The Woods (unfinished)

Chapter 9

Trying to make this chapter longer :-) enjoy!

Gemma dressed for the cinema to the side -----> 

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I pulled my hair out of its messy bun and it tumbled down my back, in crazy curls. Sighing, I plaited the top of my blonde hair to make it look a tiny bit more interesting. I didn't have such a thing as a hair straightener. My Mum probaly did, but I didn't dare use hers.

Jack was taking me to the cinema. Our first real night out. Excitement bubbled through me and I surpressed a smile. We had officially been a couple for a month! It had been the best month of my life. Yeah, shows how many great moments I've had before in my life. We'd been meeting up a lot, mostly spending time in the woods - usually in the company of chilli dorito's - or wandering around town. Glancing in the mirror, I saw my eyes sparkling in happiness. That had never happened before! I was really into this boy.

Rooting through my wardrobe, I came across a white dress, shoulderless, silky material, embroided with gold metallic patterns. It was bought from the charity shop. It floated down and stopped before it reached my knees. It was quite short. I sighed. Maybe I was too over dressed. I had no idea what to wear to the cinema. I'd only been once before, with school, when I was little. We watched 101 Dalmations.

I glanced at the clock.  Half 6. I had to go soon. I pulled on a few gold bangles, and examined myself in the mirror. I had no make up on. I didn't have much make up anyway. My skin was creamy and my eyelashes thick and dark, framing my liquid blue eyes. 

I then realised I had no shoes. Except my fake, scuffed converse. Oh my.

After a frantic root around my wardrobe - okay; turning it upside down - I realised I had 4 options. 

1) Don't go

2) Don't wear shoes

3) Borrow my Mum's  (on pain of death!) 

4) Wear my converse

I decided to go with option 4, scraping off some of the mud, and adding a gold bracelet to my ankle to try to glam it up. I really wanted to go, and a shoe dilemma would be a petty excuse. Bare foot might be a bit uncomfortable, and cold, and unattractive, and I wouldn't ever be able to go out of the house again if I borrowed Mum's. I sighed again. It completely ruined the dress. But I needed to go. Maybe he wouldn't notice.

*******

"Cute shoes."

I groaned and rolled my eyes. Ahhh! As if he wouldn't notice!

"I didn't have any others!" I mumbled. "I know it looks stupid." My small feet in white, faded converse against a floaty white and gold dress. Great.

"No, really, it's a cute look. It's you. And you look beautiful."

I rolled my eyes, surpressing a smile.

We strolled through the little town, the light fading, deep, swirling peach. The shop lights gleamed, lighting up the walkway. Wandering through the lit up streets, we eventually reached the center of town, and weaved in and out of busy shoppers, towards the cinema. We chose our film, which was to start at 8.30. We had an hour to kill. We sat on a bench, and I leant against him. My stomach rumbled. Loudly. Hungrily. His body vibrated aginst me as he chuckled.

"Hungry?"

My face flamed, and I mumbled something.

"Don't worry, we'll go to a Restaurant. There's a really nice chicken restaurant round the corner..." He pulled me up off the bench.

"I can't. I've no money. It's fine."

He wrapped an arm around my waist. "I'll pay."

"You can't! You've already payed for the cinema. Thanks, by the way." I smiled.

"Well, you're hungry. And tonight it's my treat. So I am paying. And if you don't come I'll carry you."

"Okay, okay!" 

*******

My eyes widened as I scanned the menu. I'd never even heard of these things! How could I choose? The only restaurant I'd ever been to before  was McDonalds. This was so posh!

"This must be so expensive! Are you sure about this? How can you pay?"

"Of course I'm sure." He raised his sun bleached eyebrows. "Ever been to a Restaurant before?"

"Does McDonalds count?"

We were at a little restaurant, round the corner fromm the high street, situated over a lake I didn't even know existed.  We were on the outdoor balcony, build on the lake, looking over at the still, calm water reflecting the Restaurants' dazzling lights, gleaming across the water. Our table was wooden, decorated with tiny little flowers, ruffling in the light breeze. 

"B-but, I don't know what this food-"

"Ready to order?" A waiter dressed in a shirt and tie coughed  lightly.

"Yes." Jack grinned at me, eyes twinkling. "The marinated chilli roasted duck with with cararmelised oranges, please."

"Certainly. And you, madam?"

My cheeks blazed and I gulped. "Uhm, well, I'll have, uh, the same please!"

The waiter frowned slightly but wrote down the order, and left. I turned back to Jack, his green eyes twinkling, a smirk on his face.

"What?" I narrowed my eyes.

He grinned. "You sure about that?"

"What?"

"Your food."

"Why?"

"It's.. quite hot!" He spluttered..

"I didn't buy chilli heatwave doritos for nothing!" I scowled.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" He smirked.

******

I smiled smugly and sipped my coke, plate scraped clean, while Jack choked through his meal. Sectretly my mouth was burning, it felt like I had stuffed 7 hot chilli's in my mouth and shoved a fire ball down my throat for extra flavour, but I just smiled sweetly. Jack's emerald orbs turned to saucers as he  took in my empty plate. I sputtered. He filled his mouth with one last burning mouthful and swallowed, face burning. "Nice?" I grinned.

He scowled playfully, eyes watering from the heat. Suddenly a grin formed on his tanned face and he reached in his pocket. He whipped out a silver rectangle. "Smile!" He smirked.

I bit my lip and looked at the rectangle. It flashed. He grinned again and started tapping on it.

"Hey! You have a mobile! Let... me...  see!     ... Now!" I lunged over and grabbed it from him. Eventually getting the hang of it, I clicked on his Facebook, and a picture of me came up, just taken. My hair cascaded down my back, and my blue eyes trained on the camera. The flash brightened my face, making my eyes stand out, the lake illuminated behind me, dappled, inky colours on the  water. The caption read; "Out for a meal with this gorgeous girl!" I grinned. I scrolled down smoothly, sweeping through his profile. Another picture came up, with the caption: She wanted me to take her picture in her new dress, she loves it! Xxxx I  frowned. Orbs of sunlight interrupted the picture, but sadly, I could make it out. It was in the woods , sunlight streaming through emerald leaves. A girl was in the picture, in a cotton white dress, red hair tumbling past her shoulders, startling eyes trained on the  camera. I swallowed... Amber? 

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End of the chapter, cliffhanger woohoo;) hope it was okay:P pleaseeee vote/comment/fan, or all three if you want:D

xx