Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to the Seven Network. This is simply my way of evening the couples out.
Beautiful Disaster
Part Four
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I sighed, looking up at the building that loomed in the distance. Was I ready for this? For the friendships that were about to be offered? For the ideals of settling down in that small, coastal town, and becoming one of those people?
Was I ready to face him again? To look into those eyes and know that he can just see me. For everything that I am… and everything that I pretend to be.
But as I thought that, I knew that I could never rest easy until I knew more about this intense stranger that I'd only ever caught a glimpse of. And that was what tonight was about. Tonight, I was going to find out about them… find out, about him.
Wringing my hands together nervously as I adjusted my cherry dress one final time, I walked confidently towards the front door. I knew this façade needed to remain if I was going to get through this without my real self-coming out… without them seeing the lonely girl that was hidden inside.
Hesitating as I reached to rap on the large oak door, I sucked in my breath and finally took the plunge. Counting slowly in my head, I'd only reached three before the door was thrust open and I met the smiling, bright faces of Mattie, Cassie and Belle, all of whom were pink in the face… from laughter, from life…
"Anna" Mattie squealed, taking my hand and dragging me into the house "So glad you came." She said, "The boys have been ganging up on us, and we're a girl down." She continued dramatically "So now that we're even, it's time to get even…" She finished, grinning evilly at the boys as we entered the room.
"Even at what?" I asked finally, only to regret my decision immediately as Mattie's evil grin broadened.
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"Okay, it's official" Belle screamed in Drews' face as Cassie and Mattie bounced around excitedly "We totally rule at SingStar!" She squealed happily as Drew rolled his eyes once more. "Five times…" She continued, "Count it boys, five to zip. Nil. Nada. NOTHING…"
"She's competitive, no?" I asked Mattie as she fell to the ground next to me, grinning.
"Very," She replied "You should have seen them go at it when they wanted to see who could go without kissing for the longest… it was a nightmare… especially because Belle and Drew, are well…" She trailed off, looking at them suggestively as he pulled her into his arms and began planting tiny kisses on her face.
"Sex fiends." Cassie finished for her as she sat herself down next to Mattie. "Always at it," She continued "No matter where they are, or what time of the day it is, their lips are glued to one another's, inseparable until the words shopping come into play." Cass said, laughing as Belle detached her lips from Drews to send them a glare.
"You're one to talk." She shot a look at Cassie, as Cassie blushed a little and looked away. "Need I remind you…" Belle said playfully "that you lost that particular challenge?" She finished, smirking, as Henry walked over to Cass and gave her a kiss on the cheek and pulling her close to him. She snuggled into his embrace as Belle realised that the battle she was fighting had been lost… to the apparent passion and love felt between them.
Shrugging her shoulders, she gave her attention back to Drew, and I heard Mattie sigh contentedly next to me. It felt kind of awkward for me, as if I were invading their own private time, which they had become so accustomed to. It was natural for them, as I watched Ric and Luke battle it out on a play station, and Belle and Drew, Henry and Cassie become lost in their own world together. I watched Henry whisper in Cassie's ear as she giggled in response, letting his arms pull her in closer.
This was their world, and suddenly, no matter how his eyes had captivated me, I felt wrong intruding in it.
I pushed myself up from the ground and walked towards the door, only to have Mattie stop me in the hallway.
"Hey…" She said softly "Where's the fire?"
Suppressing the urge to roll my eyes, I blinked away the tears that were forming and finally looked to her. "Look around you…" I said simply "I don't belong here. And I never could."
She smiled at me, and pulled me into the seats situated so conveniently next to us.
"I know exactly how you feel." She mused, her eyes glazing over as memories floated through her mind.
"Somehow, I find that hard to believe." I said defensively, as she shot me a look.
"Look, if you were just willing to give us a chance, instead of putting up that defence force field the size of Mars, you may even find that we're not that different. I was a little lost when I first arrived in the bay… Granted…" She said, that smile forming again "I was younger, and what one would call… bratty. I hated this place more than anything." She said, a glimmer of humour in her eyes.
"And?" I asked, still maintaining my front, refusing to give in to their quest for friendship just yet.
"My point is," She said, as she rolled her eyes dramatically, with a hint of mocking. "if you bother to give it a chance, it really does grow on you… as do the people. I mean, if it hadn't have been for Ric…" She said, as I snapped my eyes towards her own at the mere mention of his name.
Was I whipped or what?
"Ahh, so perhaps you have taken an interest in something here… someone maybe?" She said coyly, laughing as I looked away from her gaze.
"I knew it." She said, more to herself than me. "I so knew it!"
"Knew what…" Belle asked suddenly as she and Cassie appeared beside Mattie and myself.
"Umm…" Mattie said, looking between her two best friends and the girl she hardly knew.
"That I was just curious about you guys and Ric." I finished for her, sharing a timid smile with her as she glanced in my direction. "I mean, you three are all coupled off, but he's alone. What happened there?" I asked, as they shared a look that I'd already related to trouble.
"She just asked, didn't she?" Belle asked excitedly, as Cassie and Mattie glanced wearily at one another.
"Pull up a chair." Mattie said to them "It's going to be a long night."
