"look, i'm pretty sure we both hate this situation, but can we at least try? i mean, we are doing a project together..." i sighed to my silent partner. "can you just shut up already?" he groaned. "oh,i-i-w-"
"no," he interrupted. "i don't care. if you think being my partner means talking to each other, coming round each other's houses after school and eating cupcakes together," he put on a high pitched 'girly' voice and twinkled his fingers. "then you better think again." i looked down in embarrassment, as i was actually going to ask him if he wanted to come over tonight and work on this project. "well, can i get your name?" he looked at me with question. "i kinda need to write it on the sheet..." trailing off, he replied bluntly. "calum hood."
-
"calum? i've never even heard of him." holly shrugged, taking a sip from her coke zero. "well unfortunately i have now."
"oh come on," holly nudged me. "he can't be that bad! is he cute?" i raised my eyebrows and dropped my face in disbelief at her. "i mean in like, a hot bad boy loner type of way?" laughing at her, i thought to myself. do i think calum's cute? "well, i wouldn't say he's stunning, but he does have certain features."
"oooooh, like?"
"well, his hair is like, dark brown, and he has this little blonde streak at the front."
"mhm." she nodded. "continue."
"and his lips are kind of, plumpy? he has bushy eyebrows, and his eyes are basically beautiful. wait a second.." i caught a glimpse of calum in the corner of my eye. "there he is!" pointing carefully to where he was standing, holly turned round and saw him. "oh no." holly groaned, pulling me away from their sight. "you cannot be partners with him." she ordered. "well holly, if you were even listening to me, i have no choice."
"seriously, you can't! i mean, just look at them. they are the definition of 'outcast'!" she exclaimed. "you can't be friends with him, ever."
"uh, why?"
"their whole friendship group has probably been at this school the entire time we have. have you ever even see any of them properly?" she asked, crossing her arms. "um, not exactly?"
"exactly. if you become their friend, you'll be ignored by everyone, just like them." to be honest, it wasn't like i was the most popular here. i was 'in' with the popular crowd, but only because of holly. luke hemmings, the most popular jock in the school was her boyfriend, so naturally that allows her and her bestfriend into the 'circle'. it did come with benefits though, like parties and such. "freya?" i zoned into holly's hands waving in my face. "i said there's a party tonight at ashton's, are you coming?" it was friday, and yet again my plans were to sit inside and not do much. "uh, i think i'm going to bail on this one."
"'bail on this one'" she mimicked. "you bail on them all, please come freya!" she pleaded.
-
to my surprise, holly managed to persuade me to go to the party. "you're wearing that?" holly scowled her eyebrows. "yeah?" i patted down my jeans and blouse. "it's cute." holly just laughed. "this is an actual party, not a tea party." she pushed me back into our room. "come on, i'll help you." after a few minutes, holly stepped out of the wardrobe with a white, lace dress. "put this on."
"holly, this doesn't really look like-"
"stop complaining, put it on!" doing as she said, i slid on the dress and holly did the zip up. only the half sleeves and the top half were lace. the bottom was made of bodycon material and came just above halfway up my thighs. "isn't this a bit, revealing?" i blushed. "nonono!" holly fussed, untying my hair. "it looks perfect on you!"
