My eyes glance at the clock, hanging atop the nearest cream-painted wall.
The day has both flown by so quickly, while simultaneously, has dragged on for what has felt like an eternity. Which one more so? I'm not entirely sure.
However, to say the least, today has been eventful.
Knox spent the better half of the day, pining after Christine, who both shows interest and disinterest, all at the same time. Usually I had quite the knack for gauging whether or not someone was romantically invested into another person, but Christine proved hard to read.
"Violet!" The familiar voice of Knox, shouted from behind me, followed by a set of increasingly apparent footsteps.
"I need your help with something," he began, his face filled with hope, his eyes scanning mine intently for a response.
"Sure, Knox," I giggle at the mere intensity of his features. I've come to learn that Knox was slightly mellow dramatic. Funnily enough, I liked him more for it.
"Okay, so-" he began, pausing for a second to catch his breath, or to decipher how to word his favour, I'm not quite sure.
"-Christine asked me out!" He beamed proudly, his cheeks adopting a light fuchsia tint.
"Knox, that's great!" I answer, attempting to mirror his excitement. Though I truly was happy for Knox, he deserves to be with someone who makes him even remotely as content as I am with Charlie.
"I know, just when I was starting to think she didn't like me," he said, his tone quickly becoming sombre, an unwelcome contrast to his previous lively disposition.
"Well, what exactly do you need my help with?" I ask eagerly, hoping to change the tune of our current conversation.
"Oh, right!" He quickly adds, running a nervous hand through his neatly groomed, golden locks.
"I know you're not a fan of large parties..." he begins, running his hand anxiously over his grey slacks.
He wasn't entirely incorrect. I did dislike most parties. Not that I am a buzzkill or anything, I'd just much rather rest in the comfort of my room, curled up under heaps of soft blankets, while reading my favourite novel for the hundredth time, or pretending to be shocked at the plot twist that accompanies my favourite film of which I've seen more times than I care to admit, than to socialize at an overcrowded high school party. Which frankly, I usually regret attending, almost as soon as my foot crosses the threshold.
However, I spare him the details, upon glancing at his impatient face.
"That's not completely true," I say defensively, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Well, with that in mind," he begins, his clammy hand reaching to grasp mine.
"-will you please, please, please come with me to one tonight?" He begs, his hold on my hand becoming tighter by the second, his eyes glossy with worry.
"But, what about your date?" I question quizzically. I know Knox and I didn't share a mutual dislike for parties, but I know for a fact that he didn't like them enough to blow off his long-awaited date with Christine for one.
"That's the thing," he began, shuffling his feet anxiously over the grey tiles.
"-the date is the party. She asked me to go with her tonight."
"Who's party?" I ask, not entirely sure why, as the name probably won't spark any recognition within me anyways.
"Well... promise you won't get mad?" Knox spoke timidly, shifting his weight between his feet.
My heart rate increased slightly, my hand dropping from his hold, and returning to my hip.
"Knox..." I sigh anxiously.
"Chet Danbury," he spoke, stepping back slightly, as if bracing himself from some sort of imminent danger.
Although I couldn't quite place a face to the name, the name itself did sound rather familiar. Amidst one of Knox's many rants about Christine, I do recall one in particular, where he spent nearly an entire half hour, breathlessly insulting the so called boyfriend of his love.
"Chet? As in Christine's boyfriend?" I ask in disbelief. Knox's love life was mirroring a soap opera more and more with each passing day.
He sighed audibly, shuffling his perfectly shined boots against the dirty floor.
"Well she's not happy with him-I just know it," he spoke passionately, his gaze raising from the mud-stained floor to meet mine.
I huff, while internally weighing my options. On one hand, I did agree with Knox. Christine seemed grossly unhappy with Chet. On the other hand, I can't fathom inviting Knox to a gathering hosted by her current boyfriend. It seemed almost, inappropriate.
"Well..." I begin, unsure of whether I should support such a relationship.
"Alright," I manage to blurt out, and before I could even begin to retract my words, Knox's face held a refreshing look of pure glee.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Knox beams, relief washing over his features.
"Meet me outside of Welton tonight at 8:00," he spoke, slinging his faded-brown leather messenger bag across his shoulder.
"Don't be late," he warns half-heartedly, as he saunters down the brightly lit corridor. Though, part of me believes he is being entirely serious.
"Guess Who?" A voice whispers from behind me, as their hands wrap around my face, gently covering my eyes.
"Mhhm," I hum, fully aware of the smooth voice, whose warm breath gently tickles my skin.
I spin around, my school skirt briefly billowing in the process.
Jack stood tall in front of me, a lopsided smile plastered across his face. A calming presence, contrast to my previous conversation with Knox. Albeit I grew rather nervous, considering the look that overtook his features earlier, as I shamefully trailed behind a bloody Charlie, this morning.
"Hey," he spoke warmly, a kind smile stretching across his face, as the crinkles near his soft eyes became more prominent.
"Whatcha doing tonight?" He asks eagerly, his chocolate brown orbs intently gazing into my own.
I couldn't quite deduce why Jack had sought me out.
He had spent the better half of his morning, helping me skip through the many corridors, in search of Charlie. When we had found him, bloody and all, his cheeks had flushed a rosy shade of pink, while his eyes, which had opened incredibly wide, looked back at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. Though, by the way he sauntered back into the crowd, it felt nothing short of dismay.
"I take it you have plans?" He questions once my thoughts had rendered me silent.
"No, it's just-" Truthfully, I wasn't entirely sure how to word it.
I'll be spending the evening accompanying my friend who's trying to get with a girl who- get this, already has a boyfriend. All the while, the boyfriend will be there.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. My life had truly spiralled into the plot of a soap opera...
"-Just what?" His freckle-clad nose crinkled, his eyebrows furrowing beneath his loose dirty blonde locks, that sat carelessly atop his forehead.
"I promised my friend that I would go to a party with him," I say earnestly, not quite hiding my lack of enthusiasm for tonight's event.
"Don't suppose it's at Chet Danburry's?" Jack asks, a noticeable gleam of hope filling his brown orbs.
I nod unenthusiastically, cocking an eyebrow at the lopsided grin that stretches across his face.
"Well then," he begins, picking up the bag he had previously set down by his feet, and swinging it over his shoulder.
"I'll see you there."
A/n: hey guys!! Had to end it because it was becoming too long to also write the party into this chapter. Hope you enjoy this filler, & see you in the next one!! ❣️
Ps/ I imagine Jack's character as Leonardo Dicaprio in the Titanic (hence the name lol)