Unpredictable

Chapter 2

"SHIT!" I screamed as Alfred beeped his car horn from on my driveway. I spent the next five minutes cursing and trying to get myself ready to go to school.

"See you later Dad!" I yelled grabbing myself a croissant as I ran out of the front door.

Alfred was waiting in the car on his phone, scrolling through his social media no doubt. "Sorry Alfie, I snoozed my alarm a couple too many times," I explained hoping he wasn't too annoyed and that we wouldn't be too late for our first day back.

"Lex it's fine, we will still be on time anyways," he smiled gently as he pulled off the driveway and onto the road.

Ten minutes went by in complete silence as we travelled the winding roads to school until Alfie put the radio on. The radio presenter introduced 'Something just like this' by Coldplay. "Oh my god Lex I love this song!" Alfie shrieked turning the radio up so the music boomed through the car.

"I WANT SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS," we both sang as loud as we could completely out of tune. There was something about this song which made me feel free like all I wanted to do was sing and dance like there was nobody listening.

Almost as soon as the song ended we pulled into the school car park and I groaned internally. Alfie looked unperturbed by the thought of our first day back and the potential drama that awaited us. "Take a deep breath Alfie, it's time to face the bitches," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

"Lex you look incredible, we are going to slay today," Alfie encouraged gently.

"Well thank you kind Sir, you also look fabulous as ever," I told him confidently while taking his arm in mine.

There was already a buzz in the common room as it was filling up ready for our first assembly of the academic year. The next twenty minutes seemed to drag on forever, the head of year Mrs James rambled on about rules for the year and changes to old rules.

"Have you seen how gorgeous Amelie looks Lex?" Alfie murmurs in my ear subtly. He was right, he usually was, she did look beautiful. There was something effortless about her beauty; the way she could wear no makeup and the simplest clothes and yet she looked a million dollars at all times.

"She is, as ever, looking stunning," I agreed with Alfie.

We spent the next half an hour before our first lesson drinking tea and chatting to the rest of our friends about everything and nothing. There was a sea of internal groaning when the bell rang for our first lesson. 'Here goes nothing' I think to myself as I head towards chemistry trying not to bash into anyone or attract any kind of unwanted attention.

I was one of the first few to arrive to class, most of the people standing in the hallway I recognised from my year group, but there was one that was unfamiliar to me. Who is that new kid?

"Hey, I'm Steve, what's your name? I don't think I have seen you before," newbie says looking me up and down slightly.

"It's Alexis, but most of my friends call me Lex,"

"Alexis, that is a beautiful name. I am resitting this year by the way," he answered the question like I had asked him why he was here. I wondered how he knew what I was thinking, had I said it out loud and not realised.

"I am pretty invisible at this school, you probably have seen me you just don't recognise me," I reply flatly hoping that he will just leave me alone.

The next hour we sat next to one another and he tried several times to engage in conversations with me. I took my phone and sent a quick message to Alfie 'Who is this Steve kid and where does he come from? HE LITERALLY HAS NOT SHUT UP'. It wasn't long before my phone lit up with a response from Alfie 'He's in the year above us, I will do a quick social media stalk and chat about this at break. Wait, why? Do you like him?'. I rolled my eyes and put my phone away, typical Alfie to snoop through someone's facebook, he loved the gossip at school no matter how much he tried to deny it.

"Psst Lex, what's your answer on question 4?" Liam asks hoping I have the answer.

"I have no idea Li I am just about to do that question," I reply without even looking up at him. Liam always asked me what my answer was, I figured he would eventually learn that I would never tell him but apparently I was wrong.

"Liar," Steve scoffed.

"Excuse me?" I turn to look at him and see a smirk forming across his stupid face.

"I said liar. You told him you hadn't done the question but I can see that you have," he smirks gesturing towards my work. "It's ok I won't tell on you but you have to do me a favour," he says clearly enjoying the fact that he had caught me out.

"What's that?" I ask trying to keep my tone deadpan, there was no way I was going to let a douchebag like him get under my skin in less than an hour of knowing me.

"You have to go on a date with me," he whispers into my ear.

"I – " I start to respond when the bell rescues me from the potential embarrassment.

Hoping Alfie had come up with some great dirt on Steve I walked as quickly as possible to meet him for break. The common room was packed with people and still more were filtering in. I scan the room for a few seconds until I catch sight of Alfie.

"Alfie!" I shout gesturing for him to come over so we could talk more privately.

"How was chem?" Alfie teases.

"Alfie please tell me you have some gossip, he is insufferable," I pout crossing my arms like a toddler to prove my distress.

Alfred had nothing, I might have to go on that date with newbie after all. It's one date, how badly can it go I thought to myself.