Idealisms

Chapter 1 - A Quick Briefing On My Life

I leaned my head against the window of the car as it rattled down the unpaved road. I was heading to London for the holidays.

Yesterday, when I came home from school, my father was already there to greet me. He looked really excited, but when I asked what was going on, he said he was waiting for my mother to come home before telling me. I didn't think much of it so I went upstairs to do some homework and talk to my best friend Margaret about all the plans we'd made for the holiday break. When my mother came home, they called me downstairs to tell me the big news – I was to spend my break in London with my grandmother, and I was leaving the next day. I was originally pretty disappointed because I'd have to cancel all my plans with my friends, but secretly I was a bit excited because I'd never been to the city before. I'd somehow have to break the news to Margaret, so I invited her over to stay the night.

When I told Margaret, she was over the moon. "OH MY GOD HARRIET I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!" she squealed and hopped up on my bed. Her red hair made her head look like a ball of fire jumping around my room.

"Margaret, you don't understand, I won't even have time to meet people because I'll be with my grandmother most of the time. It's going to be so dull."

"Are you joking?!" Margaret exclaimed and stopped jumping. "This is everything I've ever wanted –that is, for me. Harriet, London is a huge city- do you realize how many cute boys there could be?" I rolled my eyes at her. Margaret was a hopeless romantic and would never turn down the opportunity to meet boys.

"Not that you'd need one, you've already got Max after you!"

"Hey!" I protested and smacked her with a pillow, but she continued, ignoring me.

"Unfortunately, I, who haven't gotten the most handsome and popular guy in school to fall madly in love with me-" I smacked her again "-nor have I got the opportunity to go to the city and meet other cute boys, so I've got to rely on you to meet some for me! And if you need to be alone for a couple of hours you could always give your Nan sleep medicine" she joked, and we both fell back on the bed laughing.

Margaret turned over to face me and propped herself up on one elbow. "Tell me about Max."

"What about him? There's nothing to tell."

"Need I remind you that he's hot, popular and his father's filthy rich –the other girls in school are bending over backwards to get his attention but he only has eyes for you. You've said you don't like him, but no girl in their right mind would reject him – and multiple times at that! So tell me, what's wrong with him?

Margaret's always on my case about getting with Max, or rather, accepting his romantic advances towards me. Maxwell Chase's father owns a law firm and he does have money. He's also tall, athletic (swimming and football), with dark hair, green eyes, and a smile that could melt snow. He was every girl's dream boy except mine, because I knew that in truth, Max was an absolute jerk. I'd known him since primary school, where he and the boys used to make fun of girls relentlessly. Once we got to secondary school, he'd grown out of it, and by the time we were thirteen, most girls seemed to have forgotten how annoying he was in primary and fallen in love with him. Unfortunately, he'd fallen in love with me –which meant most other girls could barely contain their seething jealousy and hatred towards me. I had a small group of friends, and Margaret and her older brother Bill. So, obviously when I'd accidentally overheard Max and his friends making fun of Margaret, calling her fat and ugly, amongst other things, I resolved to never give him the time of day. But I also didn't want her to know the hurtful things he'd said, so I vowed to take it to my grave.

"Nothing's wrong with him, Margaret, I guess I just don't want to date anyone right now"

"Oh my god" she gasped, trying to hold back laughter. "Is it because he's got a small you-know-what?"