I had to make a couple of adjustments in order to adapt to my new lifestyle. More like Officer James and I had to come to a compromise. The agreement that was reached between him and Detective Anderson was he would give me a ride to and from school. I explained to him that I drop Sophie off at school first before heading to Adelaide and since we don\'t want my family being involved in this \'secret operation\' until the time is right, it posed a problem.

But he came up with a solution, a strenuous solution for me might I add. I\'d get dressed in my regular uniform and drop Sophie off at Linkdale like I usually do, but commute back to my house where he\'d be waiting and we\'d head to school together.

That entails me waking up thirty minutes earlier than usual and I\'m not happy about it at all. Anyway, the plan was set in motion today (I woke up by six and was cranky as fuck) and everything went along smoothly. I drove Sophie to school (I trust my legs enough now), drove back home.(I didn\'t park my car in it\'s usual spot since Sophie gets home before I do) and saw his Sorento parked in front of the apartment, got in and gave him an earful about how my sleep schedule has been throw off course. He laughs and hands me a Starbucks coffee and we make our way to Adelaide.

The hallway is silent as soon as Theodore and I walk in. I have to start calling him that now and engrave it in my brain so I don\'t have a slip of tongue and step out of line.

Much like when I had come back to school post-accident, everyone is staring as we walk side by side, ignoring the stares that have now turned into whispers. I already knew this was going to happen so this doesn\'t phase me at all.

\'\'You weren\'t kidding when you said they\'d be staring,\'\' Theodore says, amused as we make our way to my locker. \'\'Are you some celebrity or something?\'\'

I snort as we round up the corner leading to my locker. \'\'Don\'t get used to it. They\'ll start sticking their noses in another matter once it arrives. This too shall pass.\'\'

Turning to him, I take in his appearance and something is different. My gaze falls on his hair. \'\'You dyed your hair bleach blonde?\'\'

He smirks. \'\'You noticed. I thought it\'ll fit the whole \'high school\' getup so, yea I did. You were the one who said I don\'t look like a high school student.\'\'

Groaning I take out my Maths textbook, a pen and a notebook. \'\'No wonder they were staring at us. Your hair screams \'notice me\'.\'\'

The swept back, bleach blonde hair looks good on him though, but I\'ll never tell him that. It\'ll only feed his ego.

\'\'Let\'s get our story straight,\'\' I announce low enough so he can hear me. \'\'You\'re my step brother, you\'re a deviant,\'\' he rolls his eyes but I continue, \'\'you\'re from South Carolina and you live with an aunt.\'\'

\'\'Gotcha.\'\'

\'\'Hey, Mel,\'\' I hear a chirpy voice that can only be my best friend as she approaches my locker but she\'s not alone. Next to her is Ryan who I haven\'t seen in a while.

\'\'Hey, Paris,\'\' I turn to Ryan and give him a high five. \'\'Thanks for all the messages, and the card. I haven\'t had a chance to thank you in person.\'\'

Ryan sent me a Get Well Soon card via Paris who had told him I was ill (of course, not revealing the real nature of my \'illness\') and it was so sweet. It\'s nice to know that I have friends other than Paris who actually care about me.

\'\'Don\'t sweat it, Mel. I\'m glad to see you in high spirits and without the crutches.\'\' I ditched the crutches on Saturday once I was mobile enough to walk on my own. The bandage is off too, replaced with a single band-aid at the corner of my right leg. It doesn\'t hurt to walk like before. I feel a sting every now and then but it\'s tolerable.

As if just noticing his presence, they both turn to Theodore towering over me. Compared to him, I\'m probably a midget. My guess is he\'s a solid six-foot-two which is a lot compared to my five-foot-six stature.

Paris gives me a questioning look, her eyes telling me to introduce him. I clear my throat. \'\'Guys, this is Theodore Clayton. You\'ve probably seen him in our classes and he\'s my stepbrother.\'\'

Paris looks surprised and Ryan raises a brow. \'\'I didn\'t know the new kid that everyone won\'t stop talking about is your step-brother.\'\' She turns her gaze to him. \'\'Welcome to Adelaide and you\'re cute.\'\' Ryan sends her a glare. \'\'Not as cute as you, baby. But still, you\'re cute. No wonder you\'re already a hot topic. To make matters worse, you\'re the new kid so expect a hound of girls coming your way. Don\'t say I didn\'t warn you.\'\'

That\'s Paris for you. Calling it like it is.

No wonder we\'re best friends.

She stretches out her hand and he side steps me to shake it. \'\'Paris Jackson.\'\'

\'\'I\'ll keep your warning in mind.\'\' he answers lightly.

Ryan stretches out his hand. \'\'Ryan Clark. Friends with Mel and boyfriend to Paris.\'\' he says tightly as if marking his territory. Boys!

Either he doesn\'t notice Ryan\'s demeanour or he decides to ignore it, but Theo shakes his hand and even offers a smile as if calling for a truce. \'\'It\'s nice to meet you.\'\'

Calm down, Ryan. All the girls in this high-school are jailbait for Theo.

I look at my watch and realize that we have twenty minutes till class starts. I\'m never this early and I blame this change of behaviour on Theodore.

\'\'You never mentioned that you had a step-brother though.\'\' Paris says. Theo and I share a look, the look that spells it\'s time to weave the lie into a full blown basket. \'\'Well, I\'m not close to my dad so I don\'t talk about him.\'\' That part isn\'t a lie. \'\'He moved to South Carolina soon as he and my mum got a divorce and married his mum.\'\' When you think about it, the South Carolina part may not actually be a lie because I don\'t know where my dad is. He could be in South Carolina for all I care.

I haven\'t told Paris about my dad and she has never asked. She doesn\'t know that he left when I was seven so the lie is easily believable.

\'\'Oh. That explains why you don\'t talk about him that much.\'\'

\'\'Yea.\'\'

\'\'So, Theo,\'\' Ryan turns his attention to him. \'\'Can I call you that?\'\'

Theo shrugs. \'\'Sure.\'\'

\'\'What brings you to this sleepy town?\'\'

I smirk and he sends me a glare. \'\'Got kicked out of my old school. My mum was tired of my bad behaviour and decided to ship me off to a private school where I\'d learn \'manners\'. he air-quotes.

\'\'Long story short, my aunt lives here and so does my step-sister who happens to be a student here, so here I am.\'\'

Ryan and Paris nod, seemingly satisfied with his answer and I let out a sigh of relief. If we can successfully convince two people, then the rest of the school, or on a larger scale, the rest of Bridgewood, should be easy.

\'\'Hello!\'\' a pitchy voice that I do not want to hear this morning, or like ever, says. We all turn our attention to Mariah and her squad and I roll my eyes.

What does she want?

\'\'Hey, Ryan,\'\' she greets with a big ass smile, completely ignoring Paris and I. He gives her a curt nod, his lips pressed into a firm line. I remember the conversation we had when he revealed that he doesn\'t like her, The feeling is probably mutual but to keep up appearances, she\'ll probably swear on her life that they\'re best friends.

After all she\'s shagging his best-friend.

\'\'You must be Theodore Clayton.\'\'

He nods skeptically, analysing Mariah, Lianna and Stella.

\'\'I\'m Mariah Laughlin and this is Stella,\'\' she gesticulates to the minion on her left. \'\'and Lianna.\'\' she gesticulates to the other minion on her right.

\'\'We\'re part of the welcoming committee,\'\' Since when did we have a welcoming committee? \'\'and we\'re formally welcoming you to Adelaide Montessori Prep.\'\' Must she always talk through her nose? \'\'Of course, we didn\'t come empty handed.\'\' She glares at Stella who hands her the gift basket in her hand. \'\'Here you go.\'\' She hands the basket to Theo who takes it and says a polite thank you.

\'\'As head cheerleader,\'\' she continues. \'\'and per Principal Grande\'s orders, I\'d be given you a tour of the school as soon as the bell rings. Is that okay with you?\'\'

\'\'Sure, that\'s fine.\'\'

Paris and I look at her in disbelief. This can\'t be the Mariah we know and hate. No, it can\'t be. Why is she being so…nice?

Probably to paint a picture to Theo that she\'s a tolerable witch.

Her gaze finally falls on Paris and I and she rolls her eyes. Flipping her blonde extensions, she asks in a sugary tone, but I know there\'s maliciousness lurking behind. \'\'If you don\'t mind me asking, Theo. How do you know Melody? I saw you two come in together. Quite a sight to behold.\'\'

See, maliciousness.

\'\'Oh, she\'s my step-sister.\'\'

She gasps. \'\'Really? I didn\'t know she had a brother.\'\'

\'\'Because it\'s not your business, Mariah.\'\' I add.

\'\'Just like Jason is not your business, yet you keep circling back to him.\'\' she snaps. \'\'I think we both need to mind our business. Wouldn\'t you agree?\'\'

I know the meaning behind her words, but she won\'t have the last laugh.

\'\'Watch it, Mariah,\'\' I warn. \'\'You wouldn\'t want me to embarrass you in front of my brother. Let\'s continue to play nice and let the sleeping dogs lie.\'\'

We have a staring match with our eyes and I know that if looks could kill, Mariah would have disposed of me a long time ago. With a final smile, fake might I add, she turns to Theo. \'\'Sorry about that. Melody and I have a few issues to work on,\'\' I snort in an unladylike manner and Paris giggles.

She glares at both of us before continuing. \'\'Anyway, welcome to Adelaide, Theo.\'\'

The first bell rings and that signals the beginning of class. Students around us scamper into their various classes and I slam my locker shut, ready to get the hell away from Mariah and co.

\'\'How about that tour?\'\'