Cut!

Take 1 - Story Of My Life

A/N: Please comment as you read. It'll mean the world to me. AND PLEASE. DON'T ATTACK OTHER COMMENTERS. I really don't like it! Also, as people re-read, there may be some spoilers in the comments, so read them at your own risk.

The first time a guy asked me out on an actual date, also happened to be on the day I had to leave England.

I wasn’t a social butterfly—not by a long shot. After four years at Portsmouth Academy for Girls, I’d managed to get one friend in total. Of course, I’d tried to discourage her from hanging around me, but Jackie Cole wasn’t a person you simply pushed away.

So, when she told me, that she’d set up a double-date at Joanna’s, I tried to get out of it.

"I can't," I said and pointed to the books in front of me. "I need to study."

Jackie snorted. "Cami, your exams are over. Did you really think I'd accept that excuse? We go to the same school for Christ sakes."

"Right..." Fixing my glasses, I shrugged. "It was worth a shot.”

We were in my room. Everything was almost packed down to go home for the summer, and my plans for the next two months, only included the textbook on photography. I wanted to study a Gillian's Art School in New York, where the photography course was the most popular. Not only was it extremely pricey—you also had to be talented to be accepted. It was the kind of school that opened doors to the future.

And I needed to do my absolute best in order to get accepted. My mind went to the carefully folded letter in my suitcase. They were impressed by the quality of the photos, but my portfolio was far too small. If I could expand it with a new set of photographs and show off some new material; they had agreed to re-evaluate my application for a wild card admission.

“Cami.” Jackie skipped over to my bed, kneeling beside me. "Please, go with me?" she said. "I really like this guy."

"Why'd you make a double-date then?" I frowned. “If you really like him, wouldn’t you want to be alone with him?”

She didn’t respond, and as I looked at her, I could almost see the little cogs whirl around inside her head. Many people often underestimated Jackie and, unfortunately, I was part of that group.

Straightening her back, she tilted her head slightly and studied me. "You really don't wanna go?"

"I really don't want to go," I said.

She bit her lip. "In that case, I guess I'll have fun with two cute guys on my own. Boy, I sure hope nothing will happen to me out there—“she looked at me—“all by myself."

Groaning, I realized what she was doing. It was an old trick, she'd plant a small seed of guilt in my head, and then she’d lean back and wait for me to cave. My imagination would run wild due to her guilt trip, and I'd end up going just to appease my own conscience. It was how she lured me into everything.

"No-no," she said. "It's fine. I'll just take the dark alleyways home so no one can see me walking by myself by the road."

"Fine!" I shouted. Closing my book, I placed it on my empty nightstand before sitting upright again. "I'll go. But you'll pay for this before graduation."

She laughed. "I don't doubt that." Jumping to her legs, she dragged me off the bed. "Get ready. I'll do your hair."

Half an hour later, I was staring at my own reflection. Even though, I didn't actually need my glasses, I still felt naked without them. My bleached blonde hair was wrapped in a messy bun on top of my head, and we’d found a red summer dress. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of a dress, but I didn’t have anything else that wasn’t already packed.