Playing Pretend

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

__________

*beep*

Gosh

*beep*

dang

*beep*

It.

I slammed my fist on the blaring alarm clock and rolled to my side when the beeping stopped, my eyelids still pressed tightly.

Groaning, I peeked an eyelid open, glancing at the clock. They shot open once I caught sight of the digital numbers and screamed out a string of curse words.

Not good, not good.

Scrambling out of the bed, I ran over to the closet and grabbed a random set of clothes then stumbling into the bathroom attached to my room. The door slammed noisily behind me as I reached for the clothes, getting a first look at them, I growled.

I'm such a morning person.

Opening the door with a huge amount of force, I rush back over to the closet and pick out a reasonable outfit then back into the bathroom. I jump on a balanced one foot as I pull on skinny jeans, falling off to the side slightly.

I sigh, relaxed that I somehow put on the washed looking jeans, looking faded from the way it was made. Snatching the cream colored flowing shirt, with a white cami under it so nothing would show.

Popping my head out the doorway, I glanced at the clock again and cursed at myself and the alarm clock. I darted out of the bathroom only to stop mid-way in my room and shoot back in the bathroom.

Hair. I put my hair into a quick bun while sliding on cream ballet flats then dashed out a final time. No jewelry, no time. Grabbing my phone, slinging my bag over my shoulder and out of the house I went.

The school isn't all too far away so I made a jog for it. No, I'm not going to say 'I made a run for it', because one; I don't care that much to run of being ALMOST late. I slowed to a speed walk after two blocks. Sighing in relief, when less than five minutes later the school came in my sight.

I jogged the rest of the way there, not bothering to became late because I saw the school and thought I was safe. I reached the courtyard and smiled, a fake smile to me, yet a real smile to these people around me.

I would chirp a "Hey!" Or "Hello!" to random people, because that's my cover. Cover, you ask? After school, the best teenage spy in the country or maybe even world. During school, the always preppy and all smiles no matter what is happening.

I mean at school, I'm wearing the pretty skirts, dresses, shirts and warm feeling colors. Well, after school, I wear darker colors, jeans, t-shirt and a nice pair of sneakers, that's my perfect outfit. Also, a little bit of make-up, not much.

One being the real me, one being the totally fake me. Which one?

The fake, in school.

Although, I can be happy just not all the freakin' time like my cover-up. I wonder myself how I act like this, because then I must be a good dang actress if I can pull this off without any questions.

Suddenly there was a forceful tug on my sleeve. I inhaled as my instincts almost kicked in, but I was suddenly covered in warmth. I yelped, stumbling to recover myself from giving the ground a hug then covered up the yelp with laughter as I glanced at the one responsible.

"Hey, Ellie! What's up?" Ellie-aka my very best friend, at school. Secrets aren't supposed to be I between friendship, but that's not in my case. I have a big, fat, juicy secret that would both shock and confuse anyone who knew the real secret or if the secret got out somehow.

A hand in front of my face brought me back, being brought back from my thoughts, again. "Earth to Miss. Little Sunshine! What'cha thinkin' about," my best friend asked, her eyebrows raised in question-shooting directly at me, yes shooting, I know what I meant.

I smiled at her, shaking my head as I glanced at the ground. "It's nothing too bad to worry about. Um, we should get going, the bells about to ring," I exclaimed, hurrying foreword before she could ponder more on the situation.

I plastered my fake but real looking smile on my lips, flashing everyone that smile and a quick but preppy greeting.

* *

I swirled the pen around in a small doodle design on the lined paper, paying absolute no attention to the teacher in front.

Not to brag, but I could take the test right now and I could get a passing grade then be shooed off to college, but I chose staying here. I releasing an almost silent sigh, I caught only a few words of what the teacher spoke,

"Now-blah, blah-ready-blah, blah, blah,-home-blah-partners-." My head shot up to the teacher at the word 'partners'. I don't have time for a project, nonetheless a partner project at home!

Groans and small excited cheers filled the classroom as the teacher, Miss. Hughes, yelled out words of silent synonyms. This time when she talked I payed actual attention for me and my partners sake.

"You and your assigned partner will have to make a fictional storybook, we it being more than 40 pages, no less and full length-" then Miss. Hughes rambled on about how we can't have any misspelled words or incomplete sentences.

"-the pages will be due by the end of this month, so I will name off the partners, you have a month to get together a few times and speak ideas!" A bright smile showed on her face as she clapped the palms of her hands together in excitement.

What do those people thing that cheered now? Wishing you groaned, eh?

"Okay, here's the list-"

"Lillian and Jeremiah," a groan, two to be exact.

"Tiara and Rose," a mumbled cheer erupted from the two girls.

"A-" the door slammed open suddenly, more than 3/4 of the people jumped, startled at the sudden action. Miss. Hughes furrowed her eyebrows at the guy standing in the doorway, the guy everyone knew as Jace Oliver.

He smiled sheepishly, stepping in the whisper filled room. "Sorry, Miss. Hughes, I had a matter to attend to." Yeah real fancy words there, that's how everyone gets out of trouble in this class. There's no sarcasm there, literally.

The teacher let out a soft sigh, lowering her eyesight to the floor for a split second, almost as if thinking if he should be let off the hook or-in a not so good case-not. "Yeah, yeah, sit." Jace nodded quickly then took the chance to slid in a chair.

"Now, as I was saying..." Her voice drifted off as she looked at the list in her hands before realizing who she left off on.

"Ava and-I held my breath-Jace are partners." My jaw almost dropped open, but I quickly hid it with a believable looking smile. Of coarse I get stuck with him, but I'm not saying he's terrible! It's just it will be most definitely...different.

Miss. Hughes shot me a smile,"could you fill him in on what project we have going on and the details, Ava?" Instead of it sounding a question, it was more like a demand.

I did the most questionable thing in my life and well, I guess it would change my life in the future, but I didn't know that, not then, not there, I nodded and answered a simple,"yes, ma'am."