MIXTAPES-- l.h.

Part FIVE

Part 5

natalie's pov.

"If you want a ride to school, I suggest you get downstairs in the next ten minutes or we're going to be late!" my sister yelled, banging on my bedroom door. 

I sleepily opened my heavy eyes and glanced at my phone which was blaring my alarm. It was already seven forty-five and school started at eight and I was still in my pajamas. 

Cursing as I fell out of bed, I grabbed my jeans from yesterday and a tank top from my wardrobe, rushing to the bathroom to brush my teeth and change out of my pajamas and into my clothes. I couldn't be late for first period again, Mr Ramos was going to give me a week's detention if I'm late today. 

I ran downstairs dragging my school bag behind me and stuffing my phone and my earphones into my bag. My sister was on her phone, while shoveling a couple spoons of cereal into her mouth. I glanced at the clock and it was seven fifty-three.

"Let's go, I'm going to be late for first period." I told her and she groaned slipping from the bar stool. 

I grabbed the keys and headed out the door. "I'm driving!" she called after me. I whispered a curse and tossed her the keys and slipped into the passenger seat.

She kept her car clean while when I used it, I balanced out the dirty, tossing a couple of McDonald's meals into the back seat when she'd be using it to go out with her friends later on. She used to make me clean it but she's been a lot more stressed than usual so she cleans it herself to "cleanse herself of hate" or some Buddhism, Yin Yang shit.

Once she started the car and back out of the driveway, a CD was playing in the stereo. She usually lets whatever radio station play but I didn't even know there was a disc player until it started out with dead air. Seconds later, it opened with an All Time Low song.

"Are you playing a CD? With All Time Low on it?!"

She shrugged, "I didn't even notice that they were on the CD."

"They're the first song! I sing this like every day!" I exclaimed.

"Well, it is shit." she stifled a laugh.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, "Fuck you, where'd you get it from?"

She gasped and beat her hands on the steering wheel excitedly. "This cute freshman gave me a mix CD. Isn't that adorable?"

"The one that you were talking to yesterday?"

"Yeah, the one you freaked out in front of." she confirmed.

"Well, he has the best music taste." I grinned as she pulled into the school.

"Do you want the CD? I don't feel like listening to Balls Tits No anymore." she turned off the engine and made a face through her sunglasses.

"Yes! Thank you! Ugh, compliment him though, for me." 

"Sure, whatever." she said then she strutted off inside the school.

-----

The lunch bell rang when Mr. Tessler was in the middle of something about Hitler. He huffed and dismissed us even though we were already halfway out the door. I felt bad for the balding man, then again, he gave me a D.

I plugged my earphones into my ears and headed for the cafeteria where students were shuffling in as if they had been starving themselves. I walked slow and mentally insulted people around me that were running inside the hall.

I entered through the doors of the already half full cafeteria and headed towards the lunch lines. I was whispering along to the lyrics behind a small Asian girl when I heard a chuckle close to my ear. I turned around to flash the stranger a look when I recognized the pink hair.

"Michael." I smiled, turning around.

"You listen to blink-182?" he asked.

I shrugged, "Anything in the pop punk rock genre."

His smile grew wider. "Wanna sit with me and my friends?"

I bit my lip and pretended to ponder whether to sit with "my friends" or his. "Sure."

"Great. I warn you, they're a bit weird."

"What could be weirder than your adorable pink hair, Mike?" I laughed, grabbing a tray.

His cheeks matched his hair and I pretended not to notice in case embarrassing him further would cause him to explode. "I like you hair." he said.

I returned the compliment, "Thank you, I likes yours too."

 -----

Calum was the first stranger to smile at me today. He crinkled his nose when he laughed and he sat next to Michael. I didn't realize how punk Michael looked next to a sensitive athlete like Calum. 

"So where're you from, Calum?" I asked, digging into the school lunch, tepidly.

Michael was chuckling and giggling like mad when Calum gave me this pained expression. "We were having a nice conversation until you brought up the 'Are you Asian?' question." he grumbled, throwing his dirty napkin onto his tray and walking away to the trash to toss it in. He continued to walk out while Michael's face was turning red.

"What's up his ass?" I asked.

"He's Scottish and Kiwi." Michael shrugged, his laughter dying down. "Don't worry, he's a little over dramatic but a great guy."

"So how did you guys ever become friends. I mean, he's a football player and you're an antisocial punk who probably plays video games everyday after school?"

"That description was on point, however, I'm friends with him through Luke." 

"Luke?" I asked.

"Present!" a voice behind me exclaimed, sitting next to me. "What are we talking about?" he asked, turning his head from me to Michael.

"This is Natalie." said Michael.

Luke finally took a good look at me and stuck out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Nat--" he stopped dead in his tracks while holding eye contact with me. I was starting to worry so I looked at Michael for help. He was just as confuse as I was. "Apples." Luke whispered.

"Oh God, not this again, Luke. I actually like this one." Michael groaned, slouching and pouting.

"I'm sorry. I just--" Luke said, snapping out of it, "You have her eyes." He looked at my hair. "You're her sister, right? The one who picked her up yesterday?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and cracked an uneasy smile, "And you're the cute freshman that gave her the mix CD?"

He blushed, "She said that about me?"

I laughed, "Don't get too excited, man. She's a senior."

"B-But I still have a chance with her, right? I mean, she called me cute!" Luke added.

Michael scoffed, "A cute freshman." 

"A cute freshman." Luke pointed out. "Look, I'm not even a freshman, I'm like, a sophomore."

"Well, anyway, she was playing your mix in the car this morning and--"

"She was playing my mix?!" Luke gasped, covering his mouth in excitement like a little girl.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, and I thought it was pretty good."

"What did she say about it? Did she like it?" he asked, looking me straight in the eye with his glassy and hopeful ones. I couldn't say no.

"She didn't get to say anything, we were at school already so.." I shrugged, trailing off.

Luke sighed but kept his wide, lip pierced smile. "She called me cute, though."

I turned back to Michael but he was behind me, sniffing my blue hair. I backed away in surprise and gave him a look. "What do you think you're--?"

He giggled, "Apples."

I shoved him and blushed, "Piss off."

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