It's a love-hate thing

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I packed away my lip gloss into my bag and parted my hair properly, yet again, and looked over my outfit again; a denim skirt that ended over my knee a cute Tee with a waistcoat over it and kitten heels. I took a piece of tissue paper from my bag and dabbed my lip gloss.

   ‘Perfect!’ I smiled. I saw Brandon rolled his eyes in the rear view mirror ‘What’s your problem?’ I asked, he went red. A rare and strange sight, especially from Brandon.

   ‘I just… don’t see the point of  going through all this trouble for someone who turned you down’ he shrugged, I growled

   ‘Excuse me! He didn't "turn me down"" He simply declined my offer to accompany me to the dance. Besides, you where make-up and you’re a guy!’ My eyes narrowed, he glared at Joshua.

   ‘You told her that?!’ He demanded, I smiled. ‘Did you tell her why I where make up?’

   ‘No, because I wanted to keep it funny!’ Joshua said with an over-exaggerated frown, Brandon smiled cheekily

   ‘Good, then I get to tell her, it’s weird we kept it from her and I’ve known her so long!’ he said as if I weren’t there at all, but obviously playing it up for my benefit.

   ‘Hello?! I’m still here!’ I reminded them angrily, Joshua laughed and turned around in the passenger seat to look at me properly.

   ‘Brandon is a male model’ he told me and burst into laughter, Brandon watched my reaction and laughed. My mouth dropped and when I recovered I let out a surprised laughed

   ‘Don’t seem so surprised!’ he smiled

   ‘You’re a male model!?Do wonders never cease?' I nearly choked on nothing 'You know, Bran... It's a lttle cliche’

   ‘Yes!’ He continued ‘am I that bad looking?’ he said, ignoring my last comment. He inspected his face in the mirror, jokingly.

   ‘Maybe it’s because I witnessed your awkward teenage years’ I joked, putting on my innocent, big eyes.

   ‘When I stop this car, I’m gonna kill you!’ he said, without any trace of a grin. That wouldn't stop me.

   ‘Can’t hit a girl!’ I stuck out my tongue at his refection. ‘Eyes on the road, not me!’ I smiled, he tore his eyes away from the mirror. 

   We arrived at the school, My friend, Alex walked up to me, she interrupted my conversation with Brandon, she always did that, not purposely, she was listening to her favourite group ‘Never Shout Never’ on her Ipod . I looked at her and sighed

   ‘What? I didn’t interrupt again, did I?’ I nodded, she covered her mouth ‘Sorry! Hey guys.’ She waved.

   ‘Hey’ the guys said in unison. I waved over my shoulder at them and walked into school with her

   ‘So… What’s up with you? You’re pale’ she asked

   ‘I discovered, Brandon is a male model!’ I laughed again, her eyes widened, she glanced over her shoulder at him again and nodded with a shrug, her short, red, soft, curls with strands of strawberry blond bounced under one of her many hats -today's was a dark red small top-hat that matched her 'geeky' big framed glasses- as she did so. Her light, misty grey, blue eyes sparkled in surprise, still.

   ‘I can see it!’ she smiled. I shook my head in disbelief. Flipping blond hair in her face. I glanced at him too. He flashed a hundred dollar smile, I wouldn’t admit it, but I saw it too.

                                                                           ***

I walked out of the changing rooms in the gym, first ready, as usual. My class and Amelie’s were at the same time, her teacher was flicking through papers in a big, blue folder. He looked up at me.

   ‘You... uh...Brandon, is it?’ he asked, I nodded

   ‘Yes sir?’ I asked

   ‘Can you tell the girls to hurry up? They should be out’ I blushed

   ‘Sir, I don’t think I can. It’s the Girl’s changing room!’ I pointed out, what if I walked in and… they weren’t fully dressed… Amelie would kill me without a second thought and wipe the blood on my clothes and laugh.

   ‘As I said they should be ready, they’re probably just putting on their sneakers and stuff’ he said,It was the stuff I was worried about! I walked slowly up to the door and knocked, then opened the door, some girls screamed and held T-shirt in front of…themselves. Amelie stood with her hand on her hip glaring at me. She had on football shorts and a tank top that hugged her not so small curves. But I think she liked being a different size to her thinner friends. Or maybe she was just confident.

   ‘You pe... idiot...!’ she yelled ‘what the hell!?’

   ‘You-you’re eh…teacher s-sent me-me…’ she rolled her eyes

   ‘Okay, we’re nearly ready! Shoo!’ she said waving me off. I flushed again. And walked out of the room and muttered to her teacher that they were nearly ready. Thankfully 

     Amelie literally bounced out of school and walked beside me, clearly forgetting earlier that day

   ’Hey!’ she smiled and skipped along

   ’What the hell is with you?!’ I asked with a laugh

   ’Jared asked me to the dance! The make-up worked!’ she did a little celebratory dance which concluded with a spin. I really hated myself for getting him to ask her out. Why the hell did I do that?

   ‘Good for you, I still hate him, though’ I shrugged, serious again

   ‘Whatever!’ she smiled ‘I’m so happy!’ she hugged my waist and then released me abruptly, just as I was getting over the surprise and guiltily enjoying the embrace.

   ‘What?’ I complained, embarrassed, I heard the desperation in my own voice, she didn't seem to notice

   ‘I don’t want anyone else to think we’re, you know… together,’ her cheeks turned a light, barely visible scarlet. She brushed a lock of light hair from her face, I nodded, pretending to understand. We sat alone in my car, waiting for Joshua

   ‘So…’ she began ‘A male model…’ I smiled, modestly

   ‘Yeah, surprised?’ 

   ‘Very. Like you’re, you know. . . Fairly good-looking but that’s not a usual thing, you know. Well, in real life... outside of cheesy movies... I would never be able to do that’ I laughed

   ‘Thanks’ I looked into her blue eyes, I noticed the grey-ish flecks in them, a contrast to the dark blue. She smiled

   ‘So, who are you going to the dance with?’ she asked, snapping me back to full consciousness, for a minute I thought she was asking me, I smirked and then I remembered she was going with that jerk, Jared. The realisation pained me... I sighed in quiet frustration.

   ‘Don’t know, I mightn’t go, the theme is. . . weird’ I said

   ‘I think it’s cute! The school is supplying the outfits, they were used for plays before!’ the theme was medieval, puffy dresses, pantaloons… I shivered inwardly to myself.

   ‘Hey!' She jumped up a bit. I could imagine a lightbulb light over her head. 'My friends are going as a group! I’m sticking around with them too, wanna come with us?’ I was reminded of that night when I was twelve, her face was so innocent and happy and... young. Even with all her make up.

   ‘Sure, okay’ I sighed and shrugged, Joshua walked up to the car and got in, that was the end of our conversation.