Elle and the Exchange Student

Chapter 18

Elle's Point of View:

Weeks turn into months.

It's already mid-November. Only a few more weeks left until winter break. A month actually. Then I could at least get two and a half weeks off school and all the people in it.

Things are almost back to normal. Only thing that hasn't changed is my hate for Dae. He's friends with everyone else but me, even Deli and Fannie have forgiven him. But he tries, I have to give him that. I can really see that he tries to make it all up to me. It's just me who isn't ready to move on.

Everyday he joins us for lunch, he smiles at me, opens doors and makes friendly conversation. But the biggest, most shocking thing he does, is that he sends me a picture of his breakfast, lunch and dinner, every single day. He's been doing that since the day at the nurse's office, when Janet suggested that I should send pictures of my food to my mom to convince her that I'm actually eating.

So every day since then, I've been sending my mom pictures of Dae's meals. And she doesn't suspect a thing. In fact, she said to me how proud she was that I was now eating regularly and such a big portions as well. It was a stupid plan to begin with because it so obvious how easily I can lie about my meals. At first, I was sceptical about the pics but it seems like Sam is just too dumb to realize or care.

It's sweet and creepy at the same time. And once again, his actions leave me so confused. It was a nice gesture, but I'm sure he does it in the hopes of me eventually forgiving him. Like that's gonna happen. I have sworn to hate him eternally.

"What's up, Ella?" a deep male voice broke my thoughts.

"It's Elle" Dae corrected him.

"Oh, sorry my bad. What's up, Elle?" the guy I don't remember ever seeing before asked once more.

Me, Fannie, Delilah and Elliot, her boyfriend, were at lunch and apparently during my recent deep thoughts, Dae and this mystery friend had come to sit with us. Both boys were sitting right across from me, looking at me like I was the most interesting thing in this whole cafeteria.

"Um, nothing much"

"Great! So, you coming to Jonah's party this Saturday?" he asked me so casually, it makes me jealous someone could just start a conversation with a stranger that easily.

"Come on, Mike. You know, Elle doesn't go to parties" Elliot said, earning an angry glance from Deli.

So, I guess, he's Mike. That doesn't help much, I still have no idea who he is.

"What party?" I asked.

"The second-to-last party of this year! How come you haven't heard about it?" Mike said like he couldn't believe me.

"Since Elle rarely comes with us, we usually don't even tell her about parties" Fannie explained.

"Well, now you know and you have to come!" Mike insisted.

I just laughed and so did everyone else. Who does he think he is? So I replied with as polite "No thank you" as I could.

"Come on, Ella. It'll be fun"

"Elle" Dae correct again, clearly getting annoyed at his friend.

"Parties aren't really my thing-" I began.

"You can come with me" Mike suggested with a disgusting smirk.

"She's not coming" Dae spoke angrily, as his fingers whitened from the tight grip on the lunch tray.

"Excuse me?" I dared to say. Nice try to stand up for me but it wasn't his job to protect me. Who the heck does he think he is?

"Yeah, shut up, Jungy!" Mike said, slapping him on the back of his head.

Jungy.

That's a nice nickname, but I still like Dae-fucking-Jung better.

Dae turned to face Mike, looked him deeply in the eyes and repeated through gritted teeth "She's not coming".

The fact, that he thinks he can make that decision for me, infuriates me. I don't care what his intentions are, but him not wanting me to come makes me want to go ten times more. And I really didn't want to go to any party!

So before Mike has a chance to reply something that would most definitely turn into a fight between them, I quickly said "I'll go with you", surprising myself with the confidence I suddenly had.

All eyes were on me as both of the boys turned to me, their mouths open wide. Elliot almost dropped to the ground from laughter, while Fans and Deli shouted in shock, "What?".

"I'll go to the party with you, Mike" I repeated, feeling as though time had stopped, as nobody moved or said a word.

Just to be clear, I didn't want to go to this stupid party. And even if I did, I certainly wouldn't have wanted to go with a guy like Mike. I don't even know him, but judging from the last five minutes, he seems like every other guy in this school. Arrogant, too confident and friends with Dae. The last quality is especially a turn-off.

I'm only doing this to piss off Dae.

Mike's shock turned into a wide arrogant smirk, while Dae's expression didn't change.

"Perfect. I'll text you later, sweetheart" Mike said with a wink.

After that he stood up, nudging Dae to get him to return to this world so they could leave together. Dae quickly shook his head and got up, ready to walk away. But not before turning to me one last time, with a look on his face I had never seen before.

Elliot, reading the signs, quickly followed the other two boys. Leaving just us girls, so Fannie and Delilah could most likely interrogate me.

"Explain, please!" Fannie demanded.

"What?" I tried to play dumb.

"Talk, bitch" Delilah requested politely.

"What? It's nothing. You guys are going, right?" When they nodded, I continued, "So I'll just come with you, no big deal."

"It's quite a big deal, since you promised to go with Michael Thompson" Delilah said in disbelief.

"You mean Mike" I corrected.

"Yes, Michael Thompson! You know who he is, don't you?" Delilah questioned.

"Um, stupid Dae's friend Mike?" I guessed, because the name Michael Thompson meant nothing to me. Thompson sounded somewhat familiar, but there must be at least ten Mikes in this school. So still a complete stranger.

"Oh god, Elle!" Fannie gasped as Delilah covered her face with her hands.

"Michael is Madison's twin brother!" she finally clarified.

"Full-time bitch Madison's twin?"

"Yes, Elle. How is this news to you?"

That is something I'd like to know myself as well. How did I not know that? That can't be true. "You're joking, right?"

"Nope." Deli said chuckling, already finding this situation hilarious.

"Shit, then obviously I can't go. I need to cancel"

"Hey, you are going!" Delilah was back to being serious.

"Maybe she shouldn't. I mean, even Dae-Jung looked kind of angry about it" Fannie said.  

"And that is exactly why she has to go, right Elle?" Delilah looked at me for some assurance.

So now it seems, I was willingly going to a party with Dae's girlfriend's twin brother.

I need to have a chat with the universe later; this kind of shit can't keep happening to me. At this point, I'm almost certain that I'm cursed.