The Dating Project

Chapter 1

"Never again," I stormed out the cafe, my best friend Becca hot on my heels. I had just been on a double date with Becca, Becca's girlfriend and some random guy Becca thought seemed a good match for me. To say it had not gone well would be an understatement.

"I am so sorry, Lilah," Becca gushed, pushing her ginger hair out her face. "I should've done a background check before I set you up with him. But, like, it wasn't that bad! It could've been worse!"

I stopped and turned to look at her. "Becca, he was looking at my breasts the entire hour I managed there, called me a baby for liking Disney movies, then proudly stated that he'd failed nearly all of his GCSEs!"

"Okay, so he wasn't great. My bad. But you can't swear off guys, Ly! There's someone out there for everyone, I'm certain of it."

I sighed. "Look, Bex, I know you're all happy with Erica, but I don't think I'll be finding that anytime soon. Guys are just so immature. Maybe when I'm like, 25 or something, I'll get a boyfriend. But as of this moment, I am never going to date another guy."

"Okay," Becca shrugged. "I'll find you a girl."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "I do love you."

Becca reciprocated my smile. "I know. I love you too. See you tomorrow? First day of our last year."

"Sure," I hugged my best friend.

---

6:30am was an ungodly hour to be awake. I knew that whatever job I had in the future, it could not be one that involved waking up at the crack of dawn. 

"Lilah! Breakfast!" my mother shouted from downstairs.

Groaning, I rolled out of bed and onto the floor, my tangled brunette hair blocking my vision. 

"Hahaha," Aurora, my twin sister, grinned from her bed. "Sucks to be you today, doesn't it." 

I shot her a sarcastic smile. Aurora attended a performing arts specialist school, and she didn't start back until next week. She and I had been pretty much raised on performing arts, but I wanted a job that ensured money so I could support our family - for me, performing was just a hobby. So,when we finished our GCSEs, she went on to do performing arts BTECs, and Istayed at St Augustine's Academy to do my A-Levels.

"I will be chucking water over your head to wake you up next week," I said, throwing my pillow at her. I still heard her laughing even as I bum-shuffled down the stairs, too tired to move properly.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," my mum rolled her eyes, smiling at me as I literally crawled on my hands and knees into the kitchen. She'd dealt with my antics for seventeen years now, yet still felt the need to comment on it. 

"She doesn't know how not to be," my younger brother laughed from across the table.

"Mike, would you like me to share the Barbie story with everyone in your year?" I smiled sweetly at him. "Because I will."

Mike, predictably, shut up and went back to his cereal, his shaggy blonde hair not quite covering his flushed face. I would never actually do that to my little brother, of course, but it worked wonderfully as a comeback tactic. Yes, it was quite cruel, but he had done worse to me.

"Delilah Elizabeth McCarthy, what have I said about blackmailing your brother?" my mum placed her hands on her hips with that glare only mothers can give.

Sighing, I recited her famous words. "Family is not exempt from the rule of kindness."

"Good girl. Now apologise."