When the four boys appeared to drive me to school the next morning it was as if Sunday had never happened. Mitchell greeted me with a giant grin, Nico with a quip about my scruffy look that earned him an elbow in the ribs, Sawyer with a kind smile and Grey with fire. His eyes scorched a hole in my skin with their ferocity.

I found them ignoring yesterday odd, but I was immensely grateful for it. I didn't want to have to deflect awkward questions. Instead it was so much easier to blast some music and let my troubles fly away down the highway along with the breeze.

It turns out the people at Ainsley weren't as quick to let me forget that eventful Friday night.

"Hi Nico," Jenny was waiting for me by the side of the road and shot a flirtatious wave at Nico as I climbed out of the car.

"Hey," Nico's answer was barely audible through his repulsion.

"I need to talk to you," Jenny looped her arm through mine giving me no other option.

"Bye," I shot a help-me-now look at the boys who only pulled away with evil smirks.

"Start explaining," Jenny demanded as she stormed towards the school so fast I felt my feet tumbling over each other in an effort to keep up.

"What?" she was going to have to be a little more specific than that.

"You and that gorgeous stranger, who the hell is he and why have you not mentioned him before?" Jenny hissed furiously, like I'd actually mentioned anything about my life to her before.

"He's a friend of a friend," I shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't know him that well."

"Didn't look that way when you were locking lips," Jenny waggled her eyebrows suggestively. How the fuck did she know about that?

"It was nothing," I insisted firmly.

"Look if he's your boyfriend you can say," Jenny smiled, "I won't tell any one if you want to seem available."

"What?" I was shocked, did she really think I would be that petty, "of course not, he's honestly not my boyfriend, it's no big deal."

"Oh," Jenny's face fell with my inability to provide drama.

"I have to go I'm going to be late for first lesson," I unknotted my arm from hers and made my getaway before she could think of something else to ask me.

The rest of the day became a personal mission to avoid Jenny and her probing questions. Mina thought it was hilarious when I spent most of lunch trying to hide myself behind Betty's thick black curly hair. Mina was the only person who seemed to understand that I didn't want to be questioned about Friday night because when her boyfriend Connor asked with a sly smile if I'd enjoyed myself she shot him a look so scary he shrunk back into his chair instantly.

By the end of the day I was exhausted and basically collapsed into Grey's car half asleep. They'd come to pick me up because school had ended early for them today, the reason had been explained to me but I'd completely not listened.

"I'm going to go to bed the second I get home," I sighed, barely keeping my eyes open.

"No you're not," Mitchell told me bluntly.

"I think I am," I countered, I could have been the most sleep deprived person on the planet and my instinct to win an argument would still overcome tiredness.

"Nope," Mitch looked the most depressed I'd ever seen him, "because tonight is parents evening."

That made me sit up in my seat and open my eyes, "what?"

"October parents evening," Sawyer nodded solemnly, then made quotation marks with his fingers as he recited sarcastically, "to see how we're settling into a new year."

"So all your parents will be there?" My eyes were as big as saucers, I always tried to imagine what the boys parents would look like but I never thought I would get the opportunity to actually meet them.

"My dad can't make it," Mitch's voice was blunt and his disappointment wasn't hard to deduce, "work trip."

"I'm looking forward to meeting them anyway," I smiled but none of the boys looked happy about the arrangement at all.

"Maybe you should stay in bed after all," Grey decided roughly, he looked actually pained at the thought of me meeting his parents.

"It's fine," I reached out and touched him arm gently, he glanced up stunned by my touch so I retracted my hand quickly, "it's only what, two hours?"

"Three," Sawyer corrected without blinking.

"Three too many," Nico agreed certainly, I considered him for a moment, I couldn't imagine him having awful parents at all. He was always so jovial and optimistic that I assumed his parents would be the same.

When we got back to Kings Bridge the whole place was in uproar, organising the place so it was suitable and presentable for the parents. Boys were cleaning out their rooms for the first time since school started and discovering a whole array of disgusting things. One sophomore, Ewan, discovered a cheese toasty from September that was coated in mould under his bed.

My dad was in complete chaos mode and instantly set me with the task of going around the school and helping with any job I came across. There were caterers in the dining hall who needed help laying out platters of fancy aperitifs for the impending guests, cleaners who were giving the place a last minute once over and handed me bins to take out, cooks who needed more flour and teachers who wanted help tidying their classrooms. From the second I stepped foot on the grounds at 3:30 until parents evening actually started at 6:00 I didn't stop, there was always something else that needed to be done.

When I was finally released from the kitchen where the French cook Guillaume ruled with an iron fist and a never ending string of French profanities, I was told to go and change into something less ratty than my threadbare leggings and two sizes too big Kings of Leon t-shirt. After I'd put on some more appropriate clothes I immediately rushed down to get in on the action.

I was headed towards the dining hall when I bumped into Nico who was trailing along after his dad with a thoroughly deflated look on his face.

"B in English Nicolas," his dad hissed in a voice laced with fury. It was so aggressive that I almost jumped, "your brothers and sister never got a B in anything, you know that right?"

"It was on one test Papi," Nico argued without enthusiasm, "I got an A overall."

"Did I say I wanted to hear excuses?" his dad's voice got quieter and harsher, I stood frozen a couple of feet away just staring at them.

Nico's dad didn't look anything like Nico, sure they had the same glowing olive skin and thick jet black hair but their faces held such different expressions. Nico had mischief hidden in the twinkle of his eye while his dad only had sternness. In the curves and dips of Nico's face he had a smirk hidden waiting to be released while his fathers imposing features looked like they hadn't smiled in years.

I glanced down the hallway trying to spot Nico's mom, I wondered if she had any of Nico's cheekiness tucked into the creases of her eyes.

"Cara!" Nico's startled voice jolted my gaze back him, both he and his fathers constrasting faces were staring straight at me.

"Hi," I smiled pulling on the professional smile I always wore for the big league players in casinos, I shot Nico a look before turning to his father, "nice to meet you."

I held out a hand to Nico's dad who took it almost reluctantly, his handshake was tight and harsh, "I'm Nico's father Dr Aguilar."

"Cara," I replied but seeing his blank expression quickly added, "I'm Mr Schmitt's daughter."

"Of course," Dr Aguilar's smile was even faker than mine, something he made no attempt to hide, "it was lovely meeting you but I'm afraid we have to rush for our next appointment."

"Of course," I shifted out of their way, "it was a pleasure meeting you Dr Aguilar."

Nico didn't meet my eye as he trailed after his father who marched down the corridor like an army general ready to command his troops. Nico followed in the wake of his father hunched over slightly and all traces of the cheeky boy I loved were invisible on him.

"I don't want you being friends with her anymore," I heard Dr Aguilar say when they'd barely made ten steps distance from me, I heard Nico start to object before his dad abruptly cut him off, "people like that are why you are failing English my son and I won't pay for you to have this education if you're going to waste it hanging around with people who will bring you no benefit at all. Do you think that's what your brothers did?"

Nico's reply was inaudible as they turned the corner together leaving me staring blankly after them, my shocked feelings clearly expressed on my face.

"Cara," my dads voice rang down the corridor snapping me out of my reverie, I turned to face him instantly sliding on the stony mask I wore whenever he was around. We hadn't spoken much since our huge argument, we kept things civil but there was always an underlying tension in the air, "we need your help in the dining hall."

My reluctant huff was fake as I was more than happy to see what was going on inside the dining hall.

The grand room looked extremely different than usual, all the tables that usually ran in rows down the centre of the room had been pushed to the walls where they were holding trays of aperitifs that people were milling around but rarely eating. It was also odd to see anything but hundreds of teen boys in school uniform in this room. Instead there were dads in smart suits and mums in expensive looking outfits all in an unspoken competition with the woman next to them over who's jewellery cost more. The occasional grandparent was milling around too with their nose turned up at the the modern technology here.

"Hey Cara!" Ben was beckoning me over enthusiastically, he was stood by the classic country club looking mom and dad in jerseys and cotton trousers, "this is my mum and dad, remember I told you about Cara right, she's the housemaster, Mr Schmitt's daughter?"

Bens desire for me to meet his parents couldn't have been more different to Nico's and neither could his parents reaction to me.

"Of course, lovely to meet you Cara," Ben's moms arms were already around me pressing my face into her soft pastel pink cardigan and floral scent.

"You too Mrs Rutherford," I found myself easily smiling back at her welcoming presence and homeliness, she seemed like a mom off a commercial who was always perfectly organised and made up.

"Pam," Ben's mom corrected with a dismissive wave of her hand, "and this is my husband John."

"Nice to meet you," he gave my hand a shake, a more formal greeting than his wife but I could still see that he had the same friendless as Ben in his eyes.

"We've heard so much about you," Pam was already talking nineteen to the dozen, her pink painted lips moving at a lightning quick speed just like Bens did.

"All good things I hope," I shot Ben a warning look which he returned with a roll of his eyes at his mom.

"Of course," Pam reassured instantly, "I've been wanting to meet the infamous girl at an all boys boarding school, it must be so hard for you here love, so if you ever need anything or just a chat you call me okay?"

Five minutes later I had Bens moms phone number and had promised to call her at least twice a week and had conceded to letting her send me several pieces from her clothing line that was intended for middle age country club, homemaker women.

I was looking for an excuse to make an escape before Pam started planning all my outfits for the entire year when I spotted Mitchell loitering on his own next to the door looking like he was about to make a break for it.

"Excuse me a minute," I already started to back away because as lovely and sweet as Pam was spending more than ten minutes with her was exhausting, "I have to go and speak to someone."

"Of course," Pam patted my arm, she was just like the mom you read about in books, so effortlessly loving, "we'll make sure we find you before we go okay?"

"Uh huh," I nodded furiously before turning to make a bee line for Mitch.

"Cara," his face automatically brightened when he saw me.

"How you doin'?" I leant on the wall next to him and surveyed the room like he was doing.

"Badly," the light previously on his face clouded over darkly.

"Where's your mom?" My eyes darted around searching for anyone who looked remotely like Mitch.

"There," Mitch pointed dismally at a woman in a skin tight grey dress that looked halfway between belonging in an office and a strip club. She had platinum dyed blonde hair and had obviously had done work done in her time, there was no way her boobs were real. The boobs she was flaunting very obviously to the man she was talking to while she touched his arm affectionately.

"I thought you said your dad couldn't come?" I questioned.

"He can't," Mitch's voice was as hard as stone.

"Oh," I felt so stupid but I couldn't find anything else to say, finally I managed the pathetic, "she doesn't look much like you."

"She doesn't look like her she's had so much Botox," Mitch tried to joke but we both knew he was being deadly serious so he returned to his emotionless tone and added, "everyone says I look like my dad anyway and my sister looks like my mom."

"You have a sister?" I felt so awful that I barely knew anything about him.

"Emily," Mitch's voice lightening was easy to hear, "she's six."

He got up a picture on his phone of an adorable little girl with light brown curls and missing front teeth. She didn't look much like Mitch either.

"She's so cute."

"Yeah," it was evident how much Mitch doted on her in his voice, "she's pretty cute."

"Mitchell," I had been so engrossed in our conversation that I hadn't even noticed the family striding towards us.

A beautiful woman with jet black hair pulled into a fancy up do had her arms around Mitch's neck in an instant. I glanced around to see who's mom this was. Next to an equally handsome man was Sawyer who was shifting from foot to foot awkwardly.

"Mrs Clement," Mitch hugged her back, it was obvious he'd known her for years.

These couldn't be Sawyers parents though, it was obvious from their glowing alabaster skin and his rich brown skin that he wasn't their biological child.

"Fiona," the woman tutted disapprovingly, "how many times have I told you to call me Fiona Mitch?"

"Not enough, clearly," Mitch smiled instantly at ease around them.

"Now honey you must introduce me to your girlfriend," Sawyers mom turned to smile at me, Mitch's face switched to a deep red instantly.

"She's not ...um ...we're not," he stumbled quickly.

"This is Mr Schmitt's daughter Cara," Sawyer cut in quickly, speaking up for the first time, "Cara this is my mom and dad."

"Call me Fiona honey," the woman smiled kindly, she had the same warmth Bens mom had had but there was a much more elegant and sophisticated feel to her, I knew I was talking to someone who had attended finishing school.

"Cara lovely to meet you," I let her hug me and be suffocated in the scent of her expensive perfume.

"Richard," Sawyers father had a similarly regal feel to him and a rigidly smart exterior with a friendliness underneath. In the thin line of his mouth and steeliness in his eyes it was obvious that he wasn't someone to mess with. But, I also got the sense that he was someone you strived to please because you knew if he complimented you it would be the highest award.

"Sawyer failed to mention that you were so pretty," Fiona elbowed her son lightly and Sawyer slowly tinted pink, a colour that suited him.

"My mistake," he replied stiffly and his eyes darted around me never quite landing on me.

"Do you have a boyfriend sweetie?" Fiona asked abruptly.

"Um ...no," I replied startled by her directness.

"You better get in there quick Sawyer, all the boys will be after her," Fiona teased making Sawyers face grow even more red until he looked like he wanted to disappear through the floor.

Mitch was laughing next to me but there was a stiffness to it, both of them looked thoroughly uncomfortable in the situation.

"Well I can see I've put my foot in my mouth," Fiona could clearly sense the tense atmosphere, "I'll take this as my cue to be quiet, we better be going anyway Sawyer, we have an appointment with your science teacher in five minutes."

Sawyer nodded but couldn't speak his mouth was so tense from embarrassment as he stared determinedly at the floor.

"Lovely to meet you," Sawyers dad nodded kindly.

"Yes Cara, it was a pleasure," Fiona took my hand, "lovely seeing you too Mitch and give your mother my greetings. And Cara please give my son a shot."

My mouth popped open unsure if she was joking or not. I managed to choke out a shocked, "okay," before the couple was walking away with Sawyer trailing behind them his entire face glowing scarlet.

"Wow," Mitch mouthed, that was certainly one word for it, "I think she likes you."

"Yeah," I agreed stunned, "I got that message too."

"Sawyer is going to be so embarrassed," Mitch laughed happily, for once it was someone else's parents embarrassing their child.

"Let's go," a hard furious voice cut across our conversation, my eyes shot up to see who had spoken but the person was already disappearing out the door. I just got a glimpse of a head of ruffled black hair before he vanished. Grey.

Without hesitation Mitch and I followed him, he was already halfway up the corridor leaning his head against the wall then we caught up with him. His breathing came in heated pants of rage.

"Grey?" I stepped up behind him but leapt away when he spun around with a thunderous expression.

"I am going to kill the asshole," Grey fumed, "he wasn't fucking supposed to come, he only came to fucking piss me off." His fists clenched by his sides and his eyebrows contorted.

"What did he do?" Mitch sounded like he'd asked the same question a thousand times before.

"He just shows up to look like a half decent dad," Grey yanked a hand through his hair as he paced the corridor agitatedly, "he knows all the press will be crowding outside ready to talk about how he is being such a good dad to his someone who isn't even his own son."

"The press are here?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion before remembering my conversations with Ben about Grey's famous step dad. When I spent time with Grey it was impossible to think of him being associated with fame at all, he was too genuine.

"Course they are," Grey spat, "they cling to our family like fucking barnacles, they're everywhere."

"Oh," I took a step back to distance myself from his harsh tone.

"I hate him," Grey hissed murderously, "I hate him."

"You hate who?" A voice heavy with a deep southern accent asked.

Simultaneously our three heads turned to face the huge dominating figure at the end of the hallway.

"You," Grey replied bluntly, for a moment his fists clenched but then unraveled in defeat as the powerhouse of muscle began walking towards us.