"Oi. Get up. Up, now. Get up lazy. Hey, lazy, get up! Get up! God dammit get up! FARRAH GET UP!" My phone screamed. I rolled over and groaned, reaching out absent-mindedly to shut off my ridiculous alarm. I didn't want an alarm clock with their irritating ticking and ringing. So I recorded myself on my phone yelling at my morning self to get up.
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Shut up." I grumbled, trying to turn off my alarm. My phone was so bright, and my eyes couldn't take it this early in the morning. I blinked and squinted but it was too bright. I sighed loudly, muffling my phone into my comforter. It still murmured the screams, but at least it wasn't booming in my ear.
I got up and grabbed some clothes for school. Luckily our school wasn't one to have a uniform, so I wore whatever. I picked up some skinny, blue, denim jeans from the floor. I looked for some flats but decided to just find some after I'd had my shower. Even though I was short, and I hated my height, I refused to wear heels to make me appear taller. My clumsiness would always take over, and the last time I had worn heels, I fell into a puddle. Good times.
"Top...top, where is my green top?" I wondered aloud, kicking various piles of clothing out of the way to find the one top I needed. Unlike most people, I didn't keep the clothes I wanted to wear the next day on the end of my bed, or on top of my dresser. I threw them on the floor, mixed in with old, dirty clothes. Clever idea- if I were a monkey.
I saw it and plucked it out from a mess of green, blue and white, heading to the shower. I hung my clothes from the towel rack, leaving the towel on the floor. I looked at the wall from where the towel rack hung, thinking that I needed another one. I stripped off my clothes still thinking about it. My dad had built that rack, and had promised to build me another. Too late now.
I showered away my morning smell, and the grimy, wake-up feeling I got after I had crawled out from my bed. I couldn't go a day without showering in the morning, or I felt like grease all day. I used my lemon scented shampoo and the matching bodywash, sniffing my hands contently. I loved lemon. Lemon bodywash, shampoo, cake, jello- you name something with lemon in it, and I'd probably love it.
Stepping out of the white bathtub, I towel-dried myself, and slipped into my clothes. My bra straps were slipping down my shoulders, so I pulled them up as I hunted for shoes to go with my outfit.
"Hmm...white shoes, brown sandals, brown slip-ons, black converse, red slip-ons..." I wondered. I chose the brown slip-ons, and grabbed a floral cardigan thing to go over my top. I wasn't the most fashionable person, but this was a good look on me.
I was half-way through drying my long hair when a knock sounded at my door.
"Yeah?" I called over the loud noise of the blow-dryer. My Mom's head peeped through the door, as expected. Troy never knocked.
"Hey honey. Nice outift." She nodded. I smiled to myself happily. Maybe I was just one of those people who only got into fashion in their late teens?
"What do you need?" I asked, my voice loud and clear.
"Nothing, just heard something. Wanted to know if it was true." She smirked.
"Oh God, what is it?" I mumbled, switching off the dryer. I unplugged it and placed it on top of my dresser, before looking at my Mom worriedly.
"Are you going on a date this Saturday?" She questioned.
"Um...yes..." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Why? Wait, who told you?"
"My baby girl is going on her first date! Aww this is great! You have to let me do your hair, I have the perfect idea! Riley will sooooo like it!" Mom squealed like a teenage girl, doing a little happy jig.
"M-om!" I whined, crossing my arms. "How did you find out?"
"My lovely sister told me! This is going to be the best first date for you baby, I promise!" Mom announced.
"Mom, it'll be fine. I don't need your help-"
"No buts!" She shushed me. "I'm picking your outfit, doing your hair and make-up."
"What if I would prefer a friend to do that?" I raised one eyebrow.
"Too bad!" She cackled, darting from the room.
"Mom!" I called after her. "Don't tell Troy!"
"Don't tell me what?" My brother appeared out of his bedroom door, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"None of your business, dweeb." I shut my door in his face. Then feeling stupid, I realised I was supposed to be going downstairs for breakfast. Nice move. I re-opened my door and Troy was leaning over the stairs, yelling to mom.
"What? Seriously?!" He shouted. He half turned his head to look at me. "You're going on your first date on Saturday? With Riley?"
He spat Riles' name in disgust. I frowned at him, but didn't answer. My Mom was such a blabber mouth. I trooped downstairs, Troy still calling after me.
"Do you have problems or something?! You're so weird! He's-" He bellowed one insult after another, either about me or Riley. I got to the kitchen and glared at Mom.
"Nice going." I told her. She smiled sympathetically, and continued to make breakfast.
"Why did I agree to come in your car?" I groaned to Troy.
"Because you're too lazy to walk to school?" He reminded me.
"Can't you just pretend I'm not here like usual? Why do you have to keep drilling me with questions?" I sighed.
"No. I cannot believe you're going on a date with Riley Tucker. You're such a weirdo. He's a creep, you know? He's been stalking you for ages! Why did you think he got a job at Aunt Tessa's place?" Troy babbled on.
"He is not a stalker, okay? Riley is a nice guy- unlike you. You bad-mouth anyone not in your rankings. You're such an ass." I told my brother grumpily.
"You wanna walk? I don't have to drive you, you know." He growled.
"Fine." I slumped in my chair as Troy sped up. "You only took me today because you wanted to interrogate me."
"One more chance little sis, and you will be flat on your face on the sidewalk." Troy threatened. I stayed silent for the rest of the twenty-minute ride to school. When Troy pulled to a stop in the school parking lot, I scrambled out quickly, ending up falling on my face. But, being the arrogant, big-headed, evil brother he was, Troy just slammed my door shut, and drove off. He could've ran me over!
"There you are. First stalking me, then throwing yourself at me, now falling at my feet? I'm getting good signals here, no matter what your mouth says." A very recognizable voice laughed.
"Go away Cameron." I said to the concrete floor of the parking lot. I pulled myself up and blushed furiously as I saw he was not alone.
"What? I was only trying to be nice. I was going to help you up, try and smoothe over this embarrassment for you. But you just repay me by telling me to go away- so hurtful!" Cameron mocked hurt. I swallowed. Not only had I managed to embarrass myself, yet again, in front of Cameron, I had also embarrassed myself in front of his friends. And one particular friend. Tanner. Tanner West, my dream guy.
"I...sorry. It was Troy, he just-" I stammered. Cameron raised an eyebrow, obviously thinking I wasn't the same girl from over the weekend. The idiot who blurted out rude comments and impolite suggestions. But then again, I had just fallen out of a car- I was definitely Farrah Chambers.
"Getting tongue-tied again, huh? You got it bad for me, Farrah Chambers." Cameron smirked. I blushed beetroot, and turned away, ready to storm off.
"Farrah, hey!" A new voice called. Riley appeared at my side, and I was more than greatful.
"Hi." I whispered.
"What's up?" Riley asked me, pulling a confused face. "Why are you whispering?"
"She's in my prescence. She has to whisper or she'll moan for me." Cameron interrupted. My nostrils flared at his comment, my brows furrowing angrily.
"What the hell do you mean?" I growled.
"Yeah, what do you mean?" Riley echoed, not so confident. "She doesn't like you."
"Oh, but she does. You wouldn't believe the things she's done to me." Cameron winked at me, making me fume.
"I haven't done anything! You're just...ugh! You take things the complete wrong way you...you..." I trailed off, aware of the many eyes staring at us. I swallowed my insult and grabbed Riley's arm. "Let's go." I sighed.
"Feisty, I love it. We should hang out sometime, Farrah Chambers. I could come to your house whenever, Troy wouldn't mind..." He teased. I began to walk away, a blush seeping onto my cheeks. But Riley stopped me.
"She's going on a date with me. She doesn't like you- she never will. Farrah is a nice girl, you're not a nice guy." Riles told him. I blushed even more, my cheeks as red as a tomato.
"Riles, let's go!" I pleaded desperately, dragging him away.
"Whatever." Cameron scoffed behind us. "See you round, Farrah Chambers."
"Ooooh how embarrassing! But totally awesome at the same time!" My best girl friend, Hayley giggled. "A popular knows you exist! Lots of them know your name! Cameron talks to you!"
"Not good, Hayley." I snapped, staring at my salad sadly. There were no burgers left in the cafeteria, so I had to have damn salad. "He teases me any chance he gets. I've known the boy two days! Two freakin' days- and I've managed to show myself up countless times. Not to mention he's been in my house, my workplace, and he knows my location for Saturday!"
"Stop over-reacting. He knows you're on a date with Riley, not your location." Hayley laughed.
"And if he gets it from Troy? My brother would quite happily hand me over to him if he got to see me being tortured by the boy!" I panicked.
"You are paranoid." Riley told me. "He's all the way over there, look." He pointed across the lunch hall. "He hasn't said a word to you, or even looked at you, in twenty minutes."
"We still have ten minutes left though!"
"You know, anyone would think you want him to take notice of you, Farrah." Riley rasied an eyebrow and grinned, but I saw the sadness in his eyes.
"I do not! You're right guys, let's try and forget him." I smiled.
"Forget who?" Someone said. That someone would only be Cameron. God damn him!
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" I barked, spinning in my seat to face the green-eyed demon. The room went silent, and my mouth fell open in horror. The eyes that met mine were not green. The hair on the head wasn't dirty blonde. The face wasn't Cameron's.
"M-Mr Lopez." I gulped. "I am so sorry! I thought you were someone else! I am so sorry! So, so sorry! Ugh! I am such an idiot! I-"
"Stop your babbling, Miss Chambers. It's quite all right. I shouldn't have intruded on your girly gossip. Uh, gossip." He added after getting a meaningful look from Riley.
"What...how can I help you Sir?" I asked timidly.
"I need your help. Come with me, please." Mr Lopez motioned for me to follow him. Riley and Hayley looked at each other, and then back at me.
"Good luck." Hayley mouthed. I nodded and scurried after my science teacher.
"So...what kind of help do you need Sir?" I inquired when we reached the science lab. My mind froze and my mouth started trembling. Oh dear God- what if Mr Lopez was one of those creepy, pedophilic teachers?! He was going to rape me! I didn't want to live like that, the memory would haunt me forever, I'd never be the same again! I wouldn't be able to act right on my date with Riley...
"I need you to-" Mr Lopez began.
"Are you sure you need my help, Sir?" I begged. "I'm crap- sorry, I mean rubbish, at science!"
I was trying to steer him off of the subject, but he silenced me with a wave of his hand. I gulped dramatically.
"Miss Chambers, please be quiet. I need you to tutor a student." Mr Lopez announced.
"A student? Oh cool! Okay. That's fine. Great. Yay! I can't wait!" I was letting my happiness out weirdly, I could tell that by Mr Lopez' face. "Um..who I am going to tutor?"
"Someone in this class, if you don't mind. His name is..."
His? This tutor-ee was a him? A guy? Oh crap. There were no decent guys in my science class. Only jerks and idiots. Like Cameron's friends. A thought crossed my mind, and before I could process it, I screamed.
"Dear goodness! Miss Chambers, are you all right?" Mr Lopez quizzed kindly.
"Tell me. Tell me sir, that this...person, I have to tutor is not Cameron Carter!" I trembled.
"What? No. Cameron is doing exceptionally well in science. I would have asked him to be a tutor, but the student who needs tutoring is one of his friends. I figured they would mess around and get no work done." Mr Lopez relieved me. He looked at the floor for a moment, before looking up a bit startled. "I mean, and of course you are a very bright girl- you'd be perfect for this job!"
"It's okay, Sir, I didn't take offence. Now who is it?" I demanded. I realised how rude I had been, but Mr Lopez didn't even notice. He opened his mouth and told me who it was, my mind still worrying over the fact they were a friend of Cameron's.
"Jason Evans."
"Jason?" I repeated. "Oh...okay."
Jason Evans was the boy who sat next to Cameron usually. Thinking about it, he sat near me. He had dark brown hair, possibly black, I'd never been close enough to tell, and dark green eyes. Not green eyes like Cameron. No. His were paler, and sometimes threw bits of brown in them in the light...
Damn Cameron Carter and his appearances everywhere. Including my brain.
"Is this okay? You will be assigned partners in a new project we will be starting in tomorrow's lesson." Mr Lopez informed me.
"Right...okay. Thanks, Sir." I nodded, backing out of the room.
"Thanks so much Farrah. If you could just tell him for me, that would be wonderful. This project will need work after school as well as in lessons."
I wondered back down the corridors to the lunch hall, slowly, carefully. I didn't want to trip over anything like I always did. I stepped back in and sat with Hayley and Riley.
"Well? What happened?" Hayley demanded.
"I have to tutor Jason Evans in science." I said slowly, the message soaking in. Jason was the guy who always messed around in lessons, always blew things up. Damn.
"Ugh, he is so annoying. Good luck." Riley rolled his eyes. His expression changed and he smiled at me. "You could always ask me for help if he ever gets out of hand."
"Uh, thanks Riles." I thanked him. No offence to him, but Riley wasn't very confident at the best of times. He couldn't take on Jason.
"Please go and flirt elsewhere. It's gross to see my two besties...communicating in a flirtatious way." Hayley told us, picking apart her veggie burger. She wasn't even a vegetarian.
"I need to go tell Jason. I'll be...back." I stood up, my legs wobbling like jello. I didn't want to talk to him, but Mr Lopez had asked me to. I started across the cafeteria, mentally telling myself it would be fine. I wouldn't get teased. Cameron wouldn't say anything. They would barely notice me. Those thoughts were more wishes though.
Several pairs of eyes were on me as I stopped in front of the table Jason was sat on. I knew Hayley and Riley were watching. I knew most of the popular people in the room were watching. I knew everyone at Jason's table was looking at me. I knew Jason was looking at me. I knew Cameron was smirking at me.
"You just can't stay away from me, can you?" Cameron clicked his tongue. "This is amusing, but beginning to get a bit weird."
"I'm not here to talk to you!" I snapped. I immedietly regretted it, as all of the people on his table were looking at me shocked. My tongue had a mind of it's own. As I had thought when I first talked to him, my brain and mouth didn't seem to communicate properly around him.
"OooOooh!" His friends chuckled.
"Then who are you here to talk to?" Cameron asked.
"It's none of your business, nosy." I told him, a blush crawling up my cheeks as I called him nosy. Why? Why did I have to humiliate myself so much when I was around Cameron? He was so annoying!
"No?"
"No. But...I'm here to talk to Jason." I sighed.
"Oooh Jason watch out! Miss Feisty Farrah Chambers likes you!" Cameron howled.
"Shut up!" I barked. "I do not! I've been asked to flippin' tutor him in science!"
"You're my tutor?" Jason asked me. I nodded, he was clearly unimpressed. Cameron stopped laughing and looked at me seriously.
"You?"
I nodded again.
"Is it after school?" Cameron threw another question.
"Uh yeah. Sorry, Jason." I mumbled. I began to back away. "See you...at some point then."
"Make sure to frustrate her for me." I heard Cameron chuckle lowly.
That boy knew how to push my buttons. He was like Troy in a, non-brother form. Like a brother's friend...oh wait- he was. I scowled at the table I was sat at, thinking again of how Troy never told me he was friends with the popular, bad-ass, jerk. Why, why couldn't he be friends with Tanner West?! I wouldn't mind if he teased me to no end. At least I'd be spending time with him! I exhaled sadly.
"What's up with you? Is it the tutoring thing?" Hayley prodded me.
"Partly." I whined. "It's the tutoring, Jason, Cameron, Troy, Tanner..." I accidently blurted. Riley looked up.
"What did Tanner do?" He asked suspiciously.
"He...he's a friend of Cameron's, isn't he? He saw me fall out of Troy's car this morning. They were all laughing at me is all." I half lied.
"Oh right. They're so mean." Riley looked over his shoulder at the populars. Hayley raised an eyebrow. She knew it was a lie. She knew I liked Tanner. She also knew I had date with Riley. I was in deep shit. I needed someone to spread me out equally on toast and eat me. At least I wouldn't be in this mess. I was being over the top, but Cameron really got on my nerves. I needed something bad to happen to him. Something to warn him away from me.
I sat up straighter and beamed. I knew exactly what to do.
Author's note:
Another thank you to everyone who has commented on this story- I really do love hearing what you think about Tame, the characters, the plot, etc. It's really helping me with my confidence, as some people may know from reading my profile- I mostly delete my work. This is the first story in a while I haven't deleted- THANK YOU!!! And to everyone who voted and added Tame to their reading lists, each and every one of you are getting a ma-hoooooo-sive thank you from me, and a virtual hug!
This chapter is dedictaed to charliethereaderx, my beautiful friend who is like my sister, and who keeps texting me and bugging me to update! She wanted me to send her the chapters I had done before posting them here, so she got to read them first :P
The picture to the right is Jason! I thought I might as well include him :) I do have a question though, who's picture should I put up for the next chapter? Troy, Rolo or Cookie? I also have a poster I made :P If you guys wanna make a poster, I'll put that up and you'll get a chapter dedication if you like :)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I really do! I tried to make it eventful seeing as I haven't posted in a while, (school's started again, and I got ill :\) Did you like the new characters? There were three- did you catch them all?
Wow, sorry this note was so long! Have a lovely day, thanks again for reading x
x Emily x