A Meadow Full Of Oak Trees

Chapter Two: Back to Normal

Oakley's PoV

I wake up, rolling over to switch my alarm off but then I remember that I moved it to the other side of my room in an effort to make myself get up earlier on school days. Sighing I regret my decision but climb out of bed, get dressed and give my hair a really quick brush before going downstairs, grabbing leftover pancakes from Emma, saying goodbye to dad in his office and head down to the garage.
I decide I can't be bothered to drive myself so ask Leo, our chauffeur, to drive me to school today in my Porsche 9-11.
I pull out my phone and text Casey Hey Bae you at school yet?
Within ten seconds I get a reply Yeah, waiting outside school.
I ask Leo to pull up a few minutes early, I don't like showing that I'm rich, plus I don't need to either. So he does and then hands the keys to me and says "Here we are Miss. I'm off for the rest of the day so I'm going to walk home, it's only a couple of blocks away."
"Okay Leo. Thank you for driving me." I say smiling at him as he walks away.
I walk the last few minutes to school immediately seeing Casey with her golden brown hair that's somehow always shiny swinging down her back as she stands looking for me and her golden skinned arms flailing when she spots me.
"OMG HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" She screams running up to me and jumping into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. We're those type of friends where we could literally be in a relationship and nothing would change between us. Because of Casey, the whole school thinks my birthday is the day after my birthday. I smile at her before kissing her nose and placing her down on the floor before Jackson walks over and says in a Mock angry tone "Did you just kiss my girlfriend?"
Jackson is Casey's boyfriend of two years now and they are the surest couple. Jackson is one of the What you could call popular people and Casey is also on that list, I'm on it through association.
I laugh, "No, I just kissed her nose."
He laughs too before hugging Casey from behind and kissing the top of her head.
The warning bell sounds for class and we all head inside for the first lesson of the day.
Double chemistry.
I adore chemistry. It is my second favourite subject, first being maths. My teacher Dr. Jillian is amazing, she's so nice and really funny.
I walk in and take my usual seat on the second row. I like being near the front but being at the front is like being a super nerd. And I'm not one of those.
The lesson starts and I take notes and before I know it it's lunchtime.
I gather my things and head to the cafeteria instantly spotting my table.
Because I'm considered one of the more popular kids at school and because Casey forced me to sit with her, I sit at the popular table. Where all the cheerleaders sit and the jocks too. Sighing I spot my usual seat next to Casey is free and I sit farting out my lunch that Emma made and starting in on the chicken and stuffing sandwich.
"Happy Birthday Oakley." Is chorused from around the table once people realise I'm there.
I smile politely and thank them before going back to my sandwich. Jackson says something to Casey from her other side that makes her giggle and I smile at them, they really are adorable.
Then something cold and sticky pours over my head and I know I've been iced. I wipe it from my eyes and turn to see Mia and her goons, Isabel and Molly, stood in their skin tight jeans and off the shoulder tops, their hair pristinely curled and they nails manicured every week stood with their hands on their hips smirking at me.
"Why are you sat at this table Leafy? Shouldn't you be sat at the one over there with the losers?" Mia says.
I sigh grabbing my things and running to the bathroom. I clean myself off and take the spare top out of my bag and change before heading outside.
I climb my tree and sit in the safety of its branches. It's a really old willow tree that I come to sit and think in seen as I'm the only one who can climb it. Occasionally you get a couple come here to make out then I just leave, but most of the time it's ignored. I come here to sit and think or to read. I hear someone shouting my name and I realise that it's Casey.
I climb down and leave the safety of the branches running up to her and saying "Miss me?"
"There you are! I've been looking all over. I'm sorry about Mia. Are you alright?" She asks.
"I'm fine. I always have a spare shirt in my bag and I've got spare trousers in my locker, so I'm fine."
"Well she got told by me and Jackson!" She says.
"Thanks Cass."
"Okay. But come on we have class in like ten minutes and I need to go to my locker." She says dragging me inside to her locker.
The afternoon passes quickly, with maths and English being subjects I enjoy.
Then the bell goes signalling the end of the school day and I head outside to wait for Casey.
"Hey, are you still coming to mine?" I ask when she comes up to me.
"Of course! You know I love your house."
"I know. Come on my car is parked around the corner."
"Of course it is. You know I don't understand why you don't dress rich or let people see your flashy cars." She says linking her arm in mine.
"Because people would stare all the time and I'd have to explain and that takes too much effort plus if people don't need to know then people don't have to." I say.
"Well one day you should, just to shock people and to show Mia and her goons not to mess with you."
"Okay, fine." I say not being able to resist her for long.
"Omg that is going to be so funny."
We climb into the car and drive home, the gates opening at my voice.
"Omg I haven't been here in so long!" Casey says craning her head out the window.
"You were literally here last week and you're about to get out of the car to see it so stop craning your neck."
She smiles at me innocently before we get out and she runs up to the front door thanking the Pietro, our butler, as he opens the door for her before running inside with me shaking my head as I follow.
I walk into the kitchen as see a note from Emma that says she's gone to the supermarket and will be back by six.
I grab me and Casey some snacks and head into the living room where I can hear her squeals.
I walk in and see her collapsed on the turquoise velvet sofa with the 72 inch custom made flat screen extended so she can see it better. I laugh at her before handing her the bowl of popcorn and taking a seat in the love seat, curling my knees into the chair.
"So how was your birthday?" Cass asks.
"It was good, it ended up with me and Mum having a movie marathon because Dad got called away for a really important work thing."
"Sorry hun."
"It's fine, we're going to do the rest of the stuff on another day."
"So when are you going to do the whole, I'm rich thing?" Cass asks obviously excited about it.
"How about tomorrow?" I say, her excitement infectious.
"Really?! Omg yes because tomorrow is casual day so all the girls will come in tight fitting clothes and you can outshine them all!"
Our school has casual days so we can wear whatever we want instead of having to follow rules on how much shin is allowed and like no short shorts. But on casual days all that goes out the window, even teachers come casual.
"Okay then it's settled." I say.
"Come on we need to choose your outfit immediately." Cass says grabbing my hand and dragging me up to my room.
She makes me try on outfit after outfit but eventually we settle on my pair of thigh high stiletto boots that have lace that extends up to mid thigh with a pale pink suede skirt that just brushes the top of my boots. On my top half we decided on a black halter neck, with my black leather jacket with fleece lining. I agree, although reluctantly, to wear mascara, lipstick and a little bit of blusher.
My hair we agree we can't do much with but then Cass's eyes light up and she sits me down to show me her idea. She delicately twists one side up to the top of head and pins it in place with a flower clip. Then she admires her work with a smile.
"Cass, you know I'll never be able to do that tomorrow morning right?"
"Oh yeah." She says disappointed.
"You could stay over." I suggest and her eyes light up for like the fifth time today.
"Please!"
"Let's go and ask Emma." I say and we practically run downstairs and into the kitchen to see Emma stood there humming to herself as she chops up some cucumber.
"Hey Oakley, hello Casey, nice to see you again. What can I do for you girls?"
"Well, can Cass stay over? Please Emma?" I say pouting my lip and giving her my best puppy dog eyes.
She looks at me before sighing and saying "You know I can't resist you when you give me the puppy dog eyes. But you will have to ask your father when he gets home which should be in about ten minutes. But I'm sure he'll say yes. Casey have you asked your parents?"
Cass says "Not yet but hey love you guys so I'm sure they'll say yes."
But nevertheless she runs upstairs to grab her phone and call them.
She comes back down and says "They're totally fine with it, as long as I go back by Sunday morning I can stay here for as long as I like."
I hug her and she hugs me back but then I hear a key in the door and say "My dad's home, come on we can ask him."
"Dad!" I scream as I run through the living room into the foyer, Cass not far behind me.
"Woah, woah, yes sweetie?"
"Can Cass stay over a couple of days? Her parents are fine with it." I ask.
"Hello Casey dear, and I don't see why not if her parents are okay with it." He says and I jump into his arms before dragging Cass back upstairs to my room.
I love my room, it has frost blue walls with rose gold cherry blossom trees painted on them, my bed is king size and has a periwinkle duvet, my walk in wardrobe is painted frost blue to match my walls and my outer wall is made of one way glass that looks out onto the gardens with my balcony just beyond.
I have a little nook in my wall that I fill with books and then I have an en suite that has white and rose gold tiles and then an adjourning room that holds my desk and all my school work and also my company work that I do for dad.
Me and Cass get ready for bed and sit on my bed chatting, "How are things with Jackson?" I ask.
"Good. I mean we're good."
"Cass, I've known you for too long to not know when something's up. Come on, you know you can talk to me."
"It's just that, he, he gets really jealous of everyone lately and it's like I can't even look at someone or he gets jealous."
I nod, "Well, maybe he's insecure. Maybe he thinks you don't like him anymore."
"WHAT!" She screams, practically in my ear, "I don't just like him, I think I love him Lee."
"Then tell him you fool! That's probably what he's thinking about you and so he's being super jealous. You've been dating for like two years Cass, I think it's alright for you to love each other."
"Love you Bae." She says.
"I know you do." I reply.
"But anyway, how about your love life? Huh? How's that going?" She teases.
"It's not going Cass, you know that since Her, I haven't dated anyone."
"I know but bae it's been a year now, you should start looking. Just considering your options."
"I know but it feels like im betraying her. But I'll try. For you." I say.
"Good. now we should get some sleep, we have to get ready tomorrow morning."
We climb into bed and drift off to sleep.