After Clark got me all dressed up, she went to get ready herself. I find myself gazing into the mirror of the room and wondering if my reflection is true.

All my life I haven't been happy with myself. People never accepted me with the way I was so how could I accept myself?

But now, looking in the mirror at this young beautiful girl in front of me with waist-length scarlet hair and piercing green eyes, I couldn't lie and say I'm fully content.

It is a little sad that people judge looks as a factor in getting to know someone. I don't want people to approach me for my looks; I don't want people to notice me for my looks.

I want to be noticed for me.

Just me.

'Oh, that's Charlie Davidson, the freshman.' Not, 'oh that's that hot freshman chick.'

I guess it's another reason why I thank Alex. Even though he's trying to make my life a living hell, at least he took the spotlight away. Alex was good with the spotlight, he's always been because he's used to it.

I'm not.

The attention was starting to get to me, I've been alone and unnoticed all my life so when I had the opportunity given to me, I nearly lost myself completely. The attention was a smokescreen for false happiness. When I was noticed in Central West, I almost believed it was exactly what I wanted.

To be noticed.

But now I see I was wrong. I was so wrong.

I didn't want to be noticed.

I didn't want to be the center of attention. That wasn't me, those things used to terrify me, so who was I kidding? Thinking I could actually ignore the rumors and attention. Hayden was right, if a few good people understood me, what more could I want?

All I want is to be accepted for once in my life.

Alex. Hayden. Clark. Jack. Hunter. And even Daniel. They all accept me.

Not for my looks.

But for me.

I didn't want to lose that.

Clark applied a light coat of make-up on my face which I appreciated; I wasn't a big fan of make-up. I'm wearing one of the dresses I bought the time I went all-out-for-change with Clark. I was glad I did that or I wouldn't have anything to wear right now.

It's a strapless white dress with lace on the lining above my breasts, it reaches above my knees and isn't too much; it's perfect.

Clark finally finishes up, slipping her heels on before she flashes me a cheeky grin. "Let's go get em'."

"Get who?" Is my response, furrowing my brows.

Clark runs a hand down her face in exasperation before pushing me out, chuckling. "Let's just go. This is gonna be interesting."

We walk down the stairs as Clark advises me how to act when approached at the party, but I'm not listening, I'm looking ahead of me.

The boys are waiting at the end of the staircase for us but Alex is missing--not that anyone here even classifies him as a boy.

Hayden is dressed in a dark blue fitting shirt, his long sleeves rolled up his arms, his leg crossed over the other as he stood in his dark-washed jeans. His gaze meets mine, he's so much taller than others, and I'm a little transfixed by it.

Why is he always staring at me like that?

Why are you always staring back like a that--a voice in my head mocks? I scowl internally before tearing my gaze away quickly.

"You ladies look absolutely beautiful," Daniel says, eyeing the both of us up hungrily. Clark rolls her eyes and I shake my head, finding it hard not to smile for some reason.

"You're such an animal," Clark pushes him playfully and he chuckles. She walks over to Hunter, linking arms with him. "We're going to wait in the car." Before Hunter can protest, she is dragging him out.

The sound of heels clicking makes us all look back over to the staircase to see Alex wearing a long-sleeved blouse and a skirt. He throws his fake hair over his shoulder, flashing us a smile.

I frown.

I know who Alex really is so it's weird to see him like this. I can tell that there is something wrong with the way he walks in those heels. And his curves! They were too perfect to be real!

Daniel can only be described as the heart-eyed emoji as he gazes at Alex without shame. I feel a tinge of jealousy but I did my best not to show it. Daniel and I are over. I ended things with him.

It was never meant to be so what was wrong with me?

Maybe I just felt bad. Felt bad that he didn't really know who Alex really was. It irritated me that Alex wasn't at all bothered by the influence he had over Daniel, or how he is clearly playing with his feelings.

Daniel and I are over.

But we are still friends.

And I can only imagine that when the truth comes out--if the truth comes out-- things won't end well. For anyone.

"You look beautiful," Daniel whispers, reaching for the back of Alex's hand to kiss. Alex doesn't pay any attention to his compliment; he looks grossed out by Daniel who kisses the back of his hand with puckered lips.

I almost laugh aloud at the sight.

This must be torture for Alex too, I realize.

When my eyes fall onto Hayden beside me, he's watching Daniel and Alex with a bored expression on his face before he finds me looking. The corners of his mouth tug upward and my heart skips a beat when he winks.

Why isn't he looking at Alex standing there looking beautiful and looking at plain ol' me?

When Daniel turns around, Alex takes his chance to wipe his hand on his shirt with disgust and I notice Hayden catches this. There's a frown on his face for a moment before he follows after Daniel. Shit. That was close.

Alex is such an idiot.

Why am I even worried about him?

We all head out after Daniel. Hayden drives Hunter and Clark there while I'm forced to endure the drive with both of my exes. I sit in the back deliberately to stay further away from the two, hoping Alex will take the front seat.

But he disappoints both Daniel and I when he sits in the back with me.

"Turn up the music," Alex tells Daniel who happily obliges. Alex leans over to me. "I think we both deserve a little fun tonight Char. Besides I did finish what I came here to do, ruin your relationship that was already at a means to an end anyway." Alex tells me with a smirk, shrugging half-apologetically and half-mockingly.

He turned up the music so he could talk all this shit.

That smart, deceiving-

"So let's think of this as a celebration, baby." He tells me, his lips still held up in that annoying smirk of his.

"Oh I'm not holding back, I just hope you don't as well," I tell him, getting the courage to smirk back at him. Alex narrows his eyes. "If you think you're going to control tonight for me, you have another thing coming, baby."

Alex is silent for the rest of the drive there, an annoyed expression on his face and I have the stupidest grin on my face because I got him to shut up for once.

When we get to the house the beach party is taking place at, I notice the building is behind the rocks. When we visited the beach the other day I never knew behind the rocks there was an entire house nearby.

We got here pretty late so the sun is already beginning to set. There's a bonfire outside, music playing loudly from inside the beach house as the many teenagers swam along the shore.

Hayden and Daniel pretty much recognize everyone here as they greet the people. Hunter is beside them, being introduced to their friends. People aren't looking like back in college, it's different from there because there are other females to feed their hungry gazes.

Alex still captures most of the attention but with Daniel hanging around him; most didn't bother or try anything.

I'm walking towards the house, watching Daniel and Alex beside the bonfire, Hayden, and Hunter beside the girls in their bikinis, giggling at everything they say. Just before I enter the house completely, Hayden is being led by a familiar brunette, away from the crowd.

Jean.

"You're walking so slow Charlie!" Clark snaps me out of my gaze by saying. She grips my hand and tugs me inside. "Let's dance girl!"

Once I enter the beach house, I'm still thinking about what I saw. So Hayden did have a past with that jean girl.

"We need to find you a hot guy to dance with," Clark tells me as she scans the area by the table where the drinks were. "Let loose but don't get attached. It's what I do." She nudges me and winks.

Right.

What have I gotten myself into?

_______________________

So if you noticed, I changed Jean into a brunette because one of my readers pointed out that it was a little cliche that she was blonde, lol. Which I agree 100% with. I try my best not to get sucked into cliches but sometimes we're so brainwashed we don't even notice that we're doing it. Hopefully, the plot is nowhere near cliche XD

Don't worry though, Jean is not a mean slut.

Just want to thank everyone.  I know you're probably like no one cares, just go write the next chapter, but the few of you guys reading this book, you don't know how much it means to me. Your comments, your messages, it means everything to me❤