Sixth Street ✓

Friday 20th December - Part Two

"You look pretty," Justin offered as they made their way up to the party together, the small gap between them seeming like a million miles.

Things were awkward between them. It had never been like that before.

"Thanks," Becca said carelessly as if the compliment meant nothing, as if Carmen hadn't spent an hour curling her hair or she hadn't tried on half a million dresses before settling on a slinky red one. "Are Andrea and Bobbie enjoying themselves?"

Justin stopped suddenly, and Becca forced herself to stand beside him, even though her heels were wobbling on the steps. "What's gotten into you?" He questioned, rubbing his hair in frustration. "They're my friends, and you haven't even given them a chance."

"Well, I haven't seen you cosying up to Carmen or Sally either." Becca retorted, and Justin sighed loudly as if she was a petulant three year old refusing to see sense.

"Just try to be nice. It's not much to ask."

"Asking me to wait for you whilst you went off with two hot girls was a lot to ask!" She was raising her voice now, practically shouting.

"Nothing happened while I was away!"

"Well it did for me! I kissed someone."

Becca wasn't sure where it came from, but the words spilled out of her mouth, unable to be taken back. It wasn't really the ideal way to confess she'd cheated, although things were out in the open now. Her dirty laundry had been aired. And from the whiteness of Justin's face, he didn't like the smell.

"We're done." Becca flinched at his harsh tone, the daggers he was shooting at her with his eyes. "We are so done." He started up the steps again, and Becca lunged forward, trying to catch up.

"Justin, wait!" She pleaded, cursing her heels as she tried to hurry up the steps. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry, and I never meant to hurt you, and it was all a big mistake, and I love you, and we can work this out please let us work this out..."

He refused to listen. He bathed in through the doors of her party, and she followed seconds later as people began bursting into song. She quickly lost sight of Justin in the ever-swelling crowd of already tipsy teenagers, and she blinked hard as phones flashed photos of her and Hayley, who was posing by the door. She glanced at her supposed best friend, shocked at the low cut of her dress which left nothing to the imagination. She wanted to say something to her, but she wasn't sure what. She'd kind of lost the right to correct her terrible fashion mistakes.

"Isn't this great?" Hayley beamed, coming up alongside her. Then she whispered in her ear, "The Sevenths are arriving in half an hour. Should be fun." She winked and then flirted off into the crowd, leaving Becca to wonder what the exact moment Hayley had turned into the kind of Sixth Street girl they'd always despised.

Although most of the Sixths were busy enjoying the free alcohol at the party, Alyce had elected to spend her time in a different manner.

She lingered in the elevator, resisting the urge to bite her perfectly manicured nails. "Come on," she urged the elevator impatiently as it slowly reached the twentieth floor. She knew this was her one chance - Penelope's apartment would be vacant that night for the first time in a while, with the teenagers being at the party and their parents out at some high class fundraiser. If there was ever a time to poke around, it was now.

She was aware that extra security had been added since the shooting, but she had a foolproof excuse - she was entering the apartment to retrieve a bag Penelope had 'borrowed' off her ages ago. What she brought with her in the bag wasn't anyone's business.

She explained her situation quickly to the cleaning lady, who happily let her into Penelope's room. She didn't know how much time she had - Penelope could have forgotten something and be home at any moment - so she headed straight for Penelope's wardrobe, yanking out the bag that was her big excuse. "I'll take that back, thanks very much," she muttered beneath her breath.