I spent the majority of Sunday slouched around the living room eating junk food and watching movies on TV. My dad also took me to town to replace my cell phone. It turns out my iphone was insured, so we got my new one for free. It was the same phone, except this one was white whereas my last one was black. I got a new sim card, which meant my number was different, so I sent my new number to Alex and a few other friends.
It was Monday morning and I was walking to school. Alone. It was unusual to open my door and find no one waiting for me on the other side, normally a smiling Ste would be there. But not this morning.
School was only a five minute walk, so I got there pretty quickly unlike most days. It would take me and Ste about fifteen minutes to get there with all the messing about we did on the way.
I walked to my locker and threw my coat inside. I jumped a bit at the sound of my name being shouted behind me. Hesitantly, I turned to find Alex running over to me.
“Oh hey,” I greeted her.
“Hey, did Ste get in touch with you yesterday?”
My heart dropped a little, “erm, no, why?”
We both started walking down the corridor towards our lesson. It was English first.
“He said he needed to talk with you, it sounded important.”
I just shrugged my shoulders and carried on walking, even though I knew what he wanted to talk about. The plan was to avoid him for the day to avoid an awkward conversation that I didn’t want to have.
Me and Alex looked at each other confused when we walked into our empty English classroom. No students, no teacher. Just us.
“Where is everybody?” She asked with slight laughter in her voice.
“I don’t know.”
I walked back out onto the corridor and noticed a teacher’s assistant putting some files into a cabinet. I approached her then cleared my throat.
“Erm, Miss?”
The assistant was in her early 20’s, maybe even 19. “Yes?” She smiled sweetly.
“I don’t know where my class is,” I said, showing signs of embarrassment.
“Your grade is in assembly with the rest of the school.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.”
I walked back into our English classroom and caught Alex doodling humorous pictures on the whiteboard.
“Al!” I shouted.
She just laughed then rubbed them off with her sleeve. Luckily her sweater was black, so no black white board pen was seen rubbed onto her clothing.
“Everyone’s in assembly, we need to hurry.”
“Shit.” Alex murmured under her breath.
We walked quickly to the school hall. The head teacher was stood at the front, he was speaking to the rest of the school. Me and Alex quietly entered the double doors at the front, but the squeaking caused the rest of the school’s attention to turn to us. Our head teacher, Mr Dootson, stopped talking and glared at me and Alex as we disturbed his assembly.
The eldest grade was at the front, then the next grade was behind them and then my grade behind the second row, and so on. I quickly scanned everyone looking for my year group, but my eyes locked with someone’s. Ste was sat on the front row with the rest of the Jocks, there was about five of them, including him, in bright red jackets with white DP lettering on the front. DP stood for Dos Pueblos. I attend the same school that Katy did when she was younger, although she was only here for 9th grade.
Ste gave me a small smile, which I failed to return. I cut off the eye contact and kept my head down as me and Alex hurried to our seats.
“Right, carrying on…” Mr Dooston said. “So last week one of our late arrivals over there, Samantha, suggested to me that the whole school comes together to raise money for a charity she had chosen. We have the whole week to raise as much money as we can for Hunger Relief, but we need ideas, what can we do to raise the money?”
Last weekend I watched a programme about children in Africa that couldn’t afford food. Afterwards I felt so sorry for them that I decided to do something, make a difference. Ste suggested that I talk to Mr Dootson and ask for the school’s help, so that’s exactly what I did.
A girl in a grade below me put her hand up. Mr Dootson nodded at her to speak.
“We could make cakes and sell them?”
“Yeah okay, we’re on the right lines. What else?” Mr Dootson replied.
“We could have people here who are in a band to play on the drama stage outside, we could sell tickets. Like a concert.” Someone else shouted out.
“That’s a brilliant idea!” Mr Dootson agreed. “And going off the other idea, we can make cakes and sell them at the concert.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if we could advertise it somehow so people know about it? The theatre area outside is huge, we could easily fit a lot of people in there.” The same boy shouted out.
“We will have the concert on Friday, until then we all need to spend the rest of the week preparing. As for advertising, we can hang posters outside the school and give out leaflets.”
Mr Dootson was becoming more excited by the minute, and so was everybody else. If this went well we could raise a lot of money, we could help a lot of people.
“Isn’t Samantha Hudson’s older sister Katy Perry? Why don’t we ask Samantha to get her sister to play!” One of the Jocks at the front shouted. Everyone started cheering, then I felt my cheeks burn as every single pair of eyes in the room were on me.
Mr Dootson raised his eyebrows awaiting an answer. “Do you think you could do that Samantha? I remember Katy very well, she’s always one to help others. We would raise so much more money if she was here, plus she could advertise it too.”
I looked at the excited look on everyone’s faces as the ones that didn‘t know I was her sister started shouting things like ‘oh my god she‘s Katy Perry‘s sister‘ and ‘wow‘. Problem was, I wasn’t talking to Katy, she wouldn’t be able to do it anyway. Work. Album. John. They were her main priorities.
“Erm, her schedule is quite hectic at the minute…” The smile on everyone’s faces dropped slightly, “but…I will ask her anyway.”
Everyone in the room cheered once more, “Oh my god I love Katy Perry!” A girl screamed as they all laughed excitedly.
I looked at Ste across the room, he had an odd facial expression, clearly knowing the stuff that was going on with me and Katy at the minute. What he didn’t know was that I had told Katy to forget our relationship, and I knew I needed Ste right now.
We were staring at one another for a few seconds, until Alex tugged the side of my arm.
“Do you think your sister will do it?” Before I had chance to reply she carried on. “That would be so amazing, Katy Perry at our school! Beg her to come please!”
The whole room was talking about Katy, how amazing it would be, the money we would raise.
“I’ll try.” I said to Alex.
“Alright alright, settle down,” Mr Dootson said loudly, trying to calm everybody down. “Katy used to be a pupil here at Dos Pueblos for those that didn’t know. As amazing as it would be to have a popstar perform here, she might not be able to make it, so don’t get your hopes up and go telling everyone she’ll be here. Not just yet. Now, I want 9th graders to work on advertising, so basically making posters, banners, signs for the cake sales. 10th graders, you will be doing prices and ticket making. 11th graders, you will all be cooking, I want you to make cakes, biscuits, burgers and any other kind of food we could sell. And 12th graders, you will be working on the stage, setting up seating arrangements, and decorating it all. I might also give you all jobs individually through out the week, but since it was Samantha who wanted to do this, she is in charge and if you need any advice about anything she‘s the one to go to. Any questions?”
Mr Dootson waited for a moment and scanned the hall, but no one raised their hands.
“In that case, we have until Friday night, that‘s 5 days. I want you all working your best to make this a good night, it‘s an important cause. You are all dismissed.”
And with that, everybody stood up to leave the hall. I grabbed my bag off the floor next to me and hurried out of the door, keeping my head down and hoping Ste wouldn’t see me.
I slowed my pace once I was away from everybody.
“Sammie?” A voice said quietly from behind me.
I recognised the manly, husky voice. I could recognise it in a crowd of screaming people. I closed my eyes and let out a quiet sigh, before turning my head slightly.
“What?”
I made sure my voice wasn’t snappy, but soft and welcoming. I didn’t want him to think I was angry with him, because I wasn’t. I was more angry at myself for letting it happen. Ste stood next to me, we walked slowly down the corridor leading to my class. I kept my arms folded tightly across my chest.
“Are you going to ask Katy?” He hesitantly asked, knowing it was a touchy subject.
“There’s no point, her work’s so busy at the minute.”
“You haven’t been answering my texts.” His upset tone in his voice made my heart break for him.
“My phone broke. I have a new number now.”
There were a few seconds of silence.
“Why didn’t you tell me your new number?”
I just shrugged my shoulders, keeping my eyes watching forward. Careful not to make eye contact with him.
“Listen, about Saturday, I’m really sorry if I upset you or scared you.”
I scrunched my eyes together, this was the conversation I didn’t want to have.
“Ste please, just forget it okay?” I pleaded.
He jumped in front of me and put his hand on my shoulder so that I couldn’t carry on walking.
“No, I think we need to talk about this.”
I sighed heavily as my way of giving in.
“I scared you off and I’m sorry, but I don’t regret kissing you.”
He stared into my blue eyes with his shiny big ones, he had a hand at either side of me, resting on my upper arm. I furrowed my eyebrows at what he just said.
“The amazing thing about us is that we knowing everything about each other, and were honest to each other… well me kissing you was me being honest to you. I spend every day with you, we know each other like no one else knows us, you’re my best friend and-”
I cut him off. “Exactly, we’re best friends. Ste we can’t throw that away.”
“Who says we have to? I care about you and you know that,” Ste’s hands moved slowly down my arms until my hands were connected with his. “The kiss, it was amazing, even more amazing because it was you. I have such strong feelings for you, something I have never had with anyone before…and I know you feel it too.”
I was stood in shock. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk. I could barely breathe. I wanted to tell him I loved him, wrap my arms around him and take in his amazing smell, but I couldn’t. I was so scared, I had already just lost my relationship with Katy, I couldn’t lose my relationship with him too.
“H-how?” I whispered.
He smiled cutely at me. “Remember, I know you better than you know yourself. When we kissed on the beach you kissed me back, the way you looked at me was the way I hoped you would.”
Ste squeezed my hands tightly in his. I noticed people walking past us looking at us, but he didn’t seem to care. We were stood extremely close. I opened my mouth to talk.
“Ste!” An annoying female voice screeched from behind me.
Ste looked over my shoulder and angrily rolled his eyes at the person who was stood there. He didn’t let go of my hands though, nor did he move away from me. Mia walked past me and stood as close to Ste as I was, she put her arm on his shoulder before shooting me an evil look. Ste noticed her do it and frowned.
“Want to walk to class together?” She asked him whilst flicking her hair over her shoulder.
“No.” Ste simply replied. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m in the middle of something here.”
Then he turned his head and carried on facing me. I noticed the changed look on Mia’s face, her eyes switched to mine and Ste’s intertwined fingers. She looked back up and stared nastily at me, like she was about to hit me. I was actually scared for myself right now.
“You are joking, there’s no way you two could be together.”
Ste angrily looked at her, “And why’s that?” He snapped.
“Because, you’re 17 and she’s 15! And she’s…she’s…”
“She’s what?!” Ste replied, but tightening his grip on my hands making sure I didn’t let go.
Mia looked me up and down, “she’s just… not right for you. You need someone like me.”
I pulled my hands out of Ste’s, “Mia we’re not together, not that it’s anything to do with you anyway.”
“And you know what, Samantha’s nothing like you…and she’s perfect. So what does that make you?” Ste shouted to her.
I could see the anger flaring in his eyes and his fists were tight together. Me and Mia were both staring at Ste in shock. Me because Ste had just called me perfect, and Mia because he had just shouted at her. I looked down at my watch and noticed I was 10 minutes late for class, even though we were working on the concert and not doing lessons they would still have a complete fit.
“I need to go, I’m already late for lesson.” I said to Ste, then turned to walk away, but before I could he stopped me.
“Wait, I’ll walk you to lesson.”
Mia huffed and walked away, knowing she wasn’t getting the attention she wanted off Ste.
I looked up at him, then slowly shook my head. Ste kept eye contact and lent forward. I knew he was going to kiss me, and I couldn’t let it happen again, so I turned away so that he was facing my cheek. He stopped and put his finger on my chin, then slowly turned my head so that I was facing him. I looked back up into his eyes.
“I can’t,” My eyes filled up with tears. “We can’t do this, you know I can’t lose you. I just can’t risk it Ste. I’m sorry.” I whispered, our faces just inches from one another.
His eyes became glossy with tears and his bottom lip started to quiver. I walked backwards away from him then spun around and walked quickly to my lesson, trying to take my mind off everything that was going on in my life right now. Things were just so complicated.
[Ste’s POV]
I felt my heart shatter into a thousand pieces watching her walk away. I had to prove to her this could work. I had to show her how much I cared for her, but there was nothing I could do now, so I took a deep breath and prepared for the rest of school.
After two hour lessons of stage designing and organising for Friday, me and the boys walked into the school canteen. I had been thinking for the past two hours of ways I could prove how much I cared about Sammie, and I had a plan.
I saw Samantha’s friends sat around a table laughing and joking, there was an empty chair with Sammie’s bag next to it, so I’m presuming she’s gone for food or to use the bathroom or something.
“One sec guys.” I said to the rest of the Jocks, then walked towards Sammie’s friends.
They looked up at me as I got nearer to their table.
“Alex?” I tapped Sammie’s closest girl friend on the shoulder.
Alex turned around and smiled at me, “Hey. Sammie’s gone to speak to Mr Dootson,”
“Erm It’s not Sammie I’m here to see, is her phone in her bag?” I suspiciously asked, causing every single person on the table to look at me with weird looks.
“Yeah I think so, why?” Alex asked.
I unzipped Sammie’s bag and rooted for her phone. “Alex listen, I need you to trust me okay? I’ve got a plan but I need a number out of her phone so I can do it.” I pulled her phone out of her bag and pressed the unlock button, praying she didn’t have a password. Luckily she didn’t, so I went to her phonebook and quickly flicked through her contacts. “None of you can tell Sammie I had been on her phone okay? She will go mental and know that I’m up to something.”
“Okay, we won’t say anything.” Alex agreed.
I pulled my phone out from my pocked and typed in the number I had now found in Sammie’s phone. I quickly exited the phonebook so she didn’t find any trace of me being on it, then locked it and put it back into her bag.
“Thanks guys,” I smiled at everyone on the table and walked quickly into the boys toilets.
I found the number I had saved into my phone and called it. No reply. I groaned loudly and called it again. Fortunately, this time I got an answer.
“Hello?” An tired voice said.
“Hey, it’s Ste.”
“Oh hey, erm… what’s up? Is everything okay?” They asked worriedly.
“Yeah yeah everything’s fine…well, kind of.”
“What do you mean kind of? Is it serious?”
I thought for a moment, “Well no not really,”
“Well I’ll call you back later or something, I’m really busy at the minute-”
“No,” I interrupted. “ we need to talk now. I need your help with something, it’s to do with Samantha. You would do anything for her right?”
“Of course!”
I smiled, “then please listen to what I have to say.”
I carried on to tell the person my plan, I knew for sure Sammie was going to love it!
“So you’ll help me?” I asked excitedly.
“Definitely, I’m in!”
I pumped my fist into the air and mimed a ‘yes!’
“Thank you! I’ll keep texting you through out the week.”
“Okay, see you soon.” Then the person hung up.
I put my phone back into my pocket and literally bounced out of the bathroom.
[Samantha’s POV]
I walked through my front door after school and hung my bag and jacket up on the coat hanger. I followed the smell of food into the kitchen, my mom and dad were cooking whilst the radio played in the background.
My mom turned around and smiled when she saw me.
“Hey sweetie, had a good day?” She said warmly as she pulled me into a hug.
I hugged her back but sighed into her shoulder, she picked up on my mood and looked at me worriedly.
“Everything okay?” My mom asked soothingly.
“I don’t think things are good with me and Ste just yet”
She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at my dad, then back at me. “That’s weird, you’re both so good to each other. I’m so sure things will be okay soon,” She said positively, then planted a soft kiss on my forehead. It reminded me of something Katy would do.
Then I thought, should I call her? Should I give her my new number? No Samantha. Stop worrying about Katy, if she cared that much she’d show it. I pushed all Katy thoughts to the back of my mind and smiled up at my mom.
The next few days went by really quickly. I spent most of my time planning for Friday, it took my mind off other things that were going on in my life and this event was really important to me. I would feel so good knowing I had done something for other people.
[Ste’s POV]
It was Friday morning, I woke up hours prior to what I would usually get up. I showered, got my clothes ready, then called a few friends to make sure everything they set up last night had gone as planned.
I ran through the plan in my head and smiled to myself. I knew for sure she was going to love it. I felt nervous, too nervous, but that didn’t matter. Everything had to be perfect.
I pulled my phone off charge and found the saved number in my phone. Almost instantly they answered.
“Hey, I’m just meeting with a few people now and then were on our way.”
“Okay, everything’s nearly sorted, I just need to spend a little more time on the stage and then we’re ready to go. Did you spread the word?” I asked.
“Okay great! And yep, the place is going to be full. I’ve got a good feeling about this.”
“Me too.”
I hung up the phone and sat down on my bed. I grinned stupidly at myself through the mirror and took a deep breath. Time to give Samantha a concert she won’t forget.