"En," I heard Alice scoffed for what was like the tenth time and I refrained from rolling my eyes.
It was dumb really. All she aimed to do was get my attention, not that she had any intention of speaking to me or anything but had been ignoring me since she found me in home room saying she was mad at me. And of course, I definitely wasn't going to cave first since I didn't even know what I did in the first place and it clearly went on to agitate her further as she let out another sigh and glanced at me subtly before looking away once I turned my gaze to her and I stifled a laugh. It was way too easy to ruffle her feathers, I thought resting my gaze on her and she shifted uncomfortably before looking at me and letting out a sigh once more making me raise an eyebrow at her.
"I'm mad at you," she said and I looked at her amused making her scoff and rolled her eyes before facing me once more. "You didn't tell me about your engagement."
She said and I grimaced as my gaze softened.
"Still single, see?" I said lifting up my hand and she looked at me almost pitifully. "Don't do that. It's just for business."
"But Ryana," she said with a pout and I felt my lips twitch as I stared at her.
"I'm not dating Kyle, Alice," I said and she perked up immediately immediately looking gleeful.
"Really?" She asked looking up at me with child-like excitement and I nodded amused. I swear she more invested about a relationship between me and Ryder than we ourselves were. "But of it's just for business do you think they'll try again? I mean the tabloids are still on that topic despite what you said which by the way was badass."
"I don't know. Honestly we've been staying out of each other's way. I wasn't at all amused."
"If you need a place to bunk, you could always ask me, unless you're still invested in your sleepovers with your prince charming? Bad boy charming?," she said cheekily and I narrowed my eyes at her. "What do you prefer knight in shining... leather jacket?"
She said and I looked at her bewildered.
"You really suck at making jokes."
"And you suck at hiding hickeys," she whispered yelled and I could feel a blush coming on as I picked up my book.
"Who said I was hiding them?" I asked and it was her turn to cough in embarrassment. It was true, somewhat-ish. I already knew from the first time it was hopeless covering up hickeys from him. At times, I thought it was almost as if he wanted people to know, like he was claiming his territory or something.
"So? How was it?" She asked after sometime as I doodled on my book.
"What? Oh..it was nice. We were off to a great start, you know, until the end. He's nice, but definitely not my type. There's no opening that chapter anymore. I'm done," I said not looking up at her.
"Really? Nice is definitely not a word I expected. I'm even surprised you told me. I was thinking hard and possessive..." She said and I choked on a breath before looking up at her bewildered expression at my reaction.
"What are you talking about?"
"What are you talking about?"
Okay, we are definitely not on the same page. But should I really be surprised? I thought blushing hard at the assumption. That is not something I think about. Okay maybe I do, a lot but it was only after that close second at the club and maybe yesterday. Maybe it was because she found it embarrassing for both of us, but she didn't bring it up again.
"So what are you doing for your birthday?" She asked as we headed to our next class.
"Birthday...? Oh," I said coming to a stop when I realized what she was talking about. It wasn't really my birthday but the person who took care of my credentials had mixed up some numbers that it came a month early. Well it's too late for changes now. "Nothing."
"Don't tell me you're one of those people who actually pretend not to remember their birthday and wallow in the evening because no one wished them a happy birthday," she said and I raised my eyebrow in question. "That's besides my point. You are a serious case. I thought you were ignoring me. Have you checked your phone all weekend?"
At the question, I retrieved my phone from my bag, which had been on silent ever since yesterday afternoon since Kyle kept on calling me, playing the snob game with the Wallaces. As a matter of fact the people I had come into contact with after that excuse of a date were Ryder, Lisa, Darius and Alex. Maybe it was the fact I never had many people worrying about me that it slipped my mind that there would have been people who did. She was right. It was serious, but at least I knew why people I don't even acquaint with have been greeting more all morning.
"Sorry. Checking my phone was the last thing on my mind," I said and she smiled hugging me.
"I understand. Well, happy birthday, but what are we doing?" She asked and I raised an eyebrow at her.
"You...I'm not a big fan of birthdays."
"No way, you are turning 17, not as impressive as 18, but as your best friend I won't let the day pass like this," she said excited and I could refuse her. I mean she was way too excited.
"Fine but I swear, if you dress me up in pink again I will strangle you," I deadpanned but she didn't seem to hear me as she squealed hugging me one more time and started rambling on about how there was so much to do before the party tonight and I let out a sigh. Diana, why do you keep putting yourself in such situations?
By the end of second period, it seemed like the whole school knew it was my birthday, well fake birthday, but probably it had something to do with Ethan rounding up some of the boys from the football team to create a remix of all the birthday songs the could come up with. And I'm not talking the PG-13 happy birthday song. Let's just say my history teacher was not that amused with the way his face turned red when they burst in in the middle of the lesson. And despite the fact that he let them sing, I'm sure he agreed with me that someone needed to tweak their voice boxes. They were not meant to sing. It's also needless to say Ethan threatened everyone to wish me a happy birthday that I was almost shocked how invested they were in this. I'm pretty sure I spotted Zayn and Trevor in the crowd, and they don't even school here.
"Ugh," I groaned as I approached my locker...wait no, I was approaching the sorry excuse of a choir separating me from my locker.
"Sunshine!?" Ethan said stepping forward arms wide open, clearly not fazed by my glare.
"Ethan, this is too much," I said as he hugged me then kissed my cheeks.
"Only the best for my Sunshine," he said turning around and one of the boys handed him a white rose. "Come on, hurry up."
He said motioning to the boys and I looked at him murderously but my expressions betrayed me. And so, twenty something or more kisses on my cheeks, happy birthdays and a growing bouquet of white roses later, frigg'ng footballers and their touchiness, Ethan turned to me with a grin.
"So? Now can I get what I want?" He asked and I rolled my eyes before kissing his cheek.
"Fine. Just pick a day and for the record you are supposed to be doing me a favor, not the other way round," I said and he grinned hugging me once more.
"Wait until Ryder hears this. Wait you are up for lunch, right?," he asked and I nodded before walking off and I turned to an amused Alice.
"I promised him we'd go bowling. Do you think I can find some place to put all these flowers in the office?"
"Yeah, come on. Let's hurry before we are late."
"We are already late."
"Fashionably late. Big difference," she said and I rolled my eyes at her.
"I don't think there is being fashionably late when it comes to school," I said but she just shrugged.
************
Are you mad at me? -R
Is it because of yesterday? -R
I love our kisses, you know that. -R
I couldn't help myself. -R
Babydoll!!!??? -R
"Grumpy King Ray? Seriously?" I heard Alice say beside me and I blushed trying to wave off the embarrassment.
"Would you believe me if I told you he saved his number as that?" I said and she looked at me as if I'd grown another head.
"Your relationship is weird, but I ship you either way," she beamed up at me pausing briefly as the teacher glanced our way. "So, yesterday huh?"
She asked wiggling her eyebrows at me and I looked away signalling the end of the conversation and she laughed beside me.
Stop texting me. I'm in class.
Finally!!!? I like that you're being bad for me babydoll.😘
I'm serious. You know how Carmichael is with all her hormones.
Okay, fine.🙄 Anyway, I have something that belongs to you.
What?
I won't tell. But rest assured I'll give it to you when I see you.
Ryder!?
Talk to you soon babydoll.😘
I swear this guy would be the death of me, I thought rolling my eyes as I placed my phone down and she gave me a questioning look to which I just shook my head. Just as I was about to relax in my seat...
"Diana Peters, report to the front quad. Diana Peters report to the quad," came the voice through the speaker phone in front of the class and I tensed as everyone's gaze shifted to me and I shrugged picking up my bag at Mrs Carmichael's glance.
"What do you think it's about?"
"Don't know?" I said slinging my bag over my shoulder hearing the bell ring as I got out of the door and I could tell the lone chair that scrapped against the floor first was Alice's and I stood by waiting for her and we made our way to the quad together, where a considerable crowd had gathered.
"What the...?"
"Hey, love. Over here," I heard Jaime call out as crowds parted as I got nearer.
Beside him had to be the latest Jeep Wrangler I'd been ogling for some time now. White in colour, decorated with pink balloons and streamers and a huge banner that read 'Happy Birthday Diana'. And he was paying off the truck driver who had rolled it in.
"What is this?"
"Umm, duh. Your birthday present," he said embracing me before he whispered. "I heard about your predicament and wallah. New car."
"Uh-huh?" I said disbelievingly when he pulled away and he blushed scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"I was being a good delivery boy. That's all," he said cheekily before looking at me. "And we didn't exactly leave things in a good note the last time we spoke. I just wanted to apologize."
"It's okay," I said pecking his cheek and he grinned widely before reaching into his pocket and handing me the keys.
"So these are yours and this is from me," he said handing me a small box that sure looked like a jewelry box from Tiffany's. "Go on open it."
He urged and I opened the box to reveal a teardrop necklace. It was simple I'd admit but this one was among a one of a kind edition. It was so expensive he had to have blown off major savings.
"Jaime, you shouldn't have," I said and he shook his head no.
"You deserve the best, Diana. It was nothing."
"At least let me repay you," I said and he watched me amused.
"You will. Remember the 14th," he said and I grinned.
"I don't know, 21 years is a long time."
"Okay, let's make it 11," he said and I laughed before his phone rang. "Oh shoot!? Sorry love, I have to go. I flaked out on camp."
"Camp?"
"Team building. For lacrosse," he said kissing my forehead and embracing me so more. "Don't miss me too much. And by the way, this came with the car."
He said handing me a smaller rectangular case and I nodded before he walked off and I turned to Alice who was still gushing at the car.
"Ready for that new car smell?" I asked and she nodded giddily heading for the passenger seat and I laughed joining her inside.
"So what is the 14th?" She asked once she had calmed down and I smiled.
"On our 14th birthday, he got his head broken by his crush. Since my crush life was even completely non-existent then, we promised each other if by the time we got to 38 and we were still unmarried we'd marry each other."
"Why 38?"
"She was getting engaged," I said and she burst out in laughter before stifling moments before a tap sounded on the window and I rolled it down.
"Mr Shaw?"
"I hate to be that kind of teacher but could the squealing and celebration happen after school," he said as if merely suggesting and I flushed in embarrassment as he pointed to the students still chattering behind him.
"Oh, right? Sorry," I said and he nodded moving away from the as I revved the engine to move it to the lot.
Half an hour later,
"I have a bad feeling about this," said Lauren, a newbie cheerleader who had somehow been roped into our sneaking out for lunch. Why did she say yes, if she was going to chicken out last moment? I wondered my gaze meeting Ethan's who seemed to share the thought.
"Relax, we won't get caught. And besides the guard is way too focused on the game he's watching," Alice said and I shifted my gaze to the guard who was in the middle of an argument with his screen, as if they could hear him.
"Alright let's go," Ethan gave the order and we all made a dash to the parking lot, somehow ending up in front of the new car and I tried not to roll my eyes at Alice who was batting my eyelashes at me.
"Can I drive?"
"Alice, I'm not in the mood to start the week with a trip to insure my life because of you. You drive like a maniac," I said and she pouted though her innocent look and earlier disappointment seemed to vanish as she brought out her best friend rights for Ethan as to why she should call shotgun making Kyle who was quiet all this time claim the seat.
I tensed. I still don't have any idea why he came. The last time I saw him he was agreeing with Addie that sneaking out was a bad idea. Though I have a feel it had something to do with the fact that he was pushing me to talk to him. Sigh, and here I thought I was escaping from the drama in my life.