A Red Haired Person
After a quick pit stop at Macey's locker (still no luck with finding my own) where we drop our bags off, we make our way towards the lunchroom. Michaela assured me her friends would be waiting at their usual spot, and waved off my apologies. I still feel a little bad that I left her so readily – I need to make it up to her.
Macey and I follow the smell of school lunches as it wafts out of the cafeteria and up the main staircase; a pungent mix of onions and burned sausages insults my nose, and I let out a strangled cough.
"Are you okay?" Macey asks as we approach the cafeteria, a concerned frown on her face.
"Fine, fine," I say, grimacing. "Just, ya know…" I wave my arms around the general area.
"Uhm…" She looks confused for a few moments before understanding lights up her face as she realises what I'm practically gagging at. "Oh! Don't worry, Cammie, you'll get used to the dreaded lunch smell," she reassures me, biting back a laugh.
"Well, I do hope so," I say. "What could possibly smell so bad?"
"I think… today's the first day special!" she says mock enthusiastically.
"And that is…?" I ask, unsure whether I even want to know.
She pushes open the cafeteria doors with a flourish. "Sausages!"
Seems like I called it right; I know what I won't be having for lunch today, if the smell is anything to go by, anyway.
The cafeteria is a clamouring din of chatter and the clatter of cutlery, punctuated by laughs and shouts at odd intervals. The queue starts at the doors and leads right up to the serving area, and I can just make out half a dozen dinner ladies ladling gravy and all sorts onto plates. Thankfully, there's also a salad and sandwich bar, and with a questioning look from Macey and a confirming nod from me, we battle our way past the crowded queue towards it.
The tables are filled with teenagers from every grade. The seniors seem to have claimed the area closest to the food, and I spot Adam sat at a table with Michaela and a few others: a cute, curly-haired boy, a girl with a book propped in front of her, her skin the palest colour I've ever seen, and a girl with awesome purple hair cut in a pixie crop. They create an odd, but kind of cool, group. I must remember to go over and say hi, at the very least.
A few tables over sits the one and only Zachary Goode, his tousled dark hair and piercing eyes visible from here, surrounded by the most gorgeous guys I've ever seen – and, oh-so-surprisingly, a few girls. A girl with luscious auburn locks sits with her back to me, and I have a very niggling feeling it's none other than Penelope D'Arcy. Her hair definitely fits the description.
Macey drags me over to a table where a dainty blonde and a tall mocha-haired girl are sitting. I presume this is Liz and Bex, so I pull up a smile and follow Macey.
"Hey, guys, thanks so much for waiting," she says to them sarcastically. "This is Cammie – she's new." She smiles at me encouragingly and I give the two girls an awkward wave.
"Hi."
"Hi, Cammie," Liz says warmly, before turning to Macey indignantly. "Hey, don't blame me!" she says, putting her hands up in the air. "Bex was so hungry, she said she could, and I quote, 'eat five cows and a dinosaur and still have room for a large chocolate cake.'"
She rolls her eyes at me and I snort with laughter at the ridiculous exaggeration, unable to help myself. Bex, however, carefully places her huge baguette on her plate, looks up with a frown and gives me a speculative look, effectively shutting me up. However, I do notice a slight hint of mischief in her eyes.
"I was hungry, goddamnit. Can't a woman eat in peace around here?" she grumbles.
"Yeah," Macey replies, dragging out the word. "And I don't have a problem with you eating. Just don't go all cavewoman on us like you did when we went to the diner last week, okay?"
"Yeah, right," Bex replies, scoffing. "As if I was the only one." She leans towards me and whispers, "Hi, Cammie. Macey ate two large burgers and a deluxe basket of fries, and still had room for a giant milkshake and a Nutella pancake."
"Oh, shut up, you," Macey says, chuckling, a slightly embarrassed expression on her face.
"Pretty impressive, Macey," I laugh.
"Impressive, my arse. It's downright unfair!" Bex complains. "She ate all that and let me tell you that afterwards, there was no food baby in sight."
"Fo-food baby?" I ask, almost choking on my laughter. "Okay, I agree – that is totally unfair."
A smile engulfs her face and she shrugs, going back to her half-eaten baguette. "Go get some food, you guys. Liz and I will wait for you. You're making me hungry just by looking at your plate-less hands."
Liz nods in agreement and I smile. They're so nice. I have to admit, I was a little worried about Bex, but I needn't have been. I grab a plate at the salad counter and get a baguette, inspecting the insides and concluding that it has cheese inside. I find myself wishing for pizza or anything else – but I guess I'll just have to deal.
The cafeteria, if possible, has become even more packed in the last few minutes, and it's difficult to get out of the throng gathered around the sandwiches. I resort to elbowing a few people and using the power of pushing. I'm pretty sure I even step on a few expensively clad toes. I hurry back to the table and slump down on my chair. Macey has already returned from the battlefield.
"That was intense," she says.
"Tell me about it," I respond, a little shocked.
As I'm tucking into my lunch, Liz looks up from her French novel and looks at me inquiringly.
"So, Cammie – where did you move from?"
"Detroit. I definitely find myself wishing for some cooler weather," I smile.
"I can imagine," she replies. "Have you met anyone else here, apart from us?"
"Yeah, I have – Do you know anyone called Michaela Cavanagh, Adam Jones or Zachary Goode?" I throw the last name in there just to see their reaction: I'm pretty sure they'll have heard of him.
Bex and Macey's heads shoot right up at the mention of Zach's name, and Liz's eyes widen.
"Yes, I do know Michaela and Adam – not well, but they seem pretty cool. But how do you know Zach?" Macey asks, astonished.
"He, uh… he's my next door neighbour."
"That idiot never mentioned anything!"
"Are you… friends with him?" I ask apprehensively. I don't know why this makes me nervous, but I remember Adam telling me Zach wasn't too great, and even though I'd interacted with already – a few times to many, might I add - I didn't want to encounter him if I didn't have to. These three seemed nice, but how could they be friends with such an irritating dumbass?
"I suppose. Bex here, she goes out with his best friend Grant, and it's only a matter of time before Liz ends up with Jonas – we've been trying to get them to admit they like each other forever – and I think we're almost there."
Liz glares at Macey, two spots of bright pink splashing her pale cheeks. "Oh, really? And what about your crush on Preston?"
Macey huffs in response. "That is irrelevant – and I do not have a crush on him!"
"Sure," Bex sniggers, and Liz smiles smugly.
I raise my eyebrows. "Hm… You three sure need to tell me what's gone down these years I haven't been here. I'm all curious now."
Liz cuts in before either Macey or Bex get the chance.
"Basically," she begins, a mischievous smile curling her lips, making her look like an evil, beautiful fairy. "Back in the days of sophomore year, our dearest Bex had the hugest crush on the blond haired Greek god named Grant Newman. They'd been friends for ages, but Bex's feelings went far beyond innocent friendship."
"Hey! That is so not true, Liz!"
"No interruptions, Bex." She wags her finger. "Let me take the credit for you two getting together – you know I deserve it."
"Fine," Bex mutters. "I am so gonna get you back for this." Macey just laughs at the expression on Bex's face, and I pretend to be engrossed in Liz's 'tale'. It's way too fun winding her up.
"Where was I? Ah, yes," Liz continues. "Little did fifteen year old Bex she know that Grant felt the same way – he'd even told her best friend Liz how he felt about Bex – Macey hadn't arrived yet – unable to keep them to himself. He could hardly tell his best friend Zach, who meant well but would probably end up mashing their heads together and start shouting 'kiss!' So, Liz waved her magic fairy godmother wand, had a little input from Grant's friends, and came up with the perfect solution: lock them in a room during Zach's sixteenth birthday party, disconnect the bulbs and make them stay in there until the party-goers heard the unmistakeable sounds of a make out."
She gives a very self-satisfied smirk and then grins widely at her furiously blushing friend. I started laughing at the word 'lock'. Macey shakes her head at them both, laughing, obviously having heard the story before. Bex glares resolutely at the table, pretending to sulk but actually fighting a chuckle. She eventually cracks a smile and swats my arm.
"Shut it, new girl," she mumbles.
A thought occurs to me. "Hey, Liz?"
"Yeah?"
"Why did Zach send you that paper aeroplane in chemistry? You don't have to tell me, if it's private," I add hurriedly, when I see her exchange glances with Bex.
"Oh, that," she says awkwardly. "Um… Well –"
"– Zach is also a member of the 'Get Liz and Jonas Together Squad'" Bex cuts in.
I let out a snicker. "Why don't you just apply the same technique she used on you?"
"We've tried," she sighs sadly. "They're both too clever for us."
"Too right we are," Liz mutters.
"You'd think they wouldn't care, seeing as they're like, in love," Macey says matter-of-factly, examining the deep purple polish on her nails for chips.
"We are not!"
"Keep telling yourself that," Bex, Macey and I say in unison.
"Cammie! You should be on my side!" Liz says accusatorially, her face bright pink.
"And why is that?"
"Yes, Liz – why is that?" Macey asks. "I mean, all Cammie has to do is see how you two lovebirds interact during anytime you're together and she'll know for herself. But she already believes us, so it doesn't even matter."
"And well… you kind of resemble a tomato right now, Liz," I say apologetically.
"I hate you all!" she says crossly, knowing we're right. It's so endearingly obvious how much she likes this Jonas guy. Plus, I finally get what Zach's letter was probably about.
"We love you too, hun," Bex says, patting Liz's shoulder.
"Does Zach have a girlfriend?" I find myself asking nonchalantly. The moment it escapes my lips, I groan internally.
Why did I just say that?!
All three of them turn to look at me, their expressions mirroring each other's – identical looks of pity paints their faces. Macey is the one to break what she thinks is sad news.
"He's practically off-limits, Cam. The guy's a notorious player, heartbreaker, and overall gorgeous asshole."
"Don't even mention his lovely Penny." The three of them shudder.
"Wait, no! Guys, I don't… God, I don't like him!"
"Oh? So why are you asking, then?"
"Um… Well, to be honest, I kinda wanted to know more about Penelope D'Arcy. Isn't she, like, the leader of something called The Bitch Brigade?"
"Shut up!" Bex flaps her hands around, glancing around fearfully. "Someone might hear us!"
Liz lowers her voice before replying, and Macey keeps lookout. "Yes, she is. She is officially Queen Bitch of Roseville High, Cammie."
"And, she's on and off with Zach so much it's like she's a damn light switch," Macey adds.
Liz nods. "Macey is the fountain of all knowledge when it comes to Penelope."
"So… what do you want to know?"
"Anything, I guess. Why does everyone hate her? Why does Zach go out with someone so notoriously bitchy? I mean, the way you've described him so far, he isn't that bad."
"Cam, you don't know the half of it," Bex says sympathetically. Does she still think I like him? "I think we better start off with a Zachary Goode backstory, guys, don't you?"
They all nod in agreement. Bex begins.
"Zach lives with his mum – this is all common knowledge, by the way, he doesn't do deep conversations or secret sharing. Anyway, his dad left when he was about eleven, I think. He left them for another woman, and if rumours are anything to go by, she was half his age. Understandably, Zach hasn't forgiven him. And I don't blame him. His dad tried to send him gifts, get him to come over, you know… But it never worked. The man is rolling in money, has some massive multi-million company, and sends them money regularly – but it's probably only because it's in the divorce contract.
"Mr and Mrs Goode used to run the local diner together, but when he left, it all fell to her. He took up the mantle at his father's stupid business, and left his family behind. Now Zach hates him, even though his mother has long forgiven him. Don't know how she did it, to be honest. But then again, Catherine Goode is too nice for her own good. And finally, fast forward through all the bad-boy antics and sleeping around, you get Roseville High's biggest player."
Macey continues, and I find myself leaning forward slightly, eager to know more.
"Now, onto his friends: Grant, Jonas, Preston, Nick, James and Callum. Grant is the blond hottie: he finally settled down with Bex. Jonas and Preston are somewhat the oddballs – neither of them are in the football team like the others, but they're surprisingly good friends. You wouldn't really think so, would you? Anyway, Nick. He's got curly brown hair and dimples, and he's the joker of the group. Hot and funny. James and Callum are twins: both blond, both grey eyed, both muscular. That's probably where their similarities end. James is more like Nick, loud and lovable, and Callum is far more reserved, but he isn't bad. All of them are pretty hot in their own right, though."
"Mhm. Can't argue with that," I murmur.
"Stay away from my man, girls," Bex scolds.
"Yeah, yeah," Macey says, waving her comment away with a smirk.
Liz takes up the rest of the story-telling. They really have this worked out, don't they?
"Lastly: Penelope D'Arcy. Bitch of the school. The year. The century. They started going out with each other at the end of sophomore year. By the September of junior year, they'd broken up. Back together by Halloween. Finished in April – I think that's the longest they've actually been together. Back together by July. And now? Status unknown. He took out other girls so many times while they were together then dumped them like yesterday's trash, and she pretended not to notice. To be honest, I'm pretty sure Penelope was just a booty call gone wrong," she concludes.
"And there you have it, Cam," Macey says. "Zach and Penny backstory."
I notice that they omitted the part where Macey was friends with her, but I decide not to say anything. Maybe they'll tell me in their own time.
The bell rings to signal the end of lunch, and we slowly get up and empty our plates. I scan the crowd involuntarily for him, but I can't see him anywhere. It's for the best, I think. Don't want him to embarrass me, do I? I spin around to get to the others, ploughing onwards, trying to push past everyone. I vaguely register a red haired person near me. I'm just about free of the horde, when I make a fatal, fatal mistake.
I trip on somebody's foot.
And the thing I grab onto to save myself from the very hard looking floor just so happens to be Penelope D'Arcy's skirt.
A/N Hope you all liked this! It was really fun to write, especially the ending *evil smile* MUHAHA. Hehe.
Sorry for my late update though! Still trying to get a schedule going. Please R&R, and tell me what you thought about everything! It absolutely makes my day. Hope you're all having a wonderful autumn - it's my favourite season. Don't you just love the crunchy, golden leaves, the fresh, cool air, wearing snuggly scarves and cosy jumpers and reading with a cup of tea... Ah, I just love it.
Until next time! xx P.S. I'm so cold right now, I have gloves on inside, as well as a sweater, socks, and fluffy slipper things. And the heater is on. I love autumn, but it's fricking cold.
lovewords: Your reviews are always just the best! Thank you so much! Haha, I hope you like this one! Not much Michaela, but we sorta get to meet Penny ;) Your chap today was hella good today... HELLA GOOD. Hope school is okay! I wish I was sneaky enough to smuggle some tea... *sigh*
BooksLover2000: Thank you!
Selena: Thank you and yay! I'm so glad you like it.
Teenage Gallagher Girl Spy: Yep, I'm from England! Hehe, sorry for the recent lack of maleness! I don't mind the rambling, and you may be right about Michaela *ominous wink*
fanficlover4602: Hi! Hope you've recovered from your dying at the last chapter, lol. I'm so glad you like it! Thank you :)
LifeIsGoode: Wow! Thank you so much! I read your story, I love it! I LOVE super long reviews, and I am just so happy you like it!
HippieGuru: Heyyy! So glad you like it :) Ms Garraway is pretty cool, yes. Hehe, that's so nice to hear! Thanksssss and I had a very good time at the movies, thank you for saying! :)
gabergirl: Thank you!
.hecate: That's so great to hear - thank you!
TiggerandCammieandPercy: Thank you! I was toying with the idea of doing different POVs, but I've tried it before and I can't seem to get the hang of it. It gets so disjointed, and for some reason, it just doesn't work. However, I'll let you all choose a chapter at the end of the story, which I will rewrite in Zach's POV as a special bonus chapter!
Guest: Thank you! Happy you liked the intros, there's quite a lot in this chapter too... I hope it isn't to annoying!