"I'm worried about you, Elizabeth," Anne spoke calmly to me as we headed towards Biology the next day.
I raised an eyebrow. She only ever used my full name when she was serious. That's the only time anyone used my full name.
"How come?" I asked confused. I had just relayed the previous day's events to her and she had a frown on her face.
"You said he was smoking on school premises..." Anne hinted, her crystal blue eyes locking on me.
"Yeah?"
"I'm nervous about you hanging around someone like him. The tutoring is fine, but talking to him about other things is dangerous," Anne explained softly.
I sighed. "Not you, too. Richard is already on my back about him."
"And why do you think that is?"
"Wait..." I trailed off as I looked at her, "weren't you just teasing me about Cole, like, two weeks ago?"
"That's exactly what it was: teasing. I didn't mean anything by it, but this is serious. I know you can get quite easily influenced."
I crossed my arms over my non-existent chest. "And so?" I challenged, slightly offended. "Just because I start talking to him about things other than mathematics, does not mean I'm suddenly going to start smoking. You know I can't stand the smell."
"Yes, I know. I'm just worried that the longer you talk, the less it will affect you. I don't want him changing you," Anne admitted quietly making my stance soften as I looped my arm through hers.
"You know I won't ever change, but ... what if I can get him to?" I spoke, an idea coming to mind.
"You change the bad boy? Lizzy, the guy beat up someone on his first day!" Anne ever so quickly reminded me making me wince slightly. "Besides, people don't like to change. You won't change. Why would he?"
I slumped in defeat at her words. "Good point."
We were going to continue our discussion if it weren't for a certain brown-haired boy who came barreling towards us or, more specifically, me.
"Lizzy!" Richard panted as he finally reached us. There was an urgency in his voice that made me feel nervous and worried for my friend. The fact that a super fit guy was out of breath from running was a bad sign.
"What's wrong, Richard?" I asked.
His brown eyes snapped to my face. "I need you to be my girlfriend!" he said quickly.
Anne and I both froze at his sudden words. It took me a moment to respond and I slowly unhooked my arm from Anne's. I turned my full attention towards Richard.
"What?"
Richard pointed behind him, but when I looked I saw no-one approaching us. "Heather ... she's a nut-case. Completely obsessed ... I just need you to act as my girlfriend for a while to get her off my back."
My eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "I thought you declined girls on a daily basis. Why do you need my help?"
Richard took a deep breath. "Like I said, she's psycho." He turned on his puppy eyes which he knew were hard for me to resist. "Come on, please, do this for me? As a best friend?"
I didn't get a chance to reply as an auburn-haired girl seemed to materialize next to Richard out of thin air. "There you are, Ricky!" she squealed and tried to wrap an arm around his shoulders - which he expertly dodged.
"Hey, Heather ..." Richard greeted nervously.
I took this moment to acquaint myself with her face. She was pretty with deep auburn hair and perfect skin. Her eyes were a nice amber shade, and she was tall and thin. Almost the complete opposite of me. I then recognized her as the girl I saw literally drooling over Richard when he walked me to Mr Tuttle's classroom yesterday.
"So, who are these two people?" Heather asked brushing off the rejection easily - something I was quite envious of.
"This," Richard began and wrapped an arm around my waist bringing me closer to him, "is my girlfriend Lizzy, and her best friend Anne."
At the word 'girlfriend', Heather frowned. She looked me up and down for a moment before actually turning up her nose and pulling her face in a way which made it seem as though she had just smelled something nasty.
"That's your girlfriend?" she asked, clearly disgusted, and I felt myself shrink into a ball under her scrutinizing gaze.
I know I'm not gorgeous but was I really that bad?
Richard's arm around me tightened. "Yes, this beautiful girl is."
His tone sounded sincere but I knew he was just saying that because he knew what I was thinking. He wasn't my best friend for nothing.
"Really?" Heather's eyes locked on me.
I felt a poke to my ribs when I remained silent, causing me blurt out, "Yes!"
I cleared my throat when I realised how rushed it sounded. Clearly, Richard wasn't comfortable around her, and I'm not the kind of person to sit around and not help a friend.
"Yes, I'm his girlfriend," I smiled at her and wrapped my arms around Richard's large frame, giving him a side hug. I felt him stiffen slightly before pulling me even closer to him.
Heather scoffed before flipping a lock of hair over her shoulder. "I won't even give you two a week, but when you break-up or even before," Heather sent Richard a flirty smile, "you know where to find me."
With one last wink directed at Richard she was gone.
As soon as the coast was clear I let go of Richard and he turned to give me a massive smile. "Thank you so much!" he gasped and quickly kissed my cheek. I brushed off the action with a wave of my hand.
"Yes, yes, I know you love me, but you do realise this will cost you." I wagged a finger at him. "And I do have some rules."
"Anything for you, milady," Richard said and gave a slight bow.
I rolled my eyes at his antics. "I'll have to think about them, but right now Anne and I have to get to class."
"Okay, thanks babe!" he said and kissed my other cheek before rushing off to his own class, his sudden, rather intimate, term catching me by surprise.
I turned to see Anne giving me an amused smile. I pointed a finger at her, already knowing her train of thought. "Not a word of this to anyone. Got it?"
Anne laughed as we began walking towards our class. "What have you gotten yourself into, Lizzy?"