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➳CHAPTER SEVEN
'WINTER FORMAL TICKETS ON SALE NOW.'
It was impossible to ignore the banner that was stretched out, flauntingly above the entrance to Liberty High the following Monday. The infamous Winter Formal was later that week, and apparently the excitement had infected everyone's minds as groups of people stood in clusters against their lockers, frantically gossiping about any last minute date ideas. A stigma associated with those who were 'unfortunate' enough not to bag one.
Courtney Crimsen was perched at a desk at one side of the corridor, making mischievous comments to those who bought tickets, in an attempt to deceive people that they were all special in her eyes. She was flanked by two of her friends, who sat chewing their gum in synchronisation, talking across Courtney to one another, their conversation mainly consisting of high pitched giggles and sarcastic laughter.
"What the hell," Marie shrugged as she walked towards the desk, seeing the dance as a glowing escape from the burdens she would face at work otherwise, "hey, Courtney."
Courtney peered up from the list of people she was examining with sceptical eyes, her pursed lips stretching out into a grin, "Marie! I've never seen you at a school dance before - you looking to buy a ticket?"
"Yeah," Marie shrugged in agreement, school dances had never really been her thing. There was one thing she hated more than couples at parties, and that was lovesick couples at school dances.
"So many cute guys have already bought tickets, you're totally in for a treat!" one of Courtney's friends, Isabella, exclaimed a couple of decibels too high for Marie's liking.
"Sure am," Marie pretended to be enthusiastic, but acting wasn't exactly her thing as her eyes concentrated on Courtney writing her name on the ticket.
"That'll be a dollar then," Courtney beamed up at Marie as she held out the ticket to her. Her fingers gripping onto it tightly, refusing to hand it over without payment.
Marie nodded, she had completely forgotten that she had to pay for her ticket. Swiftly she pulled her backpack off of her back and retrieved her purse, fumbling around for a dollar. As she was doing it, somebody a lot taller than her strode towards the desk, running their fingers through their hair as they asked, "can I get a ticket Courtney?"
"Of course Zachary," Courtney chuckled playfully, causing Marie to quit what she was doing and direct her vision to Zach, who stood tall in his letterman jacket. He looked great.
Realising she was no longer of any interest to Courtney now somebody more appealing was around, Marie left a dollar on the table and took the ticket out of Courtney's hand, heading towards her first class of the day, US History. Yet she had not even reached the end of the corridor before she heard her name being called. At first she imagined it to be Jeff, having not seen him since Friday, yet as she turned to face whoever it was that was trying to grasp her attention, it occurred to her that it wasn't his voice. It was Zach's.
