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office, and Lee sighed.
    ‘I have to get to homeroom.’
    ‘Yeah. Well, I’ll just see you later, I guess.’
    ‘Yeah. Good luck,’ he added with a grave expression. I laughed, waving as he wandered off, and threw myself down on a chair. Someone took the one next to me – Noah. The vice principal and Thomas went straight into the office. The door shut behind them with an ominous click.
    After a few seconds of silence, I said a quiet ‘Thanks.’
    Out of the corner of my eye I saw Noah sit up. ‘Nobody can treat a girl like that and get away with it. Especially if that girl is you.’
    I peeked at him sideways, not turning my head. ‘Well, thank you. You didn’t have to interfere, though. I mean, you could’ve let me land one punch.’
    ‘It would’ve been a good punch, I’ll give you that.’
    ‘Why did you stop me?’ I couldn’t help but ask.
    He shrugged. ‘To be honest . . . I’m not sure.’
    ‘In fact, while I’m at it, why did you need to get involved? Lee and Dixon and Cam would’ve been fine.’
    ‘Maybe,’ he said.
    ‘You’re avoiding my question.’
    Noah grinned. ‘Yeah, I am. I guess . . . I didn’t want to see you get in a fight, and I didn’t like hearing them talk to you like that . . .’ He trailed off, and ran a hand through his hair while my heart raced faster and faster.
    Then he said the words that dashed the last tiny shred of hope that had been growing inside me; they spilled out in a tumble: ‘I guess you’re just like my little sister or something.’
    ‘Oh, yeah,’ I said, nodding. ‘Of course.’
    He nodded too, and then shook his head, like he was trying to clear his mind or something.
    I was trying to keep my expression neutral. ‘Do you reckon you’ll be in much trouble?’ I asked casually, pretending to inspect my nails.
    ‘Nah. I never am. Especially not when they find out I was defending your honor,’ he added with a smirk.
    ‘Ha-ha,’ I snapped back, rolling my eyes. ‘I was being serious.’
    Noah shook his head. ‘I never start fights, I just finish them. You know. In my defense.’
    ‘I don’t see why
I
have to be here though.’
    ‘Oh, they’ll want a witness, just to verify stuff or something. They usually like that.’
    I laughed, looking at Noah and shaking my head.
    We sat pretty much in silence for a while, but it was a nice, comfortable silence, which actually surprised me. I realized it was actually the longest period of time I’d ever spent alone with Noah in the past year or so – unless you counted the time I didn’t remember because I was drunk.
    When Thomas came out and Noah was called in, I mouthed, ‘Good luck.’ He just smirked and saluted me before closing the vice principal’s door. I had nothing to do then but try and get some internet signal on my cell phone, which wasn’t easy in this school.
    When he came out, he shot me a smile, letting me know that everything was cool.
    Vice Principal Pritchett called, ‘Rochelle?’ and beckoned me in.
    I sighed and got to my feet, wandering into his office. I’d never been inside before, only walked past it – and it wasn’t a particularly welcoming place. It reeked of rules and punishment.
    He asked me what the fight had been about. I told him the truth: that some idiots had been teasing me about something stupid I’d done at a party on Saturday night, and I’d been really offended, so the boys stepped in and a fight ensued.
    ‘I see . . . Well, thank you, Rochelle.’
    ‘I didn’t get anybody in trouble, did I? I mean, nobody got badly hurt or anything . . .’ I spoke warily as I stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder.
    The vice principal handed me my late pass. ‘No, you just confirmed their stories, that’s all. Don’t worry about it, all right? And stay out of trouble.’
    I nodded uneasily. ‘Okay . . .’
    ‘Just get off to class now.’
    That was a cue to get my butt out of there, so I didn’t hesitate a second longer.

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