How we began (now published, so sample only)

Chapter 4 - Persuasion is not the technique to use

Her insecurities popped up again and it was hard to force them down. Did she really want to be doing this because of Isaac? Mitchell had insisted that she had looked perfectly fine and to go get her man. The problem was that Kayla had never been as outgoing as her brother was so this was a massive stretch for her.

“Kayla why are you hiding out in your car?” Hayley’s voice disrupted her thoughts.

She glanced out the window to see her friend grinning at her as she tapped on the window. She wished she had Hayley’s confidence with life. Her friend never let anything stop her. She wore clothes with a style and flair all her own and was proud of who she was. She faced life with a grin and a bucket load of determination.

“Ah nothing.” Kayla replied as she wound down the window.

“Well even from here I can see what Mitchell’s been up to.” Hayley’s grin widened. “Come on, get out.”

“No I don’t think so.” Kayla edged lower into her seat.

“I want to see his handiwork.” Hayley tugged on the door handle and with great difficulty, prised Kayla from the car. “That guy has got some mad skills. I’m so jealous.”

“He’s just a crazy guy with scissors and a sewing machine.” Kayla replied with a roll of her eyes.

She reached in for the only hat her brother would let her wear. It was small, barely covering her face but at least her forehead couldn’t be seen. They had had a massive discussion about her hat collection until, her Mum got home. She thankfully told Kayla to wear whatever made her comfortable, which Kayla smiled smugly about.

“Nope Mitchell is one talented designing guru.” Hayley said as she gestured for Kayla to spin around. With a grumpy look, Kayla turned as quickly as she could.

“Okay I’m done with showing off.” Kayla turned back to her car to retrieve her bag.

“Toodles then.”

Kayla simply waved a hand vaguely in the direction she thought her friend was. She grabbed a textbook that had fallen to the floor and quickly shoved it in her bag. She straightened up and prepared to leave. She turned only to see a familiar presence nearby. He stood there shuffling his feet, while glancing anywhere but at her.

“Um hi.” She said cursing her stammered out words, before recalling she was supposed to be mad at him.

He stared at her and then bit his lip appearing incredibly indecisive. She was about to say anything to fill the awkward air between them but he turned and marched away. Kayla felt struck by a hurt she had never expected to feel. Mitchell had been wrong about altering her dress, it had changed nothing. With difficulty, she pulled herself together before slamming the door of her car and heading to class.

For the first time in Isaac’s life, he couldn’t think of what to say to a girl. He had seen the way her dress smoothed over her body and been gobsmacked. Gone was the baggy dress and here was the curvy lushness he had never really expected. However, he walked away. He said nothing and walked away. Now he wanted to kick himself for the way he had acted.

He had thought it all over the night before and made an important decision. He didn’t care what anyone else thought about him liking Hat Girl; he was still going after her. This morning when he had seen her talking to Hayley, his resolve had been set even more. Now he stuffed it up though, he had no idea how to come back from that either.

It was only when he was heading for class did he realise that Hat Girl was in his class. She had always been there but he had never taken any notice of her. She was quiet and never answered questions but she always did well in class.