PICTURE OF SEAN IN THE SIDEBAR
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I looked at myself in my mirror and sighed. My red hair was in soft waves down my back and I had on a dress. It is the first day of school and I was really nervous. Why? This means that the charade with Jace gets even harder.
I talked to Cara a lot. She gave me tips on how to act and what to wear. I heard a horn outside my window and saw Jace’s car. I grabbed my bag, said goodbye to Dillon who was always running late, then climbed into his car.
“Hey… babe.” He laughed and I rolled my eyes.
“Let’s get our game faces on.” I said and we both looked at each other with fierce expression. “Good one.”
We drove the ten-minute car ride to our school in silence. We pulled into the parking lot then got out hesitantly.
“Ready?” He whispered as his hand intertwined with mine.
I gulped, “No.”
Jace chuckled quietly, “Too bad.”
We set on foot into the school and it was like everyone’s eyes were on us now. Conversations stopped, everyone froze.
“Holy crap…” I muttered as I looked around hesitantly.
He smirked down at me, “This is what I figured. I mean come on… a girl getting cheated on then going out with her brother’s best friend who’s insanely hot? That doesn’t happen everyday.” He joked.
A locker being shut violently echoed through the quiet hall. I looked up to see Sean glaring at us.
“Oh hey Sean! How’s it going?” I almost laughed when I said this to him. “Have a good day at school!” I continued walking hand-in-hand with my ‘boyfriend’ to my homeroom that I had with the ex.
We took a few steps inside to see Lauren, a couple other friends, and some of Jace’s staring at us.
“Bye Pey,” Jace said and lightly pecked my lips. His friends hooted while mine giggled. I watched him leave to see a furious Sean storm in. No doubt did he see our PDA.
I walked over to my friends with a smile, “Hey.”
“Oh my… it’s actually true!” My friend, Molly said. Her strawberry-blonde hair was in a low ponytail and she has a smile on her face.
“What?” I raised an eyebrow.
“You’re with the oh-so hot, Jace Harley!” Her eyes widened and I laughed.
I pulled a strand of red hair behind my ear and made myself comfortable in the horrible desk chairs. “Oh… yeah. That’s as true as could be.” I felt myself turn a light pink and I averted my gaze. Come on Peyton! Learn how to lie… you’re living one right now!
Lauren raised an eyebrow and pushed her blonde bangs out of her face. “I knew it… you guys are so cute!” She said happily as I noticed Sean take the seat farthest from us. “Oh snap, that’s hilarious.” She was looking at the cheater as well.
I shrugged, “That’s what he gets. I’m happy with Jace.” I said the last part loudly and sure enough, Sean’s head shot up and looked in our direction. I smirked and turned back to my friends.
“Harsh,” Lauren laughed right when the teacher walked in.
I’ve always hated the first day of school. Why? It’s a waste of time. All you do is meet your teachers and go over what crap you’re learning that year. Homeroom was different though; we have the same teacher for all our years in High School so being a junior… we all know each other very well now. Our teacher let us do whatever we wanted after she passed out our schedules.
Our school days had six periods and four of which I have with Lauren. I have two classes with Molly too. All of us had last period Gym… fun, fun, fun. Not.
Once our homeroom ended, we all gathered our stuff and I was one of the last people to leave. I was greeted at the door by Jace and I noticed that Sean was also coming our way along with Jace’s friends and my own. I put both hands on the side of his face and connected my lips to his.
“Excuse me,” A rough voice said. I pulled away from Jace to see Sean with his jaw clenched, not looking at us.
I gave him a fake smile and intertwined my hand with Jace’s. “Oh sorry, Sean.” I sneered as I made my way through the hall with Jace.
“Where’s your next class?” he asked.
“Math with Gallagher.” I said and he smiled.
“Same,” He laughed. “I’ve never been smart in math…”
“Have you even been smart at anything?” I joked and he surprised me by wrapping his arms around my waist then swinging me around in the middle of the hallway.
I started to get dizzy real fast, “Now… what were you saying?” He asked when he finally put me down. His hand grabbed my arm when it looked like I could fall.
“You’re a jerk…” I muttered as I spotted my brother talking to some friends in the hallway. He winked when he saw us and I rolled my eyes.
“A jerk that you have to like.” Jace laughed as we entered the room. We took a seat near the back. Soon Dillon and two others guys came in and took seats next to ours. Then Sean came in.
“Sean!” One of Dillon and Jace’s friends said. “Come sit with us!”
He looked uncomfortable but he had to sit with us since there were no other seats. That’s what you get for being late, jerk.
“So Sean… how was your summer?” Another one of their friends asked.
His eyes flickered to me, “Not good.”
I rolled my eyes and pressed closer to Jace. The friend’s eyes turned to us.
“What about you Jace? How did your summer turn out for you?”
Jace smirked and pressed a kiss to the top of my head, “Amazing.”
I saw Sean’s face pale and I held back laughter. This plan was one hundred percent worth it. It’s basically what I had to go through. Karma’s a bitch, huh Sean?
“So,” Dillon started, leaning back in his chair. “Is my little sister sitting with us at lunch?”
I hadn’t thought about that. I looked at Jace for help and he just smiled. “Of course, we’re going to be sitting with both tables since we would hate to break up friendships.”
“Can’t you let her speak for herself?” Sean snapped. All of our heads went to his direction and he avoided my glare.
“Don’t be a hypocrite, Sean. I don’t think Kayla let you do anything during your affair, did she? She took the lead.”
A course of taunts echoed through the boys. Jace laughed and I put my head in the crook of his neck.
Sean was silent and I took that as a win for now. The teacher walked in and explained what we’re doing this year and blah, blah, blah.
The next class I didn’t have with Jace, Sean, or Dillon but my ‘boyfriend’ still walked me to my class. Some new freshman admired Jace but they stopped that when they noticed me. I sat down next to Lauren and another friend named Jill with a smile. Jill went through the whole ‘you’re going out with Jace?’ thing and I almost laughed.
That English class went by normally and when I explained to Lauren that I wouldn’t be joining her plus our other friends for lunch, her reaction wasn’t what I expected.
“You’re going to be with Jace? That’s cute! Have fun but don’t forget about your girls.” She winked and we walked to our next class together. Jace came with us of course and I wondered how he got to his classes without being late.
We have this one with Molly and another friend named Bethany. It was our elective and we all chose the same, Home Economics. The majority of the class was girls, no surprise there.
Next, we all had lunch. Jace met me at the door again and bowed, sticking his hand out.
“My lady,” he winked and my friends giggled from behind me.
I curtsied and took his hand. We walked to lunch together and went in line. Once we had our food, we went to the table where Dillon, Sean, and the rest of their friends sat.
They asked me and Jace questions about our ‘relationship’, which we mostly made up on the spot. While he was talking, my eyes drifted around until I saw her.
Kayla was wearing what she usually wore: A super short skirt that challenged the dress code, a shirt that when she’d move her arms even the slightest would show her stomach, and really high stilettos. Basically she’s a teenage prostitute.
She was laughing at something some freshman said who looked really nervous. Kayla looked around and found my eyes. A smirk grew on her lips as she strutted over, swinging her lips along with her.
“Oh hello Peyton.” She said with a fake smile. “I’m surprised you’re even here, I guess you’re not embarrassed to show your face in public.”
I rolled my eyes and connected my hand with Jace’s. “Why would I be embarrassed by trash?”
Her eye twitched and her smile faltered the slightest bit. She didn’t expect me to fight back. Guess I changed more than my looks this summer.
“Well, when I was fucking your boyfriend over there,” she pointed to Sean who paled quickly. “He didn’t once mention you.”
Wow, talk about an off-topic conversation. “Jace wouldn’t do something like that to me.”
Her eyes finally found our connected hands and her face automatically shifted. “Already found another easy-fuck? Nice move, Peyton.”
“I actually look for a relationship and not STD’s like you do.” I shot back and the guys sitting at the table shouted a chorus of oh’s. The girls on the other hand looked nervous, they didn’t want Kayla to torture their lives as well.
“Whatever,” She said. Hah! She couldn’t even come up with a good comeback. Kayla’s attention turned to Jace. “Hey Jace, you look good today,” she winked.
“Go away,” he said, making all his friends snickered.
Kayla turned red and turned on her heel, walking away. I laughed and turned back to my lunch.
“Peyton, you shouldn’t bother with Kayla. You’re much better than she is,” Dillon scolded.
I shrugged. “She deserved it,” My eyes flashed to the embarrassed Sean. “So did someone else.”
Everything was silent for a few moments before Jace changed the subject. “Remember, dance tryouts are after school. The team has already been made but they have last minute auditions for people like you and new students.”
“Wait,” A girl said from the end of the table. “You’re trying out for the dance team?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s Alyssa,” Jace said motioning to the brunette girl who just spoke to me. “She’s on the dance team right now and has a high chance of being captain.”
Alyssa smiled at me, “You have to be really good to get in, I’m warning you now.”
“She’s amazing,” Dillon said before sipping his soda.
“Do you have a routine to do for us?” She asked and I froze right there. I didn’t have a routine handy! I guess I have to think of one that I have already performed.
“No, but I will.” I smiled at Alyssa and she did the same to me. I finished the last bite of my food and grabbed Jace’s hand. “We have to go!”
“Why?”
“I need to practice,” I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Jace sighed and finished his food as well. We both threw our stuff away and went to the gym that was open during all the lunches.
I plugged my ipod into the stereo and went through my songs. Even though I’m in a dress, I will still be able to dance. I was in the smaller gym that the dance team uses to practice. Mirrors on all the walls so once my music started playing, I went along with it.
“Wow, Dillon was right. You are pretty good.” I turned to the doorway where Alyssa stood with another girl that was dirty blonde.
“Uh, thanks.” I said and unplugged my ipod.
“We’re having practice outside if this good weather persists. Coach hates the inside so there’s a ninety-nine percent chance that that’s going to happen.” The dirty blonde said. “I’m Tessa Martinson.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said awkwardly. “What should I wear?”
“Sports bra and spandex,” Alyssa shrugged. “The normal stuff. But to warn you, we’re going to be by the boy’s soccer team and the cheerleaders.”
I looked at Jace who has a huge smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and threw a shoe at him. He just smiled and made his way over to hug me. It was all a show but the simple things he does make me think that this is real but it’s all in my head.
“So do you think I actually have a chance to make the team?” I asked the pair.
Tessa nodded, “We have three spots available. There can only be sixteen people on the team and we only have a few boys so those will be mandatory to get.”
I smiled and put my shoes back on. Most people like dancing with shoes but to me, I felt gross for some reason. Hopefully I will make the team then continue my revenge on Kayla and Sean.