Donovan was looking at me like I was crazy and someone whispered to him that I was the new kid. His confusion turned to a sneer then, and he said, "Well come on up then, girlie."

All eyes were on me as I walked over. I didn't care though, I was done. In Blackcroft I had been pushed over by my gender, and by Merlin's beard that was not going to happen in this world. Not when I had the choice and the chance to make a difference.

I stood in front of him and met his stare straight on. "Same rules as just now," he said. "Can you handle it, girlie?"

I cocked my head. "No problem. I'm adding a condition though, instead of starting at the wall we start here. The whistle blows, we run to the wall, and then only we climb. Agreed?"

Donovan scoffed." It's a climbing competition girlie, not a running one."

I arched an eyebrow. "What, you mean you can't even handle a ten-feet dash? You're worse than I thought."

There were loud oohs and, for some strange reason, "Apply cold water to burned area." I had no idea why someone suddenly decided to recite the instructions on a medical kit. In the distance I could hear Roxy hollering, "You tell him, Hayley!"

"Fine," Donovan snapped. "Get ready to lose."

"Your shirt," I finished. There were more oohs, and again with the medical kit instruction. I have got to find out who that annoying person was.

We readied ourselves. I had a feeling Donovan was shooting me death glares, but I kept my eyes fixed on the wall. Focused.

The whistle blew, and off we went.

Donovan was a track runner that was for sure. He reached the wall far earlier than me and let loose a whoop and a smirk. I heard Roxy groan and the boys cheered.

"Not very confident now are we, girlie?" he yelled over his shoulder as he began fastening on the safety harness.

I ignored him. Because you see, I hadn't added on the dash for fun. While I was pretty confident in my chances of winning, I wasn't that confident. And any head start I could get was definitely helpful.

By adding the dash, I had made sure that the two of us would not have our safety harness on. So that when we reached the wall, we were compelled by the school rules to secure the rope around ourselves.

Unfortunately I just got the rule book this morning and hadn't read through it yet so.......

Oops.

The distance between me and the wall closed, I did some calculations, timed the moment properly - and pushed off with my two feet. My leap forward landed me right on the wall, where my hands found the holds and started climbing.

"No wait - Jesus, you don't have your safety harness on!" somebody yelled. Several people swore.

"What the - " Now Donovan was slower than me, his hands still fumbling with the harness. By the time he started climbing I was almost halfway up the wall.

It was definitely easier than the manor. There was ample light and brightly colored holds, so I could tear up and down the wall in minutes if I wanted to.

But what was the fun in that?

Instead, I reached the halfway point and paused. Looking down I called, "I'll wait for you!" I even waved at Roxy, who was going nuts in the stands. Some of the boys started cheering my name.

I waited until Donovan was able to glare at me eye to eye, before blowing him a kiss and shooting right up to the top. Needless to say I received a standing ovation.

We climbed back down and I even did that one faster. I was ecstatic, utterly euphoric, loving every minute of it. I had proven myself. In this big bad world, for the very first time, I had proven that girls could do it, and we could even do it better. It was an epic feeling to have people cheering, and to know that it was for you, and not the six-feet-two pissed off jock standing nearby.

Because that was what he looked like now. Pissed off. Very pissed off. I had made a fool of him in front of everyone, and he wasn't the kind of person who was used to being the fool. And as he advanced towards me, slow and menacing, the cheer died down. I saw people around back away.

Donovan . . . was in the Popular empire wasn't he?

One of the boys tried to come close and say something, but Donovan's mate blocked him with a palm flat on his chest. He backed off immediately, and gave me a helpless look.

Okay. Question answered.

Four boys who I'm guessing are Donovan's loyal dogs, sorry, friends - damn I've got to stop making these completely unintentional and undeliberate mistakes - formed a human barrier, cutting me and Donovan off from the rest of the class. Everyone could see me but no one could help me.

Donovan started taking off the jersey. I looked away at once. He smirked. "Shy much?"

He tossed the shirt my way and I caught it, still not looking. And then he said,

"I gave you my shirt. Now give me yours."

What?

I looked up, my shock overcoming everything else. He shrugged, a taunting smile playing on his lips.

"Those were the rules weren't they?" He gestured at Sam and Dean. "Sam challenged Dean for his shirt. Sam won. They exchanged shirts. Therefore by the same logic, you challenged me for the shirt. You won. Ergo, we exchange shirts."

He's kidding. Somebody tell me he's kidding.

He walked even closer, his hand out and demanding. "Give me your shirt."

He's not kidding. Holy moley he's not kidding!

"Don't make me take it off for you." His voice was harsh and mocking and cruel.

I should have known better. What was I thinking? The men always won. Always. It was like that in Blackcroft, and it was the same here. There was no difference.

I looked around. Anyone who met my gaze looked away. Roxy had come down from the stands and was yelling profanities, but she couldn't break through the human barrier.

It was just me. Alone.

And then he came to right in front to me, blocking out the rest of the stadium. His eyes glinted in a psycho way and his hand reached out, the beefy fingers extending. I cringed, clutching the jersey as if it was my lifesaver, and looked away, body tensed, bracing myself for contact.

That never came.

I felt a shadow fall over me and then heard Donovan's outraged exclamation.

"Who are you? Matthew, James, why the hell didn't you guys stop him?"

I opened my eyes and looked up, right into a pair of electric blue eyes.

So not Donavan's. So so not Donovan's.