Wherever You Will Go

Chapter 3- The Past

{Joe}
Sitting in the taxi on the way to wherever I'm going, (I've just shown the driver the address on the front of the pack that I've been given) I can't help but think about the red head at the airport. I'm struggling between her and the six months ahead of me, and decide that I should probably focus on the next six months instead of her. However nice it would be. God Joe, you've been here two minutes and you're already trying to pick up girls. Nice going. Man-whore. Pushing the thought to the back of my mind I gaze out of the window again. That's part of the reason I've come away, I remind myself. Most of the people in my school, in my life, are amazing. Most. Then there's always those few, those that you don't really feel comfortable around, and you can never really lay your finger on why. Apart from you can.

~flashback bitches~

"Wow Joe, that's like your third girlfriend in, what, as many days?" Chaz sniggers as he walks off, a girl tight in his hands. Like he's one to talk. I know for a fact he was stood with Pippa this morning, and I've never even seen that chick around that he's got now. Hell, looking at her, she might be about 12.
"Hollie don't listen to him, you know I'm not like that." I turn round, only to see that where she was stood is now empty, and her friends are stood tight around her, throwing glances in my direction. Wow. If looks could kill.
"You'd be a gonner." Zoë says from behind me. I stare at her incredulously,
"Did you just...?"
"Read your mind? Yeah. Probably." She shrugs and looks at me.
"Joe you can't let them get to you, you know you're not like that. Him, on the other hand..." She looks pointedly over at Chaz who has his hands round yet another girls waist.
"I don't get why he can't keep one girl."
"Because he's a bad kisser." She begins to walk away but I catch her wrist.
"What? How do you-" She taps her nose, indication that she won't tell me,
"I have my ways."

~flashback over, welcome to the real world~

Just thinking about Zoë makes me smile. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do without her for six months, she's like my best friend. Wow. Cringe. Out of nowhere my phone lights up. Speak of the devil.

Zoë 💜: Hey Josephhhh, how's France?
Joe 🧡: I've only seen the inside of a taxi so far...
Zoë 💜: Haha very funny 🙄 how was the flight?
Joe 🧡: High?
Zoë 💜: What, you or the flight?

I grin at my sisters reply. Her sense of humour is absolutely class. This, however, is why I'm so sarcastic. This is what I had to compete with when I was growing up. Hell, I still do.

Joe 🧡: The flight. I'm not in Amsterdam 😂
Zoë 💜: True, true. Girls?
Joe 🧡: Zo I've not even been here an hour.
Zoë 💜: Not what I asked.
Joe 🧡: No.
Zoë 💜: Keep me updated!!
Joe 🧡: Like I have a choice.

{Dianne}
Showing the driver the address from my phone I settle back into my seat, thinking about home. No use in that though, this is home for the next six months. Again the thoughts come rushing back. You've made a mistake. Idiot. No, I haven't made a mistake. I'm doing this for me. For me and nobody else. Finally it's time to be selfish.

~flashback bitches~

"Dianne can you help me with this please." At the sound of the voice I freeze and gulp, knowing exactly who it is. Lexie. As I turn around I smile sweetly,
"What can I help you with?" She shoves her homework in my face.
"Do it."
"Lexie I would, you know I would, but I have so much to do myself."
"Do you really think I care?" No, I don't think she cares. In fact, I know she doesn't care.
"Can't someone else help you? Just this once."
"Hmmm let me think..." She scratches her head sarcastically,
"Well... Brooklyn is coming out, Lucia has a social life and Chloe is going away, and I like everyone besides you. Anyway, no one is as much of a loser as you. What would you be doing if I didn't give you anything to do? Really, you should be thanking me for giving you something to do. Also, don't try and hide your answers from me again, you selfish bitch." She flounces off, brown curls bouncing as she goes. What would I be doing otherwise? Dancing, having fun, going out with my mates? But no. The bell goes for lunch and I walk out the classroom, but not before someone else notices me. Charlie. He hands me a dictionary before turning round to make sure all his friends are watching. "Your forgetting your lunch. You eat dictionaries right? That's why you're so smart." He taps my head smirking, before nodding in the direction of the door, his friends following him out.

~flashybacky isy overy~

Remembering that, I realise how important me coming away actually is. How important being selfish is sometimes. I'm so glad I've done it now, although I'm not sure I'll be saying that in a few days when I'm stuck with a family who I can't even really talk to for six months. Whatever, let's focus on the present. For the next few days the programme has basically taken over a hotel, or that's what it says in the leaflet anyway. Not everyone could arrive on the same day, seeing as hundreds of people are on the programme. Officially it starts on Monday, meaning I have the whole weekend to check out the surrounding area of where we're staying. If I'm even allowed out, they'll probably be scared we'll all run off for six months. I chuckle at the thought of hundreds of kids who can't talk to each other partying their way through France. Mental. Even if we are allowed out, I'll probably just stay cooped up in my room, eating. But that's because I'm boring.