Upper Echelons

All I see is RED

"Where've you been? You haven't been answering my calls" Charity said looking at me like she was dying to tell me something.

"Sorry I've been busy with family stuff. What's been going on? Fill me in" I pretended to sound remotely excited about her gossip tales.

"Well...Orlando and I have been hanging out" she said with a big grin on her face. "We've got more in common than I expected."

I huffed. "You mean you both like taking each other's clothes off." Charity looked at me, raised her eyebrow and we both began laughing.

"So who are you texting, you can't reply to my calls but you seem pretty hooked to messaging whoever you're texting right now..."

"Oh it's nothing just some guy I met online, we've been talking about music and stuff" I tried to hide the smile on my face, but Charity had already noticed.

"And does texty boy have a name? Or any hot brothers?" She said laughing and somewhat surprised that I could possibly have a potential love interest.

"Texty boy is called Dan and I don't know if he has any brothers, we haven't got that far yet; but what I do know is he has a good taste in music and he is pretty hot I'll admit" I was blushing. I hated blushing because my cheeks would go all pink and make me look like I had rosacea.

"Sounds like you're onto something Isla...Maybe texty boy can accompany you to The Charter Hill Gala..."

"Maybe" I said pensively. Maybe it was too early to be thinking about meeting up. I mean we barely knew each other and my parents warned me of meeting people online. What could be more dangerous than the demon of a step-dad I lived with? I was tired of having to live vicariously through my best friends. It was time I had some excitement for myself.

7.02pm: *VRRR* it was a notification telling me lone wolf was online.

Should I message him or should I wait? I don't want to be stalkerish, I'll wait. How long should I wait? I'll give it ten. I sat there looking at the screen waiting for the moment I would hear another notification sound go off.

7.16pm *VRRR* "what's your disguise today?" He put with a tongue face emoji, playing on my username.

"That would be telling now wouldn't it, wouldn't want you to know it's me.." I typed as I said the words out loud as if he could hear me.

"Mysterious. I like it...So where's my invite to the Gala then..." rolling eye emoji followed.

"Wait what? Lol how did you know I was going to invite you? That's so weird." Who was this guy? Could he read my mind? Surely I hadn't bagged myself a psychic? I knew I wanted excitement but mind reading wasn't quite what I was looking for.

"I'm messing with you. I saw a poster in town today. You told me yesterday you went to Charter High, so it reminded me of you. Thought I'd push my luck I guess :p." Not only was he cute he was flirting with me. A cute guy flirting with me that I actually liked back, this was impossible.

"Ah I see, so you're not a psychic. I was wondering if that's why you were called lone wolf...it's dangerous to read people's minds you know. You never know what you'll find out....but seems as you're pretty much fishing for an invite, maybe you could join me for a wild night lonely boy." I did that sexy lip bite thing as I typed, the things you see girls do in movies.

"Starts at 8pm right. Maybe I can come get you around 7.30? I'll pick you up by the red letterbox at the end of your road, so your parents don't freak out when they see you with some hot guy with even hotter wheels lol. Also, lone wolf isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just means you're strong enough to stand alone. I guess I'll have to change my username soon though...I know I'd rather be standing next to you...."

Oh god, this felt so surreal. I was actually going to meet someone online, something I had never done before. Sounds lame but I was excited, it felt risky. Luckily this someone was hot and we got on like a house on fire.

"I guess I'll see you then :p Gtg dinners ready. Speak soon...x" I signed out and slammed the laptop down. EEEEK! I was so happy. I had a cute date to the gala and there was only three days to go till I met the gorgeous guy behind the messages. I ran downstairs for dinner before mum could shout my name for the third time.

"So did you ask him?" Charity locked arms with me as we walked to art class.

"He'll be there" I said trying to hide my excitement.

"And who is he...may I ask?" Niamh looked puzzled as she joined us with Kiera to walk to class.

"Isla's got a hot online lover boy" Kiera giggled.

"What?" Niamh looked surprised

"And how do you know missy" I laughed but confused as to why Charity told Kiera. I mean I didn't mind as I would have told the girls myself but it just made me paranoid to know they had been talking about me.

"Your highness told me"

I looked at Charity and her eyes were popping out of their sockets as she gave me the classic look that screamed 'so what we're all best friends, why does it matter anyway.'

"We'll come over at 6, make sure you look hot. Then head over together. He won't be able to take his eyes off you once I'm finished with you.." Charity said putting on her coral Mac lipstick whilst staring into her benefit compact mirror.

"Well, he's picking me up from mine guys. So I'll just meet you guys there. It'll be easier anyway."

"Wait, you told him where you live? He's just some random dude you met online Isla. What if he's not even who he says he is and now he knows your address." Kiera loved sticking her two pence in, but maybe she had a point.

"I haven't told him my address yet." And then it hit me. My heart began pacing. How did Dan know about the red letterbox at the end of my road? How did Dan know where I lived?

"That's good then. We'll stick to the plan. Meet him there and we'll come to yours first." Charity pushed open the door to art class. We all followed and pulled out stools from under the table.

"Ladies, you're late, again." Mr Channis was always  in a mood with us for something or another.

I sat there and pretended to listen to the theory side of the lesson. I began thinking more and more about who this so-called Dan really was? The fear began to kick in. All these stalker jokes he had made, was he joking or was he really a stalker? Maybe I was over exaggerating and maybe it was just a coincidence and he had driven past and happened to have seen me. It's a small city right, anything is possible. I couldn't tell the girls what he said, or they would make it ten times more anxiety provoking for me.

I would ask him tonight.