[Excerpt] Keeping Up Appearances

Chapter Seven

Saturday was the worst. At least I'd had homework to distract me for most of the week. And, Mark when he was being an unhelpful wiener. But, all that was done now so I tried to turn to my favourite movies to keep my mind off the sadness that crept in whenever thoughts of Nancy and Jason hit me.

But, all that did was make me remember all the times I'd watched these movies with them. The sleepovers we'd had, the secrets we'd shared, and the times we'd been so close.

While I tried not to let my self-imposed exile and epic-dick-behaviour weigh me down, I actually answered a couple of messages from Jess, Nigel, Amy and a couple of the others about what I was doing that night. I'd avoided them during lunch the day before by claiming Xander's idiocy needed my immediate attention. Jess had found that idea scandalous, but I'd assured her that Madame Renoir was to blame for that one – the fact I was one of the top students in French helped me get away with saying I'd been roped into tutoring duty.

I told my friends that I'd come down with something heinous – we blamed Xander for a while – so I wouldn't be able to make it that night to the various things people were up to. I chatted and gossiped with Jess and Amy in particular for a while about things I'd missed out on during the week. I skimmed over the Jason and Nancy parts and hoped they didn't notice. Midway through my conversations, my fingers opened up my chat with Xander.

Holly Aberdeen:

I'm waiting for the perfect time to call you back.

I found myself typing and I'd hit send before I knew what I was doing.

So, okay, yes... I might have spent a lot of the week listening to that song after he'd first mentioned it. It felt kind of poignant just then. I could relate it to how I felt about Jason (I'd love to find some place where we were okay again, where he and Nancy had hooked up and I hadn't acted like a spoilt brat) and also to how I was going to keep telling my heart we didn't feel about Xander (there was something oddly comforting and refreshing about him, and if I could find a time and place where I didn't feel weird exploring that then that would be great).

The bloop of my phone pulled me out of my musings.

Xander Bowen:

I'd have to have called you first :P

Holly Aberdeen:

I suppose you would.

I went through my movie list and tried to find something to watch. I flicked through the Horror section because I figured I'd find something there that would take my mind off my woes. Neither Jason nor Nancy had ever been Horror fans. So surely, that would be the best idea. I finally settled on Mama, which looked suitably scary.

A little bit later, my phone went off and it sounded far too loud so I jumped far too excitedly as my heart pounded like mad.

Xander Bowen:

You messaged first.

Xander Bowen:

You okay?

Holly Aberdeen:

Eh.

Xander Bowen:

The git being a git?

Holly Aberdeen:

He's not a git.

Xander Bowen:

Yes, he is.

Xander Bowen: