Page 4 of Meant to Be

“No.” I scoff.

“Have you been to the school today?” I look at him intently as he asks. “You won’t catch her this week, she does dance, and she’s doing exams.”

Trying to look like I’m not interested isn’t working at all because Harry just laughs.

“Screw you,” I tell him.

Dropping the subject of Shelby, I ask him about school and how he’s doing. I don’t want him to turn out like me – I want him to do well. I know he’s got some revising to do so I leave him to it, after an hour, to go home.

“Bye Aunty Sheila. It’s great to see you again. We really must do this more often.” She walks from the living room and props her shoulder against the doorframe. “Shall I tell them you said hi?” I ask. She places her hand on the door, and as I walk over the doorstep, she swings the door shut behind me.

Maybe that’s a no then. Pulling a cigarette from the box, I light it up and walk home.

Chapter Two

Shelby

Last assessment of the week.

Dance is brutal when you have assessments all the time, it’s like every single lesson is one. I sometimes wish I hadn’t taken it – but I love it. I walk from the dance studio with some friends and out towards the main school gates. As we get closer, I see a figure with blue jeans standing and smoking a cigarette.

Oh my god, is that who I think it is?

I realise it must be him from last week – I say him because I don’t even know his name. Stopping dead in my tracks, the girls stop at the same time. I stand and wait to see if he leaves.

“Shelb, you okay?” One of the girls turns to me and asks.

“Ah shoot. I’ve forgotten something. I’ll have to go back.” I make an excuse to not carry on out of the gate. “Carry on without me.” I walk back to the building and wait where I can’t be seen. He must be waiting for Harry. Once I see him leave, I walk straight to Addison’s house.

Reaching Addy’s door, I knock loudly, until she answers.

The door opens wide as Addison stands in front of me with a frown. “Is there a reason you’re banging down my door?”

“Yes, now let me in.” I head straight for the kitchen and grab snacks while she grabs the Pepsi and some glasses. This is a ritual we’ve done for over a year now. Running up the stairs, I jump on the bed and get comfy, opening the crisps out while she pours the Pepsi.

“So, what’s up?”

I get myself comfy on the bed before I start. “Do you remember the other day when Harry and his friends were at the top gates when we left?”

“Yeah. How could I forget?” She nods.

“Well, did you see the dark-haired one, he was hella sexy.”

“I don’t remember…”

“He was standing behind Harry, he was smoking. You have to have seen him, surely?”

“Nope, are you sure it was that day?”

“I’m telling you, Addy, it was one of the guys with Harry,” I tell her.

“Why didn’t I see him then?”

“Because you were too busy swooning over Harry.”

“I told you they were the hottie squad,” she adds smirking.

Addison grabs her phone from the middle of our picnic we are having, wipes her hands and opens Harry’s profile on Facebook.

---