Take No Notice ✓

02: A Certain Sebastian

Joel

Sometimes it's difficult having two female friends, especially ones who are as inseparable as Stephanie and Sonia are. I try to fit in, but I know I'll never understand their makeovers or mani pedi's, or their entire sleepovers for that matter.

Sleepovers. It's a touchy subject between the girls and I. They know how upset I get when they hang out together without me, simply because of my gender. It's not even jealousy! Seriously, they get more time together just because I'm a boy! Talk about sexism. Okay, perhaps that's a little too far. However, I do understand where our parents are coming from.

"Honey, I've seen the way you look at Stephanie. I think the only one who doesn't know is Stephanie herself!" My mom would laugh at me when I asked why I couldn't sleep over. And it's true, I really do like Stephanie. A lot. But I'm just 17, why on earth would I try anything silly when the parents are in the house? I mean, just think about it! What are they expecting from us, teenage pregnancy?

Also, it doesn't exactly help that Steph and Sonia have been friends for almost the whole of their childhood, which means they have all these inside jokes that set them off into fits of giggles while I stand around awkwardly.

But it's okay, every time I look at Stephanie, none of this matters anymore. All I can see is the way her finger runs through her silky blonde hair, or the shimmer of her emerald green eyes. Some people have called her plain, or once they dared say ugly, but what I can see is a beautiful girl fit to be a princess. Maybe even beyond that.

All I want to do is be the one there for her, stand by her side, but...I can't. She's recently been through a horrible break up, and even now I can still see her gazing over at him wistfully. Steph and Sebastian had been together for almost a year when she discovered he had been seeing another girl for almost the entire length of their relationship.

I don't understand how she can so much as want to breathe the same air as him, but it's obvious she wants him back, just from the way she can't stop staring when he's near. I can't do anything at this stage, I just need to wait out this phase, but I know that then it might be too late for us.

Sonia

I emerge from the changing room with Stephanie's shorts and blue blouse. She had brought the only shirt from her closet that actually fit me, which was more than slightly suspicious. Her clothes are usually way too baggy for me, since I have the figure of a stick with arms and legs. No, even that description would be too generous.

Steph has the body of a model, but she covers it with loose pants and draping cardigans. Joel and I have learnt not to question it since Stephanie gets uncharacteristically defensive whenever we mention it.

We find Joel standing outside, waiting for us. His face lights up the moment he sees us, or more specifically, sees Stephanie. I see him hesitate, and then open his mouth to say something, but then looks beyond me and immediately shuts it again. I turn around to peer at Steph, but her face is melted into a sweet smile. I roll my eyes as I approach Joel, whose eyes are locked onto Stephanie.

It's sort of hilarious how everyone except for Steph knows how Joel feels about her, I mean, the staring is kind of a huge giveaway. I think they would be perfect for each other, but at the moment my love-sick friend only has eyes for her idiot ex, which I don't understand at all. Sebastian's cheating should have shattered every bit of trust Stephanie ever had in him, but instead of getting over the separation, she just pines for him from far away.

"Hi guys!" Joel says enthusiastically, pulling us into a group hug.

"Eww! Joel! You're so embarrassing!" Stephanie squeals, squirming away from him and glancing nervously at Sebastian, who is too busy talking to his friend Noah to even notice her.

I scrunch up my face in mock-disgust. "Joel! You're such a weirdo."

"I know, but I have to embrace some of my finer qualities, weirdness being one of them."

He chuckles whilst letting go of us, his gaze flickering to Steph to see if she'll laugh. Feeling bad for him, I giggle, and his face visibly relaxes.

"Stephanie! Snap out of it!" I hiss, clicking my fingers in front of her face.

"Huh? Hmm yeah, lunch right? Let's go." She walks in Sebastian's direction and I call after her.

"Steph, the cafeteria is this way." I gesture in the opposite direction. She doesn't hear us and continues.

"Stephanie!" Joel yells, and a few people turn to stare.

To this, Sebastian's eyes find Stephanie's, and I see something change in his expression. Guilt? But by the time I look back, he's back to talking with Noah, and Stephanie is walking towards us, her cheeks flushed red.

At first it's embarrassment, but by the time she reaches us it's morphed into anger, and I can feel the flames igniting in her.

"What. On. Earth. Are you guys trying to do? What is wrong with you Joel? Are you trying to draw attention to us?" She yells, glaring at us. I try to tell her she's causing even more of a scene, but she scowls at me so intensely I decide not to.

"We're already the losers! Loser 1, loser 2, loser 3," She points at us each in turn. "We don't need more people talking about us!"

She storms off towards the lunch hall, pushing past a group of girls who are giggling by their lockers. Joel and I look at each other uncertainly.

"You know this is Sebastian's fault right? And I'm not even saying that just because I hate the guy," He mutters frustratedly.

"Don't worry, I know Joel, and I'm going to do a very big something about it."

A/N:

Yay! Chapter two is up! What do you all think of Joel? It's so adorable how he's crushing on Stephanie, don't you all think?

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, consider giving it a vote and comment!

See you soon!