Most girls would be jealous of Calliope Draycott. She seemingly has it all. The friends, the money, the boyfriend, and in a few years, if all goes to plan, she'll have the job too. So why doesn't she feel happy? It's after a disastrous family dinner...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
To describe me as pissed off would be the understatement of the century.
It had been impossible to organise something with Theo because of the crazy schedule he lives his life by, and by impossible I mean that we struggled to find a date and time for about half an hour before we realised the only good time for the both of us was the day he got back into town. I swear that boy is going to work himself to death if he doesn't learn how to take a break.
That's not why I'm pissed off though. I'm pissed off because I'm having to cancel our plans two hours before we were supposed to be meeting.
Isaac is sat on the corner of my bed, looking at the floor sheepishly. He's doing everything that he can to avoid making eye contact with me because he knows that anything he says right now is only going to make the situation worse.
I get a reply from Theo. It's Isaac, isn't it?
My gaze softens as I look down at my phone as another message from Theo comes through.
I understand. You're finally getting back into a good place again, Isaac needs to come first. We can go for coffee another time. No worries.
There's a smiley face emoji at the end, and if it were anyone else, I wouldn't think it to be genuine, but this is Theo. He's been nothing but understanding and friendly the entire time I've known him. Granted, that isn't long.
But it takes a special type of person to sit and help a stranger work through the news of her parent's divorce while they're battling through their grief.
'So,' Isaac says as he picks the skin around his nails. 'Are you coming to the gala?'
I nod my head. 'Yes, but in the future, I'd appreciate at least a week's notice, you know, instead of a couple of hours.' My tone is sharp, and I ignore Isaac's wince which causes my body to flood with guilt.
I walk over to my wardrobe and look for a dress that would do on such short notice, but it's no good. There's nothing appropriate. 'I'll have to ask Cece if I can borrow a dress,' I say, reaching for my phone, one hand on my head as if to wish away the headache I can feel brewing.
'There's no need for that,' Isaac says, 'just give me a minute.' He's holding his hands out, and the look on his face is screaming that he's desperate, and Theo is right, we're only just getting back into a good place again, back to normal, and so I nod my head and he leaves my room. A minute later I hear the front door close, and I rush to my window to see what he's up to.
He's getting a box out of the boot of his car. He hasn't, has he?
Then he's back in my room, and he's holding the box out, almost as a peace offering.
I take the box from him, and my features soften. 'Isaac, what is this?'
He laughs and runs a hand through his hair, probably remembering the last time he surprised me with a present in a box. 'Open it. I promise you'll like this one.'
