Held Back

CHAPTER 3

A.N: HEY GUYS, SORRY, I KNOW THE STORY IS A LITTLE SLOW AT THE MOMENT AND DOES'NT INCLUDE A LOT OF THE BOYS JUST YET... BUT IT WILL! JUST READ UP TO CHAPTER SIX AND I PROMISE IT WILL GET GOOD ;)

Just before the end of lunch I say goodbye to the gang and headed off to buy a new sketchpad for art from the school shop. I handed my money over to the lady behind the counter, with the perfectly manicured nails, just as the bell rung. The corridor had started to full up with the rush of students.

What do I have? French? Or is-

My thoughts were cut short when I saw two familiar green eyes. Harry. "Hey," I smile in his direction. He looks confused and awkwardly looks away then back down at his phone.

Really? The 'pretend texting'?

I felt my face heat up. At least seven people heard my try talk to Harry and they were all giving me looks of either sympathy or amusement.

What the hell? He knows who I am. What a dick.

I dropped my books and slid into the desk next to Abby. "Hey," she smiled. "Are you feeling alright? You're looking a little red."

"What? No, I'm fine-"

"Bonjour Class. I trust you had a good holiday?" And with that the class begun and my face slowly returned to a less crimson shade.

The day went by at a tediously slow pace. When it was finally over, I went to meet Abby. I found her seated on the hood of her second hand, 2002 Holden Commodore with her arms draped over Bub's shoulders and he was leaning against the car. Abby gave a big smile and hopped off to give me a hug. "Hey Lea," Bub called.

"Hey," I smiled.

I got in the front seat and Bub occupied the back. "Do you want to drive today, Lea or should I?"

"I think it's probably safer and definitely more legal if you drive, Abby." I used to drive on my grans farm when we lived near her but it's a super different driving in the city. The traffic was really good that day and we were getting all the green lights. "Are you coming with us Bub or are we dropping you home?" I asked.

"I think you should just drop me home. I've learnt not to try join in on your guys' gossip session."

"It's actually a study session," Abby says just as she pulled up outside Bub's mansion of a house, "well, for the first ten minutes at least."

"Haha, okay, well you two have fun," Bub said just as he pecked Abby on the cheek and got out of the car. "Bye Bub!" I called out.

The rest of the afternoon, Abby and I spent seated in our favorite corner in Starbucks. We were supposed to be working on our French assignment together but that didn't last long. It was 6:30 by the time I got home.

I walked into the living room to find my younger brother, Tristan, and his boyfriend, Dominic, plopped on the couch helping my youngest brother, Ryder, with his weekly spelling words. "Hey Lee," Tristan welcomed me cheerfully. "Oh, hey," Dominic smiled warmly.

"Hey boys," I replied. "Ah, excuse me Mr. Ryder. Where is my hug?"

"Sorry Lee, my spelling words are so hard now!" He bounded over and gave me a hug before he returned to his place on the floor. He's growing up so fast. He's nearly 11 now. Dom was holding Tristan's hand and drawing small figures of eight.

Dominic is my year and Tristan is just one bellow us. They both go to a private all boys school. (That's mainly because my parents thought that that specific school would be more "suited" for my brother and his needs). Let me get one thing straight right now: Tristan is very bright and doesn't look different any way physically. Besides being a little under weight for his height, he is what society deems "normal". But my brother is not normal. There is a lot going on in that head of his.

Dominic Hope is the polar opposite to Tristan. He is the school's sports prefect and has a pretty muscular build but not too much so that he looks like he's on steroids. He has short brown hair that is slightly longer and wavy on the top. It's cut perfectly for sports and he has a dazzling white-toothed smile that makes all of the girls' jaw drop and guys' too. I like Dom. He has been really good to Tristan over the past year.

Apart from an obvious difference in height, my two brothers look almost identical. Ryder just looks like he is six years behind Tristan. Apart from Ryder having a few faint freckles scattered across his nose, both of my brothers have: flawless fair skin, jet-black hair, and chrystal clear blue eyes. (I'm kind of annoyed the blue-eyed gene missed me).

"Any news from school?" Tristan inquired.

"Someone pulled the 'pretend texting trick' to avoid talking to me today, but other than that..."

"Seriously? What are we, twelve?"

I laughed, "I know right! Well, does anyone want a hot chocolate? I'm going to make one."

"No thanks," and "I'm a fine, thanks," was what they replied. Although, Ryder was too busy trying to write in straight line in his homework book to hear me.

The next day, I caught the not-so-full bus again and made it to school on time. I was determined not to give Sledgehammer any reason to give me another detention. My last class of the day was English and I had been dreading it. I didn't want to see Harry again. But he never showed. In fact he didn't show the following week either. But of course, even in his absence, he was still the only name in the gossip circulating the school. His name, and Sophia's. Apparently they were a 'thing' now and apparently he came into school every morning just to make out with her behind the library during free period.

It wouldn't surprise me though, if it weren't Harry, she would be meeting someone else.

The Tuesday night of the following week I had to cancel on Abbey's Starbucks meet up and work a five-hour shift in the salon. When I got home I felt as if I could pass out. My whole body felt limp and all I could do was slump onto my bed. I stared up at my white ceiling until mum knocked on my door with a plate of last night's leftovers. "Are you alright sweet pea? You've been working like the clappers! You must be pooped." I sat up and crossed my legs as she sat on the end of my bed. "I'm good, just over school. And work," I laugh weakly. "Oh darling. Well, it's just one more year and you're nearly half way there."

"I know, thanks mom. And thanks for this," I reached out for the plate she had just brought up. She stood up. "No problem, but if you want more you better be quick, you're father and boys all have their eye's on it!" and with that, she bent down, kissed me on the forehead, and then left.

That night I had possibly the worst sleep of my life, I ended up getting out of bed and sitting in front of my window with my bed covers wrapped tightly around myself. I used to do this when I was little and had nightmares. I looked up at the few stars through the city smog and eventually drifted off.