Chapter 80 - NEW ROMANTICS

''Sophie Magdalene Jones, if you don't come down this minute you're walking to school.'' I yell as I hurriedly make my way downstairs and into the kitchen to prepare breakfast-if you can count putting cereal and milk in a bowl as preparing. I always use that threat on her but I've never actualized it before. Maybe if I leave without her one day, she'd understand the importance of waking up when I tell her to and being on time.

The appointed day has finally come, the day I resume the second half of my final year at Adelaide. After that, I can kiss high school goodbye and say hello to the next phase of my life.

My alarm woke me up by six, I forgot to get my school bag ready the previous night so I had to do that and it cut into the time I'd normally use for my shower and grooming. Now it's seven and we're going to be late if Sophie doesn't come down in the next minute because school resumes by eight for both of us.

''Sophie!'' I grab two breakfast bowls from the rack, load it with Lucky Charms and Coco Pops in each bowl, grab the milk in the fridge and lay it on the dining table. Mum's shift ends by twelve today so she's not here and we'd probably see her when we get back.

''Sophie!''

''Would you quit shouting so early in the morning? I'm pretty sure you woke up the whole neighbourhood,'' I hear her say as her door slams. Footsteps come down the steps and she joins me on the table. ''I'm not deaf.''

''What are you wearing?''

She looks down at her outfit. ''Clothes. I look cute, right?''

Wrong.

''You look like the bed covers wrapped you in a cocoon.''

She's wearing a forest green, buttoned down jeans jacket that is probably about five times bigger than her small frame and what looks like dark joggers. Not to mention, she's wearing my boots!

''You stole my boots.''

''I didn't steal it,'' she corrects and takes a seat next to me. ''I borrowed it without your permission.''

''That's stealing!''

She pours the milk in her bowl. ''It's not stealing when it's from your sister.''

I let the issue slide and instead shift my focus back to her outfit. ''You can't possibly be wearing that to school.''

Sophie shrugs. ''Why not? Everyone in my grade wears oversize stuff. It's Billie Eilish sheek.'' I close my eyes and count to ten. ''Plus, Brittany says it's cool so, why not?''

Against better judgement, I decide to dead the issue again because it's too early in the morning to get into a screaming match. If I tell her to change, she'd rebel and say no, then she'd proceed to say that I'm not mum and I can't tell her what to do, then she'd be a baby and tell mum that I didn't let her wear what she wanted to. Mum would take her side and then the case would be closed. 

Sophie always wins anyways.

''Whatever. Eat your breakfast so we can go. School starts by eight.''

''Yea, yea.'' She looks down on her plate and squeals. ''You got me Coco Pops.''

''I did,'' I confirm. ''Bought it yesterday.''

''Score!'' She grabs a spoon and digs right in. ''You're the best sister ever.''

''I am.'' I grab my spoon too and slyly add. ''You know I just bought your silence, right?''

''Whaddyumean?''

''It means you can't tell mum about what happened that day.''

''Whatday?''

''The day I brought a guy to the house! That day.''

A look of realization crosses her face and she turns to me sharply. ''You're bribing me.''

''Is it working?''

''Yes,'' she nods. ''Although to solidify my silence I need twenty bucks. Personal reasons.''

''Like? Mum gives you money on a regular.'' Sophie is the baby of the house and mum spoils her more than she does me. Part of that spoiling includes giving her money...constantly.

''Not on a regular,'' she objects. ''She gives me money when she's home.''

''Same difference.''

''If you want my silence, you better hand the money over,'' she sings in a sing-song tone. ''Fine.'' I reply and dig into my tote bag. I hand her the money, albeit reluctantly and she smirks. ''Nice doing business you. My lips are sealed for life.''

I look at my watch and hurry her up so we can leave. ''Don't forget your jacket and phone, plus your medications. You're taking the latter in the car.''

It's the start of a new day and I've already lost twenty dollars.

Sigh.

...

I don't know how I made it, but I did. Traffic wasn't all that heavy which is surprising because it's the first day of school for most students and every first day of school means chaos on the roads.

Oh, well.

It's 7:40 and I park Cameron in an empty spot in the almost full parking lot, grab my bag from the back seat and make my way inside to the equally full hallway. Adelaide has this 'new school smell.' I don't know how to put it in words but it smells like apricot and freshly plucked flowers. Not to mention, the whole school is decorated in 'Welcome Back to Adeliade' posters and banners using the school's main colours.

Nothing much has changed. I still spot a few familiar faces and say a quick hello, we're still wearing our mandatory uniforms and the janitor still looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here.

''You're fast.'' I hear a voice say from beside me. 

''You're slow.''

''You know you were driving past the legal speed limit? I could write you a ticket.'' he jokes.

''Whatever, Theo.'' Yes, I was driving past the speed limit. Yes, I know it's wrong. Yes, I know I could have gotten a ticket but I surprisingly didn't. Yes, I was well aware that Theo was behind me (he said that in a text while I was driving) But it got me here on time and I didn't hurt anyone. I'm a very careful driver.

''Whatever, Theo.'' he mocks as we make our way to his locker which was the closest. He turns the locker combination and opens it. ''Ready for your last year of high school?'' he asks.

''I am. Can't wait for this chapter of my life to be over and done with.''

''True.''

''Welcome back to Adelaide, guys.'' A voice says. We both turn and see Jenna with a tray of chocolate chip cookies in her hands. ''This is on behalf of the welcoming committee.'' Jenna is a sandy-blonde haired cheerleader and one of Theo's many many admirers. Much like Kayla and the rest of the desperate girls, she had given me her number so I'd pass it down to him and I did, but it ended up in the trash like the others.

''Thanks.'' I stretch my hands to grab a cookie but she pushes the tray away. ''Theo goes first.''

Okay then.

I watch in amusement as Theo slowly takes one cookie in apprehension. ''You can have two if you want.'' she says eagerly. 

''One is fine, thank you.''

''I insist.'' She pushes the tray in his face. ''Have another.''

He did take the other cookie, albeit reluctantly and I take mine. She beams at both of us, mostly at him if we're being honest and says. ''Did you get my number?'' she asks Theo.

Here we go again.

''Umm, no?''

She turns sharply to me and I raise my hands in surrender. ''I gave it to him, I swear. Ask him where he kept it.'' Don't shoot the messanger.

''Well, I,'' he scratches the back of his head. ''I misplaced it.''

''Oh. That's okay.'' Her smile doesn't falter. ''I can always write it down again.''

You're jailbait, Jenna. Premium jailbait.

''Hey, Jenna.'' The three of us turn and see Paris. ''Mariah is calling an early morning cheer meeting and she doesn't like tardiness.''

Paris, you are a Theo saver.

''Oh shoot, she did mention that earlier.'' With one last glance at Theo, she gives him a wink and then runs to the direction of the gym, tray in her hand.

She'll be back.

''You are a Theo-saver.'' I comment with a giggle. She bows dramatically and gives him a high-five. ''I aim to please. Plus, she was being too desperate.''

''What's with the dramatic change again?''

''Oh, you noticed.'' She flips her now long hair. ''You know what they say: new hair, new do, new you.''

Paris cut her red hair into a sleek bob for Ryan's party and has been rocking that look ever since. Now, the bob is gone and replaced with blonde tresses.

Paris Noel Jackson is officially a blonde.

''Wow!'' I exclaim. ''I actually can't believe you're blonde right now.''

''Me neither. I was at the hair salon with my mum and you know she's a natural blonde and I got my father's ginger hair. She suggested I try it for the hell of it and I agreed.'' She runs her fingers through the extensions. ''After it was done, I started feeling weird cause I've never been blonde before, you know? I wonder what Ryan would think.''

''He'll think you look gorgeous.'' I thought her style was reminiscent of Paris Hilton, well now, she actually looks like Paris Hilton, but in a school uniform. Paris has the ability to pull of any look in my opinion. They all fit her cute face very well and they always compliment her skins tone.

''Yea,'' Theo adds. ''You look great.''

''Thanks, guys. Now let's see if blondes have more fun.''

Not too much fun…I hope.