Evie's Guide To Love & Stuff

2

"What? What is it?" Luke says, still slightly dazed from my sudden movement away from him.

"Nothing, I just thought I saw someone, that's all." I say hesitantly, giving a nervous chuckle. Luke straightens in alarm and peers around like a meerkat.

"I've gotta go," He urges. A look of confusion fills my face.

"What? Why?" I ask in disbelief.

"Uh, Samantha said she wanted to talk to me." He rushes back around the corner before I can say anything else and I heave a sigh.

Who was that?

If anyone finds out about us, I'm doomed. Majorly doomed.

I shake my head at myself and try to clear my mind of all of my dizzying thoughts. Who did I just see?

I pick up my bag and head towards the tables to eat my lunch.

I might as well revise for that test.

"Evie! Evie, over here!" I look up in surprise. Ashley is sat at a nearby table on her own, currently waving her arms over her head to get my attention. I quickly walk towards her.

Was she the one who saw me with Luke? No of course not, she has green eyes.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Revising, we have next lesson together. I tried to tell you before but you rushed off before I got the chance." She frowns.

"Sorry Ash," I sigh, slumping into the cushioned chair next to her. "I did hardly any revision over the weekend and I really want to get a good mark on this test."

"You'll do great, don't worry, you always do." She comforts me, I give her a appreciative smile in return and open my bag to get my Chemistry book out. "Anyway, I saw Luke come from the same place you were, what happened?" She leaned forward, eagerness displayed on her face. I momentarily pause and my eyes slightly widen as my mouth drops open trying to think of something to tell her because I can't exactly tell her I was making out with him and even if I did she wouldn't believe me.

"We were looking at books," I say. She gives me a look that tells me she's not convinced. "And he was telling me he's not doing well in one of his classes." I shrug.

"I thought the school's golden boy never failed? Maybe you could offer to tutor him!" Ashley exclaims, a bright smile upon her face.

"Maybe." I bite my lip. That did sound like a brilliant idea, it was a perfect cover story to spend more time together.

"He practically ran away he was so fast, did you try your love song on him?" She grins, talking about the cringey song I had written for Luke when I was thirteen. Bringing it up in daily conversation was what got Ashley out of bed everyday. She lived off the thrill of embarrassing me, she's worse than my dad when he got drunk at his second wedding and starting spinning me around in the air and telling everyone I was an aeroplane. I hid in the toilets after that ordeal.

"Oh, shut up! He was late, that's all." I hide my face in my hands.

"Late for what?" She questions.

"His girlfriend," I uncover my face and heave a dramatic sigh. "Of course." I mutter under my breath.

"I know this is hard for you to hear but I think you should move on. Try dating someone, go to a few crazy parties and snog a few people. You've spent, what? Five years crushing on him?" She looks me dead in the eye as she lectures me.

"Yeah, and who would invite me to these crazy parties?" I shake my head, "And it's six years, actually."

"Oh, Evie. Just go on one date and then see how you feel." When I didn't reply she continued. "I've got some hot cousins." She offers. I give a small chuckle. "If I can't have them because they're 'family' or whatever," She air quotes, "You certainly can." She pats my leg in reassurance. I burst into laughter, earning annoyed glances from the people around us quietly reading.

"I love you. Why can't we just get married?" I groan.

"Sorry but I'm already engaged to Austin Butler." She grins, tilting her head to the side and clasping her hands together as if she's dreaming about him.

"In your head?" I ask, giving her a grin of my own.

"Hey!" She sits up and lightly smacks me on the arm.

"I know this is hard for you to hear but I think you should move on." I say in my best impression of her, using her words from earlier against her. "It's all in your head, you've got to accept it."

"I don't know why I'm still friends with you." She says, bringing her fingers to her temples as if she has a migraine. The bell promptly rings and we both stand up and collect our belongings. "Hey, do you realise something?" She asks, looking up at me because I'm about a head taller than her.

"What?" I question.

"We didn't revise at all." She laughs.

"And do you realise something else?" I turn to her.

"No, what?" She smiles.

"I didn't eat any lunch." I pout. She tuts at me but hands me a chocolate bar nonetheless.

***

My stomach rumbles all the way through the Chemistry test, despite my last minute snack. Ashley finds it hilarious but I don't and I think everyone can tell by the redness of my cheeks.

After lessons, I drag Ashley to McDonald's so I can at least eat something.

"How d'you find the test?" She asks, watching me stuff my face as she slurps on her diet coke.

"Oh, it was easy, I don't know why I got so worked up." I chuckle.

"I told you!" She crosses her arms and leans against the booth. I roll my eyes as she carries on telling me how I shouldn't worry because I always do great. Whatever. "Are you listening?" She cries, making me jump in my seat.

"Yes," I say, nodding my head.

"Then what did I just say?" She challenges me, raising an eyebrow.

"You were telling me that I shouldn't worry." I take a final bite out of my burger.

"Good enough." She shrugs.

Suddenly, she perks up and stares at something behind me. "What? What is it?" I ask, her sudden movement makes me anxious.

"Luke and Samantha just walked in." She bites her lip and looks at me with pity.

"Wow, didn't think Samantha was a Macky D kind of person," I quip.

"They're at the counter, you can look now." She waves her hand at me. I sigh, turning around in my seat and sure enough the love of my life is stood at the counter with his arm around the evil queen bitch's waist. Yuck. She keeps whispering in Luke's ear and he laughs politely. I can't stand seeing them together so I face Ashley again and pull a face.

"Let's go." I huff.

"Ok." She says, picking up her school bag and linking her arm with mine. "You know, my brother and his band are doing a gig next week and it's basically a huge party. He said we could come." She smiles.

"Is this the beginning of all the crazy parties we'll be going to?" I laugh, burying my hands deeper into my pockets.

"You bet." She grins.