Paper Hearts

Chapter 3

"So, that's how it happened? Did you live near him or something? Or you went to school together?! I'll bet it was that." I could see now that Justin was interested.

"Oh, I'm just getting started." I told him. "So yeah, we moved to Sydney. But, no, I didn't go to school with Luke. And we didn't live in the same neighborhood or anything. But I did go to the same school as Ashton."

"Aren't you younger than him though? You're Luke's age right?" he asked, tattooing slowly.

"Yes, and yes. I was always in advanced classes, though. I was 15 and a sophomore, when Ashton was a senior, and like I said, we went to the same school."

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Being the new kid, in a new country, would be difficult. Or so you would think, right?

Honestly though, the fact that my voice was American and had some of that southern twang, made people want me to talk to them. So that made it a lot easier for me.

People wanting to talk to me was great, but I soon found out that the guys in Sydney were just as shallow as the ones in South Carolina. The girls, once they found out that even though I was a preppy, pretty looking girl on the outside, but I couldn't be mean to anyone, soon ditched me, in a crueler way than I did the guys who were only interested in my boobs and my voice and my face.

Like once, I saw this kid sitting alone at lunch. I felt bad, so I walked over to him and asked if I could sit down with him, he nervously nodded, and looked down.

I sat down across from him and started eating my apple. "If we're gonna be friends, I'm gonna need to know your name." I told him.

He looked up, "You, friends with me?" he questioned.

"Why not?" I asked, and I smiled.

"You're the new, popular, American girl, and you want to be friends with me? Why? Aren't you friends with Ashley and them?"

I nodded, chewing. "So?"

"Won't this," he gestured from me to him, "kind of mess up your reputation?"

"If Ashley and them have a problem with us being friends, then they aren't my real friends." I told him. "What's your name?" I asked him.

"Eugene." he told me.

"Eugene... I like it. Do you ever go by just Gene?" I asked him.

"Well my mom calls me that sometimes." he answered.

"I'm gonna call you Gene, okay? Ya know, like Gene Simmons?"

Gene shook his head, and stared at me blankly.

"From Kiss? The band?" I asked.

"I listen to classical music." Gene looked down and blushed a bit.

"Hey, that's cool. Well Kiss is classic rock." I told him. "They're pretty cool. You should give them a listen. Since you have the same name as the lead guy now." I smiled at him and suddenly felt a tap on my back.

"Oh, hey Ashley!" I smiled brightly, "I made a new friend, this is Ge-"

"Can I speak to you privately for a second, please?" she said, and she looked disgusted.

"Oh, sure! Be right back, Gene!" I yelled over my shoulder. I know, I was naïve, for not seeing where this was headed.

She led me over to the corner of the cafeteria, near a table of seniors. "What do you think you're doing?" she questioned.

"Excuse me?" I said, crinkling my eyebrows.

"Talking to that loser." she said scrunching her nose.

Loser? I don't do labels. "You know what, Ashley? Gene is my friend. You and I were friends, and maybe this is going to sound a little judgmental in itself, but I'm not friends with judgmental people. I don't do labels. And if you're going to get pissed off because I'm nice to people, then you can just be pissed off about it." and with that I walked back to the table that Gene was sitting at and I continued our conversation like nothing had happened.

"I'm Emily, by the way." I reached out and shook his hand.

So if you think girls are any less monstrous in other countries, you're wrong.

That's not my point, just throwing it out there.

Anyway, so I was friends with the most popular girl in school, and then blew it. But it's okay, I don't do labels. And I don't deal well with the people who do.

I know you guys are reading this because it's a luke fanfic, and i know, he's not in this chapter, but Ash will be in the next one:) (Maybe the other three also, but I'm still not sure how i want to divide up the chapters :) Much love, E.