84 days

3. bad reputation [Jessa]

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An' I don't really care if ya think I'm strange
I ain't gonna change

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I had a whole Sunday to myself. I was ready to give Ashton my note, but not as early in the morning like yesterday. I had the song ready though, I already made a list of the 84 songs (first chapter).

I decided to go shopping. I was in a new city of a new country, and I wanted to go out exploring.

Quickly, I put on a nirvanna muscle tee, white ripped skinny jeans, and black combat boots. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and braided my bangs back. To finish off the look, I grabbed by cad's expensive Ray Bans and black stud earring. I look so punk rock...ehh not really.

"Bond. James Bond." I said to myself in the mirror and pulled the glasses off like a spy. I added some liquid eyeliner in a wing on my grey eyes.

I made a quick note telling Mom where I had gone, and grabbed my black purse. The only color on my was my hair and eyes.

I chose to drive the new sleek silver convertable that my dad bought. I will look like such a badass driving in.

The drive took about 5 minutes until I reached the nearest mall. I spotted some familiar stores like Aeropastle and Vera Bradley, but one store called to me. Hot Topic.

I walked in to find the whole place looking like a halloween shop. It was dark and I could hear My Chemical Romance in the background. My kind of place.

I began searching through the large selection of band shirts. I chose a The 1975 shirt with the album on it and a Rolling Stones shirt. I sauntered over to the bracelets when I was greeted by a boy about my age. No lie, he was attractive. His bright blonde hair and adorable blue eyes said innocent, but his lip ring said bad boy. He was biting his lip, as if he was nervous about talking to me.

"Can I help you?" he asked. I suddenly realized that I was still wearing my sunglasses. I whipped them off like I practiced but ended up dropping them. Typical.

This young man bent down and retrieved them for me. It looked hard, considering he was about 6'5. He towered over my 5'8 body, and I was tall for most people.

"Oh thank you, I'm such a klutz, sorry." I said awkwardly.

"Hmm, American." he said in a deep Australian voice.

"Yeah, I just moved here." I said. He gave me a strange look, almost like he knew who I was, but it faded in a flash.

"Well, actually, I just came from America myself. I grew up in the west of Sydney, but I went to the States to tour for my band." he said with a smile.

"Is that every Australian boy's pick up line?! Your like the fourth person who's told me that he was in a band!" I said and stormed off to the front desk and paid for my things.

I decided that I was done with shopping, even though I only got two things. I just went to the nearest ice cream shop and ordered a vannila milkshake.

The ice cream shop had a few small tables, so I occupied the one closest to the window. After I was about half way done with my milkshake, a familiar figure entered the shop. I recognized it as Calum.

He ordered a hot fudge sundae, and when he was done ordering, he turned around and saw me. He gave me a tight smile ans picked up his sundae.

"Is this seat taken?" Calum asked me politely.

"Nope." I said and gestured for him to sit down.

"Do you know Michael?" He asked.

"uh yeah? do you?"

"of course, he's my best mate." Calum replied.

"Okay, wait a second, are you in his band?" I said and remembered seeing Calum at the airport when we arrived here.

"I am, along with Ashton, your neighbor."

"So you guys aren't conning me, you're all in the same band! Do you know a boy with blonde hair and a lip ring?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's Luke. He's our lead singer." He said smiling.

"That is so weird."

"What is?" Calum said quizzically.

"The first four guys I meet here are all friends and in a band together. And here I thought that was some Australian pick up line. I need to appologize to Luke!"

"Okay, calm down. I have some news for you."

"What is it?"

"Michael is in love with you, but Ashton won't tell him that you live next door to him. I think Ash has something for you too. Well who can blame them, your gorgeous! You're the kind of girl that a guy falls madly in love with when he meets her."

"W-What? Mic- Asht- WHAT?"

"Chill. I have an idea."

"What's that?"

"We can play them. They both like you, so we have to make them jealous of each other. This could be fun."

"I like where your headed, Calum. Here, put your number in my phone so we can talk about it."

"okay."

He put his name as "CalPal :-)" and I grabbed his phone and made my name "Jessa the Cool Person B)".

"Okay, now that we have that, lets start with step one. We need to make Michael aware that Ash is lying to him. I need you to go to Ash's house-"

"I need to anyways. We made a bet and I have to give him a song every day." I interrupted.

"Perfect. I'll get Michael to come to Ashton's while your there. And go heavy on the flirting."

"Copy that!" I said and gave Calum a salute.

"Okay, see you in about half an hour.

"See ya, Cal." I said and walked off to find my car. Once I found it, I drove back to my house and parked it in my driveway. Without taking my bags in, I ran over to my neighbor's house.

After ringing the door bell once, Ashton opened up.

"Hey Ashy, I have my song for you." God, I suck at flirting.

"Hey Jessa, come in." He said brightly.

"Could we talk alittle, Ash? I want to get to know you." I said fluttering my eyelashes. How was he buying this?

Ashton lead me up to his room. It smelled like...well, guy. He had Nirvana blasting from speakers, and his floor was covered in laundrey.

"Okay Ashton, you got to ask me questions, now its my turn to drill!" I said, I hope Calum comes soon, this just felt wrong.

"But first, the song. My song of today is Bad Reputation by: Joan Jett." I added.

"Okay. Thank you, Jessa." Right then, there was a loud knocking on the door.

"I'll be right back." Ashton said to me. I followed him anyways.

He opened the door to reveal Calum and Michael.

"Jessa?" Michael asked.

"Michael?" I said, acting surprised.

"What are you doing here?!" He asked.

"Oh, I live right there. I was just spending time with Ashton, here." I said and put my hand on Ashton's shoulder. He looked panic-stricken.

"Ashton?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, Jessa is my new neighbor. I had no idea she was your girl." Ashton said with lame excuses.

"Sure." Calum and I said at the same time. We shared a look, and I realized that Calum would become really good friends. He gave me a teasing smile as if he was saying 'I told you so!' I stuck my tongue out at him in a childish manner and he laughed.

What was I going to do with these boys?