Alex found me in the medical room at break time, assuring the school nurse that she would look after me before taking my hand and leading me out of the room. She started to guide me to our usual break spot but I stopped her, not wanting to see the others.
"No?" She asked. I shook my head. "Okay," she said, "how about the toilets?"
I only nodded, and she led me to the toilets that were closest to our usual spot, probably hoping I'd come to my senses eventually so that we could enjoy our break time.
We stood in silence and I sighed, turning to the mirror so that I could fix my makeup. I could feel Alex staring at me, and I glanced at her reflection for a fraction of a second to see her eyes tight with concern.
I busied myself by wiping away makeup creases or smears, before brushing through my curls gently. But I couldn't avoid her for long.
"What happened, in registration?" Alex asked, not taking her eyes off me.
I swallowed, trying to ignore her stare. I simply shrugged.
She leaned against the sink. "Did you eat this morning?" She asked me, trying to get a better look at my face. "Caleb said that you did. Did you faint?"
I sighed, turning to her. "I just panicked, that's all."
"About what?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.
I shook my head. "It doesn't matter now. I'm fine," I said, lying through my teeth. "Thanks for checking up on me, Alex." I smiled, watching her purse her lips.
Finally, she nodded. "I'll leave you be for now, but Isobel.."
"I know," I said, sighing, "I should tell you stuff. I know." She simply smiled, before grabbing my arm, tugging me out of the toilets.
"Come on! I'm starving."
When we met the others, Caleb immediately rose, his eyes concerned. I smiled at him, trying to play it off as much as I could.
"You okay?" It was Hailey that asked the question, despite Caleb's heavy gaze on me.
I nodded, pulling out a bag of crisps, "Nothing will keep me away from food." She laughed, saying something about what I said being relatable before she went back to the memes on her phone.
I sat down in the chair beside Caleb's, before grasping onto his hand and pulling him down beside me. I smiled at him and his cute, concerned expression.
"I'm fine," I reassured him, knowing that he was pondering asking me how I was feeling.
"Are you sure?" He asked, eyes flitting between his hand in mine and my face.
I nodded. "Now stop worrying." He eventually smiled and I gently let go of his hand, watching as he frowned over at me.
On our way to our Science lesson, Noah was silent. I wondered if it had anything to do with my discreet breakdown during registration.
"You can pretend all you want to the others," he suddenly said, "but I know that something is going on."
I frowned up at him, seeing him staring straight ahead.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, adjusting my bag on my shoulder.
"Is that why you're ignoring me?" He asked, with such a tone that I just had to look up at him. He smiled when I did as if I had proved his point.
"Whatever," I said, taking my eyes off him and nearly walking into someone, "it's not your concern."
"Not my concern?" He asked as we neared the classroom. "You're my friend, Iz."
I hummed in agreement before laughing. I think my response confused him slightly since he hung back as I walked into the classroom and over to our seats.
As I was unpacking my bag, I felt Noah join me. "I care about you, Iz, I don't know what's made you think otherwise but–"
"Noah can we please get seated sometime today?" I glanced between the teacher and Noah's face, which was actually flushing. He managed to play it off perfectly, and sat down beside me before anyone could question him.
When the teacher set us off to do a task, I let my eyes find him.
"It's okay, Iz, I know I'm pretty." I scoffed, rolling my eyes and returning to my work. Well, I would have, but I was majorly stuck.
"You got the first part wrong," Noah said, leaning over my shoulder. He corrected it for me, before saying, "see?" I smiled, working out the next question with the corrections he had given me.
I turned to thank him but froze when I became aware of how close we were.
He smiled, "You're even more hot this close up."
Groaning, I pulled away and elbowed him, making him laugh.
Lunch soon came around, and I entered the hall with Hailey, waving to the others from where they sat, having already gotten their food.
In the lunch line, Hailey sighed and tucked her phone back in her pocket. I frowned over at her, "No new memes?" I asked, making her laugh.
It took a while for her to respond, but she did so when we were next in line for our food. "Do you know much about boys, Isobel?" She asked.
I frowned over at her, before laughing. "Why don't you try asking Alex?" I offered but she didn't laugh.
I didn't have time to say much else, since I was now next in line. When I next had the opportunity, I asked, "What's going on, Hailey?"
She sighed, anxiously tapping her tray with her thumb. "It's just...there's this boy that I've been seeing, but he's confusing me." I ignored the fact that Hailey had been 'seeing' a boy and I had known nothing about it.
I laughed, "Aren't all boys confusing?" I asked, making her smile.
"Only to you." She murmured in response, and I rose an eyebrow at her.
She cleared her throat, reaching for napkins at the condiments stand. "I can't really talk to Alex about it, so I just wanted to know what you thought." She said.
I considered this, before nodding. "Okay, tell me about it."
She gave me the quickest rundown possible, and my lips were pursed by the end of it.
"But you know he likes you?" I asked.
She nodded. "Definitely."
"Maybe you should speak to him about it." I said, not realising how sharp my voice had sounded until after I had spoken.
Hailey ignored it, though, "I don't want him to get defensive about it. They are his friends, after all."
We were walking over to our group of friends at this point, and so we'd have to wrap up soon. "Approach it cautiously, but you're only going to get the answer from him," I said.
"Get the answer from who?" Alex asked as we approached them. I mentally swore—I thought I had been quiet.
I thought I'd have to lie my way out of the situation, but I soon got distracted by something. "Where's Noah?" I asked, subconsciously setting my tray down beside Caleb.
"Why? Missing him?" Alex asked.
I threw her a look before shrugging, "It'll just be quiet, that's all."
Hailey slowly sat down beside Alex, and I suddenly felt bad for taking the seat next to Caleb. I knew they were good friends, but she had turned to me this time—maybe something was off with them.
I sat down just as slowly, and Caleb noticed. "What's wrong?" He whispered to me when Alex and Hailey were distracted.
I shoved my fork into my pasta, "Nothing." I responded, smiling over to him.
He didn't look convinced but said nothing more on the subject. Instead, he switched to a new one. "I forgot to pack the sleeping pills for you to take home, so you're going to have to come round mine if you want them."
I nodded, "That's fine." He smiled at me, and I returned the favour.
"We're all invited to a party tonight." I jumped at the booming voice and was even more startled as I was shoved into Caleb. I squealed, trying to catch myself. It turned out that I didn't need to, since Caleb instantly wrapped an arm around me to halt my fall. I put a palm to his chest and pushed myself up, feeling the steady beat of his heart—though perhaps faster than it should've been.
"Oh," Noah said, and I was suddenly pulled away from Caleb. "Sorry, Issy," he said, before patting my leg, though I was still looking over at Caleb. "You did look good bent over like that, though,"
Breaking out of my spell, I turned around and whacked Noah in the chest. "You're disgusting." I could tell that he was about to make a joke but seeing the look in my eyes, he quickly apologised and forgot about the joke.
"Party?" Alex asked, having finished her food.
"Yes," Noah said, "Ricky's party."
I laughed, "There's no way you got me invited to that." I said, stifling a laugh before eating some pasta.
"Wow, you really don't trust me at all, do you?"
I turned to him, eyes widening. "You did?" I asked.
He smiled, suddenly growing cocky as he rolled his shoulders back.
Alex clapped, "We should have a sleepover!"
My smile fell.
"What are we? Five?" Noah asked, "Though, sleeping with three girls was always the ambition in life." I think he was expecting me to hit him after that comment. I didn't; I was frozen.
"What?" Alex asked, face falling.
"I think Noah's right," I never thought Noah was right.
"But..." Alex didn't know what to say to that. I rarely disagreed with her.
"Well, I love the idea," Hailey said, putting her phone down.
"Please, guys?" Alex pleaded, eyes on Caleb, Noah and I. Caleb said nothing, but Alex's eyes were quickly on Noah and I.
"Fine," Noah said, "but I'm not plaiting your hair or doing face masks."
All eyes were now on me.
I had to agree to go; it would be suspicious if I didn't.
I sighed, then smiled, "sure."
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honestly this chapter is so bad I barely edited 😭😭
long chapter though tbf
sleepover oi oi 😏😏
-me, stuck inside foreverrrrrr
FABULOUS SONGS
Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
Oh Woman Oh Man - London Grammar
Hell to the Liars - London Grammar (OMG IVE ALSO BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS)
Big Picture - London Grammar
Fire on Fire - Sam Smith (❤️👏🏼)
Find You - Ruelle
Wish I Stayed - Ellie Goulding
More - 5 SOS (yes)
Stay Awake - Ellie Goulding
Men in This Town - Shakira
Set Fire to the Rain - Adele
In Time - Talos
END OF FABULOUS SONGS
Date written:
24/01/19
26/01/19
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Next update: my updates are so shit now we're in lockdown 😭😭 idk my loves !!
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CHAPTER SEVEN SPOILER:
A party.
Alcohol.
Drinking games.
A very big secret.
🌙