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Chapter 13 :}

I hardly sleep again. Bells sit up at 10 and stabs me in the ribs with her toes, I groan. I feel sore everywhere. She leaves in a hurry, going on holiday in a few days and, as per, she still hasn't packed. I wave her off from my bedroom window, still sitting on my bed. My college bag is hanging on the end and I realise I haven't looked in it since we finished for summer. I stretch and fumble around for my assignment notes. I'd done the majority of my work in the first week of summer, before Bells finished (she had later exams than I did). But I knew there was maths that I'd deliberatly avoided. I pull out everything, no maths book. GREAT. I flop backwards and rub my forehead...where did I have it last? I sit up just as quickly and ring Ari, a girl from my Math class. She answers on the second ring.

"Hey Romy! Hows your summer? OH my GOD so happy about you and Damien. I've been rooting for you since school. You know once I ev-"

"Hey Ari, sorry I'm a bit rushed but you don't still have my trig book do you?" Shes lovely, but I feel too zero out of ten for her happy chat. 

"Oh um, I'm not sure. Did I not give it back? Oh no I did but then I needed it again didn't I hahah!...yes here it is. Do you need it now?" Ari could drive and I was praying she'd offer to drop it over. She lived a half an hour walk from me. 

"yes, if thats okay."

"Sure but I'm about to go to the airport though, florida awaits ahhh! I don't think its raining anytime soon I'll put it in a ziplock and leave it in our letter box out front? Its unlocked." I hold in a groan and thank her, ending the call as soon as possible. 

I didn't need to do the work today, but it was meant to rain in a few days time so I should really get it whilst I can walk in the sun. Ugh. I force myself out the door. Knowing I look beyond dreadful I wear the biggest jumper I own ontop of my shorts and pull the hood over me. This walk better make me feel better. 

It was hot, and my mismatched outfit was causing problems, I was getting warmer and warmer by the minute so I detoured down the alley that cut behind the roads. I didn't like walking down here, but there was shade. I walk fast, dodging piles of dog excrement (please let that belong to a dog) and Low against the wall. I don't know why I stop in place to confirm if its him, but I do. I try to pull of a casual nod, but he's made eye contact now and shifted from his stance against the wall, blocking my way. 

"Alright?" And now, I have to make conversation with him. No good ever comes from Maths. 

"Yeah, you?" My God, it's like texting. He shrugged, re doing his hair, again. Maybe now I can walk awa-

"Why you back here?" Maybe not.

"I left something at Ari's house, so I'm going to ge-"

"Who?

"Ari. I'm in Math with her, we went to school with her." He looks lost for a minute.

"Oh yeah, just figured dimples was your only friend." He smirks. I dont say anything, I roll my eyes but it hurts my head. He notices. 

"No offence..you don't look-"

"I know." I snap, feeling a bit bad. I don't like the guy but I tend to pride myself on relatvely consistent manners. 

"You and dimples fight or something? Oh damn or is it Dam-"

"Neither." I interupt him again, I need some shitting sleep. He doesn't seem fazed, and shuffles back to the wall. I start to walk off. 

"Can I ask you something?" I turn back and can't help but sigh. He looked up at me, trying to keep his 'I'm like amazing' look on his face. I nod.

"Does she, Dimples, does she really like me like..?" I roll my eyes again. 

"For someone most guys envy, you're pretty slow."

"Envy?" He smirked again.

"Duh. You're you. All the girls like you, and you dont really care because you've got the pick of the bunch. Of course she likes you."

He frowned a little then found a way to reply.

"All the girls huh Romy?" He raises his eyebrows at me.

"All the girls minus me, I just find you annoying."

"Pff, you don't mean that."

"Yeah I do. You know how easy you've got it, and you use it in your favour. Treat everyone around you like shit unless you need something." I'm in a much worse mood than I thought.

I turned around and decided, maths could wait. If I walk to Ari's then I'd have to come back the same way, possible crossing Low or some junkie. I started walking swiftly back down the alley but stopped, no longer able to walk any further, he had hold of my hood. I pull it away and continue to walk but my footsteps were being accompanied. I blank him, staring straight ahead.

"Romy."

Walk.

"Romy."

Turn the corner.

"Romy!"

Speed up.

"ROMY!"

No, don't run, you look stupid when you run. I hear him groan and thought he'd given up.

"Oi, Poppins." I freeze, and swivel back. Automatically even more pissed.

"I knew you'd stop to that." He caught up to me. 

"Whats you problem." I spit.

"Remember?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose and knod. 

"I may be full of myself, and think I'm perfect but I do remember things. Which means I do remember primary school, and I do remember that play.."

I sighed, and lean against the wall. I had actually known Low for probably about ten years, he was really nice when he was little, or younger, but the second we were getting ready to leave Primary, he turned into a dick. We did this play before we left for 'big school', it was Mary Poppins. I was Mary and he was the chimney sweep guy, Bert I think. To cut a long  story story short, we had to kiss. It is not in the film, I checked. We were like 11, so this meant nothing, obviously, and it was a peck if that. But it's something I remember, and something that became permanently ingrained into my memory when the whole class would chant Poppins at me for the entirety of the year. It sounds small, and looking back now it is. But it made me feel shitty, my dads last name was Poppins and so it was mine until a few years prior to this when I took Mum's maiden name. When they all started calling me Poppins, to me, it was like being being called the worst thing in the world, every day. This was all led by Low. 

"What do you want?" I ask, avoiding the other topic.

"I was just wandering..if you were alright...you got really worked up, so..I thought I'd check."

I raised my eyebrows, was he showing actuall..concern?

"I'm fine." I said, as flat as possible.

"Sorry, about being a dick. And hitting you in the face. And for Poppins." I widen my eyes at the last one. Not quite the reply I expected.

"I'm just saying, I know the name bugged you, and I started it anyway. But hey, atleast you got to kiss me." And the appolagies ruined. I scoff. I nod as an awkward queue to leave, but he keeps going.

"You know, it wasn't a proper kiss really." I try to hide my confusion and display it as disgust. 

"Oh come on, you can't say EVERY girl wants me and then not regret having a proper go."

"A proper go? You're joking me right." He smirks again and actually has the audacity to wink.

"You're on my bucket list, Romy." I nearly thow up on the pavement. I square up to him, so I'm inches from his face. Making him think he's getting what he wants.

"You disgust me. I've never thought less of a person in my life. It's only because Bell's is so head over heels for you that I'm giving you a pass. Don't talk to me, ever." I almost dont, but then I decide better of it and spit on his shoe. 

I walk away with my head up and hood down, as I round the corner, I vomit into a hedge.