Word count: 2000

*****

The shrill sound of the homeroom bell pulled Skylar out of her thoughts as she closed her locker with a bang. With determined footsteps, she made her way towards homeroom, holding her family heirloom in a tight grip.

Today she was set to find out if this necklace actually worked or if it was just something her mother was making up to make her feel better about her less than average looks.

She didn't know if this mere jewel could make Xander fall in love with her but it wouldn't hurt to try. She doubted this necklace could make her into the woman he likes but she had nothing to loose. He could either fall in love with her or she could go back to admiring him from afar. The way she always had.

With those thoughts in her mind, she walked into homeroom. Glancing at her best friend Claire, whom she always shared a seat with, her eyes wandered towards Xander. Again, she looked at Claire and they shared a look.

Claire Morris, Skylar's best friend since their diaper days, knew all too well about her crush on Xander. She was always there, supporting her in her every decision and she was the one who encouraged Skylar to give this whole thing a try.

The day before, the two of them had everything planned out, how all of this was going to play out. According to Claire, there was no way this plan wouldn't work unless that 'jewel' wasn't magical; if that didn't work, maybe Skylar's charms would. As if.

She nodded at Skylar, as if saying 'you can do this' and with that, Skylar moved towards the back of the room, where Xander usually sat. And sure enough, there he was sitting like the model he was, 'handsomeness practically oozing out of him' as Skylar likes to say.

Taking a deep breath and making sure she appeared confident, Skylar asked if the seat was taken. Before Xander could even take a proper look at her and answer her question, she sat down beside him.

Sighing, she placed her bag down beside her, getting herself ready for the class, very aware of those piercing blue eyes that were currently staring at her.

Xander looked at the familiar face of the girl. He had seen her quite a few times around school and he even knew they shared this class but they never talked before. He didn't know she had such a sweet voice.

Being the friendly person he was, he tried to start a conversation with her before the class started. It's always good to make new friends.

"Uhh..." he began, but couldn't remember her name.

He had been looking at her for a while now. Had Skylar not have a crush on him, she would of thought him to be a creep, with the amount of staring he had been doing for the past few minutes. Glancing at him, she knew he wanted to ask something. Like why she had abruptly sat beside him without his permission.

So before he could say anything, she asked him a question of her own.

"Do you have a pencil?", she asked smiling innocently. And the plan had begun. The first step of the plan being to start a conversation.

Xander noticed how her eyes twinkled when she smiled. He never really paid her that much attention before, seeing as they never had a conversation before today. But now that he was looking at her sitting beside him for the past few minutes, Xander thought she's rather cute.

Giving her a smile of his own, he gave her the pencil he was previously holding. Not bothered by how she was looking at his face, with her lips slightly parted and eyes matching his own.

Oh yes, she was cute alright. What's this funny feeling in my stomach? Is this what love at first sight feels like?

Suddenly realising the direction of his thoughts, he shook his head in denial and laughed nervously. This isn't it, right?

The sound of someone chuckling brought Skylar back from the heavens. Seeing him laugh at how she was caught staring at him, her cheeks blushed red.

Shaking her head slightly, she reminded herself that there were five minutes left until the class starts and she had to do the next step as planned.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, her hands started playing with her necklace. She was sure that by now he must be looking at the 'jewel' around her neck. And he was. Just like her mom had predicted would happen.

Her necklace was a family heirloom that had been passed down through the generations on her mom's side. It held a rare blue coloured topaz and though it was old, it had not lost its beauty. It was an antique that catches a lot of attention.

Her mom had told her that for her to make the guy she wants to fall in love with her, she has to somehow make him help her wear that necklace. And that was the next step of the plan.

While she was playing with her necklace, it suddenly come undone, slipping through her fingers and onto the ground. At least that's how she made it seem. But the necklace was not clasped to begin with, it was just loosely held around her neck.

Xander quickly picked up her necklace, holding it out to her. As she took the necklace from him, their hands slightly brushed and it seemed like a jolt of electricity had passed through both of them. And a blush rose on both of their cheeks.

Maybe it's not just me, he likes me too! Is the necklace already having it's effect!? Skylar's hands slightly shook with excitement as she pretended to clasp the necklace around her neck.

After a while, when she was unable to clasp it, Xander offered to help. Just what she wanted to him to do.

'May I?', he asked hesitantly, his hands reaching towards her, to which Skylar shyly nodded.

Gently tucking her hair away, his hands reached the nape of her neck, his fingertips brushing her skin. Even after the necklace was safely clasped around her neck, his hands still grazed her neck. Her skin was soft, he thought, as he continued to lightly caress her neck.

'Uhh...' what is he doing... to me. By now Skylar was blushing like a tomato. She tried to say something but couldn't, afraid she would moan out instead.

He cupped his hands around her cheeks, leaning in towards her face. Skylar couldn't comprehend what he was trying to do. Was the necklace really working!? Was this really happening!?

'Claire... I-' he began.

What... Claire? But she's not Claire, she's Skylar. Oh no... maybe Claire is his ideal kind of girl, she thought.

Skylar remembered her mom telling her that once he helps her wear the necklace, he would see his ideal kind of girl in her. And from what she could make out of the situation, he sees Claire in her. Meaning, his ideal kind of girl was Claire. Her best friend Claire Morris.

She felt as if her heart shattered once he uttered her best friend's name. She didn't know what to do anymore.

'Claire, I know I might sound absurd, seeing as we just met... but I think I like you. Will you go on a date with me?'

After hearing that, her heart shattered even more. Skylar knew what she was getting herself into when she decided to use that necklace. But she never thought it would actually work, let alone that Xander's ideal kind of girl was Claire!

Anyone would have been better but her best friend. Skylar was jealous of her best friend. For the guy she liked, liked her best friend. Looks like not even magic can make him love her.

But still, she couldn't help but say 'yes' to his question. After all, she loved him since they were in middle school. So she let out a soft 'yes' and saw how a smile lit up his face because of her.

No, not because of her but because of Claire. Maybe she should just go on this one date and then she'll go back to being the way she was. Silently admiring him from afar. Surely he wouldn't remember her face, seeing as he didn't even know her name.

*****

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Claire was extremely happy that Skylar was able to score a date with Xander. But what she didn't know was that his ideal kind of girl was Claire herself.

Skylar decided to keep that little bit of information to herself for she didn't want her friend to know that she was jealous of her.

The school was now over and Skylar was waiting for her mother in the parking lot to pick her up. While she was waiting there, her thoughts went back to the date Xander and her had planned.

They had planned that Xander would pick her up at 6 o'clock and they would then go to Dory's Corner for dinner. Skylar knew it was Xander's favourite restaurant in the town.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't see Xander approaching her so she was startled when someone tapped her shoulder. Whirling around, she was ready to smack the person when she saw who it was. Xander. Her handsome Xander who didn't like her but her best friend Claire.

'Oh, it's just you... I got scared for a bit there.. uh.. sorry', she smiled at him apologetically. He waved it off with a chuckle, muttering a small 'it's okay'.

'Skylar, I forgot to ask for your number earlier. We made the plans but without your number it would have gone to a waste.. so...' he looked at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head while Skylar gave him a questioning look.

Skylar? But I thought he saw Claire in me. His ideal kind of girl. The girl he likes. My best friend...

'Skylar..? But in the morning you said... Claire?', she asked him confused.

'Yes, Skylar. That's what your name is, right?', he chuckled.

'Umm.. yes but you said-'

'I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't remember your name, we never had a conversation before and when I saw the diary on your desk, it had the name 'Claire' so I thought...', he trailed off.

Oh... ooohhhhh! She thought back to how Claire and her had accidentally exchanged their diaries. But what about the necklace? Did it work or not?

'I met the girl you're always with, Claire, your best friend. She told me you might be at the parking lot so I rushed here before you could leave. I'm sorry, I got your name confused with her's... it's just that... I'm sorry. Can we still go on that date?' he asked nervously.

Skylar was starting to realise now what had actually happened.

'I'm kind of stupid sometimes but still I like you a lot... I'm sorry, I must sound so ignorant and-'  she couldn't bear the dejected look on his face so she immediately pushed her thoughts away.

'No, it's okay! We can still go on that date. We never really had a conversation before and I never told you my name earlier so it's okay', she smiled at him reassuringly.

She saw how his face lit up once again, as she told him her number. He promised to come pick her at 6 o'clock and then they parted ways, sharing one last smile.

Just then she heard a honk behind her and she turned around to see her mother's car. Judging from the knowing smile she had on her face, her mother had heard their entire conversation.

She just caught her mother eavesdropping on their conversation. She palmed her face in embarrassment. Looking back at her mother, she laughed, for now she understood what her mother was trying to tell her.