Outside

15

The thin straps of my black bralette fall down my arm every time I move my arms to put a little more mascara on my naturally long eyelashes, the corduroy of my skirt is covered in setting powder at this point, white specks of dust decorating the indented lines which I trace with the index finger of my free hand, looking for something to take my mind off of how nervous I am for today.

I shouldn't be nervous. It's only Van, a rising-to-fame rockstar, a Julian Casablancas wannabe, a heart throb who does nothing but melt my heart and cause my hands to shake vigorously whenever he's within a five meter radius of me, a man who has me wrapped around his little finger. I must admit, with all this going on, I have achieved the good skill of keeping my thoughts and feelings inside, I've been able to hide how nervous I get around him quite well and I must say I'm proud of myself for doing so. Last time I showed my feelings it drove the lad away and left me crying against my bedroom door like a typical naive teenage girl. I was only sixteen then, so can you even blame me? At least I've learned since then though right?

I can already feel the butterflies flying around my stomach as I look at the brown irises staring back at me, telling me that I still look tired and unkept no matter how many times I redo my makeup. I'm not model material, I'm not even a simple friend's pretend photoshoot material, I'm just plain and simple Lyla. Too lazy to curl her hair after making a promise to herself that she would, getting up early especially to do it, too lazy to tie her laces so she tucks them in and hopes they'll stay in place, too lazy to dab a little bit of concealer over the spots that had broken out over night.

I only have half an hour left, half an hour until I have to muster up some stupid excuse to my parents as to why I'm going out dressed the way I am on a Saturday. I know they'll ask, I never go out at the weekend, I never go out any other day either.

As I'm adding the last little changes to my fatigue ridden face, the ping coming from my phone makes me jump and I almost stab my self in the eye with the stick of black eyeliner. Reaching over to the nightstand, I grab the device and see that Lois had texted me, 'heard about Ross sackin you, everything ok?' The text reads and I can't help but smile at her concern, at least one person is bothered in the way I want them to be.

'Yeah, was gonna quit soon anyway' I send back and shut off the phone in order to save the battery so that it doesn't die during the day, who knows when I'll need it right?

The doorbell doesn't ring for another twenty minutes, but when it does my heart almost flies out of my mouth. I've never been on a date before, this is so weird to me. The nerves radiating around my body make my hands and my legs shake, making it hard to even stand to my feet and walk to the front door to greet the guest. To greet the blue-eyed heartthrob himself.

"Oasis, you look bangin'!" Van says boisterously the second I swing the door open and I roll my eyes at his boisterous behaviour, feeling overly glad that both my parents are out which means they wouldn't be able to hear Van using such childish and quite rude terms to address the way I look.

"Oh how flattering" I laugh rolling my eyes jokingly, allowing him inside for a cuppa whilst I hook my leather jacket up beside the front door.

He laughs away, looking around the front room as he leans against the door which he closed, "no I'm serious love you look really good" he says, the tone in his voice much more sincere and honest, making my lips upturn, my stomach erupt in butterflies.

"Thank you" I smile nervously looking down at my feet, which are protected by my battered white converse, "where are we goin' then?" I ask as I lead him into the kitchen, asking him if he wants a mug of tea to which he answers with a nod and a somewhat pleased grin and begins to reply to my original question.