Making Him Fall
~ Chapter One ~
~ First Impressions ~
Do you know that feeling of indescribable excitement? That feeling where you're on top of the world, but scared that it might end all too soon? The feeling that you might wake up from this dream, but being happy and enjoying every second regardless?
This was how I was feeling as Liz pulled up outside my house. She ran inside, kicking her shoes off at the door.
"Zarah?" She called.
"In my room," I replied.
I heard the pitter-patter of her delicate footsteps as she climbed the staircase and entered my bedroom. Liz was flawless. She had beautiful long dirty blonde hair that hung halfway down her petite gymnast body. Today she was wearing some black ripped jeans and a red ACDC t-shirt with her red converses. Liz changed her look every day. I guess today was rock-chic day?
"What are you doing? We're picking him up in an hour!" Liz scolded.
She didn't need to say it, but my best friend Liz, knew who she meant and so did I. She meant Harry Springer.
"Okay. What do I wear? I mean, I want it to say flirty but not slutty, cute but not childish, fun but not-"
"How about you wear normal clothes?" Liz cut me off.
"Bah, coming from the girl who never wears them!" I retorted, shoving Liz gently.
"Hey! Everything I wear is a different part of my personality!"
"Then why were you dressed as Madonna last week?" I asked.
"I was going to an eighty's party afterwards."
"Sure," I replied, sarcastically.
I walked over to my closet, flipping racks and racks of clothes onto the floor, looking for the perfect item.
"Got it!" I called, pulling a dress out of the debris.
It was a light creamy pink dress that cut off just above the knee. It was strapless and had a thick white band around the waist.
"Throw a white cardigan on this, and I'll be set," I said.
"Why don't you wear something casual?" Liz suggested.
"This is the first time I'm going to see him in ten years! I'm not wearing a hobo flannie!"
"Suit yourself. But do you remember when you bought that dress?"
"No, why?"
"I do. You bought it three years ago."
"So?"
"So it's not going to fit you."
"Oh yes it will," I snapped, turning and getting changed in my ensuite.
Liz was right. This is really tight. I can't tell her that. She'll think she's won. I squeezed into the dress, sucking in every ounce of my body. I shuffled awkwardly out of the bathroom into my bedroom and under the inspecting eyes of Liz. After about a minute of silence, Liz burst out laughing.
"What?" I questioned.
"Th... That's way... Way t-too tight!" Liz said inbetween fits of laughter.
"It is not!" I retorted, shuffling around in the dress and trying to fix myself up. "I'm perfectly comfortable."
"It looks like its about to pop!" Liz laughed.
And then it did. Or rather, something popped out of it. I quickly shoved my boob back into the dress, hoping that Liz was too preoccupied by her laughter to see.
"You wanted flirty, not slutty!" Liz yelled, before erupting into another fit of laughter.
She saw.
"Okay, fine! I'll change!" I growled. "Into what?"
"Here," Liz laughed, handing me some clothes.
I snatched the clothes and walked into the ensuite. What do we have here? Some light blue jeans, a thong, my- A THONG!?
"Liz, why do I need a thong?" I yelled.
"In case, well, you know, things start to heat up-"
"I'm not banging him on the first day!"
"So you ARE going to bang him?"
"Eventually..."
"Then why not today?"
"Are you kidding me? Imagine how that conversation would go: 'Hey Harry. I haven't seen you in ten years but I have a shaggin' wagon out back and I ain't afraid to use it'."
"Since when did you get a shaggin wagon?" Liz asked, in awe.
"Last week- no, wait, it's a truck for the boy's motorbikes that we nicknamed the shaggin' wagon."
The boys, of course, being my two younger brothers, Troy and Kyle.
"Oh right!"
I stepped out of the ensuite wearing the clothes Liz had given me, er, minus the thong. I was wearing some light blue jeans, and my favourite baseball jersey from Dad's collection. It was red and had a maroon ninety-six written on the front and back. She had also given me some black ankle boots.
"Perfect," Liz smiled, stealing a glance at her watch. "Crap, we're late! GO! GO! GO!"
I bolted down the stairs and jumped into my ute. It was a rusty old blue thing and most of the dials didn't work but it got me where I needed to go. Liz slipped in next to me, shutting the door and we were off. My parents were at a motorbike event, supporting my brothers, so they left me in charge of bringing back the Springers safe. There was a house for sale a few houses down to ours, so the Springers bought it and will be moving into our little cul-de-sac.
He's just a person. He's just a person. He's just a person. He's just a person. He's just a person.
I kept repeating this over and over in my head, trying to calm my nerves.
"Oh my god, Liz! What if he's hot!?" I panicked.
"I don't see a problem with that," she smiled.
"But then all the girls will want him and he wont fall for me!"
"I'm sure he will. Look on the bright side, Zar. You're the only one he's going to know at this school."
"That's true," I smiled.
Finally, we arrived at the airport and I bounded out of my car, banging the bonnet to stop the engine. It still goes without keys for some reason and don't worry about the handbrake, it doesn't work.
We ran into the arrivals area of the airport where I spotted Mr and Mrs Springer immediately; they hadn't changed a bit, but their son and daughter sure had. Maddie Springer was now fourteen and had brown curls and blue eyes just like the rest of her family. And Harry Springer? Well, whoa. He was hot. Like, 'I'd bake cookies on you' hot. He had the same chocolate brown hair as his family and his eyes were massive and blue. He scanned the room until his eyes locked on mine and a cheeky smile played at his lips.
"What if he's a player!?" I whispered to Liz as we walked over.
"Then you might've needed that thong," she whispered back.
"Zarah!" Mrs Springer screeched. "My, you've grown. Look Phil, she's almost overtaking me."
Mr Springer nodded and grunted, his usual ecstatic response.
"Zarah," Mr Springer nodded.
"Sir," I nodded back.
"Hey Zarah! Who's your friend!?" Maddie asked excitedly.
"Oh, that's Liz," I replied and Liz waved.
"Hey Zarah..." Harry said shyly.
"Hiya Harry!" I smiled.
Hiya!? What was I thinking!? Now I sound like Ned Flanders. I guess he isn't as intimidating as I thought, though.
"I suppose you all want to get home so you can sleep," I announced, clapping my hands. "My ute can fit me, Liz and one other and there's a taxi for the rest."
"Harry, you should go with Zarah. Catch up a bit," Mrs Springer suggested.
"Yeah, okay," Harry replied.
"Race you?" I asked.
"You're on," he smiled. "Which ute?"
"You'll know it when you see it," I winked.
"Ready... Set... GO!" Liz yelled.
I had the advantage of knowing where my car was parked but Jesus, Harry was a fast runner. Maybe he was a jock at school? I ran to the row of cars that mine was on, immediately recognizing my blue ute. I sprinted towards it, Liz following close behind. Suddenly, I tripped on the gravelly surface and fell flat on my face... Almost. I looked up to the handsome face that was saving my own.
"Silly Zar," Harry tutted, pulling me to my feet.
We stood holding hands, looking into each others eyes for a while.
This could be easier than I thought.
"Kiss... Kiss... Kiss... Kiss... Kiss..." Liz whisper-chanted.
"So, uh, we should go," Harry let go of my hand and pointed to my ute.
"Yeah," I smiled.
"You almost had him," Liz whispered.
I smiled.
I thumped the bonnet again to start the car - basically the keys were just for looks - and we all got into my ute.
"So what do you do for fun? Still the same ol' stuff?" Harry asked.
"Well, I have a shaggin' wagon now-" I said before stopping myself.
"What?" Harry questioned.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
"What Zarah means is," Liz stepped in, "the boys have a new motorbike trailer."
"Oh cool," Harry smiled.
I let out a sigh of relief.
"So, Harry, are you a jock at school or a smart guy?" I asked.
"Uh, I dunno. I kinda fly below the radar," he answered.
"Oh, that's cool."
We finally arrived back at our place and everyone got out of the car. My phone started to blare an electronic william tell overture. Yeah, it was an old phone. Don't judge.
"Hello," I answered the phone.
"Hi Zar, it's mum."
"Okay?"
"Right, what I needed to tell you is there's been a delay with the Springer's furniture and things so they can't move in to their house for a few days. So tell them that they can stay with us for as long as they need."
"Okay mum."
Wow, Harry Springer is going to stay over at my house. Operation Make Him Fall is a go.
~~~
Thank you all for your lovely comments last chapter. It really made my day!
Adios,
Hallie :)