The class picture (NH)

Chapter 5: Getting worse

14 September 2004, Mullingar (Ireland), 21.09 hrs.

Clem POV

Lucy takes Niall's hands and sticks to him. For once I dared... I barely have time to feel sorry for myself when Tom joins me. He looks at me quickly and, without my being able to express the slightest feeling, he approaches me and drags me into his dance. It's, how can I put it, quite chaotic... I may have a sense of rhythm thanks to the singing, but moving my feet is still a calamity. In the end, maybe it's better that I didn't dance with Niall, he would have laughed at me. Note to self: learn to dance before the next holiday.

" -WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? I cried out to myself

- Something we've both wanted for a long time," he replied calmly, withdrawing from my lips.

- Correction, that YOU want, I don't love you and you're with Erin, my best friend, I'll call you back!"

So that's the best one! Tom has just kissed me. Nah, but Tom, the one I used to love. I had imagined this action I don't know how many times, but last year. Anyway, not once, I had imagined it would happen when I thought of another boy... It takes me a few minutes to come to my senses and understand that Tom has just stolen my first kiss. But what did I just do...actually no what did Tom just do! Nothing's going right now, get a grip Clem! I let go of my partner and look all around me: all the guests have stopped dancing and are staring at us. What an anguish to be the centre of attention. I think this is the first time I've really understood the expression 'hiding in a mouse hole'. But if everyone is looking at us, it means my best friends are looking at us too. But has he been watching us ever since? I hope I have enough time to figure out that it was Tom's fault, I would never have dared to betray Erin and anyway, I didn't want to. I could see a few glances behind me, so I decided to look at what interested them more than that kiss.

"- Don't cry Erin, I was comforting her as much as I could.

- Don't add anything else Clem, she cut me off as I was thinking about how to resolve this delicate situation.

- It's not what you think, I tried in vain.

- I've seen everything, I've seen too much, it's all right. "

It couldn't be worse. Erin had seen my lips on her sweetheart Tom's lips. I have only just gotten back together with Lucy and there are already new tensions in our group of friends. I'm starting to find it hard to put up with being popular people as we are called, oddly enough other people don't have these kinds of problems and don't fight every day. I bitterly regret the time when we were the 3 normal girls who weren't given special attention.

"-I didn't see you like that, Clem, cut me off, from my torments, a voice.

- Niall, no please, give me time to explain.

- I saw everything, I'm disappointed in you, did you even think about Erin?

- I didn't want to, I tried, but he wouldn't listen to me any more".

Ok it could be worse actually. Now I've reached the maximum.

"- Don't worry Niall, I'm not like that girl, added Lucy, I would never do that to you.

- Eh, said Niall, visibly incomprehending, turning his head towards her. "

Lucy took advantage of this opening and kissed him. Ah well ok, so now it's worse. 2 solutions come to me: run away or stay. Did I really ask myself the question? So I decide to run away, I take refuge under a tree next to the entrance of the room. All my feelings turned into a nightmare. I question my whole life. Am I going to get my two best friends back? Will Niall forgive me? Will he and Lucy really get together? More importantly, why did Tom do it? At my own party during a dance he stole from me and in front of his girlfriend. I hear the music starting again. I guess everyone is having fun again. I've had worse birthdays than others but this one is the worst.