Grade 8

With one day to go before the night out with the One Direction lads Lena was in a constant state of distress. If she wasn't thinking about possible outcomes of the night she was worrying about how she'd look. It was taking a toll on her sanity at this point. Mia it seemed at least felt her same worry about looks going into this meeting.

"My hair is fading!" Mia screeched from the bathroom.

Lena glanced at the clock. It was barely even seven thirty and she was up and yelling as loud as possible.

"It's not fading." Lena yelled back as she ties her hair back. "You're just crazy."

Mia opened the door to her room a disapproving look taking over her features. "I'm going out with pop stars tomorrow I have to look perfect."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Lena asked as she grabbed her purse from her bed. "I have to go or I'm going to be late."

Mia smirked. "Oh yes, wouldn't want to keep Finn waiting."

"I hate you." Lena grumbled leaving the room.

"When you get back this afternoon we're going to get more hair dye."

"Fine. I'll see you then."

True to her word Lena went with Mia to her friends house to pick up the dye. Mia practically skipped down the sidewalk to the door while Lena lagged behind; her awkward side taking over. Mia knocked once then opened the door without any care in the world. Lena was more hesitant to walk into someone's house uninvited but with nothing else to do she followed her inside. Mia had already disappeared into another room but it wasn't hard to find her there was plenty of loud chatter going on in one of the rooms down the hall from the door. The living room had three people on it besides Mia; two of them were talking together beers in their hands while the third was standing with Mia a bottle of dye in her hands. Mia waved Lena over to her when she saw Lena awkwardly by the door.

"Lena, this is Sam Teasdale." Mia introduced.

"Teasdale?" Lena asked. "Any relation to Lou?"

"Shared nine months in the womb with that one." Sam laughed. "She's my twin. She'll be excited to know I saw you the little wench was supposed to be here tonight."

Lena was introduced to Tara and Alex the two girls sitting on the couch. Sam invited them to sit and have a beer or two with them; Mia instantly agreed.

"Why're you in London?" Alex asked her cigarette dangling from her fingers.

"I'm recording my album."

Alex raised an eye brow. "Is that so."

"She was touring with One Direction." Sam explained for Lena. "The one Harry couldn't stop talking about."

Mia glanced at Lena but she didn't even flinch. "She's brilliant I've been with her in the studio."

Alex took a drag off her cigarette. "How long are ya for?"

"Until my album is finished."

"What color are you doing this time, Mia?" Tara asked nodding to the bottle on the table interrupting Alex's inquires.

"Washed Up Mermaid again. I quite like it." Mia smiled.

"It suits you." Sam nodded. "What about you Lena, want to try a new color out?"

"I've never really been one for dying my hair." Lena shrugged. "Mighty have to do with my mom coming home with a new color consistently through my childhood."

"She's into hair then?" Tara inquired.

"Been doing it since I was about four."

"Blonde is just so boring." Mia sent Alex a look. "Not that it's boring on you, love."

"I'm sure." Alex gave her a tight loped smile. "Brighter the better, yeah?"

"It's odd innit, hair that color." Tara laughed. "Do you ever tire of the looks you get?"

"Why would I give a fuck?" Mia grinned not at all effected by them. "It's my hair I'll do as I please."

Lena only wished she would have the guts do something that crazy without any care about other people's judgment. It was something she hoped would rub off on her by then end of her stay with Mia.



Lena ran her fingers through her hair loosening the curls more. Tonight was the night she would be reunited with the people she had been avoiding for four months. To say she was nervous would be an understatement. She couldn't sleep the night before thoughts about how the night would go plagued her casing her to toss and turn. She barely was able to get through her session with Finn messing up her words more then usual while she sang.

Finn had been understanding after Lena calmly explained she had seen them in months. Even promised to run interference if things went wrong, this promised caused her heart to almost burst from her chest. Adding her crush on Finn to the mix and she was lucky she wasn't sitting in a corner crying from the sheer anxiety of the night ahead.

"How do I look?" Mia strolled into Lena's room smile large and arms out stretched. "Am I trying too hard?"

Lena had feeling Mia always tried too hard. She looked like she was going to ball not a pub with her black dress and faux fur coat. Her aqua hair stood out against her almost all black outfit.

"Yes." Lena finally answered.

"Good." Mia grinned. "How are you coming along?"

"Fine just finishing up right now." Lena turned back to the mirror mascara wand in hand.

"Please tell me you're not wearing those tonight."

The look of disgust on Mia's face made Lena frowned. "What's wrong with my shoes?"

"Bloody hell." It only took an hour with Mia to learn that this was her favorite phrase. "You look right fit but those shoes have got to go."

"They're my favorite." Lena pouted. "Besides I don't have anything else."

Mia held up a finger. "I might just have a solution."

Mia was gone in a flash leaving Lena in the bathroom staring at her shoes. There wasn't anything wrong with them.

"Here these are much better." Mia held out a pair of shoes to Lena.

Lena set down the mascara she still hadn't put on to look at Mia in disbelief. "I can't wear those!"

"Why not?"

"I'll make a fool out of myself that's why!"

"Oh shut up. You'll be fine. Now hurry up we want to get there first!" Mia set the shoes by the door as she left she gave Lena a pointed look.

Lena finished her makeup quickly after that. She didn't want to be there first if everyone else was there first she could decide if she wanted to run for it. With little faith in the shoes Mia had given her Lena replaced her best up converse for the killer wedges.

"Lena! You have a visitor!" Mia sang a smile in her voice.

With one last look in the mirror Lena left the bathroom on slightly wobbly legs. With her converse in hand she walked to the door, she wanted comfortable shoes for later when she knew she'd have enough of the shoes she wore. She stopped a few feet short of the door eyes going wide. There dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans looking better then normal was Finn. He had managed to tame his hair into a quiff making Lena's knees go weak.

"Hi." She lamely said unable to form anything better.

"Hello." Finn laughed. "Are you ready to go?"

Lena nodded cheeks heating up. "Uh yeah."

"Finn here has offered to drive." Mia said giving them a smile. "Well shall we?"

Lena followed them out the flat her heart hammering hard. She thought having Finn with her tonight would help her stay calm but it was having the opposite effect on her. Mia chatted with him on the short walk to his car taking any pressure from Lena. Unfortunately Mia sat in the back seat making Lena sit in the front passenger seat next to Finn; she had sent Mia a glare over the top of the car but Mia only smiled.

"Where are we going?" Lena turned in her seat to look at Mia. "You're the one that talked to Liam about it."

"Well he wanted to go to the Funky Buddha." Mia shuddered. "You do not want to see the wankers that hang around that place."

Finn laughed. "Their drinks are over priced anyway."

"So I told him to meet us at the Palm Tree." Mia continued. "Decent beer selection there."

"It's better then most." Finn agreed. "How many people are we meeting again?"

"Liam didn't say." Mia answered. "Only said Zayn wouldn't be there."

This made Lena both sad and happy. She was happy that he was choosing to stay away from a place that had alcohol something he had been trying to battle against; but she was sad he wouldn't be there after so long since she had seen him last. They had been in the same boat when it came to Alexis and Harry making a similar decision to her by breaking up with Alexis.

By the time try arrived at the Palm Tree Lena had had more then enough time to start freaking out. The closer they got the more her hands started to sweat and she was sure her heart was going to give out with how active it was.

"Let's get a booth in the back." Mia instructed as soon as they entered the pub.

Finn placed a hand at the small of her back the warmth from it spreading through her body his body protectively next to her as he guided her around tables. When they approached the only booth big enough to fit their large party it was occupied by a couple. Lena would have recognized them anywhere even with out the loud boisterous laughter that went with them. Her breath caught when they noticed them their laughter faltering. It had been so long since she had seen those blue eyes.

"Hey Ni."