Dominic

I was so disgusted with what I was seeing, but when Ala

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I snapped and rushed forward, shoving Micah in the back and knocking her and Ala

I quickly reached down and helped Ala

"Mind your own business, this has nothin' to do with you!" Micah snapped at me.

I glared at her and didn't move an inch. "It is me business when you hurt me friend."

"Your friend? Since when do you have a friend?" Micah scoffed.

I was about to reply when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Since now," Ala

I looked over my shoulder and smiled at her tear and paint streaked face.

"Isn't that touchin', a loner and a book lover are friends. Excuse me while I puke."

I shook my head when Micah brushed passed us.

"Leave us alone, Micah. We won't bother you, and you won't bother us from now on. Deal?" I said to her when she paused by the main hall entrance.

She looked at me for a long moment before nodding her head and saying, "Just stay out of me way and we won't have problems."

I didn't know why but in that moment I knew she wouldn't bother me anymore and not because Dominic warned her not to but because I stood up for myself. She didn't know how to react.

It was a great feeling, not only would she be staying away from me but Destiny hadn't so much as looked in my direction since our spat in the hall a few weeks ago. Both girls had been problems over the last few weeks, and I could breathe easy now knowing that those problems wouldn't come about ever again.

Even dickhead Jason hadn't muttered an insult my way in ages. Sure he still glared at me and probably thought all sort of horrible things, but he didn't voice them anymore, and he didn't bug me which was just Heaven. I knew him staying away from me was completely due to Dominic but whatever; once he kept to himself I was happy.

When Micah went inside the hall the noise of the door shutting got my attention. I fully turned to Ala

Ala

I felt a huge wave of emotion suddenly hit me, so I hugged her back. I felt like the last layer of the brick wall I had built up so long ago around my heart just came crashing down, and it felt good, really good. "No problem, that's what friends are for, right? We look out for each other."

Ala

When she got a good look at me, she burst out laughing. "I got a bit of paint on you."

I looked down to my uniform and laughed as well; she got more than a bit on me. I reached up to my face, touching my cheek then looked to my now blue fingers. I laughed as I looked to myself and to Ala

"Stu

I helped her then went with her to the art room so she could refill the paint bottle and mix the new colours we needed for the rest of the posters we had to do. I was looking around the art room while Ala

"It says that all the paint is clothes friendly and can be washed out of fabrics," I said aloud then looked to Ala

She nodded. "I know, I tried to tell Micah that but she didn't listen. She just pushed me down and pulled my hair."

"What a cunt," I grunted making Ala

I chuckled along with her then helped her carry the paint and some clean brushes and palettes back to the main hall.

"Girls what happened?" Miss McKesson's voice shouted when we entered the hall.

This got everyone's attention to fall on us.

Ala

Miss McKesson shook her head and waved us on as she chuckled.

Ala

"Is there a reason why Micah is covered in paint and has a mad look about her?" Dominic's voice asked.

I turned around and smiled widely at him. "I have no idea what you're talkin' about, boyfriend."

Dominic smiled at me and flicked his eyes over my face then down to the front of my uniform. He looked to Ala

I grabbed Ala

"Just once but it's fine," she murmured back.

"You know we can hear everything you're saying," Damien's voice interrupted our murmuring chat.

I looked to him then to Dominic, who stood like he was waiting for an explanation.

I glared at him. "Don't give me that look. Micah was hittin' her over a stupid accident, like I'm goin' to stand by and not help me friend out when she needs me!"

Dominic fucking beamed at me as he said, "Friend?"

I felt myself flush. "Yeah, we're friends, it's not that shockin'!"

Dominic laughed, reached forward and pulled me into him.

"I'm gettin' paint on you," I gasped.

"It's school paint, it will wash out," he replied.

"If only Micah had that logic," Ala

I glanced at her and watched as she blatantly ignored Damien's attempts at flirting to get her attention. I gri

"I'm going to finish helping with hanging up the posters," Damien said to the back of Ala

"Bye," Ala

Damien grunted then turned and walked off. No, more like stormed off.

"What's eating him?" Dominic murmured as he watched his brother walk away.

I tugged on Dominic's shirt for his attention, and when I got it, I flicked my eyes Ala

Dominic looked to Ala

Dominic fully smiled when he looked back to me. "You made a friend and stood up to Micah; Damien got shut down by a girl; I haven't gotten into a fight this week. What the hell is happening around here?"

I chuckled and hugged him tight. "Things are changin' for the better," I said as I flicked my eyes to my new friend then to Damien, who was watching her from across the hall with a look of determination about him. "Definitely for the better."