Rose

Chapter 12

That next week, I had special authorisation from my mother to attend Lisa Remington’s birthday party, since Lisa got me an expensive birthday present for my fourteenth so according to my mother it was ‘only kind that I go to Lisa’s party’. Little did mum know, I was getting ready for the Catwalk Gala with Ava and I couldn’t be more excited.

            I’d positioned myself on a cushioned stool in front of my dressing table mirror and began to straighten my naturally semi-wavy hair. I never usually wore makeup despite my far-from-perfect skin (I found makeup such a chore everyday), but tonight was going to be a very special one, ‘high class’ as Ava had put it. I brushed my eyelashes through with slicks of black mascara, lined my eyes with a perfect flick, applied a swoop of blusher and flicked the tiniest amount of glitter on my eyelids.

            Tonight, I was wearing a beautiful sky blue dress that my mum had bought for me a little while ago. It was strapless and ruched at the chest where it met an identically coloured sash, giving way to a skirt that reached to just above my knees. I paired it with a nude pair of heels and diamond jewellery.

            After fetching my nude purse, I ran down the stairs as fast as heels could take me. I checked the time on the wall clock in our kitchen: 5:00. Ava had e-mailed me to be at her house at about 6. That gave me enough time to make the journey.

“Charlie!” I called and after a few shuffling noises from outdoors, I saw my brother emerge from behind the garden door.

“What’s up?” he asked, before looking at what I was wearing, “Where are you off to?” He suddenly looked defensive; he probably thought I was going on a date or something.

“I’m going to Lisa’s birthday party; would you mind dropping me? It’s right by the train station, so you can just drop me there.” I looked at him, widening my eyes and subtly pouting.

“Fine,” he moaned at entered the house to retrieve his car keys.

***

Charlie had thought it a bit suspicious that I had asked to be taken specifically to the train station, but he didn’t worry too much about it. Making sure he’d sped off, I started walking to the ticket booth and before long I was on the train to Kensall.

I pulled my iPod from my clutch and plugged my earphones in, tuning out the rest of the world and concentrating on the music. I hadn’t realised somebody had taken the seen opposite me until I felt their leg brush against mine. My eyes flew up only to see –

“Snapback?!” I exclaimed.

“Erm, what did you just say?” he questioned.

“I said that aloud, didn’t I?” and to my embarrassment, he nodded. “I’m sorry, it’s just when I saw you a couple of weeks ago I decided to call you Snapback, gosh this is embarrassing!”

Snapback chuckled, “No worries, my name’s Sean by the way, but Snapback’s just fine if you’d prefer.” There was a few seconds of silence before he continued, “And can I just say, you’re looking really pretty tonight.” I smiled and consciously pulled my cardigan further over my chest, realising how revealing the top of the dress was.

“Thanks, I guess.” I placed the earphones back into my ears and turned the volume up louder to escape the awkwardness of the situation.

I felt Snapback nudge my leg and I looked up at him, turning the volume down on my iPod.

“Kensall, it’s the last stop and the stop after this one,” he informed me, before the train came to halt and the doors hissed open. I saw him walk out of the train and pull out a packet of cigarettes as he walked out of the platform.