Shady Secrets

Just One Week!

"But I've got thick skin,
And an elastic heart,"
- Sia (Elastic Heart)

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I woke up to the annoying crowing of birds in the trees outside my bedroom window. I rolled over in my bed and lay there for a while, watching the sun fulfil the bright blue sky. I heard a scratching noise against my door, and finally decided to get up and out of bed. I opened the door to see my adorable ball of fluff, Bella (aka Belly), meowing out side my door and looking up at me with her big amber eyes. I smiled and picked her up and placed her on my bed. I made sure to keep her small claws and itty bitty teeth away from me because although she was a young cat, she could cause some serious damage.

As if to prove it, she jumped onto my fish tank sitting next to my bed, and attempted to attack my fish through the glass.

"Belly, No!" I laughed at my fat kitten and quickly put her down on my carpeted floor. I shut my door as Belly lazily walked out. I pulled on my sport uniform and ran downstairs to make my toast. I smothered them thickly and brought them over to the kitchen bench. People say that carbs are bad for you, but with my gymnastics, the food is kind of canceled out. Therefore I eat as much food as I please.

I checked my watch and the realisation of the time kicked in. Only five-thirty...wow... So after eating, I settled down on the couch, snuggled up in blankets with Belly and watched rubbish TV until it was time to go to school.

I arrived at school at five past eight, so I had plenty of time to drop my bag off at my locker upstairs, do a quick but lazy lap around the school, and be back at my locker in time for Allison to arrive. Her brown hair was braided into a fishtail plait that hung stylishly over one shoulder. See, Allison was one of those people that could wake up and still look as good as the day before. If not, better. My hair, on the other hand, is a nightmare most days. No matter how hard I try to make my hair look okay, it continues to disobey my simplest orders.

"Hey," she said cheerfully as I replied friendlily back. Allison placed her bag on top of the lockers, not bothered to go use her actual locker. Together, we walked back down stairs and decided to wait for Lola Talman to arrive, which she did very soon.

"Allison!" A voice called from only metres away. "Get your butt over here!" We both laughed and walked towards her.

"Well that's one way to say hi," I said sarcastically. Allison laughed at my comment and we approached Lola.

"Fine then," Lola (AKA Lol) hugged Allison as a proper greeting. "Hi." I smiled, knowing I would not receive a friendly hug. I guess I'm just not a hugging person, nothing wrong with that.

"Well, hi to you too," I said back. "I'm gonna go back upstairs to my locker, I think I see Darcy," and I walked off, wondering what randomness she had in store for me today.

"Hi-" I started, but was instantly cut off as Darcy started talking. I couldn't even here what she was saying, her excitement overruled.

"Isn't that great?!" She concluded. I stood there silently, wondering what to say. But, now that I had no idea what she had said, I had a desperate urge to know. Thankfully, she saved me from an awkward explanation as to why I wasn't listening.

"Dude, stop daydreaming about Lucas and listen to me!"

"I wasn't daydreaming about Lu-" she held out her finger and said,

"Shut up and listen!" I shut up and listened.

"I'm sorry. What were you trying to say?" She sighed, and basically yelled in my face,

"I'M GOING TO INDIA!!!" I stood there, flabbergasted.

"You are ditching me?"

"Yeah, well it's only for a we-" this time it was my turn to cut her off and yell.

"YOU ARE DITCHING ME FOR A FAT ELEPHANT?!?!?!" At this, I failed to stay pretend-angry and we both burst out laughing at the comment. Between staggered breaths of laugher, she said,

"It's only for a week, don't worry." At that, the bell rang and in 'goodbye', I asked her,

"Can you get me something while you're there? I've never even been out of the country," she gave me "look", saying

"Of course I'm gonna get you something. Geesh, talk about clueless," and we parted to our separate classes. When I walked into my classroom, I saw Lucas already there, sitting inbetween a bunch of girls. One word instantly came to my head, but I halted the thoughts and instead told my brain, No! He's just friendly. He's just friends with lots of girls. He's not a player...

I spent the whole rest of the day battling myself over it. If he was a player, I'd have to start playing the game. But after a rough day, I found myself sitting on my bed, reading. Shadow Falls really is a great series, and the main character has a similar problem to me...too many cute guys. Haha, what a stupid crisis... I thought about it and realised, hey, she has to pick either Lucas or Derek! Well, I just don't have a Derek to pick from... A while later before I went to sleep, I prayed.

For hope.
For strength.
For Lucas to see the other side of me.
I prayed for clean clothes, a warm bed, and lots of sleep.

But the real Harper kicked in the next day.
It was the day I less liked Lucas Silverman.
It was the day the more I hated him.

But then I met the kid I've always known was there. The kid I just never talked to. And guess what his name was?

Derek. Talk about typical...