The next morning, Aimee woke up before everyone else. She climbed out of bed and readied herself as quickly as she usually would on any other school day. Eventually Clifford and Molly were awake too. They both had to go to work and were already running late. Aimee made her own breakfast, which she did not mind at all, as a bowl of cereal would suffice. She grabbed a bowl, the Coco Pops box, and the milk, put it all together and happily devoured her breakfast. By the time she had cleared up, Clifford and Molly were finally ready to leave.

They arrived at Ulysses S. ten minutes early. Aimee kissed Clifford and Molly on their cheeks, as she did every morning, then hopped out and waited for them to leave. When she turned around, Stefan was her first sight.

"Hey, Aimee," he smirked.

"Stefan, hi!" she greeted - only partially startled.

Aimee noticed that Stefan was uncomfortable and very unlike himself. His focus shifted all over the place and his hands remained buried in his jacket pockets.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" she realised.

"It's like first grade all over again," he nodded, "except I'm much better looking, now."

"Ah, there's the witty, charismatic Stefan I've come to know," Aimee commented with a grin.

"It suits me so well," he gloated humorously.

He held out his arm for Aimee to hold as they walked further onto the school grounds. She could not help but notice the stares from every student present, as they made their way down the hall. Some merely wanted to greet, others wanted to congratulate the league win, and the rest were wondering whether her being linked to Stefan at the arm, meant anything enviable.

Aimee stood at her locker and sighted Emma as she ran straight towards them. She gave Aimee a hug and greeted Stefan, and then asked to "borrow her BFF for a second", to which Stefan released Aimee's arm and went off in search of his own locker. Emma watched as he walked away and plastered a smile on her face as she turned back to Aimee.

"He so likes you," she tested.

"What? No," Aimee blushed.

"Do you like him?" she asked. "Like, like-like?"

"We just met," answered Aimee.

"I know," grinned Emma, "but you guys have been hanging out so much it's like you're a couple already. I've seen how you look at each other."

"How is that?" wondered Aimee.

"You know," replied Emma. "He smiles, you smile, and you constantly talk. It's pretty obvious you are like, made for one another!"

Aimee laughed, thinking Emma was making a big deal out of what could be nothing. She shoved her bag and books into her locker and tailed Stefan, Emma staring at a distance and mouthing the word "love" as she walked away. Aimee helped Stefan to his locker and classes before the bell rang. He was taking Physics that session while Emma and Aimee started the day with Biology, and they were fortunate enough to be lab partners.

"Alright class, today we will be learning all about the digestive system of a tape worm," said Mr Poole, their Biology teacher.

Emma and Aimee shared thoughts; they already knew how to vomit. And so the lesson began. Aimee kept losing focus - which was usual for anyone forced to endure Mr Poole's boring lessons - all she could think about was Stefan and what Emma had said at her locker.

Meanwhile, in the Physics class, Stefan was more confused than a dog meeting its own reflection in a mirror. The Periodic Table of Elements was one of the few things he had never seen in his whole life, having been home-schooled, and now having an emo girl for a lab partner did not aid him in any way. Lena babbled on about how much her life sucked and how much she hated Physics, rather than focussing on what was important: their project.

After the bell rang and the classes split up, Emma and Aimee crossed paths with Stefan. Aimee tried to talk to him, but the sea of learners pushed them apart. Aimee was a little frustrated, but it eventually subsided. Emma was off to the Wood Shop class, while Aimee had her Arts lesson. She sat at her chair at the back of the classroom and waited as the class settled down. Kirsten Matteson, the Lancers' lead cheerleader and Aimee's ex-friend, usually sat beside her, but she was absent that day.

Finally the class was quiet and Ms Blaque began her lesson on the Golden Ratio. Aimee was visibly bored, until something unexpected happened; Stefan walked through the classroom door, making Aimee sit up enthusiastically. Stefan introduced himself to Ms Blaque and apologised for being so late, but she did not mind.

"No worries," she said. "I've only just begun the lesson, Mr Summers. The class is full, but Ms Matteson is absent today so you can sit next to Ms Griffiths until she returns," she pointed out the empty seat.

Stefan sunk into the chair next to Aimee and Ms Blaque continued with her session. Aimee viewed Stefan the class through, until the bell rang and the class packed up.

"How long have you been 'Stefan Summers'?" she asked what had been on her mind the entire lesson.

"Almost my whole life," he replied, shoving his pencil case into his messenger bag.

"Well, why didn't you tell me that was your surname?" she queried.

He shrugged, "You never asked."

Aimee rolled her eyes and quickly packed her books away. They stood up at the same time and walked out of the classroom simultaneously.

"But I thought you were Stefan Buckley," remarked Aimee.

"I kept my mother's maiden name," he stated.

"Your mother?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," he uttered.

Aimee halted in the hallway for a while. They split up for their next class. Stefan had English, while Emma and Aimee went to Physical Training. The girls were extremely good in P.T, they had soccer to thank, and Coach Kirkwood taught their class. He greeted Aimee and Emma warmly when he saw them approach, and soon began his training. The P.T session was right outside the English class. Stefan was sitting at the window and watching as Coach Kirkwood explained to the class what they would be doing that lesson.

"It's a lovely day to workout out in the open," Kirkwood began. "So for the day's exercise, you will all be doing sprints from this end of the field to that end and back," he pointed.

The learners moaned. Aimee and Emma were the only ones who actually enjoyed P.T. Aimee jogged in place as she eagerly waited for the whistle to be blown. She looked over her right shoulder and spotted Stefan in his class. She smiled as he waved at her, but before she could wave back, Coach Kirkwood's blew his whistle.

Aimee ran ahead of all the learners, and with Stefan and Coach Kirkwood as her motivation, she reached the end of the field before everyone else. She sprinted back, her legs as fast as when she started, and collided with Coach Kirkwood at the finish. They both laughed as Aimee almost fell over. Kirkwood congratulated her, not only for her sprint, but once again, for her performance at the league on Saturday. She thanked him warmly as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Emma was not far behind, and when she stopped at the finish, her hands were on her knees and she was panting a little. Aimee gave her a proud high-five.

The rest of the runners later arrived, breathing heavily and sweating a river. Kirkwood and Aimee shared glances, containing their laughter.

"Yet again, Aimee and Emma are the first ones back," declared Coach Kirkwood. "You slackers, I think I should bring you back during the holidays."

The exhausted learners made comments on how awful that would be. Though, Aimee and Emma would not mind that at all. Kirkwood sent the class to the gymnasium.

"I wouldn't mind the extra training over the summer holidays, my house is a bore!" laughed Aimee.

"I'll be in Australia for the summer, Aim," he chortled.

"Oh, that's nice. As long as you don't over tan," she joked.

"Sounds like a lot of fun," uttered Emma. "Get me a hot surfer guy's number?"

"Emma!" Aimee nudged her arm.

Kirkwood chortled again. "I'll see what I can do for you two," he said.

"Oh, no, Aimee already has a boyfriend," smiled Emma.

"Emma!" she nudged her harder.

Kirkwood was pleasantly surprised, "Aimee Griffiths has a boyfriend?"

"He's not..." she faltered.

"She likes this guy named Stefan Summers," Emma bumped back at Aimee's arm.

Aimee was starting to wonder if she was the only one who had not known Stefan as 'Stefan Summers'.

"I... we're just friends," she stuttered.

Emma was mumbling in the background. "Whatever you say," she looked at Kirkwood. "She's in denial."

"Okay, would you stop now?" Aimee blushed. "See you later, Coach."

"Alright, ladies," he smirked.

They gave Kirkwood a quick hug goodbye and picked their backpacks up off the grass, before catching up to their classmates.

"Use lots of sunscreen in Australia!" Emma remarked as they trotted off.

Kirkwood and Stefan were both watching them leave, but did not notice one another. The moment that the girls entered the gym, the bell rang for recess.