Well, this story is finally picking up speed. Part of this chapter consists on the first chapter of the original story (except it's edited tons). And I hope you guys enjoy it! The fourth chapter should be completed soon! You know, once I actually start it. XD. But I'll be motivated if I get more reviews! I would like to thank those of you who have! It means a lot! Your feedback truly inspires me. I love you guys! Kristen's POV should be coming soon. And so shall Josh's, Harris', Landon's, and tons more. But you've got a pretty good idea who the "main" main characters are anyways! :D
Something Borrowed is such an amazing movie! :D
Hope you likes! =3
Chapter 3: Secret Admirer
AR
Alicia Rivera sighed in contentment at 6 o' clock in the morning, practicing at the Body Alive Dance Studio in Westchester. She finished performing a dance routine to the dance mix version of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream."
The question most people would be asking is what would anyone be doing awake at this ungodly hour?
Alicia was passionate about dancing. It was her escape from the fabulous life of the Rivera family, one of the wealthiest families in the county. She was spoiled rotten since the day she was conceived and Alicia never made it a secret. She didn't flaunt it the way most people expected her to but people made a lot of assumptions about her because of the money her parents had. But she was different.
She took things a lot more seriously than she would ever admit. She wanted to get involved in journalism and become a famous television producer. She wanted to get involved in the issues of society and get the facts straight. The paparazzi world was definitely losing its edge and sometimes, and nobody ever realized it, the truth came out to be a lot more intriguing than the exterior celebrities gave out.
She had been dancing since she was three, first taking up ballet and then getting into jazz, hip hop, and all different styles of dance. She tried cheerleading her freshman and sophomore years and it was fun because of how flexible she was. But her true delight was in dancing.
Her phone's alarm blasted her favorite Jennifer Lopez song, "Waiting For Tonight." It was time for her to get ready to go to school. After turning the alarm off, she grabbed a towel to wipe some of the sweat off of her forehead from having worked up such a sweat.
After taking a shower and changing into her denim V-neck with here FC Barcelona sweatshirt over it and her extra pair of black knit jazz pants because she forgot to pack her jeans into her tote bag this morning, Alicia locked up the studio because as one of the best dancers in the academy, she was given a key to the studio.
She walked over to her Mercedes and turned on the ignition and was on her way to school. Her life was going at her regular routine. Wake up at 4:45 AM to get ready to go to the studio and be there by five to dance for an hour and a half. Shower in the locker room. Grab some breakfast at Einstein Bros. And head over to school. She had to miss classes after school today because she had to help her parents today to welcome a family that was moving into their neighborhood. What a total snoozer.
"Alicia!" Dylan Marvil called out to her as Alicia drove into the school parking lot of Westchester High School. Her redheaded best friend was practically asking for her to run over her but Dylan immediately moved out of the way so she could park.
Alicia grabbed her tote bag from the passenger seat and got out of her car to find Dylan almost crash her into the ground from her hug.
Alicia was able mumble through Dylan's mass of red hair. "What's happening, Dyl?"
"I don't know!" Dylan laughed. "I just feel like something good is going to happen today!"
"Maybe." She laughed at her friend's normal insanity as she retreated from the hug. Her friend's energy had been too high at 7:20 in the morning.
"Why's your hair all wet?" Dylan asked. "You danced this morning?"
"Yeah." Alicia nodded. "Some new family's moving into the neighborhood so my parents are dragging my ass to be a part of the welcoming committee. It's pretty stupid."
Dylan frowned in confusion. "Why would it be stupid? Aren't they just trying to be nice?"
"Nope. They're just trying to keep up this image they make of having the perfect family and besides, if this family isn't what they expect, it's not like my parents are going to end up saying hi to them every time they see them after that." Alicia sighed. Her parents…They had standards and people came to the conclusion that she had standards. It seriously annoyed the hell out of her.
"Oh." Dylan nodded and frowned sympathetically. She changed the subject. "So does this new family happen to have a hottie involved?"
"Not sure." Alicia cracked a smile and shrugged. "But it does somehow make me not completely dread this idea of being a part of the welcoming committee so much anymore."
"I figured." Dylan laughed as they both walked into the school to head over to their lockers.
DM
"So how are you?" Alicia asked as she linked arms with Dylan. Dylan was looking super happy in her spring ensemble. She wore a Bronx 23 tee and denim shorts. She looked fresh and relaxed. Dylan was like a ray of sunshine today. It definitely had Alicia curious.
"Pretty good for being her mom's maid-of-fricking-honor!" Dylan smiled wide as her announced what she had been holding in this entire time.
"What?" Alicia smiled wide, in surprise and hugged her friend. "But I thought she hadn't decided yet."
"Well, that's what Ryan and Jaime think. My mom gave me the official news yesterday. She told us before that she needed another week to consider it but she talked to me later and told me that she picked me. We're breaking the news to Ryan and Jaime next week like she said she would."
Alicia raised her index finger. "Devious!"
Dylan laughed, smiling. "I couldn't believe she picked me!"
"Because you're Dylan!" Alicia laughed. "Your sisters are cool but you're closer to your mom than they were so it makes sense that your mom picked you!"
"She loves us all the same anyways." Dylan said as she twisted her lock to crack her locker open. A little calendar had been revealed and she was counting the days until her mom got married.
Alicia smiled. "I'm happy for you!"
Dylan returned the smile and got her books she needed for her first two classes out of her locker: Physics and Economy.
Alicia's eyes widened as she took out the two gigantic textbooks and stuffed them into her Ravenclaw backpack that she'd gotten from her trip to Orlando with Claire to visit her hometown. She went to the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter and fell in love with the backpack.
"What?" Dylan noticed Alicia's staring.
"Why are you such a nerd?" It didn't come off as an insult. She was freaked out at how much work her best friend was taking on.
"Because I want to be." Dylan said, her green eyes glittering with happiness from the news her mom gave her yesterday.
"If you say so." Alicia laughed.
"Hey, Landon's coming to visit today!" That's what was also making her feel giddy. She'd been crushing on Landon ever since they started hanging out with Layne and Chris Abeley in the eighth grade but no one ever knew she crushed on him. It was a surprise that it wasn't obvious.
Maybe it was because no one could ever believe Dylan to be capable of having a boyfriend?
No, that wasn't it. It just wasn't in her nature to have boy drama revolve around her in her life.
"I should have asked you this a long time ago but…Do you like Landon?"
Dylan nodded, as if it wasn't much of a secret. She was freaking out in her mind, though. "Yeah. He's a cutie."
Alicia looked at Dylan carefully. "That's all?"
"Well, yeah." Dylan shrugged. "There ain't much to tell."
Alicia continued to eye her. Dylan was this close to panicking but she kept her composure. She eventually sighed in surrender. "Okay…Well, since I've got to get going now to do the morning announcements, I'll let it go…But we are not done with this conversation."
Dylan giggled. "Okay. See you later!"
When Alicia's retreating figure left, Dylan's smile faded. She sighed a breath of relief for not freaking out. Why did she like Landon? It was nothing but a nuisance to be attracted to him. It was a stupid middle school girl crush. That was it.
But why was her heart racing so fast to see him again?
Maybe it was because he got her through a rough patch when her dad was getting re-married a few years ago. She frowned in frustration as she reached into her pocket to grab her iPod. She scrolled through the songs to listen to some Lifehouse.
She went back to the parking lot to get the headphones she promised she'd give to Kemp. Kristen surprised her when Dylan got out of the car and shut the door to the driver's seat.
"Damn it, Kris!" Dylan almost had a heart attack. "I thought you were some sexual predator that's come harass me!"
"Too many Lifetime movies with your mom again?" Kristen laughed. Her dirty blonde hair was tied up in pigtails. Kristen wore a red floral braided tank top with a white cardigan and dark-washed jeans.
Rolling her eyes, Dylan punched Kristen on the arm. "What's up, Kristen?"
"Something good's about go down…" Kristen giggled.
"Obviously, there's something you're not telling me."
The dirty blonde nodded, smiling like an eight-year-old on Christmas morning who was about to get the Bratz doll she'd been begging to get for so long.
"Hey, I've gotta get these headphones to Kemp."
"Skull Candy?" Kristen saw the headphones Dylan had in her hands. "Nice. What's in it for you?"
"Nothing. I had an extra pair lying around. Jaime bought some for her boyfriend so I got them. I already had my own." Dylan shrugged.
"Let's get them to Kemp!" Kristen giggled excitedly.
"Does any of your giddiness have to do with him?" Dylan raised an eyebrow.
"Hell yeah!" Kristen grabbed Dylan's arm and yanked her over to Kemp Hurley and Chris Plovert. They had just arrived in Kemp's Ford pick-up truck that his dad handed down to him while he got a brand new sports car. Ah, the middle aged crisis.
"Why the long faces, boys?" Kristen asked innocently but the devilish glint in her eyes was noticeable.
Kemp and Chris glared at Kristen. "Just shut up. You and Derrick won the stupid bet. Now just let us do our job."
"What job?" Dylan asked, definitely intrigued.
"Oh, you'll see." Kristen said, laughing.
MB
Massie Block sat on the bleachers of the football field. In the slightly cold spring air, she had kept her hands clasped together, trying to do something to divert her thoughts away from Cam. She came to school early today because she needed help with her English assignment. She had gone to Mr. Pennington, her teacher, and all problems were solved.
Well, with that anyway.
She looked up at the grey sky and the sun would be making its appearance soon enough. And school would be starting in a few minutes. She could hear the hustle and bustle that went on a couple steps back into the school. Hundreds of kids attended Westchester High School and she knew most of them since she started pre-K. With the exception of Claire, who became her best friend in the world when she moved to Westchester, New York in the seventh grade from a whole new world: Orlando, Florida.
She felt her iPhone vibrate in the pocket of her flower print shorts. Her raven-haired best friend Alicia River had just texted her.
Alicia Rivera: Where r u?
Massie had adjusted her peach lace blouson top and typed rapidly at a response.
Massie Block: Sorry. Running late. Be there in 5.
She had gotten herself up from the bleachers and jumped down one on top of the other bleacher recklessly. She normally never did that. She would normally used the stairs but she was feeling a little daring today. And thank God, she didn't crack her skull.
"Well well…I never thought you'd be anywhere near the football field. Didn't your dad pay to get you out of those 2 required semesters of P.E.?" A familiar voice had teased.
Massie had noticed Derrick Harrington, Cam's best friend, walking over to her.
"Rumors spread fast around here," Massie noted, her brunette curls swaying in the light spring breeze, "What do you want, Derrington?"
The attractive senior smiled but he was slightly stung by the nickname he hated since it was bestowed on him in the seventh grade by the girls. He sat on one of the bleachers and motioned for Massie to sit beside him. She raised an eyebrow. "I have to leave in 2 minutes."
He shrugged. "I'm just a kid with a message. Cammy wanted me to give you this." He started shuffling with the pocket of his Tomahawk windbreaker. He was co-captain of the soccer team alongside Cam.
Massie had immediately put her defenses up. "He has nothing that I want."
Derrick shrugged again. "He just told me it's urgent and that no matter what you said, you had to read it."
She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Fine. Hand it over."
Derrick had revealed a bottle with a note in it, further increasing Massie's suppressed curiosity.
Derrick smirked, "Cam…Always the romantic type."
"Is he stupid? You didn't have to swim across the Atlantic to get this to me." She said annoyed but with a softer look on her face. All Time Low was one of her favorite bands. "Dear Maria, Count Me In" was one of her favorite songs. He remembered the lyrics.
"There's a story at the bottom of this bottle and I'm the pen."
"Beats me," he said, chuckling, "Hey, have you seen Kemp or Chris since you got here?"
"Nope, not at all. I came early so I wouldn't know," Massie said as she looked towards the huge campus.
He nodded, a mischievous grin on his face. "That's all right." He started jogging towards the school. "Later Mass!"
She shook her head as she was now left alone again. She got the cap out of the bottle and took the rolled up note out of it.
Massie,
I don't know why you won't answer any of my texts or phone calls. Actually, I don't know why you broke up with me at all. I get the feeling that I must have done something to get you to do that. And I seriously want to know why. I need to talk to you. I miss you like hell, Mass. Give us a chance to fix this.
-Cam
P.S. I'll be at the park at around 8 playing with the guys. So if you're interested, you'd come so we can talk. I'm practically on my knees.
"If this is his idea of getting us back together," Massie began, "He'd better think again." She had taken the entire note in and these were the words that she'd hope to be hearing from him. She put on a stubborn façade but then again, no one was around to watch her reaction. She sighed and a little smile formed on her face.
Maybe there was hope for us.
"Stupid Cam," she muttered as she neatly placed the paper back into the bottle and tucked in into her Kate Spade backpack.
CL
"Claire!" Dylan and Kristen called as they were laughing.
Claire was shuffling around with some of her books at her locker. She slammed it shut once she had her AP Biology book tucked into her Jansport backpack. "Hey guys. You okay?" She smiled teasingly.
Kristen had tucked her hair away from her face. "Kemp and Plovert…" She was still laughing, having difficulty speaking and more importantly, breathing.
Dylan was laughing but she was able to get more words out. "Parking…lot…"
They both started laughing at the top of their lungs. They were practically ready to roll on the ground.
"Okay…" Claire smiled cautiously, raising an eyebrow.
"Claire! Let Tweedledee and Tweedledum enjoy their snort fest and follow me. You have got to see this!" Claire's best friend Layne had walked over to the girls and pulled her away. The laughing duo didn't notice their new nicknames because whatever Kemp and Plovert had been up to had certainly been hilarious. Layne Abeley always had a way to make Claire a lot more comfortable. Claire wasn't feeling so joyous this morning but she felt relief when Layne led her to something that was bound to be hilarious.
As Claire and Layne got closer to the student parking lot, Westchester students were whispering amongst each other and laughing.
"This has got to be good." Claire whispered to Layne.
"Ain't no doubt in my mind." Layne grinned, flipping her long wavy brown hair to her back. Her green eyes glimmered with mischief.
Reaching the student parking lot, they found their fellow classmates Kemp Hurley and Chris Plovert in cupid outfits. Legit cupid outfits. They were in diapers and had the bow and arrow. They had halos on their heads and fluffy wings on their backs. They weren't smiling like the actual Cupid would, though.
"Kemp?" Claire's jaw dropped and she placed a hand over her mouth.
Layne gasped and did the same. "Chris?"
"Go ahead. Laugh, giggle, cackle…Everyone else has." Chris said, frowning in shame.
"We lost a bet…" Kemp muttered, prepared to shoot someone who dared to mock them in the eye with an arrow.
"By the way, Claire. This is for you." Kemp said as he handed a Valentine card over to Claire.
"But Valentine's Day was over a month ago." Claire was laughing already. Layne's eyes were wide and she was already toppled over laughing.
"Our…employer…just told us to do it." Chris sighed as he adjusted his outfit. He was beaming bright red from the embarrassment and the revenge he longed for whoever got him and Kemp into this.
Claire took the card from Kemp and opened it up. It had a picture of a little boy kissing a little girl on the front cover. She turned red at that sight but then when she opened the card, she was sure to be in for a lot more surprises. It played her favorite song, "For The First Time" by The Script. "How did-"
But before she could say anything more, she found herself reading the note inside.
Dear Claire Lyons,
I wouldn't make these guys dress up as cupids if it weren't for something. If it weren't for you, Claire. You do know me so don't think this is from some creeper who wants to attack you. Crap, this doesn't sound romantic at all! Anyways, for some reason I've liked you for a while now and I thought you should know that. Meet me tonight at the park. You won't be alone since Cam asked Massie to stop by. A few months ago, I dropped by your English class because Mr. Pennington had me work on an extra-credit paper to boost my grade up and then he told me to look over some improvised poetry from his advanced class. That's when I read yours and…I got curious. And then there was that one night that we saw each other…I won't get anymore specific than that, sorry. I started thinking more about you and I did whatever it took to spend more time with you. I found out that there was someone special for me here in Westchester. Please, come tonight.
Sincerely,
Your Secret Admirer
P.S. Sorry about how much of a lame-ass I sounded like…
"Claire, what is it?" Layne had said, calming down what seemed like a while ago.
Claire immediately closed the card and put it in her backpack. "It was a card…for me."
"Well, yeah, we all knew that," she said, acknowledging the blushing cupids. "Who was it from?"
"I don't know," Claire said, frowning but blushing like a madman.
"Well cupids?" Layne began, adjusting her emerald earrings. "Are you gonna tell us who sent the love note?"
They shook their heads. It didn't look like they were going to budge.
"We've already been through enough trouble. Cut us some slack, ladies." Kemp grunted as Chris rolled his eyes.
"Well." Claire spoke wistfully. "Thanks for giving it to me guys and sorry for…" She said as she looked them up and down. "Well, you know…"
Kemp and Chris nodded slowly. She truly felt sorry for them but this was a great start for a Friday, she had to admit.
"We just hope it's all worth it in the end." Chris actually smiled. Apparently, he did know a lot more than he was willing to admit about this predicament.
"I don't know what we'd do if it didn't end up the way he wanted it to." Kemp punched Chris lightly in the abs. Chris glared at Kemp.
"Guess it's up to me, then. Come on, Layne." Claire nodded and waved goodbye to the guys. The first bell rang, indicating that class would start in 7 minutes. "Later guys!"
Claire had no idea what just happened. When they said love came unexpectedly, they were right. This was so…out there. So spontaneous. Whoever wanted her attention had a huge sense of humor and was a little insecure that it was cute. He admired her writing, which couldn't help but get her excited. And they've met before. It was driving her insane that she couldn't pinpoint who it was among her group of friends. She thought about it and decided that she would go to the park tonight. She wouldn't freak out too much about it, she decided.
"Hello? Earth to Claire!" Layne nudged her as they made their way to first period AP Biology.
"Huh?" The blonde asked.
"Are you going to say anything about that card?" Layne asked.
"It was from a guy…He said he liked me and that I knew him…" She replied as she made sure her ponytail had been placed over her left shoulder. She prayed that it looked good, especially if he saw her today.
"Ooh-la-la." Layne giggled maniacally. "And?"
"He wants to meet me tonight."
"Uh." Layne's smile faded and she pulled at her Kimchi blue ruffle-trimmed strapless dress with a gray knit cardigan over it. She was dressed to impressed today, causing Claire to get suspicious. "How do you know he's not a creeper?"
"Because he said he goes here and he said I could go with Massie. If he says he knows me and he knows Massie and Cam, I'll have to take his word for it."
"Okay…Just be careful and text me later tonight to let me know how it turns out."
Claire smiled. "You know I will."
Chapter Title: Well, Claire's got a secret admirer. So that's why it's called that. XD.
Up next: Alicia welcomes someone into her neighborhood, all right. And the big night at the park shall finally commenceth! Haha :)
Stay tuned!