Authors note:

So, it's been absolutely AGES! But anyway, here's chapter 6. This chapter is rather short but don't worry, there's still the usual drama going on only not quite as dramatic, yes i've toned it down... slightly :/

please review otherwise i don't know how to improve :) Thanks

- Emmaa x

Chapter six – Slight attitude issues...

Art had flown by. We'd been painting famous landmarks from around the world and I'd chosen to paint Niagara Falls (I'd always wanted to go there) while Carter chose to do Durdle door, a natural arch created by the sea on the South coast of England in a small town called Lulworth (Our dad went there once to visit a sick friend of his from college, he told that it was one of his favourite places and although we'd never been, the pictures he took looked beautiful). Carter's chosen place wasn't really famous, but it was well known in England and to be honest, Miss Harper (our art teacher) usually loved all of our artwork anyway, whether it was to do with the subject or not.

My good mood had stuck with me and I was strangely looking forward to math, Carter's 4th lesson of the day. Yeah, I couldn't quite believe that I was actually happy to be doing algebra and equations either.

"So, did Jean drive you in?" Carter and I were walking through the hallways to math in silence when he suddenly asked the question.

"Um, yeah." We went a couple steps further before I spoke again, "She said that you guys didn't think I'd want to come in again?" I turned towards my brother and found him smiling.

"H, yeah. Jean said that you'd probably be tired and need rest. I proceeded to tell her that you would 'not under any circumstances' stay at home." I laughed,

"You know me so well." He smiled briefly before his expression became dark.

"Well, I have had to look after for 2 years." I looked at my crutches before turning back to him.

"You know, I don't think 'looking after' is the right term. I could look after myself you know."

He smirked down at me, "Erin, you burnt baked beans. I didn't even know that was possible, but hey you did it. Oh and then there's the time that you put carrots in the microwave without water and they turned black, not to mention the jelly inciden-"

"Yeah, yeah okay, so I can't cook, other than that-"

"Shampoo. That's all I'm saying."

Okay, so the specific incident he was referring to was when I was 10. I'd get bored alone in the house and because I wasn't allowed out much that year due to increased crime rates I decided to make 'potions'. In my case, 'potions' meant mixing every type of shampoo or soapy bath lotions that I could find just to see if I could make one that looked cool. Anyway, this one time I found an unlabeled, bright pink bottle and I thought it looked interesting so I poured it straight in. Later when the potion was finished, it was a sparkly hot pink colour and I loved it so much that I decided to use it as shampoo. It was only when I'd finished that I realised my hands were blue. As for my hair, well let's just say it took a while to wash out and I was the laughing stock of the whole town for at least a month. What's even worse is that school pictures just happened to be the day after...

"That's unfair, I was 10 then, not 14 when you were actually 'observing' my life."

"Seriously, observing. You chose that instead of looking after? Let's face it Erin, I was sooooooooo looking after you."

"Yeah, whatever." I grinned at him.

"Mr Blake, if you would kindly finish your conversation with your sister maybe we could actually get on with the class."

I realised then that we were standing in the doorway of Carters math class with the whole class smirking at us and Mrs Cooper – Carters evil math teacher – glaring at us.

"Right, sorry."

"Sorry." We both replied.

"Sorry, what?"

I frowned, confused by what she meant.

"Sorry Mrs Cooper." Carter replied in a totally bored tone and I heard a few sniggers around the class. I smirked and Mrs Cooper turned sharply towards me.

"You shouldn't hold people back, Miss Blake, some people actually like to get to lessons on time." I heard a couple gasps and I would've been right there with them, except, at that exact moment in time, my mouth was hanging open like a whopping great cave.

"Miss, that's not fair she-" I cut off the other person in the class and started talking in a deadly tone,

"Excuse me?"

"You're both 5 minutes late." She gestured at her watch and I felt anger boiling beneath my skin, never mind my good mood, that had just flown out the window and been crushed by a bus.

"Oh, am I really? My gosh, I hadn't noticed. Well then for that I'm terribly sorry." I started in a high pitched fake enthusiastic voice which slowly faded in a deadly whisper which I practically spat at her. (Right, maybe I was going a little over the top but she reminded me of Keith and I couldn't help it. It was like she hadn't heard that I was injured, either that or she was just ignoring it."

"Don't use that tone with me young lady." Mrs Cooper was about 5"6 and in her 50's. With brown greying hair, dull, grey, beady eyes and glasses around a chain she was particularly attractive. However, when she got angry, her pudgy face cracked into a million lines and turned an odd purple colour, making her non-attractiveness about a billion times worse. I would have laughed at the state she was in but likewise, my own anger was way too strong to break through to.

The whole class was silent, as if holding one collected breath and there was a lot of tension hanging in the air.

Mrs Cooper and I were both glaring at each other and breathing heavily when the student from the class spoke up again and I realised who it was, "Miss, it's not her fault, her leg is hurt."

"I am aware of that Mr Sharpe, but it does not mean that Miss Blake can make other students forfeit their learning time just to walk with her to class."

She spoke with a sneer and while Carter had been silent the entire time, just watching to see what was going to happen I felt his anger rising too. I caught his eyes and gave a subtle shake of my head before I turned back to Mrs Cooper who was still looking at me,

"So, you know about this, " I kicked my bandaged leg out slightly for her to see, "and you still act like an unsympathetic bitch. Why is that?" There was laughter and I did think her face could go much more colourful, but I was proved wrong.

"To the principle. Now!" She shouted and I shrugged, turned on my good heel and hopped out. I caught Carter's eye again and he was shaking his head, but smiling all the same. I grinned back and mouthed 'thank Robbie for me'. He nodded and went to find a seat while I casually hopped my way towards Mr Giachi's office feeling rather satisfied with myself. Granted, I'd just mouthed off at a teacher and probably earned myself a life time worth of detention, but somewhere in my mind, it felt like I'd stood up for myself against her, except, in my head, Mrs Cooper wasn't some math teacher, she was Keith.

My punishment hadn't been nearly as bad as I'd thought, resulting only in a stern warning and me having to write a two page report on 'how bad attitudes can be a disadvantage in the working environment' along with an apology letter to Mrs Cooper. Okay so the report was going to be a total bore but other than that it wasn't too bad.

"Hey Erin!" I turned around and saw Frankie running down the hallway.

"Hey." I said as she reached me and we hugged.

"Oh my God, I cannot believe what you said to Mrs Cooper! Are you turning into a bad girl or what? Anyway, everyone is talking about you, what with your leg and now this. Anyway, I heard that Mrs Cooper is livid that you didn't even get detention, apparently, she's said that she'll quit if you aren't given detention at least once."

I marvelled again at how long and fast Frankie could talk without talking a breath and thought about what she had said. It really amazed me how fast news spread around the school,

"Hey, how'd you know that I didn't have detention? I literally was just told and I haven't told anyone yet."

She simply smiled, "Oh honey, you should know by now that people don't need to say what happens, but someone finds out anyway." I shrugged; she was right. "Anyway, there's a party tonight at mine, a celebration at your awesome defeat of The Great, The Terrible, Mrs Cooper!" She did a fake cowering pose before leaping back up and clapping me on the shoulder, "So, you're coming to your own party right?" She gave me puppy dog eyes and I have to admit, a party did sound good.

"Sure." I replied and she smiled.

"Okay, so everyone will be there. Starts at 7!" She had to yell the last bit as she was running back down the hallway.

Well, at least I had something to look forward to. Life was looking up.