Low Life

6 - A Precious Friend

Lauren POV

It felt like sweet music to my ears when Shania allowed me to adventure with her and Precious. 

Precious was my best friend and I was basically her shadow. Both of our personalities contrasted each other but like they say, opposites attract. The way we met wasn't really how I expected to make a new best friend, seeing as my old one decided to go to another secondary school and cut off all contact me. It was funny though with me and Precious because we were put into the same tutor group and our tutor forced to sit next to each other, but neither of us complained. Precious already on the second day of Year 7 with her bubbly personality managed to befriend the whole tutor group and myself included. But it wasn't until the third day she finally approached me during lunch where I was sat by myself eating alone and asked me if I wanted to spend lunchtime with her and her friend group.

I accepted since I had no one else and she seemed like a genuine person. After that we went exploring the premises which was native to us at the time, laughing and talking to other people in our year on the way and seeing the elder years who seemed like giants. It was finally when we saw a group of Year 8 girls huddled together in the middle of the playground gossiping and giggling when Precious ran up to one who looked similar to her engulfing her in a tight hug shaking her around. I trailed behind her leaving Precious' group of friends and started talking to my sister Lacey who was asking me all kinds of questions whilst Precious conversed with the other girl who was known as Shania. 

Once Precious saw this interaction between me and my sister she knew we had an "advantage". Her cousin was popular and so was my sister so ultimately it was "hereditary" and we had to be popular too, well that's how she explained it to me. I planned in Year 6 that once I went to secondary I would have a clean state, popularity didn't really mean a lot to me and I just wanted to keep my head down and do my work. Well now it was too late and I was stuck with Precious, which I'm not complaining about because we both had an awful amount of fun together and made the most of our time.

Around school Precious would be viewed as  the talkative, pretty and bubbly girl whilst I was seen as  the laidback and shy girl who followed in her shadow, I started to come out of my shell during the later years at secondary but I was never on the same level as Precious. Since I didn't talk that much people tried to use that as an excuse to tease me since they knew I wouldn't do anything but Precious funnily enough didn't let it slide. She treated me like I was her blood sister and was always there for my through my tough times. She was also there for me when I was struggling with my sexuality in Year 9 and came out to her as bisexual, she was nothing but supportive and took me out to get a Nandos. 

Now we're in Year 10 and our bond is unbreakable, if you see Precious, guess who is by her side? Me. Even though we didn't share a lot of classes we still managed to practically be together all the time.

After we had left the toilets a sharp gust of wind sliced us but we weren't bothered and continued to walk towards the front of the school. "Come on, we're going to the shops since Precious owes me." Shania said with her head tilted up, she looked like a runway model the way she strutted across the school with her head tilted up and her hips swaying side to side. Precious and I walked behind her as she led the way through the front of the gates leading a gap between us.

It was silent between us both for most of the journey before she nudged me in the ribcage before turning to whisper in my ear. "Sooo, how was isolation with my cousin?" She said smirking at me. And the smirk on her face only indicated trouble, I knew exactly where this was headed. I shook my head before looking ahead and sighing. She didn't let it slide and linked our arms before coming closer to me, "Come onnn, spill the deets!" She vocalized. I used my free hand to drag back my straight hair and laughed awkwardly, just to get a reaction out of her.

She quickly ran in front of me obstructing the path before putting both of her hands onto my blazers shoulder pads. She looked at me in eyes before widening her own and proceeded to shake me back and fourth aggressively. "You're killing me, Lauren! Just tell me I got to know!" she squealed through her gritted her teeth. I rolled my eyes playfully before tilting my head down to say "It was short and sweet" and I regretted saying that since Shania came over eager to know what we were talking about.

"What was short and sweet?" She questioned placing a hand on her cousins shoulder. I looked up at her with my eyes widened and my face turned into a deep red, which I attempted to chuckle off by telling her "Nothing." Precious saw the embarrassment on my face and giggled loudly like a child. And Shania's appealing face, illustrated confusion. Luckily she let the subject go and continued walking to the shop which was a few yards away. Precious squealed again before swiftly following Shania into the shop.

I instantly face palmed myself when they were both out of sight, sighing deeply into my palm at the embarrassment I had just set up for myself. I knew Precious wouldn't let this go easily and she would interrogate the answer out of me. But honestly I didn't even know the answer myself. I admired Shania a lot but I tried to stop it turning into a crush since I basically had no chance with her. I didn't even know if she played for the same team as me or not for crying out loud. But the thought of her made my heart flutter and seeing her in isolation recalled every feeling I tried to push to the side. Each time I tried to visualize her in a bad light and paint her as a bad person it didn't have any effect, to me I saw her as a perfect person who had no imperfections. Beautiful inside and out. Just hearing her voice a mile away would have me in a trance and drooling over her.

A few minutes which felt like seconds flew by and Shania and Precious walked out  together with Precious giggling, Shania didn't seem impressed at whatever the younger girl had to say. I couldn't help but admire her straight face and even though it had no emotion it spoke a hundred words to me. I smiled at the thought of her and met the pair halfway. Shania looked at me and forced a smile before she walked off and before I could escape too I felt an arm swing around my neck, pulling me closer to a warm inviting body. I felt vibrations of laughter bounce off of Precious and land onto me, she let me go before facing me, raising both of her eyebrows. She didn't say anything and a goofy smile erupted on her face and her light brown eyes scanned my face quickly before she grabbed my hand walking back towards the direction of the school.

"Sooo, apparently your sister is having a party this weekend and Shania will be going." Precious said, I didn't see her face but the way she said it gave me the impression she had a big grin on her face. I rolled my eyes quickly before saying "Well, I didn't know about that but you're going to be coming right? Our parents aren't going to be home for the weekend so you can sleepover." Precious squealed again jumping up and down "Ok! Ok! I'll get the drink for us and you uhhh... You can order us pizza!" I looked at her nodding in agreement before pulling her into a hug. "I'll see you later I'm gonna walk home this way today." Precious waved back before walking in another direction.

My house wasn't that far away from the school and was situated around 10 minutes away in a gated private estate. So naturally I left the house with my elder sister 5 minutes before school started and we would make small talk along the way. Although once we would step through the school gates it was a different story, we would go our separate ways and pretend we didn't even know each other.

Once I got home I expected to go to my bedroom and take a nap but I was met with an angry glare from my mother with the house phone gripping tightly in her hand.

For fuck sakes..

A/N 

If anyone is reading this I hope you're enjoying the story so far :)