Chapter Seven: Lisa's Story

Hey guys, me again!

Managed to get this one out a bit faster, we're going to take a detour from Roxanne and take a look at what's up with Lisa.

After all, Roxanne is not the only other person living their life with Max gone!

A bit shorter but more to come.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Lisa looked in the mirror, and what she saw looking backing at her made her blood boil.

Staring back at her was a girl with bloodshot eyes and tears streaming down her face, ruining her make up.

All this over a boy who she had foolishly kept believing and chasing after despite whose actions suggested that he did not think the same, just seeing her as some hot chick to be used as a tool to make everyone else feel jealous.

After all, why else would he be doing what he was doing?

Is that all she was?

She glared at her reflection, the feeling of embarrassment, betrayal, and anger coursed through her veins.

No. This is not what she was.

It was Chad that made her feel like this, it was Chad that showed her up at the mall in front of her very eyes.

*Ring ring*

Lisa was caught by surprise; she wasn't expecting a call. Taking a deep breath, Lisa paused before answering, it better not be who she thought it was.

"Hello Lisa speaking"

"Hi Lisa, Julie here" the voice on the line answered.

Lisa relaxed a little, at least it wasn't Chad again, she had enough of those calls today.

"Hi Julie, what's going on?" Lisa said as she sniffed.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Are you okay? You don't sound like you" Julie asked.

"I'm fine…just…boy troubles"

"Chad again huh?"

"Yeah, him again"

Another pause

Let's catch up tomorrow then?"

Lisa remained silent

". . . I'll take that as a yes then."

"I. . .yes" Lisa replied.

"Cool!" With that, Julie hung up with click.

Lisa felt like a great weight lifted from her chest.

For an hour straight she vented everything out of her system; Chad's on and off nature, Max's powerline display, her confrontation with Stacey, her talk with Roxanne, Chads repeated calling.

She felt like she was on a therapist's couch unloading, but in reality, it was on a bean bag in Julies room.

". . .So I don't know what to do, he's hot, but GOD he's frustrating, all men can't be like this can they?" Lisa finished.

Julie frowned at Lisa, and she knew why she was frowning.

Like Lisa, Julie was equally attractive: her light brown hair – often confused for being orange – was shorter than Lisa's but covered over her eyes, her black shorts showed off her long legs and the tight grey singlet she wore showed off her form and many guys stopped and turned their heads as she walked past them.

Also, like Lisa, Julie had her share of attention from guys, who's intentions were not wholly pure, though she was more passive aggressive in confrontation, she was no less ready to suffer fools, something Lisa appreciated since she found it a bit harder to discern a person.

"I've been telling you for ages to dump him for good. I don't care if he is hot and on the football team, you need to dump his ass." Julie complained.

"I know I should, but why make out with me only to ask Roxanne out to Staceys? I just don't get it, it makes no sense" Lisa asked.

Julie scoffed and stood up to make her way to a cabinet in her room, Lisa heard the clinking of glasses that were hidden from her sight.

"Uhh, I wouldn't know reallllllly…" Julie said casually as she unscrewed a bottle and poured its contents into a couple of glasses.

When she had finished, Julie turned to face Lisa with glasses in hand.

"Vodka?"

Lisa laughed and took one of the glasses from Julie.

"I'm sure this will help, is this straight vodka?"

Julie took a sip of hers.

"No, its premixed, it just looks clear. But maybe because Chad saw what Max did for Roxanne and it kindled an interest in her again? Not that I know much about, er, Max was it? But any guy who does THAT for a girl AND pulls it off, I mean that takes some doing, it could have flopped." Julie shrugged.

Lisa did remember the events of course, as Max flew over her, she remembered screaming out asking who that guy was and congratulated Max on his dance before being very rudely shoved away by Stacey. Though she admitted she was being overly flirtatious – she too took an interest in him for that, albeit briefly.

"Chad and I made up that morning and said we would try again to be better" Lisa said somewhat defensively.

"Yeah, but you weren't 'official' were you right?" Julie countered, as she stirred her drink slowly.

"No, but that's not the point!" Lisa said crossly.

Julie frowned at Lisa.

"This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last at this rate" Julie said as she leaned closer to Lisa.

"He's going to be like this forever because YOU keep letting it happen Lisa. Say he does come clean; how long will that last for? I'm not saying he is a bad person by any means, but time and time again he's proven this."

Lisa stared at the drink in her hand, Julies words rung in her ears.

She was right of course, but a part of her just wanted to feel something more, well, real. Not all boys were lousy perverts were they, so why did it feel so hard to find one that wasn't? Or someone who wouldn't be so hot and cold towards her?

It was for this reason she felt it was prudent to warn Roxanne that just because Max did something great for her, that it meant that he was innocent, she personally did not believe Max was on his way to the concert, everyone else would have known that fact for sure. Still, she didn't see the need to tell Roxanne that part of her thoughts, she just wanted Roxanne to not be so caught up with everything.

Afterall, a couple of years ago when she was her age, Chad did that to her.

Lisa looked up to face Julie and sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

"Yeah, yeah I guess so, no more football guys for me"

"Whoa there" Julie said raising her hands as if in self defence "I didn't say to that at all"

They both laughed.

Julie rattled her empty glass in front of Lisa.

"Top up?"

Lisa handed back her glass

"Go on then. A little day drinking to relax right?"

Julie took the glasses back to the cabinet and started refilling them.

"Sure, why not? Whatever reason you like."

While Julie busied herself, Lisa laid back fully into the beanbag and took a deep breath.

She felt better for sure, there was a lot more to work on for her part – not least of all to apologize properly to Stacey for yelling at her, that fourteen-year-old had a knack of throwing some seriously cool parties, so she didn't fancy being struck off the list – but it felt like a goof first step forward.

What to do about Chad, Lisa was not yet sure. More time was needed to focus on herself first, but maybe she would call it quits with him.

Or she could just ring him now?

Lisa shook the thought from her mind, a light buzz from today was all that mattered for now.

Julie passed her another glass - talking about some scandal about their friendship group – and downed it in one sitting, surprising Julie.

Yes Lisa thought, this summer is going to be a different one.