White Lies and Music Notes

Chapter Seven

Apart from starting the day with no breakfast and a row from some professor teacher I haven't even met yet, the day went really well. Melanie completely accepted me as a friend and didn't mind at all that I was hanging around with her. We spent the first two classes together - Maths and Chemistry - but I had to go to French on my own.

Lucky for me, Ashley was there.

"Hey, Leah." He said across the room to me while motioning for me to take the seat next to him. I smiled at him, grateful that I didn't have to sit on my own. As I sat down, I could feel the stares.

I was new.

I was English.

I was different.

And I liked it.

Looking around the room, I could see there was an even spread of girls and boys. I'll be honest, I was surprised. At my old school, girls being with guys was a big no-no unless you were actually dating. Here, there was a group of girls chatting to a guy who just smiled and acted cool. When that guy turned around, I took a sharp intake of breath.

It was Brown-Haired-Guy.

Damn you, Leah. I told myself. You don't know his bloody name and you're already acting as though you are in love with him!

His eyes met mine. And for a moment I was lost. Everything around me didn't seem to matter.

"Leah? Leah, are you even listening to me?" I spun around to face Ashley.

"What? Oh right." I realised he had been talking to me the whole time. "Sorry. You were saying...?"

He looked up to see Brown-Haired-Guy staring at me. His eyes became only small slits in his face and he stared back.

"So....." He said quietly. "Matt?"

"Matt? Who the fucking hell is Matt?" I said.

Excuse me? What did I just say? Did I just SWEAR?

"That guy. The guy eyeing you up." He nodded his head in his direction. Oh. I get it. Brown-Haired-Guy is called Matt.

"Oh right. What about him?"

"Do you like him?" he whispered.

Hm.... There's a question. Do I like Matt?

"God, no! Why do you think that? I didn't even know the guys name 'til a few seconds ago!"

"Hm. Right." Suddenly he seemed distant. Way too distant.

"Ashley?"

"Hm?"

"Are you alright?"

"Hm."

Was that a yes or a no? I decided to just leave it.

"Leah?" He said, halfway through class.

"Yeah?"

"He's not worth it. Don't even go there."

I wanted to ask who he meant. But I already knew. He was talking about Matt.

"How so?"

He just shrugged. Okay. Well, thanks for the conversation.

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