Turn The Paige✔

CHAPTER ONE

Paige sank her teeth into the chewy, cheesy and decadent goodness of a barbeque beef pizza slice. "Mmm, yum!" she murmured. She licked her lips as the barbeque sauce oozed onto her tongue, and counted from one to three in her mind between each bite. It was too delicious not to savour each morsel.

"This is legit better than a boyfriend." Madeline, her best friend, nodded in agreement as she ate her slice. She moaned as she chewed.

"Is today Fat Friday?" Paige asked.

Madeline deadpanned. "Seriously? Today is Wednesday, PG." She crossed her slim legs and pursed her pink lips.

Paige froze for a brief moment, "Oh no! What are we going to do! We are only supposed to pig out on Fridays."

Madeline shrugged and looked into Paige's eyes. Both of them burst out laughing simultaneously. "Screw it! Cheers!" They bumped their pizza slices together as if they were toasting with red wine. If they could not afford to splurge on expensive wining and dining, a good pizza and fizzy drinks would have to do.

They continued eating as they lay side by side and watched a telenovela, La Mujer, and swooned at the dashing, leading men. It was the most fun they both had in a while. Most of the time, their schedules clashed and they were hardly ever free to hang out at the same time.

It was their third month at Landmark University, London. And just as long living together in their small, off campus one bedroom flat. Living together in the heart of the city, with cloudy skies and busy streets was a dream come true. On the few days they had spare time, they went sight seeing. Strolling along the cobbled streets and feeling the tremor of the underground trains passing by below.

Sometimes they would snap selfies at the London Bridge and board a double decker bus to random destinations. Despite their wandering, Paige and Madeline agreed to stay away from the Red Dragon Pub. It was just around the corner, but free nuts and cute guys were not worth the risk of getting caught in a brawl over football.

Neither admitted the core purpose of their outings. Escapism. They didn't have much, apart from a bottle green sofa bed, three foldable wooden chairs and a few, basic kitchen utensils. The walls and the carpet were a matching plain, cream colour. If not for Paige getting some green curtains the previous week, the only 'pop of colour' would be the sofa.

Paige ran a hand through her big, brown curls and sipped her bitter lemon drink. "How was your interview at George Gordon?" she asked.

Madeline tried to pick a piece of cheese off her top, but it smudged, and left an oily, yellow stain near her collar. "Bollocks!" she whisper yelled.

Paige laughed. "Was the interview that bad, Mads? You see what I did there? Bad Mads?"

Madeline grumbled and rose to her feet. Rolling her honey brown eyes, she threw a piece of pepperoni at Paige—which she dodged with a giggle.

"Just a minute," Madeline said while tying her silky, straight black hair in a ponytail. She went to the bathroom to check for a wet wipe in the medicine cabinet. She tore one from the packet, and brushed furiously at the stain. "It was fine," she shouted, so her friend could hear her, "The manager told me to start work on Monday."

"That's great, Mads. I am sure it will be so much fun!" Paige squealed.

Madeline returned from the bathroom and sat beside her friend with a thump. Paige knew Madeline would have found that kind of enthusiasm annoying in anyone else and grinned. She was the loyal and optimistic friend the pragmatic Madeline needed. They loved each other dearly.

"Paige, I am going to be an assistant at a law office. I doubt there will be much fun to be had."

Paige looked at her friend, and shook her head in mirth. "You are a first year, law student, and you are already so freaking stern. I am sure you will be a great solicitor some day. I can picture the gold plaque in front of your office, Madeline Chang and—"

"PG, hold on a second. Didn't you say that you have a departmental meeting at ten?" Madeline asked.

Paige raised a frustrated eyebrow and huffed. "Yeah?" A quick glance at the wall clock jolted her into action. She stood up and started rushing around frantically like a headless chicken. "No freaking way! It is nine-forty already! Last time I checked it was quarter to eight. Where on Earth did all the time go!"

Paige rushed into the bedroom, and started tearing at her clothes hangers. She knew she had to find her blue jumpsuit, the one she often wore whenever she was running late. It did not need to be ironed, and she did not have to worry about looking for a top to go with it.

Madeline stood in the entrance of the bedroom and chuckled. "You should have known better than to watch Jason Rodriguez do anything on a school day. You could have watched a repeat of La Mujer later. By the way, if you are looking for your Sesame Street blue jumpsuit, it's on the chair."

"What? Do you mean I tore the wardrobe apart for nothing?" Paige cried, as she flung her hands in the air, and collided with Madeline as she rushed out of the bedroom. She quickly popped her head around the corner, "It's not a Sesame Street jumpsuit!" she snapped.

"Suit yourself, PG. I just think it looks kind of childish with all those stars on it."

Paige brushed her teeth briskly, and bolted into the shower. She turned up the heat and turbo-bathed with an orange scented shower gel. She almost slipped when she rushed out of the shower, and had to clutch onto the sink in order to regain stability. As she rushed into the bedroom, she tripped on the carpet and Madeline burst out laughing.

"Now, that epic somersault takes the cake! PG you should—"

"Shut up and stay out of my way," Paige shouted, as she got up and continued her frantic preparation for school.  Ever the fashionista, she still bothered to put on body cream, underwear, and brushed her tangled curls furiously, not necessarily in that order. She knew she would probably end up with a headache after brushing her hair so harshly, but she had no choice. A few minutes later, she was in her jumpsuit and looked decent enough for a person who took about seven minutes to get ready.

Madeline checked her wristwatch, "It's ten minutes to ten, you know what that means?" she asked.

Paige shoved her notebooks, phone and her purse into her bag before slipping her feet into a comfy pair of black sandals. "Of course," she replied.

"Run!" they both shouted.

Paige dashed out of the bedroom and out the front door quicker than a flash. She unintentionally slammed the door on her way out, and the windows rattled. Madeline poked her head through the window and called out to Paige, who had already unhooked the front gate. "Aren't you going to give me a peck before you leave, dear?" she teased.

"Ask Peter to peck you," Paige retorted as she fumbled with the gate and ran for her life.

"Peter is a parrot," Madeline chuckled. She shook her head and smiled as she wiped a speck of dust from the window sill, and closed the window. It was a good thing that Landmark was just about fifteen minutes walk from their flat, but Paige's department, Pharmacy, at the School of Biomedical Science, was at the other side of campus.

She hoped her friend would get there on time because first impressions usually stick like glue. And no fresher wanted to be known as a Goofy Gertrude, but Paige lived by her own rules. Drama was guaranteed.