Make-Believe Ballroom

A blush attacked her cheeks as she read the new additions. Large chunks of sentences, all putting across the same message. That she was in fact, as far under his skin as he was under hers. She couldn't wrap her mind around the attention she was receiving from the boy she saw yesterday. It didn't have an ounce of logic in the circumstance.

"You're seriously keeping me on edge now, I haven't gone this long without reading a reply from you other than weekends. Max is also wanting something from you, but I advise you not to. You can, that's your choice, but I'm pretty much demanding a reply for me. If you're been ill, I hope you're better babe. If you just don't know how to respond, let me know love, cause the suspense is murder. Almost as bad as these lessons before your drawing."

Lauren tried to see if there was anything new as well, but she was quick to cover it with her arm. A part of her desperately wanted her friend to misbehave in some way and that Mrs. Humpherson would have the courage to move her. And that time, Saskia wouldn't say a word in her friends defense. She knew what was written was private between her and him.

She carefully took out her pencil, keeping a watchful eye on Lauren, so she wouldn't catch on to what she was about to do. She wanted her response to be unknown to her. She had kept his name from her also, saying she didn't hear it, the only information she passed on were those in her moment of weakness. Expressing her opinion on him physically.

"I'm sorry." And that was all she could think to put. She wasn't going to lie and she didn't want to admitt the truth. How she hadn't responded because she was hurt by him simply blocking out his name. It seemed childish in her mind, now that she paused to reflect.

She smiled, as she noticed what else he had done during his lesson yesterday. There were arrows now, connecting up everything that had put down. In chronological order. Which screamed that he had sat there, re-reading it all.

So she did too. Following the direction, experiencing it all again. She still found it amusing and laughed quietly. She winced, when Lauren stared at her with curiousity at her seemingly random outburst. Making her pretend to be hanging off every word Mrs. Humpherson was saying.

"Has he replied?" she was asked sharply, and not in a low volume. The row in front of them turned in their seats to look at the two girls.

Saskia ducked her face down, but Lauren continued to look at them, daring them to say a word so she could come back with a retort.

"Lauren!" It was as if her prayers had been answered as the shrill voice went through them all "You find it appropriate to distract the boys in front of you as well as Saskia. That is it young lady."

"You know, for once it wasn't even me," Lauren said in outrage, all though it was entirely her fault. Nobody made her talk, she chose to. "Can I help it that the idiots in front are so attracted to me?"

Everyone snorted with laughter at the remark, except the boys she was refering to who only protested. Blaming it all on her, over lapping each other so nothing they said could be heard properly by anybody. Still, she was never going to believe Lauren over anybody regardless. Mrs. Humpherson pulled out the chair at the front from under the desk, making it quite clear that she expected her to move immediately.

"I'm not moving." Lauren folded her arms across her chest and leant further into the back of the blue plastic chair.

"Yes you are, or else I'll arrange for you to have a meeting with your head of year and see what she can do. You'll be excluded temporarily, and they don't allow students like that to attend the prom. And it isn't impressive when you apply for college." Mrs. Humpherson was slowly starting to resemble the illustration again.

Nobody expected Lauren to be phased about the threat she just recieved. Nobody except Saskia, who knew how excited her friend was about the American event that had won it's way over to the UK as a reward for year 11 students after the exams were complete. They also didn't know how Lauren sat at home, revising frequently so she would achieve the grades to get into Bishop Vesey Sixth Form College, rather than the one attatched to this school.

Panic was the expression on her face as she quickly rose from her seat. She caught herself though, not wanted to seem obidient, she began the tantrum as she made her way to the front.

It was only for ten minutes for the remainder of the lesson, but it was made quite clear she would now be sitting there permenantly. Isolated from the rest of the class.

Saskia moved her arm which she had gelled to the table to be certain her friend didn't see. Her blue eyes flickered over the words once again. Trying to get into the mind of Josh and why he would care so much about their idle chatter through tables. Her heart fluttered slightly in her chest, and she wasn't particularly aware of why it did. It didn't faze her though, as she decided she was a fan of the feeling.

She withdrew a black biro, and it wasn't a mistake. She had every intention of using something a ot harsher than pencil, something that wouldn't be removed with ease. Of course, it would rub off if she was desperate to get rid of it, but she saw it as a statement.

Beside the pictures, she quickly wrote "She did it again today :)." The moved her left hand towards an area they hadn't touched before. Making it seem like a fresh conversation. She wanted to display the same level of emotion he had, but she was too afraid to be that bold.

"I'm really glad we do this." Was what she settled on writing.

The bell sounded and she quickly rushed from the room, with the intention of waiting for her friend in the cramped corridor. On her way out, she was taken aback by people already standing there waiting for their turn to go inside.

Two boys, in fact. That were all too familiar indeed. She flushed, telling herself that they didn't know who she was. As far as they were concerned, she occupied the desk in front of theirs.

"Excuse me, hey."

Her eyes widened as she looked up, hearing a voice. One that belonged to Josh. Her throat constricted and her tongue wouldn't move, so she remained silent. She dreaded that they had figured out it was her, but felt completely hypocritical as she knew who he was. Yet a part rejoiced. That he wanted to know her after seeing her.

"I was wondering if you could show me who Lauren Cooper is?"

She blinked a few times at his question, certainly not expecting that. It felt as though a pin had come into collision with her, as she suddenly felt incredibly deflated. He thought he had been talking to her best friend.

Why did he think that? She didn't know. Yet she nodded through her desperate urge to cry.

♥

"I cannot believe that woman Saskia, honestly, I can't." A brunette walked from the classroom with a glare on her face. He knew that was Lauren.

He turned to face the petite blonde who he had questioned, for a signal that it was in fact the girl he was looking for. It never came, instead he watched her give her friend an apologetic look before rushing down the corridor away from them.

Lauren following quickly behind her before he had the oppertunity to say a word.