As I walk over to our tree, my chestnut waves fly into my face and I push them away, spitting out a few stray hairs that got stuck inside my mouth. I really, really, hate my disgusting hair. Sighing, I wish my father would let me dye it, really any other colour than this disgusting chestnut brown. It makes my appearance look awful. No wonder I'm still single pringle.

Perhaps it would improve my appearance if my hair wasn't so short or thin. I swear it never seems to grow. I slide a hand on my right shoulder, measuring the length. It's almost shoulder-length. Almost.

Or maybe it's not my hair at all. I don't have many curves like the other girls do.

I stop short. Why am I doing? Just because two guys approached me? Since when do I care about what others think about me, look where that got me. I'd do anything not to go back there again. What matters is what I think.

Then I should probably stop telling myself I'm ugly.

Georgie swings her head up as I plop down next to her. "Where have you been?"

I sigh. "Well, firstly, I saw that...um...guy you were talking about."

She munches on her sandwich and leans back on the tree. "Really? Isn't he awesome?"

"He's alright."

She scoffs and slaps my arm. "Oh, come on, admit it! From one-to-ten, what would you rate him?"

I rub my arm and punch her back. "Fine, I guess I'll give him a solid one." I pause, awaiting Georgie's reaction. She rolls her eyes. "But he came in when I was in detention. First impressions are everything, right? He came in, knocked over our experiments—ours as in just yours, mine and Jazzy's—then jumped out the window. He reminds me of... this guy at my old school. He was horrible." The last part is almost a whisper. I just... can't let go. Can't forget.

"I like bad guys," Jasmine objects.

I roll my eyes. "Of course you do."

"And those experiments were shit anyway."

I gasp. "You did not just say that." They give me pointed looks. "You did nothing. I did them!" I exclaim.

Jasmine gives me a pointed look and Georgie hides a smile.

I groan. I never get anywhere with these two. "You think he's so great? Why don't you guys do the experiments then?"

"Because we could just make you do them!" they chime, voices thick with amusement. I glare in return.

Jasmine scratches her arm. "What is it with you and maths experiments—that we should be doing for science?"

"Yeah, why are we doing them for maths?" Georgie asks.

"Because we're in extension, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but why?" She glances in my direction for answers.

I raise my eyebrows. "Why are we in extension? I don't know, I thought I was a pretty smart person."

She kicks me. "No. Firstly, you are not, secondly, my older sister was in extension last year and never did any experiments."

I shrug, but the truth is, I know why. Because of my dad working for the government with schooling, we get a lot of information before the community does. "Each generation does get dumber than the last."

They laugh. Then Jasmine says, "Quit changing the subject. What about the guy?"

"Seriously. We're still talking about that hoe?" I groan. "I don't like him, I think he's probably very stupid, and he would get me in a ton of trouble."

Georgie rolls her eyes. "So you say."

Jasmine interrupts, "Anyway, that wouldn't have held you up this long. Did something else happen?"

Georgie grins. "I forgot there was a second instalment to the story."

"I kind of bumped into Hunter, then spent a few minutes talking—" I start.

"Hunter?" she interrupts, her eyes wide. "Hunter, as in solid nine and a half?" I smile at her use of my metaphor from earlier. "Hunter Trovasky?"

"Yes," I respond, giving her my don't-you-dare-interrupt-again look. "But we were just—"

"Oh my god. Oh my god." she squeals, then claps her hands over her mouth.

"Why are you so lucky today?" Jasmine grumbles under her breath.

I raise my eyebrows at her. "You have a boyfriend, remember?"

Georgie giggles at me. "Wow, I'm sitting next to a celebrity. Sorry. Go on. Spill the tea!"

I glare at her before continuing. "We were just talking about universities. And he gave me a recommendation from my teacher. She thinks I should have some back-up uni's." I pause.

As soon as I started talking about University, they stopped paying attention. So predictable. Whatever, they can't ruin my day today. "He's also texting me some articles. Hunter must think I'll get in!"

Jasmine narrows her eyes. "Hold up. What did he say exactly?"

I close my eyes, thinking. "He, um, he asked for my number so he could send it over. Why?"

"He was just trying to get your number. Son of a—!" She bursts with laughter.

I blink. How do they always know how to turn the conversation on me? "He was not! We were just talking about university—"

"—and then he decided he liked you!" she teases.

"Come on!" Georgie scoffs. "Don't you want the hottest, cutest, and most popular guy in school to like you? Everyone would literally worship you! Didn't you feel your heart beating? Did your face go red?" she demands.

A few people look our way and I hide my face behind my hair. I give them an awkward wave and hope they'll turn back around. "No, of course not!"

"Did you stutter?"

"I—you know that's unfair!"

"Did you finally figure out you have a crush on him? Your heart was beating and your face was red, wasn't it?"

"No!" I yell in protest.

They both stare at me. Sadly, I'm a terrible liar. I knew it was a lost cause. "Okay, okay, fine. But that always happens when I'm nervous! And you know how I feel about that stuff!" I frown at them. "I really need to focus on my studies, and I've had really bad luck with dating before. Why take another risk?"

Jasmine ignores me and continues to tease me. "You like him, he likes you, you like—"

Eric walks up behind her and nuzzles her neck playfully. "Carrie likes whom?"

She giggles. Ugh. I groan and restrain myself from throwing up all over them. See? This is what I mean. It's disgusting.

Ever since Jasmine and Eric started dating, he's been hanging out with us. He's alright, I guess, but we have been a trio since I moved here. It's changing a lot of things. And limiting the time I get with my best friend.

"She likes Hunter."

"Jasmine!" I yell.

"What?" She gives me an innocent look.

Eric raises his eyebrows at me. "Hunter Trovasky?"

Urgh. If he ever told anybody... someone will die. Joking!

Maybe.

I groan. "No! I don't like him and he doesn't like me!"

"He asked for her number," Georgie offers.

"He. Doesn't. Like. Me."

"And she gave it to him..."

"Ugh! You guys suck!" I glare at them, biting my lip to restrain myself from stabbing them with my spoon.

"We know." Georgie and Jasmine grin at each other, then burst out laughing.

Eric whistles. "If you don't like him, you're not going to like what happens next. Hunter practically owns the whole school—next to David, of course"

"What is it with everyone bringing up David today?"

Jasmine ignores me, stroking his hair lovingly. "Why were you so late? Where have you been?"

He kisses her on the lips. "Sorry babe, I got held up."

Gross.

"That's good enough for me..." Jasmine scrunches up his shirt in her fists and pulls him closer, kissing him passionately.

Georgie and I stand up. I say, "...and that's our cue to leave."

Jasmine lifts up a hand and waves as we walk away, not once breaking away from the kiss. Georgie turns to me. "So, where do you want to go? Lockers, or check out the hot guys playing football?"

I roll my eyes at her for what seems like the hundredth time today. "Watch a bunch of sweaty, immature boys wrestling each other? Yeah. No thanks."

"Please?" Georgie gives me puppy eyes and I know I can't say no. "Fine," I grumble. "But you owe me an oreo."

"Deal!" she skips away, giggling. I sigh and dump my lunch in the nearest bin before jogging to catch up with her.

After a minute she points to the field. "Look! It's him! The guy I was telling you about!"

I can't help but nervously gaze at the field where he's playing. He turns around and sees me, scanning my face. He gives me a little wave before returning to his game. A smile fills my face and Georgie glances at me.

"Ha! I knew you thought he was hot!" she exclaims. "I never thought I'd see the day! That Carrie Evans found someone attractive!"

I stick my tongue out at her, but my face goes red. Georgie smirks at me and turns back to the game.

"Wait," she says. "He was waving to you? You lucky bitch!"

I shake my head and we drop to the grass.

"This is so uncomfortable," she whines. "Can't we go to the chairs?"

I nod and we head over to the metal seats. The chairs are also pretty uncomfortable to sit on but have a perfect view of the oval playing field.

I look over to the rest of the seats. Half the girls in the school are here today, probably because of him. It makes sense. Whenever there's a hot guy nearby, so is every other girl. Every girl other than me, of course.

Let's just say every senseless girl.

All of them are whispering to each other but when we sit down, they go silent. I fidget in my seat, feeling everyone's eyes trained on us.

The coach blows his whistle and the guys jog over, grabbing their bottles, though most of them are too busy kissing the dancers.

Someone jogs over to me. I look up to see it's him. The new guy.

"Hey," he says. "Watching the game? You like football?"

"Yeah, totally," I bluff. "Football is so cool. I love watching it."

"Cool." He smiles at me. My heart starts thumping again. He glances back at the field. Most of the guys are already back out there. "I've got to go... I'll catch up later"

"Yeah!" I say, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. He jogs away and I smile, remembering his face, trailing the curves of his cheekbones, down to the stubble on his chin.

Georgie whips her head around at me. "What was that?" she demanded. "And you didn't introduce me! I deserve to be famous."

A group of girls have gathered around us. "How does he know you?" a blonde asks. "Why do you get to talk to Jax?"

So that's what his name is. Jax.

"You're not that special," another says, crinkling her nose. "That's not fair!"

I look over to her, not knowing what to say. I notice that it's Serena, the captain of the dance team, the prettiest girl in our school. She stares at me so intensely I feel like I'm going to cry.

I want to defend myself, but I just can't sum up the courage to do so. My vision goes blurry and a tear forms at the corner of my eye.

Fortunately, Georgie puts her arm over my shoulder. She narrows her eyes at Serena. "Hey, I know you!" she exclaims.

Serena flips her hair over her shoulder, smirking. "Well, duh."

"Aren't you the girl who had a crush on Zander in grade seven?" Georgie exposes. Poor Zander. He was only here for a year, but he was a complete nerd. He just sat in front of his laptop the whole time, not about the pimples dotting his face or caring to brush out his thick, unruly hair. "I heard all about it, but I didn't think it was you! Now, though, it all makes sense."

Serena stares at her with horror. Her face flushes as she says, "How do you know about that?"

I bring my hand over my mouth to hide my smirk, and realise all the other dancers are doing the same. Georgie has a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

Serena realises this and leans uncomfortably close, hissing, "You're going to regret this." Serena turns around, fuming. "And just so you ugly, stupid bitches know, I didn't."

Someone sniggers, "Her face says otherwise."

Serena obviously hears this and turns around, looking for the suspect. Getting nowhere, she growls and storms off.

All the other girls move out of her way as she pushes past and immediately start whispering to each other.

"Rennie told me—"

"The way she looked at him—"

"—it's true,"

Georgie grabs my arm and pulls me a safe distance away. As soon as we are out of sight, I burst out laughing. She grins. "That was pretty good, wasn't it? Serves her right for being a bitch to you!"

"Georgie," I say, "Thank you for that. But now she's going to humiliate us!"

"Who gives a shit about that? You've got to learn to stick up for yourself, Carrie! What would you have done?" Georgie presses.

"I would have walked away like the teachers tell us to."

"You know that would never work! You have to let them know you're not scared of them, or they'll keep coming back. Come on, Carrie." She sighs.

I hate to admit it, but she is right. "Yeah, alright," I respond.

We walk to the locker rooms in comfortable silence. The bells ring and we part ways, promising to talk later. I smile happily, remembering how she stood up for me. It's nice to know that your friends always have your back.

I head over to my locker and grab my book for the next class. As I shut the locker, a note falls out. I pick it up and read it.

Happy Birthday, Carrie!

For Sunday! We both chipped in to buy you

that book you've been wanting. Hope you enjoy!

xoxo

Jasmine and Georgie.

I'm so lucky to have such great friends.