As I grab my bag and start to walk down my street I revise the Rules:

- Head down.

- No eye contact.

- Don't get in anyone's way.

Those are the rules that everyone at Harvey knows by the second week of year seven. They're the rules you need to survive, and possibly climb up the ranks.

No one has ever questioned the Rules, we just have to follow them. Well, we don't have to, but we better unless we want to be shanked, humiliated or beaten up. They were set out a long time ago, before I joined the school, and are enforced by the Boys and their girlfriends. I think one of them came out as bi once, but he quickly experienced social death. There's one Group per section. One in year eight, for the lower school, one in year eleven with a few year tens for the middle school, and one in year thirteen, for the upper school. The year thirteens basically own the school. The Groups are all full of the same popular white girls and roadmen who think they're hard. You're more likely to break into one  of the groups if you have a friend or sibling in them. Basically, it's a fucked up social ladder that no one has ever bothered to protest about.

As soon as I see the school gates I begin the play by the Rules. If you can't see who's guarding the school gate, you're doing well. That's when I see someone stop in front of me. I raise my head and realise who it is. Charli Lane.

Charli's in year 10. Girlfriend of Sam Bennett, year 13. It's a bit messed up that an eighteen-year-old is dating a fourteen-year-old, but everyone knows that he wants to brag to his mates that he got with possibly the prettiest girl in England and she's only with him so that she can become queen bee when she gets to year thirteen. Last year Charli got taken in by the middle school group, a rare year 9, fresh out of the lower school. She's pretty much every girl's worst nightmare, and if you find yourself talking to her, you're either popular, stupid or in deep trouble.

I'm not sure what I've done to attract Charli's attention. I am most definitely not popular, I haven't broken any of the rules as far as I know, and what would I be in trouble for?

"Year nine girl! Hello!" She says, morphing her perfectly sculpted face into the most plastic smile I have ever seen.

"Hello." I reply, making sure not to look at anyone or anything but her, and keeping my expression completely neutral.

"So it's the start of the summer term, right?"

"Yes."

"And we need new material for next year. You're portfolio looks decent, and you're not like the other Projects who are complete wannabes."

"Thank you." Ok, now I am super confused.

"So we are formally inviting you to sit with us, let me just DM you...Ok! Done! see you at lunch!" And with that she turns around and leaves, strutting to the corner of the concrete playground.

I look at the Instagram notification. Charli Lane has literally DMed me an invitation to sit with the middle school group. Holy shit.