Don't give up on me ✓

[57] Lord Byron

Chapter 57: Lord Byron

Holly's changed.

Everyone noticed it. She went from perfectly straightened hair and a designer handbag to a backwards baseball cap and a backpack. Her cashmere cardigan was replaced with a navy hoodie, tied around her waist.

"What has he done to my sister?" Sid asked, staring at Holly as she kissed Jesper goodbye in the school parking lot.

I felt a knot in my stomach. Ignore it, I told myself.

She still looked gorgeous, but she didn't care so much about the material things anymore. Now she went for a natural look; a confident, carefree look. I knew that was exactly the type of girl Jesper liked.

"They are the perfect couple," Cleo sighed.

"Not if she had to change for him," Isla said.

"Did she change for him or was this her all along?" Cleo asked, "We don't know other people's business."

Then Cleo gripped her calculator in hand as a reminder of what waited for her, "Ok, I need to get back to the library. We have so many test before winter break-"

"You're the only one here going for top grades," Sid answered, "So make us proud, nerd."

I felt a sickness in my stomach.  A combination of my terror at facing the Visit and also regret for last night.  I felt guilty about sleeping in Jesper's bed.

And I felt even more guilty for thinking about it.  

I groaned, leaning my head against the lunch table. Now that Sid was dating Beckett, he made sure we scored a table near his inside the cafeteria. One of the boys walked over to us now.

"Hey Isla, you're friends with Georgia and Sid, right?"

We looked up at the boy that had approached our table. He was part of Hugo's group of friends. In general, they're overly social and overly loud.

"Hugo sends you a message. He says if you don't go on a date with him this Friday, he'll swap out Georgia's shampoo and ban Bennett from seeing Sid for a fortnight."

"What?!" All three of us freaked out.

Isla snapped back, "I don't negotiate with terr-"

"He said all the threats will disappear if you go on this date with him."

"Well I already told him that I'm seeing someone else on Friday," she answered, "We're not exclusive."

And then a deep voice came out from behind the boy, "I don't want that anymore." 

Hugo appeared, looking like the little dream boat he was. He'd hate it if I ever called him that. It makes him sound like a 5 year old.  Which he is.  His maturity level is that of a 5 year old.

The emotion melted over Isla's face. I nudged Sid and told her we needed to get out of there. To leave the two birds alone. 

I came back to pull Hugo's errand boy with us – he had just been standing there.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

We all lived under the same roof, me and five gorgeous guys, but they all had their separate lives:

Hugo was working Isla into some hot mess of a traditional relationship.

Zane could not give up on Brianna; he was chasing her but also arguing with her every time his  temper reached its limit. And that's when the cycle would start all over again.