A/N: This is a revised story of the first FanFiction I've ever wrote, the old one is so cringey and melodramatic, but I do hope that I have gotten better as a writer. It has been a while since I've written anything non-school related so feel free to share your opinions about the story and my writing. I am so surprised to see that this fandom is still active so I hope that you guys will enjoy this story.
One of the hardest things in life is accepting that people change. Relationships change. Watching your closest friends slowly drift away can be painful. Watching them live their best life without you and accepting that you're not as close as you used to be is a hard pill to swallow. But everyone goes through it.
Bbrring
The once empty and quiet halls of Peaceville High are soon filled with students exiting their classrooms with excitement after another day of learning. Students gather around lockers and tables in their own cliques.
The nerds with the nerds. The jocks with the jocks. The gamers with the gamers. And so on. But then there's the popular kids, they're a mixed bag of personalities. There's jocks, the cheerleaders, the student council, and the rich kids, the biggest thing they have in common is that everyone in the school knows about them. Every scandal and every crush. They aren't a secretive bunch.
In the center of the popular kids is a blue haired teen, Corey Riffin. He's not the strongest, the tallest or the smartest in the group but he makes up for it with his charisma.
Something about him draws people in, so it's no wonder why his arm is wrapped around the student council president Georgia Holly.
Laney Penn wished it was her waist that Corey held onto. As cliche as it is, she was in love with her best friend. But he never saw her as anything more than a friend, sometimes it felt like he forgot she was a girl. Laney wanted Corey even though she knew she could never have him. All she could do was steal glances occasionally as she packed up for the day.
"Y'know it's kinda sad to see you look at him like that everyday"
A voice came from behind her. The sudden noise nearly caused her to drop her calculus textbook. Immediately she knew who the culprit was.
"Kon how many times do I have to tell you to stop sneaking up behind me? And for your information I was not looking at him." Laney huffed before turning around.
Kin and Kon are the closet friends Laney has at the school. She's known the twins since they were all in the 6th grade.
"You're not subtle y'know. Anyone with eyes can tell." Kin speaks up, slightly poking at Laneys pale freckled arm before having her slap it away.
"I'm not listening to someone with glasses about seeing. You're both wrong"
"You know we're right Laney. We know you like Corey" Kin says.
Laney huffs, "I don't like Core, we're just friends. Lemme say that that again, we're friends. F. R. I. E. N. D. S. And besides you know he has a girlfriend"
"Hey Kin, do you ever look at your friends like you wanna kis-"
"I swear to all that is holy Kon, if you finish that sentence the only kissing that'll be happening is you and the floor"
The twins just laugh. Despite her tone, they know that she'd never even harm a single hair on their head. The laughing only caused Laney to shut her locker in frustration and doing so revealed the same blue haired teen.
"Hey guys what's so funny?"
"Laney wants to ki-" Kin is only stopped by Laney glaring at him "kiss the new frozen yogurt flavor at Berries and Bens. She was telling us how good the mint chocolate is." He nervously laughs towards the end and Corey raises an eyebrow.
"I thought u hate mint chocolate Lanes."
"Hehe well you know how you're always telling me that I need to try knew things"
Corey shrugs and smiles. "I'm glad to see you're getting out of your comfort zone fella ." He ruffled Laney's red hair, "Anyways, it's been a while since we've all practiced. Why don't I drive you guys to my place so we can rock out"
"Hell yeah. Can't wait" the twins yell out unanimously.
"Oh Corey baby. You're having practice?" Laney tried not to scoff as she sees Georgia strut up to them before hugging Corey's arm. "Can I come too baby? I love to here you sing." She flutters her eyes.
"Of course babe, you're my number one fan." Corey kissed Georgia before turns to his band mates "You guys are ok with her watching right"
Kin and Kon are able to sound more enthusiastic about it than Laney is but it's enough for Corey to grin and squish them into a group hug. "You guys are the best"
It's been like this for the past year and a half. The band hasn't been able to practice as often as they used to since Georgia and Corey got together and the few practices they have had, she always had to come. While the three didn't like this arrangement they tolerated to keep the peace.
"Oh Laney, I must ask you, did your clothes shrink in the dryer they look a little more form fitting than normal. You're always wearing such baggy clothes it's a bit jarring seeing your stomach poke out the shirt. If they have shrunk I can give you the number of this amazing tailor."
Even though she said this with an innocent tone, Laney knew better. Georgia never liked Laney, she made it very clear in her own passive aggressive way. Her words are like a rotting apple who's outside appeared perfect. Laney always tries to not let Georgia's words get to her, she can't even tell her off for it fearing that she'll tell Corey.
"Uh no thank you." Laney musters out the most genuine reply she can.
It's not long before Corey drapes his arm over Laney's shoulder, the red heads heart stops beating uncontrollably when she notices Corey's other hand is back at Georgia's hip.
"Alrighty fellas and the love of my life, LETS GO ROCK OUT!"
-
By now the parking lot was mostly empty, it was Friday no one wants to stay after school unless they have a sport or are in the band.
Laney was the only one in the band who didn't have a car. Kin and Kon got their parents old van while Corey's parents bought him a brand new sports car for his 16th birthday. If Laney wanted a car she'd have to save up got one.
The lack of a car wasn't pleasant for her. Since her and Corey lived on the same street they'd carpool and it was like a dream come true for Laney. For 40 minutes a day it was just her, Corey and the music. Well it was just them until Georgia came into the equation. Even though she has her own car she insisted on carpooling with them even though she lives an extra 25 minutes away from their houses. Laney got dumped into the back seat as soon as Georgia joined and there wasn't much she could do about it. Kin and Kon live on the opposite side of town so she didn't want to bother them, and even when she did try to leave with them Corey would ask questions nonstop. So she's now stuck listening to her childhood crush and his girlfriend act like a cheesy sappy couple in front of her.
Ding
Thankgod, Laney thought as she heard her text notification go off. Kin and Kon were the best of friends. Despite how much she denied it they knew she likes Corey and she knows that they know that she likes Corey. They knew how uncomfortable the situation can be for her so Kon decided to text her to distract her since Kin was usually the one driving.
Kon: Just so you know Laney, I think there's nothing wrong with your shirt! Don't let that purple devil get you down!!! :)
Laney: Aww you're so sweet Kon. Don't worry about me I can handle her insults
Kon: I know you can but it's not right for her to talk to you like that
Laney: Tbh I'd rather her talk to me like this than hear the way she talks to Corey
Kon: Ugg tell me about it. If I hear her call Corey honey bear one more time I might actually scream
Without Kin and Kon, Laney would probably go insane sitting in the back of Coreys car.
Babe look at this. You're so cute babe. I love you so much baby. Blah. Blah. Blah. It was honestly sickening how those two expressed their love. If they acted like this around others then one can only imagine how they behave in private.
After finishing their fit of laughter Corey ends up glancing at the red head through the rear view mirror.
She'd been awfully quiet, not saying a word since they left the school.
Unlike Kin and Kon, Laney wasn't very talkative but this was different. Things have been different lately. They used to talk about every and anything under the sun.
Music. School. The best kind of bagel. You name it they talked about it. But now it was like radio static. Determined to change this Corey clears his throat.
"Hey Lanes"
She doesn't look up and just gives him an emotionless "hmm?"
He bites the inside of his lip and tenses up a bit while fiddling with the steering wheel , "Uh... I was just wondering when you were gonna get your roots touched up. They're showing more than normal."
The faintest smile appears on his lips when Laney meets his eyes in the rear view mirror, this doesn't go unnoticed by Georgia.
Unconsciously Laney inspects her hair by patting and smoothing it before checking it out in the mirror.
Corey was right, her roots were showing more than normal. There was a clear divide between her natural ginger and the fire truck red dye.
"I guess I've been too busy to touch it up"
"Y'know Laney I think it's really cool that you're a natural red head. It's a shame you ruin it with all that dye." Georgia decides to enter the conversation and joins Corey in looking at Laney through the mirror.
It takes a lot for Laney to not give a snarky reply "I mean it doesn't bother me. And if it does I'll just cut it."
Georgia feigns a gasp and slightly clasps a hand on Corey's free one.
"Oh no no no. You shouldn't do that. You'll look more like a boy then." She turns to Corey, "don't you think Laney would look more like a girl if she took care of her hair and grew it out. And not wearing such emo makeup would do wonders for her skin."
With his attention back on the road, Corey simply just shrugs slightly and replies
"I think it'd be pretty cool to see you with long hair. Don't you think fella?"
Her cheeks are slightly tinted red from the embarrassment. She fidgets with the ends in her shirt while trying to sink into the seat. She doesn't miss the smirk that's present on Georgias face.
Her eyes are now glued to her feet and she replies with a nervous giggle,
"Hehehe, yea... maybe"
A/N: I think this'll be an okay place to stop this chapter before it gets too long. I'm a very rusty when it comes to writing FanFictions but I hope this chapter is bearable. Please lemme know what you think so far :)