Wondering why

Part 3

Joel and I had arrived in a local shopping mall, which was packed. It was a fifteen-minute walk from the house and right now it was the light of the town. For some reason everyone was here, and Joel is smiling and waving at everyone. I couldn't help but notice all the girls giving me the evils though. I was paranoid that I had something in my teeth or that I had coffee down my front, but I didn't. I kept checking in the windows to make sure but I couldn't figure it out.

"Why does everyone keep looking at me like that?" I asked Joel as we turned into a fabrics store.

"Like what?"

We continued down to the back of the store where there were blinds and curtains. "Like there is something wrong with me".

He laughed and pulled me into his side. He could tell that I was nervous, I'm not used to people looking at me like that. I had become familiar with the look of pity, but it wasn't that. I just didn't get the joke. "You're new, people are interested. We don't get a lot of new people here". But it was more than that. I didn't push the subject because I knew he wasn't a mind reader, but it was really bugging me.

I ended up buying long baby blue curtains due to Joel's input. As we continued through the mall the looks got worse, Joel still didn't seem to notice. We stopped off at a Starbucks to get a coffee but we couldn't stick around, the shops are going to close soon and I still haven't bought everything that I need.

"Why did you bring so little?" He asks as I choose out some clothes from a cute boutique in the centre of the mall.

I give him a pained smile, I knew that he wanted to know that ever since I got out of the taxi with a half empty over-night bag. "Because seeing everything just brings back to many painful memories." I say, and I can tell he regrets asking as he nods in understanding looking uncomfortable.

I wave a hand in dismissal and force a more convincing smile, "This is my fresh start".

He grabs my hand and squeezes it, "Well then, we better do it properly," he grins. "All new for the new Miss Holly O'Neil". I laugh and grab a few more outfits that I will take to try on.

On our way to the changing room we're stopped by a tall blonde standing in our way. She glares at me and gives me the head to toe check, and then she turns to Joel and presents us with a show stopping smile. "Hey Joel," she beams. She looks like a love sick puppy and I have to restrain myself from rolling my eyes.

I turn to look at Joel to see his expression, which seems to be pretty blank to me. "Uh hey Courtney, this is Holly." They both turn to me.

I muster up the sweetest smile and point it in Courtney's direction. "Hi Courtney." I say holding my hand out to her, but she just brushes me off like I'm just dust blocking her view. I'm really starting to dislike her.

Joel reaches out for my hand again which makes Courtney look like she's about to blow. "Well Holly has to go try these on," he indicates to the clothes in my other hand, "We'll uh see you round" he says leading me to the fitting rooms and pushing me inside. Well that was definitely awkward.

I end up buying all of the clothes that I tried on, plus a couple pairs of shoes. Which should last me the week.

Joel and I then head to a small store on the other side of town to buy some paint and paint brushes. Because currently my room looks like a lemon exploded inside it. Out all of the times that I had been to the oaks house I had never been in my room, they had turned it into storage room when they moved in so they never bothered to re-decorate it like the rest of the house.

When we got home Joel had to go back out and meet some of his friends. So I decided that once I had put up my new baby blue curtains over my window which has the creepiest and biggest tree stood outside, I was going to find Kyle.

When I went into Kyles room he was lying in his bed with his laptop sat on his stomach scrolling through his Facebook news feed. I was worried that I would wake him so I had prepared a peace offering of his favorite ice-cream.

When he realized it was me that had come in he shut his laptop and turned to me. "Don't get too close, I'm contagious". I took his warning very seriously; I didn't want to have the flu on my first day at my new school in a few days. So I settled for an armchair opposite his bed.

"So how are you feeling?"

"I've had better days."

I smile and pull the small tubs of ice-cream out of the bag and wave them at him. His eyes light up, Kyle and I have always shared our love for ice-cream. I pass him his vanilla and cookie dough- his favorite, and I open my chocolate one. Ben and Jerry's can cheer anyone up.

We eat our ice-cream and talk about school. He probably won't come in until Thursday because the school nurse said that it would be likely that he would need to have a week off. "Stay away from the left back corner of the cafeteria because it will lead to the end of your social-life. I will make sure Joel takes you to the front office on the first day to get your timetable and stuff. Oh and whatever you do, just stay away from Scott Finch and Jared Ryder." I made a mental note of the names and places, before heading downstairs to find Aunt Lucy.

"Aunt Lucy" I call but receive no answer. "Aunt Lucy?" I eventually find her sat at the dining table waiting for Chris- her husband.

"Uh Aunt Lucy, I was..." I began but was cut off by her.

"Oh darling, please just call me Lucy. I'm not really your Aunt anymore". I nod agreeing.

"So uh... Lucy, I was just uh wondering if I needed anything for school, like a bus pass or something"

She just laughs at me, "No honey, its fine Joel has his license and he will drive you into school"

"Oh when did he get that?"

"About six months ago, he failed his test twice. He was so frustrated because he wanted to get his license before all of his friends." She laughs again and I laugh too, I can only imagine how awful he was at driving. "Holly, you could get a license if you'd like?"

I wondered if Kyle had his, he was eleven months younger than Joel, which meant that they were only just in the same year. "Has Kyle got one?" I asked.

"Yes, he passed his test two weeks ago, first time" she smiled, "but Joel refuses to let him drive to school".

Chris then walks through the door and scoops me up into a hug. "How're you doing kid?" he asks as he lets me go. I smile and nod at him which is a good enough answer for him.

"Chris Darling can I please talk you?" Lucy says but it's not really a question more of a statement and I take that as my queue to leave.

~*~*~

(A/N) Sorry this chapter is so short but I'm just laying the platforms still. I promise I will make up for it soon.

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-Staryskies xxx