How To Love Christmas | ✓

i. monday 1st december

ACCORDING TO ESTELLE RICHARDS, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO ACCURATELY DESCRIBE NOEL PEARSON ON A MONDAY AFTERNOON - AND IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE SO FULL OF CUSSING THAT SHE COULDN'T POSSIBLY EVER INK IT ON PAPER.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for Est, since it prevents her from voicing her opinion and therefore facing the wrath of the principal (who always seems to appear at the least convenient of times) or Noel's army of plastic-doll girls with their long lashes and gold-tinted makeup), her best friend (and pretty much Est's only friend since moving here nearly a year and a half ago), Lea, completely disagrees. "Isn't he so dreamy?" she swoons, as Estelle bites into a red gala apple. "Just look at him, Est - how can someone be so perfect?"

Est rolls her eyes, wishing that her friends (and the entire highschool, and everything else in this so-called "city that never sleeps") isn't so stereotypical - that perhaps for once, there can be a story where the social hierarchy isn't set in stone from freshman year. As a freshman herself, she briefly realizes that she's missed her best shot at popularity (not that she actually ever wanted it) and wonders what might have been had she jumped at it for a second time.

Despite this, Est is fully aware that she is not exactly unpopular. Instead, she's stuck in that uncomfortable no man's land - that place where everyone sort of nods at you but no one really says hi. It's quite a depressing place to be, really, Est thinks.

"Hey - Est?"

Est responds with a mumble, fighting the urge to roll her eyes that is beating in her chest.

"Do you think that I'd ever have a chance with him? I mean, like - would he ever look at me?"

"Who, Noel?"

Lea nods.

Est snorts in response. "No," she says flatly. "Noel Pearson doesn't actually care about anyone."

Lea protests, but Est remains adamant that he's void of a heart, that instead, there's a great big black hole caged in the middle of his chest. She says that sure, he looks like he's been sculpted from the finest forms of iron, and sure, he'd probably ("definitely," Lea corrects) look great in a Calvin Klein advert with his sharp V line that peaks out from beneath his shirt when he stretches, but no, he will never actually love a person - "never," she finishes bluntly. "Never." She half expects Lea to respond with another nonsense spiel, claiming that the two are destined to be or something, but she doesn't. She just sits, a thoughtful look blossoming on her face.

And then she sighs.

"I really want to hate Harley," she says, sighing again as her eyes trace the cheer captain's body. "How many times do you think they've done it?"

Est blushes a little. "By it, do you mean the horizontal hokey pokey?"

Lea groans. "Oh my God, Est," she says, grimacing. "Never say that again! You spend way too much time on Tumblr!" She pauses. "But yes, but it I do mean -"

"Yeah, yeah - I get it," Est cuts in. She shrugs. "Who knows?" she says, and then adds after a moment's thought: "who cares?"

She thinks that she briefly catches her friend's mumble of "I do", but doesn't mention it, instead returning to her apple and inwardly rolling her eyes as Lea continues to stare at Noel.

There is nothing special about Noel Pearson, except from the fact that he has an abnormally large ego. Est doesn't know him personally - the school is huge, there is barely anyone that she does know personally! - but she knows his type. He's loud, obnoxious and a complete douche about pretty much everything.