BITTERSWEET//LARRY

Chapter 1

Lola roared with laughter, nearly choking on her sweet.

"No way do I fancy Theo, I've known him since I was three!"

Lola and he best friend, Isobelle were traipsing up the bank that led from their school, trying to find somewhere peaceful, away from her mothers prying eyes. Isobelle, coming from a rich family, happily shared the sweets that she had bought in the morning. Not only were they trying to avoid their mothers, but Lola's sister, Lottie, as their house had a strict no sweets ban, Lola's mum believed they rotted your teeth and Lottie was sure to tell.

Lola's mum threatened to stop paying for her private school books and stationary and uniform, if she was caught with sweets. And Lola just couldn't face being the laughing stock of her year for not having the latest season shoes, considering she was a scholarship kid and all.

Lola tried desperately hard to get everyone to like her at her private school, but she was exceptionally bright, labelled as the 'nerd' and wasn't wealthy enough to fit in. Isobelle however, did not seem to want to make friends with the girls who lined after boys and were selfish and shallow.

They made friends in a food tech lesson, by eating all the cookie dough before it had even reached the oven, when asked for the photos of the end product, they chuckled, knowing they had nothing to present.

Isobelle shook her packet of sweets, praying that she didn't pull out an orange or a lime.

"Are you sure you don't fancy Theo?"

"I don't know, maybe, he's a nice guy and he's not exactly bad looking."

Isobelle giggled. "I knew you did!"

Isobelle handed Lola the packet of sweets, Lola grins as she pulls out a strawberry.

"So what's been going on with you and your mum then?"

"Oh, the usual, both winding each other up incessantly, I think she wants me tot be more like Lottie if I'm honest."

"Everyone wants to be more like Lottie."

When Isobelle has first met Lottie, she was wowed by her looks, everyone though Lottie was beautiful, and Lola just seemed a bit plain in comparison. Lottie had hair that seemed to look good every colour, round plump lips and curves in all the right places. Isobelle tends to pay more attention to Lottie than me when in her presence. No one saw how conceited she was, how she adored all the attention and the wolf whistles from boys. And of course, won Miss Doncaster year after year.

"I don't, I would hate to be like Lottie."

Lola pulled out her scrapbook full of her photography, ignoring Isobelle's praise of Lottie. There was one photo, where Lola had used Lottie's leftover hair dye to create a colourful backdrop. Lola had always loved photography and had a preference for older cameras, feeling they have the photo more depth and meaning.

"Do you ever want to get married Lola?"

"I don't think I really see the point," said Lola, shrugging.

"Just wait until you fall for someone. It'll be magical, one day you'll find your very own Romeo."