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door.
    ‘Good morning, neighbour!’ Marcus waved across to us, smiling broadly.
    I stopped and stared at him. He was the same as Heath Lockwood, only modernised and without an English accent. Ridiculous. And frightening. And confusing. Suddenly, I just wished he would go away. My life was complicated enough; I didn’t needs boys from past lives coming along and complicating it even further.
    Putting my head down, I hurried to the car, completely ignoring Marcus as I scrambled in and, irrationally, locked the door. My chest squeezed tight and my throat itched.
    Climbing into the driver’s seat a few seconds later, Beth turned to stare at me. ‘ What was that? Or should I say who was that? And why didn’t you answer him?’
    ‘New neighbour,’ I mumbled, ‘And why should I answer?’
    ‘Because he was friendly,’ Beth pointed out, ‘not to mention, really, really cute.’
    I groaned. ‘You sound like Meredith. Cute is a matter of opinion, and pretty boys aren’t my type.’
    Beth paused before starting the engine. ‘And just who is your type, Abbie?’
    ‘Marilyn Manson.’
    ‘Oh, ha-ha!’ she snorted. ‘I mean, seriously. Even you have to admit he is cute.’
    I shot her a look. ‘ No . I don’t have to admit he’s cute. Because he’s not. End of story.’ I don’t want to talk about Marcus Knight , I thought hotly, I don’t want to see him next door or when I go to sleep at night, and I certainly don’t want to be falling in love with him .
    Beth rolled her eyes as I silently corrected myself.
    It wasn’t me who was falling in love with him. It was Penelope.
    Marcus’ arrival at Brookdale High created a buzz of excitement that went beyond the normal new-student hype. He was too friendly, too charming and too good looking, quickly becoming the hottest thing. So similar to Heath Lockwood at Broadhurst. I felt a little smug recalling Meredith’s ridiculous suggestion we be friends. It transpired that Marcus and I shared two classes: English and art. Those classes also happened to be shared with Emma and Lilly, which was unfortunate but bearable. After all, I’d been putting up with Lilly and her antics for a long time now. I was used to the regular humiliation she inflicted.
    ‘Have you seen the new boy?’ Laura asked as I slid into the seat beside her in English later that morning. Her bright red hair was streaked with purple and she wore blue eye shadow which clashed brilliantly. Laura had the whole goth look down to a fine art, including the tongue piercing.
    ‘Not you too,’ I groaned. Surely someone as offbeat as Laura wouldn’t be interested in someone as picture perfect as Marcus Knight?
    She shrugged. ‘Well, he’s just too cute. Have you seen him?’
    ‘Yeah, he lives next door.’
    ‘He lives next door? To you?’ she squealed, ‘Hubba hubba! I want weekly reports and an invitation to hang out.’
    ‘Hubba hubba?’ I drawled, ‘Who even speaks like that?’
    But I didn’t hear Laura’s reply as my attention was drawn to Lilly and Emma.
    They strode in confidently, and I was instantly alert and on guard, which history had taught me to be when it came to them.
    Eyeing the two girls warily as they made their way to their seats, I wondered if they would let me be, just for once. But they took an unnecessary detour between my and Laura’s desks, answering my silent question.
    In her hand Lilly carried a polystyrene cup, on which I kept my gaze fixed.
    Marcus chose that moment to also enter, filling the doorway and demanding attention. He scanned the room before his eyes lit on me. He grinned, his mouth stretching broadly in a crooked smile.
    Without thinking, without even checking my reaction, I smiled back.
    Then Lilly tripped.
    The rest happened in slow motion. Just like it always did whenever Lilly was involved.
    Hearing Laura call my name, I looked up to see a blur of orange flying through the air. Bizarrely, staring at the liquid, I thought of the brilliant orange rose at