Lonely Hearts Club // Book One

Chapter One

        THE OTHER DAY, I began to think; how long would it take for someone to actually fall in love? A matter of months? Weeks? Days even? I had been stuck in high school for five years of my life already and I was finishing year eleven. When I was a year eight, I thought by now I would be the most popular girl in school with a super hot boyfriend and anything I could want. But looking back, I was a complete idiot. Who was I to think I could amount to such good fortune? Here I was now, sitting at my desk, trying to keep my glasses propped up on my nose while studying for a math test next week. The worst part was, it was Friday.

A girl like me, home alone on a Friday night studying. There was nothing else I could do. Everyone called me the nerd of my school and no one actually wanted to be friends with me. Even year nine's scowled at my appearance sometimes. I didn't necessarily take it to the heart- but sometimes it could get a little bit too much. I was never the one to care about my appearance at all, but this year I just wanted to change. I wanted to stop being the laughing stock of every grade and I wanted to stop seeming so smart when really, I had no idea how to figure out quadratic equations and I was stuck on inequalities. And I learned that crap three years ago.

There was this one kid in my class who never talked to anybody, just the same as I did. The sad part was, he had never acknowledged me before. He wasn't popular nor was he unpopular. I just didn't understand sometimes. People in this society were so mean and they just did not care.

This guy never would never raise his hand and was practically a ghost to the entire class. Except for me. Unfortunately, I found him very attractive. He would dye his hair all the time, but it was still cute. Right now his hair color was a really fake blue. I was a brunette, on a continent of tan blondes but I seemed to never tan. Probably because I would always be indoors studying like a crazy person.

"Paige! We're home! You're still here and not partying with crazy drug addicts, right?" my mum called from downstairs, earning a scoff from my dry, cracked lips.

"Yes mum, I'm studying," I mumbled as loud as possible. She had always been this way, the teasing type. Sometimes it was funny but at other times it truthfully wasn't. I didn't know, I guessed just now was not the time.

"OK!"

The loud stomps of my brother's footsteps came bounding up the stairs as he bolted straight into my room, panting. "You like someone!" he accused, smiling brightly. Gently, I cocked my head to the side in confusion, examining his posture. He was hunched over onto my bed, trying to catch his breath, still grinning wildly. Instantly my cheeks flushed.

"What. No I don't?" I questioned. "And besides; how would you know?"

"Because! Calum told me that in English class you're always looking at this guy named Michael."

If I wasn't such a wimp, I would probably kill Calum the next time I saw him. Last year, a kid named Calum Hood was the first person in High School to like me- besides the teachers. From then on, we've been best friends. In fact, he was my only friend. He was a dork, but also hilarious and an amazing singer.

"That doesn't mean I have a crush on him," I stated. "Greg, why do you care?"

"Because!" he repeated again. "Maybe I know Michael?" Before I could answer, he ran back down the steps in humiliation. He was only 14, a year nine in High School, and he always forced his way into things. Sighing, I returned back to my studying.

There was really nothing worse than that sinking feeling knowing that everybody hated you. For no reason even. I had become the bigger person in this, so I needed to stay strong. There were some days when I did break down crying but other than that, I hated everybody anyway so it didn't matter. My week sometimes consisted of nobody talking to me and I'd be fine.