutely not."

The classroom door opened and a stout woman wearing a lab coat walked in.

"Good morning everyone, as you may have guessed I'm Mr Fernsby!" She laughed and went over to the teacher's desk. "I'm messing with you. Mr Fersby came down with the flu. I'm Mrs Miller."

Jordan leaned over. "She seems nice."

I nodded.

Mrs Miller pulled out the role. "Now where to begin—"

The classroom door swung open interrupting her. My eyes glanced up and I grimaced. Striding through the door was none other than a familiar, infuriatingly handsome person: Shoulder-basher.

"You've got to be kidding me." I whispered, taking in his tall, muscular frame that I'd decorated last night. No way could Shoulder-basher, a Beckfall High hockey player, be taking chemistry.

There had to be a mistake.

"While I don't have many rules, I don't tolerate lateness." Mrs Miller frowned. "But it's day one so I shall let you off,"

"Sorry miss, I slept through my alarm." He hesitated. "I had a rather interrupted night. It won't happen again."

I tried to hide my smile.

"My name's Mrs Miller, I'm replacing Mr Fernsby in chemistry. What's your name?"

Shoulder-basher smirked. "I'm Griffin. Griffin Carter."