- a few weeks later -

Alan

I walked into my music class, spotting the dark haired girl almost immediately. She was sitting near the window, absentmindedly tapping a pen against her thigh, her legs crossed. She was leaning back on the chair, and was wearing a Linkin Park shirt. Bracelets trailed up and down her arms, random strands of her hair falling on them as she looked down, a secretive smile gracing her lips. She looked up quickly, the smile fading. She nodded, her look changing to disappointment as she pulled out her earbuds. She leaned forward, and nearly toppled off her chair, placing the earbuds with her iPod on the desk.

'Alan, move!' I was quickly shoved forward by my classmates, and I laughed along with them, acting as if the whole reason I had stopped was to crack a joke. The teacher looked at me disapprovingly and I scrambled forward, trying to find a seat. I had her attention now, a sneer changing her attractive features to something not as desirable. She looked around the room and groaned when she saw the only free seat was next to her, tipping her head back and looking at the back wall.

'As luck would have it.' She mumbled when I placed my books next to her. I ignored her and tried to start up a conversation.

'Hi Diana.'

She looked at me, her light eyes untrusting, 'Ashby,' she said dismissively. I noticed that her lips were glossy and tinted red. It looked good. Diana's expression changed again, looking at me weirdly.

'Excuse me?' She said, shifting away in her seat. I looked at her blankly. What had I said?

'I didn't say anything.' I said slowly, then realised I must have spoken aloud. I blushed profusely - one of the side effects of being a ginger. I corrected myself with a hasty 'I'm sorry'. But her interest was now perked, and she asked,

'What looks good?'

If it was possible, I went even redder. 'Your lips. They look good with the gloss on them.'

'Yeah right, and by the way, you've got a girlfriend.'

What was her name again? Hayley? I was getting lost in her lightly tinted blue orbs. They sparkled in the sunshine drifting in from the window.

'Stop staring at me.' She hissed between her teeth. I couldn't help myself. Hayley was becoming very clingy, no to mention Stella had started ignoring me. Something was up, and I wasn't sure if I liked it. They were planning something. A new girl, Maddie, had also appeared in our group. I had no clue what was happening with her but, again, it couldn't be good.

My phone vibrated and checked the new text. It was from Hayley, of course. She wanted to meet up after school and she had added a winking face after it. I rolled my eyes. I was getting so sick of her. We had been going out now for most of our schooling years, only because I had never worked up the courage to break up with her.

Hayley was a sweet girl, but she was familiar. We were nearing four years now, and she was too familiar. I knew how she kissed, the way she liked to be held, how if I trailed my fingertips across her upper back she would break out in goosebumps.

My attraction for her had ended a long time ago; it was purely routine now. I was almost certain she felt the same way. Stella had us both twisted around her little fingers.

Diana was someone new, and that was exciting. She was someone different, she had different likes and dislikes, different ways of kissing. We probably had more in common too.

Notes

Because I'm nice you guys get another chapter. Please don't ask for any more, I'll just update progressively now and tell you when you're up to speed with what I've got written. Okay? Okay.

Title cred: Mayday Parade (I can't remember the song, damn)