HARLEY REED IS A BOMBSHELL JUST WAITING TO EXPLODE.
She is a tornado, wreaking havoc upon the school. She is a fire; a burning, crackling, intoxicating fire that immediately rages upon poor Noel Pearson (who for once, has done nothing to deserve it).
"He what?" The cry can be heard pretty much throughout the school.
Menna, the bearer of bad news, shrinks back into herself. "Him and the girl... apparently he asked her out," she mutters.
"Why on earth would he do that?" Harley splutters. The queen bee who was once admired for actually having consideration for others vanishes - in her place stands a furious head cheerleader. "What exactly did you hear?"
Menna refuses to meet her friend's gaze. "I heard that he took her to his house and cooked her dinner. I heard that he asked her out then and she said yes. I heard that she..."
"That she what?" Harley demands.
Menna stares at the ground. "That she met Holly," she whispers.
"She what?"
"Is that a big deal?" another girl asks.
Menna shoots her a warning look - but it's too late. Harley's spark has been lit.
"Is it a big deal?" she screeches. "Of course it's a big deal! He centres his life around Holly - it took me years to meet her! Who does this Arendale think she is?"
"Estelle," Menna corrects.
"Who gives a fuck?"
No one answers. Crossing Harley Reed at the very best of times is near-fatal.
Today, she would be far beyond lethal.
As though perfectly cued in choreographed chaos, Estelle Richards chooses that exact moment to walk through the school gates. She's alone - purely on the basis that she refused to accept another lift from Noel and that Lea lives the other end of town.
Something about Est seems really peaceful. She's got this aura about her that feels calming and comforting - it's a pity really that that aura doesn't spread as far as Harley.
"You."
The word is spat out venomously, cutting off It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas in Est's head.
"Yes?" Est sounds confused - hell, Est is confused. Harley Reed is confronting her? She sighs. There can only be one thing behind this.
"You're with Noel," Harley accuses.
Est shrugs. "Sure I am," she says. "Since yesterday."
Harley's eyes bulge wide and she splutters. "Why?"
Est frowns. "Because I like him and he likes me and he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes, maybe? Because he cooked me a meal and told me that I was the most important thing in his life, maybe? Because we wanted to, maybe?"
As she watches the cheer captain's reaction, Est is briefly reminded of the reason that she ever turned down Noel in the first place (apart from the fact that she was far beyond convinced that he was an egotistical little twat of course). Going out with Noel Pearson is social suicide.
Except that Est has given up caring about being the little invisible girl in the corner who cries every Christmas. She doesn't care anymore.
"Look Harley," she says bluntly. "I'm not trying to get in anyone's way here. Just let me get past, please. I just want to be happy - isn't that what everyone wants?"
But Harley shakes her head and looks her squarely in the eye. Her response? Three words.
"This is war."
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"You like 5 Seconds of Summer, right?"
"Yeah... how did you know?"
"Your room."
"My room? When have you ever seen my room?"
"The other day.. it's up on the left.. by the bathroom..."
Est rolls her eyes. "So what," she says. "You've seen my room. You've seen my embarrassing posters of my favourite bands and my fascination for Luke Hemmings' face. And?"
Noel chuckles. "And today is day four."
"And?"
"And it's four calling birds."
There's a quick pause.
"And?"
It's Noel's turn to roll his eyes. "And guess who tweeted you!"
"No!" Est's voice is incredulous. Her eyes are disbelieving. "What? How? I don't even have Twitter!"
Noel laughs again, his low, throaty chuckle. "But I do. And, it just so happens that my cousin is in Australia and it just so happens that his girlfriend is childhood best friends with none other than the great Ashton Irwin and it just so happens that they might have all tweeted you and it just so happens that -"
Est silences him with an enthusiastic kiss.
"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou," she whispers, holding him tightly as he pulls out his phone.
@Ashton5SOS: @noellyp delly asked me to tweet you something for est? hi there est x
@Calum5SOS: @noellyp Have a great christmas est!
@Michael5SOS: @noellyp of course I'm ur fav, right Est? sending hugs xo
@Luke5SOS: @noellyp hey est, heard this was a hard time for u atm so hope ur okay n
@Luke5SOS: @noellyp sending hugs and kisses from us all. have a very merry christmas babe xx
Est forgets to hold her scream in.
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guYS JUST A WARNING
NOEL DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TWITTER BUT I HAD A LOOK AFTER POSTING THIS AND SOMEONE ACTUALLY HAS THE ACCOUNT @noellyp
THIS ISN'T FOR HIM OKAY STG SO DON'T TWEET THE GUY THINKING IT'S NOEL
also, the "i love you" was not serious. just so you know. more like word vomit when ur really excited.
YOU ARE READING
How To Love Christmas | ✓
Teen FictionEstelle Richards' parents don't celebrate Christmas. She doesn't feel like she's missing out on anything - she's just used to it by now. After a tragedy convinced her to follow her parents to New York about a year and a half ago, she's spent her pre...
