Secrets and Lies ||mildie/sillie||

Chapter 9

The next few days passed uneventfully, Sadie tried to keep her head down and get to know her new classes and teachers, get to grips with the work. She also tried to avoid bumping into Maddie, Grace, and Marina, not being in the mood for spending any time with them. After only a couple of weeks, she was already unimpressed by their attitudes, priorities, and downright bitchiness. She never thought she'd be in this position, courted by the popular girls, and despite the fact that many girls would do anything to be in her position right now, she hated it.

"Hey Sadie" called Maddie, spotting her in the lunch queue and waving her over.

Oh crap! thought Sadie, scrunching her eyes closed for a moment. She felt compelled to go to their table and sit, it would be rude otherwise, and she'd been brought up to have good manners. Glancing around surreptitiously, so as not to show Maddie, she found Millie and the guys sitting a few tables away. Locking eyes with Millie, she grimaced, indicating with her head where she was going. Millie laughed into her sandwich, causing Sadie to have to suppress a smirk just as she got to Maddie's table. "Hey ladies."

"Hi...you ok? You look like you're in pain or something" asked Grace, confused at Sadie's expression as she was trying to hide her laugh.

"Err, no...it's fine" she said, trying to think on her feet, "I'm just thinking about something funny my mom said this morning...it's stupid really" she managed, it'll have to do...damn I'm shit at lying...that's not a bad thing, right?

"Sadie? Sadie!"

"What?"

"You zoned out there. Anyway, like I was saying, I haven't seen you all week, where have you been? What did you get up to this weekend? I mean, you don't know many people, you should have hung out with us."

"Yeah, um, I just walked around town, explored a bit, nothing too exciting." She couldn't help but think about the sleepover and glanced across the room at Millie, who was deep in conversation with Gaten, and wearing a serious expression. "So, what about you?"

"Oh, the usual" said Maddie, looking aloof. "A party, made-out with some hot guys." Sadie inwardly groaned, guys, more than one? really? "Yeah, it was ok. Music was shit but they had great drinks, although we regretted it the next day, right girls?" she said laughing, tapping Grace and Marina either side of her. They both giggled at the memory. "Next time you'll have to come with us!" she insisted. Sadie smiled, trying not to commit to anything but not piss them off.

"Anyway, back to business" said Maddie.

Sadie looked up sharply, "what?"

"Your outfit, for Wyatt's party" she elaborated, "did you bring something for us to see?"

"Er, no" she admitted. Maddie looked disappointed, and a little annoyed. "Listen, I'm just going to wear what I feel comfortable in, ok?"

"Well, if that's how you want to play it...but I can't guarantee that you'll be noticed by the right people at the party then" said Maddie, trying to convince her with her warped version of what's important in life.

"That's kind of ok right now, honestly, I kind of want to be accepted for being me" oh god, when did this become some personal speech about acceptance... "I mean, won't we all be too wasted to care in the end?" she asked, hoping to god that statement impressed them enough to drop it.

Maddie laughed, "ha, you're so right, I knew you were a dark horse".

Damn, you're so right...but not in this way.

"Anyway, we've got to go, we're meeting some 'friends'" Grace said, winking salaciously, "wanna come? There's enough to go around."

"Oh...uh...no, maybe next time" said Sadie, panicking slightly.

"Suit yourself" Grace replied coldly as they stood up and left.

Sadie just slumped over and banged her head on the table when they were out of sight. After she'd composed herself from dealing with their vacuous conversation, if it could even be called that, she stood up to join Millie at her table. That didn't quite go to plan either. As she approached their table they all stopped talking, the guys looking awkward, Millie looking pissed. "Uh, hey?!" said Sadie, waving a little.

"Hey" they all replied, except Millie, she just nodded at her coldly. Sadie sat down, feeling uncomfortable with them for the first time since her first day.

"Saw you with Maddie just now, you didn't look too enthusiastic" said Noah, trying to make conversation.

"Yeah, for some reason she keeps wanting me to join their group, but honestly, they only seem to interested in clothes, guys, and parties...not exactly my thing" she stated, "plus they're always gossiping about people" she added.

At this last statement, Millie just shot up out of her seat, startling Sadie, in fact startling the whole group. "I'll see you later" she said to the group, but pausing to look intensely at Sadie for a few seconds. She looks almost disappointed.

After she'd gone, Sadie turned to the group and asked "is she ok? She looks pissed...at me."

"It's fine, don't worry" said Caleb. Sadie wanted to believe him, but she saw Gaten desperately trying to avoid eye contact by suddenly becoming fascinated with the nutritional information on his chocolate pudding.

"Anyway, party" said Noah, clapping his hands together. "Sadie, Millie said she and Finn will walk you there as you live so close."

"Oh really?" Sadie felt more reassured now, that she hadn't upset Millie in some way, "cool, what time?"

"Around 9 I think" Noah replied.

"Oh, and Sadie?" said Caleb.

"...yeah?" she replied, suddenly feeling nervous again.

"Millie said to tell you to wear something nice..."

Sadie just looked at him open mouthed, hypocrite! flashed through her mind. Caleb met her gaze seriously for at least 10 seconds before bursting out laughing, "kidding, she was kidding! Man, I can't believe your face, amazing" he said, still chuckling with the rest of the guys.

Sadie just grinned and shook her head, not believing she'd fallen for it.

The rest of the day was uneventful, until home time when she ran into Maddie. "Sadie! How are you? We're going to the party for around 9, I'll get Marina to pick you up, ok?"

Crap, awkward! "Um, actually, Finn and Millie said they'd show me the way, I live really close to them so it made sense...no need for you guys to come out of your way then" she said, trying to convince Maddie that she was doing it all for their convenience, and hating herself for not being able to say the real reason. "I can meet you guys when I get there" she added, trying to sound hopeful that that would actually happen.

Maddie looked unimpressed, and didn't even bother trying to hide it. "Well, if that's the choice you've made, maybe we'll talk when you get there" she said, and immediately turned and walked away, her head held slightly to high, trying to look indifferent.

Sadie headed home, apprehensive about the night that lay ahead.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*