The Study

Chapter 9: Lets get this Party Started

It was Friday, the day of the sleepover, and I was feeling anxious. As usual, I got dressed, got on the bus, and attended classes. During lunch, I was sitting with Jessica, and we were chatting about random things when she suddenly brought up Levi. Levi was the captain of the basketball team.

"Hey, isn't that Levi, the guy you have a crush on?" Jessica said with a smirk.

My heart skipped a beat as I tried to hide my embarrassment. "Uh, yeah, but it's nothing serious," I lied. In reality, I didn't like Levi at all. It was just a lie to hide my true identity.

"You should go up to him and say hi," Jessica encouraged me.

I hesitated for a moment before replying, "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to make things awkward."

"C'mon, Heather, you only live once," Jessica said with a grin.

I considered her words for a moment and thought, why not? I could use the opportunity to get out of my shell and try new things. With newfound confidence, I stood up from my seat and started walking towards Levi.

But as I got closer, I started feeling nervous again. What if he recognises me? What if he knows who I really am?

I stopped in my tracks and turned around, walking back to our table. "Actually, I changed my mind. I think I'll just sit back down," I said, feeling a bit defeated.

Jessica looked disappointed, but she didn't push the issue. "Alright, suit yourself. Maybe next time," she said with a shrug.

After school, I headed to Jessica's house with my overnight bag. I had never been to a girls sleepover before, so I was a bit nervous about what to expect. As I arrived, Jessica opened the door and greeted me with a warm smile.

"Hey, Heather! Glad you could make it," she said as she led me inside. "You know Emily, right?"

"Yeah, hey Emily!" I replied, waving at her.

"The others should be here any minute. It's just Sarah, Ava, and Charlotte," Jessica continued, gesturing towards the living room.

"Sounds good," I said, trying to hide my nerves. I didn't know any of these girls very well, but I was excited to make new friends.

As we waited for the others to arrive, we chatted about school and our plans for the weekend. Jessica told me that they had all kinds of fun activities planned, including a movie marathon and a spa night.

"I can't wait to do some face masks and watch some cheesy rom-coms!" Emily exclaimed.

"Me too!" I chimed in, trying to sound enthusiastic.

Just then, we heard a knock at the door. Jessica got up to answer it.

As the rest of the girls arrived, Jessica greeted them one by one. "Hey, Charlotte!" she said as she hugged her. Finally, Sarah and Ava walked in, panting and apologising for being late.

"It's alright, guys," Jessica said with a grin. "We were just about to start the party without you." She led everyone to the living room, where she had set up a makeshift movie theatre.

"You know, Heather hasn't watched Euphoria yet," she said, popping a bag of popcorn into the microwave. "Let's catch her up on it."

I laughed and said, "Yeah, I've been behind on a lot of shows lately. I need to catch up."