Me and Paul walked over together. Well, he walked with me and I tried to make out it was a coincidence that we both appeared to be heading the same way because you never know who's watching. I didn't want it all over school that we were dating. I could feel my face heating up at just the thought of it. The summer ball was coming up.

    Oh god, I hope Paul's not going to take this as an encouragement, I thought. If he asks me! Oh I hope he doesn't because how to say no? It'll be so embaressing! Why does this always happen? It's always the guy I can't stand who's the only one who's remotely interested. Tom doesn't even look me in the eye. I'm an ugly troll.

    My heart started beating a little faster when I spotted them, Tom's head of dark hair just visible in the group behind Libby and Mike. Libby and Mike are like the golden couple at school, really. They've been together since we were all thirteen. Holding hands in the halls, gazing at each other with puppyish devotion, sharing each other's lockers. They even have one of those rings that splits in two - two halves of the same ring. Mike got it for Libby for her birthday last year. Aw, isn't it sweet? It's enough to make you feel sick, with envy obviously.

    I had a brief flash of a daydream in which Tom presented me with a broken-heart ring. Ok, yeah, as if I'd want something so corny. But it's the thought that counts isn't it? If Tom gave me a ring I'd wear it, no matter how cheap it was or even if it came out of a Christmas cracker. If Paul tried the same thing I'd be sorely tempted to lose it down a drain.

    "Heya," I said. Paul looked smug. Libby and Mike smiled. Tom ignored me and just nodded at Paul. Jim and Georgia grinned and Shannon gave me a seriously dirty look.

    "Hey Cassie," Georgia said. "Didn't know you were coming."

    "I found her," Paul said like this was worthy of applause; as if he'd been tracking me for days over bad country.

    "So, what are we seeing?" I asked, to change the subject.

    "I thought you said you were broke," Shannon told me accusingly.

    "Yeah I am, so what are we seeing?"

    "Hell Gate looks good," Jim said. He was examining the movie posters. "Or there's The Hollow."

    "We won't get in to that one," Georgia said. "Who brought ID?"

   Oh no, I thought. I don't have it! Teach me to leave in a rush. "What time do they start?"

    "Twenty minutes, looks like," Jim said. "Hell Gate we'd have a longer wait."

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