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 Chapter Fourteen: I'm As Smooth As Chunky Peanut Butter

The last time I'd been asked to act was in the seventh grade. We were putting up a performance of 'Romeo and Juliet' and I was asked to play the Nurse. It made sense at the time, with my weight and my Betty Crocker clothes I was the perfect fit. However my fifteen minutes of fame came crashing down when I took one look at the crowd. My parents were sitting in the front row, my mom had been waving more than enthusiastically at me, my dad had an encouraging expression on his face whilst my brother made funny faces.

Three lines, I'd only had three lines and I froze. The girl playing Juliet had tried her best to work around me. She'd made up random gibberish, dialogues Shakespeare would never claim to be his own but it had worked. I'd stumbled off stage earning a death glare from my drama teacher and all the Montague's and Capulet's. It took a while for it to hit me and then came the embarrassment, a whole lot of it. I was so terribly afraid of the reactions that I knew would come that I hid in the costume closet for the rest of the show.

However when I came out, things were even more chaotic than when I'd left. Turns out, our Romeo had decided to add his own twist to the tale and had refused to kiss Juliet, claiming that her braces grossed him out. He'd then proceeded to grab Marsha White, the cutest girl in our grade who was playing Juliet's mother and kissed her smack on the lips. It caused quite the uproar.

Cole had been Romeo.

Now when I think about it, I wonder if he did it to take away the attention from me. It wouldn't be surprising, not with the way our relationship has done a one-eighty. If I start thinking about it, I'm sure I'll find a valid reason behind everything he's done so far. Though it's not something I'm ready to do right now.

"They're here." Cole sticks his head through the door of the supply room at Rusty's. He's excited, with eyes like an open book it's not that hard to tell. I can tell that he is in his element, scheming and plotting. This is what he does best and he's finally getting his chance to do it. All at once the three of us spring into action as his head disappears. I straighten my apron and grab the bread basket. Well, Rusty's isn't exactly a five star establishment so we don't actually have bread baskets. Beth's bought some bread from the bakery down the street and we placed it in a pretty basket, after lathering the pieces in butter and Mrs. Sharp's favourite extra virgin olive oil.

"Time for action ladies; remember Megan, you cant come out. No matter what happens, you're parents shouldn't find out that you were here." Beth has sprung into manager mode. She knows the two of us are hopeless when it comes to anything that involves an extended amount of lying. I've asked Rusty to let her work some shifts this week, just so that she could help us today.

"Okay," she agrees in a meek voice but I can see how badly she's shaking. She's nervous, we all are but this is what she wants but is too weak to actually ask for it herself.

I take a deep breath and get ready to put on a performance of a lifetime. Beth is already out of the door, seating Mr. and Mrs. Sharp. Cole must be already schmoozing the life out of them and Alex...poor, poor Alex.

"You think this is going to work?" The anxiety ridden red head asks me and I put on my most reassuring smile.

"Of course it will."

On the inside I keep going back to thirteen year old girl who choked and choked badly.

Mr. and Mrs. Sharp are the epitome of white collar douches, no offense to my best friend. They both own their own, quite lucrative law firm and think that us mere humans aren't worthy of well...being alive. In their books, if you're not rich or powerful then you might as well be dead. Suffice to say, they love me. It sickens me to have gushing over me, ignoring their own daughter in the process but today that's about to be mighty useful.

See when I raced to Megan's house a couple of nights ago, I found her a sobbing mess. Beth and I spent hours coxing her into telling us what was wrong. A sleep over, an Audrey Hepburn movie marathon and two boxes of Kit Kats later she told us everything. Apparently Alex had asked her if she wanted to go to the Ball with him. They had reached the point where they were friends but both wanted something more. When Alex posed the question, she ran. She ran until she locked herself up in her room and tried to find someway around this. Her parents flat out refused to let her go with a date and they weren't budging. On the other side, Alex had been terrified that he'd scared Megan off. Bombarding her with calls and texts, Cole told us later that his best friend had been a mess.

It was a disaster of epic proportions and so we needed to fix it, we needed to sew our friends' hearts back together. For that to happen we needed a master plan and who better to concoct one than the master of manipulation himself?

Beth has set the mood; I notice this as I walk out with the menus and bread basket. She's seated them at our cleanest booth and as promised the rest of Rusty's is empty. It took a while to convince my boss but after we promised him a lifetime supply of Farrow Hill's special tomatoes, courtesy my father, he agreed.

I walk out smiling like I'd been taught during my training. Holding back laughter as I take in Cole's attire I appear at the table placing the blasted basket in the middle of their table and watch Mrs. Sharp's eyes light up.

"Tessa dear, we didn't know you would be working today." She exclaims and it takes every facial muscle I've got to not let my smile disappear. I hate this woman; I really, really hate this woman.

"Good afternoon Mr. Sharp, Mrs. Sharp. I'm glad I could be of service. Here are your menus. Let me know when you guys are ready to order." I say politely before settling the newly laminated menus in front of them and back away. I give them the opportunity to give them one condescending glance and just as I expected Mrs. Sharp proves just how arrogant she is.

"Well, we've never been to a place like this." She looks towards her husband who's swiping his finger against the tabletop, no doubt checking for dust. Thank god I scrubbed and cleaned their booth thoroughly a few hours ago. He's short, for a man his age and more or less bald. Megan inherited her good looks from her maternal grandmother and its no secret.

"Well, in that case, how about I bring you the house special?" There is no house special. We've bought some lobster dishes from a fancy restaurant and are hoping that they fall for it. Immediately Mr. Sharp looks interested and stops scrubbing at the singular spot before him.

"Special? Is it the most expensive thing you have here?"

Before I grab the pitcher of water placed on the table and pour its contents over him, Cole intervenes. He looks... different in his baby blue button down and khaki slacks. He's actually managed to tame his hair, which is combed and gelled back so that none of it is falling into his eyes.

I'm not a big fan of the look but Megan's parents are eating it all up. He's the one who went to talk to them and invited them here. He convinced Mrs. Sharp to let their daughter go to the Ball and that he'll even find them a boy they would approve of.

That boy would be Alex or Alexander as he's been calling him all the time. They're here to meet or rather give him the third degree and I'm certain the poor guy is sweating bullets in his truck.

"It's the best dish on the menu; my parents have it all the time."

At the mention of Sherriff and Doctor Stone, their ears perk up and they immediately place their order. Beth is behind the counter, wiping off the imaginary dust off of it. She winks at me as I go to the kitchen. Even though we've already got the food plated, Megan and I wait a little before I go back. By this point she's chewed her fingernails to the point where her hands risk bleeding dry.

"What if this doesn't work? What if they figure out..., I'll be in so much trouble! I can't believe I'm making Alex do this. He must hate me; he must think he was an idiot to ask me out."

I listen to her rant, as we wait. She needs to get this tension out so I lend her an ear. When she's done, she lets out a huff of air and her shoulders slump in defeat.

"Listen to me and I'm only going to say this once. The person behind this whole operation is Cole Stone. He has been manipulating and scheming since the day I first met him. The guy's a genius. There is no way he's going to fail. Also, Alex is crazy about you, like crazy cat lady crazy. He's doing all this to spend one day with you Megs, don't you think that's proof enough?"

She seems to calm down a little after my lecture. I know this is probably the first time in her life she's defying her parents. It'll probably be worth it since the girl desperately needs to break some rules.

Speaking of breaking rules, I peek out of the kitchen door. I can just about see Cole but Mr. and Mrs. Sharp are hidden from view. I can see him chatting them up, looking so positively perfect but that's not who he is. He's not the golden boy, the prodigal son or whoever he's pretending to be. In the past, I've held his imperfections against him but how can I do that now? He's put this elaborate scheme together just so that my best friend isn't miserable anymore.

How's a girl supposed to deal with that?

Placing the dishes on a tray I walk back into the diner, to find that Alex has joined the party. Only, he doesn't look like Alex at all. Instead of wearing his usual band t-shirts and ripped jeans, he's taken a leaf out of Cole's book and gone down a more conventional route. A white button down shirt, with a sweater vest on top paired with tan slacks.

He looks like my grandfather. No, even my grandfather wouldn't step outside looking like a poster child for the Oscar Wilde fan club. His short, almost cropped hair has been brushed back but that's not the most apparent change. My eyes zero in on his nerd glasses and I stifle a laugh or more like the loudest snort on the planet. I try to keep a straight face as I catch Beth's eye over the counter and notice that she's trying just as hard to not double over.

Placing their food in front of them, I smile once more at the couple who are eating every word that comes out of Alex's mouth.

He's discussing some high profile murder case that's been in the papers a lot. Mrs. Sharp has her attention focused solely on him and is yapping away at record speed. Mr. Sharp is on the other hand trying to catch up with their fast paced conversation.

"Tessa, you never told us you three were friends with Alexander Hart." She emphasizes on his surname and I realize that the boys have told her. Alex's father owns a chain of high end restaurants up in New York plus his mother has a lot of old family money. I can practically see the dollar signs glimmering in her eyes as she drinks him up.

"Well, I thought Megan would have mentioned him."

She waves her hand dismissively. "The silly girl told me about a boy but I had no idea he was Alexander."

Right, what a sin to omit the size of her crush's bank account.

"Well then, I'll leave you guys to it; nice to see you Cole, Alexander." I nod at them before walking away. If I have to hear them call him Alexander one more time I would just fall to the floor, bang my fists on it and laugh until I cry.

Alexander? Pfft.

About an hour later, the five of us are sitting in the empty diner laughing our butts off. We girls are sharing the tubs of ice-cream, we've 'borrowed' from the store room and the boys are celebrating with beer. They bought it; Megan's parents bought and paid full price for the Alexander Hart show. They believed him to be the good boy, he definitely isn't. They don't even know that his father's threatening to disinherit him or that he wants to drop out of high school.

"If you had stayed with her for one more minute, I think mom would've proposed to you." Megan chuckles as she scoops out some mint chocolate chip.

"What can I say; no one can resist the Alexander Hart." He emphasizes his name just like Mrs. Sharp did and we all start laughing once more.

I study Cole who's leaning back in his seat and shaking his head at something Alex is telling him. We haven't really had the time to talk today, in fact we haven't been alone since the day he got me the dress. The dress which is still sitting packed neatly in my room. I haven't had the guts to open it. I know with Cassandra being there, it wouldn't be a prank of some sort but that's not what's scaring me.

It's knowing that I never suspected him of being up to his usual tricks. Not once did I consider that he might be tricking me by coating the dress in itching powder or something. So does this mean that I trust him? Have I really put down all my guards, when it comes to Cole Stone?

"Penny for your thoughts Shortcake?" He's grinning at me and I snap out of my deep, life questioning dilemma. As if knowing the reaction it would cause, he touches the beer bottle in his hands to his lips and takes a sip. Once more my eyes can't help but be fascinated by his throat muscles. Watching them flex is as fixating for me delinquency is for Cole-I just can't stop.

"You're ogling." Beth elbows me, smirking like she's clearly enjoying this. I squirm under both hers and Cole's gaze. He's cocked his head to one side, a crooked smile on his lips.

"I was just thinking about..."

"Jumping Cole?" Beth offers discretely so that I'm the only one who can hear her. Alex and Megan are too lost in their own little bubble of happiness by this point. Glaring at her, I snatch the tub of strawberries and cream ice-cream in her hand and proceed to eat one big mouthful.

"I was thinking," I pause to give Beth a pointed look," about how crazy today was."

"Everyone needs to have a little crazy in their lives Tessie; I don't know how you guys got on without me."

This is normal, cocky Cole is acceptable. It's when he's heart achingly sweet that I have palpitations.

"We didn't," Beth grabs a beer of her own and takes a long sip. "We used to hide out and allowed that single brain celled hoe to walk all over us."

"Beth," I hiss and she rolls her eyes at me. I don't need her to remind Cole about the things Nicole had done in the past. He was mad enough when it came to the Hank situation. Reminders like these would cause him to completely blow his top and that wouldn't be pretty, for anyone.

"Well, it's going to change, all of it." He says simply but the vice like grip he has on the bottle in his hand tells me this is affecting him more than he lets on.

Beth goes to work some time later, claiming how she doesn't want to be the third wheel. I argue that while Megan and Alex were skirting around the edges of a relationship, Cole and I were far from it. She shook her head, at my daftness perhaps and then left. Alex took Megan shortly after, they needed some time to talk about all their issues, specifically her parents and Princeton.

Cole and I are sitting in his car and he's driving me home. My parents are out of town again, meeting my maternal grandparents. Dad has some serious schmoozing to do before the Ball if he wants Grandpa to attend and they'll probably stay the weekend. While some other time this might have scared me, the thought of being in a house all by myself isn't all that intimidating anymore. Travis is home more often than not these days. When he's not trying to avoid Dad, he spends time with me and mom. I've helped him look for some online courses he can apply for and I think he's looking for a job too.

Things are turning around and not all change is scaring the life out of me.

"You sure you'll be okay? I have this family dinner Dad wants me to go but I can come check on you later." Cole offers and I shake my head, smiling to myself.

Concerned and worried Cole is one which I definitely want to get used to.

"I'll be fine, I have Travis now. It's so sweet though that you're worried about me." I coo and I see just for a second, a reddish tinge colour his cheeks.

"Sweet? I'm not sweet; I was just looking for an excuse to spend the night in your bed."

I gasp and hit his knee, "Pervert."

"Hasn't anyone ever told you to never hit the driver?"

"I'm sorry; I've never had the misfortune of driving with a sex-crazed egomaniac."

"Hey, you're the one who brought up sex. I just really liked your silk sheets."

My face reddens almost at once and he laughs at my discomfort, typical. How do I do this? How do I continue making myself look like an utter idiot in front of him all the time? He needs someone who knows how to flirt back and be all coy and smooth.

I'm as smooth as chunky peanut butter.

He doesn't bring up the dress, nor do I but I feel like I should. It's only polite; after all if he actually went through the effort to look for one I should say something.

"About the dress..."

He groans and hits his head against the back of his seat before I finish the sentence.

"You hate it don't you? I knew it! I'm sorry Tessie, I was being stupid. The only thing I know about dresses is how to take them off."

I blush once again at the insinuation. Is taking dresses off, something he's done a lot of?

Urgh.

"No-I didn't mean it like that," he corrects himself but obviously it's too late.

"Its okay, your lifestyle isn't exactly the biggest secret is it?" I work really hard to keep the irritation and anger out of my voice. After all why should I even feel that way? What Cole does in his spare time is none of my business. He's a hot guy; he must have girls throwing themselves at him all the time and if he sleeps with them then...

I want to pull their fake blonde extensions out with my bare hands.

No, that is not the correct answer Tessa O'Connell.

"Tessie, come on. Its not what it sounded like."

"You don't need to explain yourself Cole; I'm not your girlfriend or anything." I laugh nervously, fidgeting with the stray threads in my cardigan. "I just wanted to tell you that I haven't seen the dress yet, I don't know why but I haven't."

"I swear I haven't put a dying frog in the box, you can ask my mom if you want to.' He says pleadingly and I can't help but notice how cute he looks. The little boy in him, desperate for approval is too darn irresistible.

"I have a sober brother now Stone so if you have done that tell me now." I say mock seriously and his eyes widen in panic.

"I forgot about Travis, dammit. He's going to kill me."

"Why would he do that?" Any conversation about dead, rotting amphibians and busty fake blondes is forgotten.

"Because he told me he'd beat me to pulp if I ever came near you."

Oh.

"When was this?"

"Right before I left for military school. I'd dropped by your house to you say goodbye but I found Travis first and well that guy scares the shit out of me."

Cole had come to say goodbye? All those years ago, he'd actually wanted to come see me before he left for good? Maybe back then I would've started happy dancing right in front of him but knowing this now, my heart couldn't help but hurt a little.

"I'm sure he was kidding. If you don't remember correctly, Trav's always liked you. I don't know why but he has."

"I don't think he wants you to know why he never let me see you that day. I'm not sure, I want you to know."

"What does that mean?"

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. He's being shady and cryptic, not the arrogantly honest Cole I've come to accept. This is news to me, the fact that my brother threatened him in some way. Well, it's not that surprising. The old Travis used to do that a lot; he was fiercely and sometimes insufferably protective. The Travis I have now is only a shadow of his past self but I know and belief that he'll be back.

Oh and he'll turn Nicole into chowder with his bare hands, yes that's all I ask for.

We arrive at my house before I get answers. The light is on, which means that Travis is home and can probably see us from the kitchen window. Since I want to avoid watching the live version of the 'Fight Club' in my front yard, I let my questions go. I can hound Cole later.

"See you tomorrow." I say as I climb out of his Volvo. He acknowledges it with a nod and starts the car again. He realizes that I have questions but he's also smart enough to know that he needs to protect that pretty boy face of his.

For someone who claims to not be attracted to him, I sure as heck compliment him a lot.

"Open the box Tessie, I have a feeling you'll like what's inside." He yells as he drives away.

Inside the house I find Travis sitting on the kitchen island with a box of Lucky Charms beside him. He isn't wearing his usual ratty old shorts and ton t-shirt which means he hasn't just gotten up.

A good omen perhaps?

I give him a smile and make an attempt to scurry past him so that he doesn't question me but alas I fail.

"Was that Cole Stone that dropped you off?"

He sounds like himself again, his old self. Well if getting in trouble means I'll get to see glimpses of my big brother then why not. It's not like he'll go all raging bull and red cloth on me. Things are different now; I'm not his fragile little sister anymore. For two years I've faced the big bad world all on my own, I've learnt things and I've been in situations he never wanted me to be in.

He'll need to understand.

"Yeah, it was." I rock myself on the balls of my feet as he slurps down his cereal.

"You got into that car willingly" He raises an eyebrow which is all I can see since the bowl is covering half his face.

"Pretty much. He's been giving me rides to school and back for like a month and I'm still alive."

"He hasn't tried something on you? He hasn't tried to hurt you?"

I think about all that's happened since he's come back. Nicole's left me alone, he put a guy in the emergency room for me, he got arrested for me, and he's planning on taking down Queen Bitch. Most importantly he's helped me realize, however intentionally that the universe does not have Jay Stone as its center.

"Nope,"

"Well it's about damn time." He mutters under his breath, making me strain my ears to hear him. He puts the bowl aside and gulps milk straight from the carton but settling it down too.

"He's doing what I knew he would, I'm surprised he didn't come back sooner."

What is it with the men in my life going all fortune cookie on me today? Am I supposed to make sense of the gibberish he's sprouting right now?

"Trav, what..."

"Forget it, forget I said a thing. So I met a girl today." He grins and just like that I forget all about the conversation we're having. I'm so darn easy to distract!

It's a huge deal, the hugest in fact. Travis hasn't been in a relationship since Jenny broke up with him two years ago. He was in love with her; he wanted to marry that gold digger. I never liked her, not even when she was sucking up to me and letting me sit with her cheer leading friends in school. That conniving thing knew that the only way to get to my brother was through me. As soon as she had him where she wanted him, she went back to pretending I didn't exist.

He had been happy with her but if she wasn't my brother's girlfriend I would've done something unimaginably cruel to her.

In my dreams of course,

Knowing that he's finally met a girl he's interested in has me both ecstatic and frightened. I can't have him relapsing because of his poor taste in women. This time around, I need to protect my brother.

"Oh? When did this happen?" Walking on over to the island, I grab a stool and sit opposite him.

"I went to the music store down town and ran into her in the Indie section."

"That alone was enough for you wasn't it?" I smirk; knowing my brother he probably thinks he's met his soul mate.

"Kind of, I mean she didn't look at me like I'd just run away from the loony place. She didn't know who I was Tess; she didn't know I was Travis O'Connell."

"Most of the world doesn't." I point out and he rolls his eyes, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Everyone in this town looks at me like I'm a freak okay," I know the feeling big brother. "This girl, she didn't have pity in her eyes and she wasn't staring at me like I'd grown a second head. In fact, she went ahead and called me a dick! Can you believe it?" He asks looking frighteningly happy for someone who'd been insulted.

"Is that a good thing?" I ask, a little unsure of how to react.

"It's the best; at least I know she doesn't want me."

"Again, is that a good thing?"

"Oh come on, it means that she isn't using me. She's hot as hell and she hates me, it's like the perfect combination."

"Let me understand, her hating you is perfect because..."

He hops off the island and takes his dishes to the sink before rinsing them and placing them in the dishwasher.

"You of all people, little sis should know that there's a very thin line between love and hate." He chuckles before patting me on the shoulder and walking away.

Stupid fortune cookie of a brother.

At school all anyone can talk about is the Ball and suddenly I'm everyone's best friend. Word's gotten out that I'm going with Cole and now girls want to talk to me about hair, makeup and the travesty that is eyelash curling-seriously it sounds like a medieval torture method.

I smile politely at all those who come up. I smile at the cheerleaders who once dedicated a whole routine to my excess fat. I smile at the jocks that've concussed me with their various sports balls more than once and last but not the least I smile at Nicole.

Though that's only because she looks so miserable sitting on a table, all on her own while people push and shove to sit at our table. Obviously she's got Jay and her minions with her but with the way he keeps glancing in my direction; it won't be long until he joins the side of the eye lash curler haters.

"They make quite the pair don't they?" Cole laughs bitterly as we both notice the stares coming from the table opposite ours. His brother and the girl who's still obsessed with him are both unrelenting in their desire to burn holes in the sides of our respective heads.

It doesn't hurt one bit when I say, "Yeah they do."

I'm in the ladies' room at school and it's only a couple of minutes till the bell rings, signaling lunch is over. Megan has decided that she needs to fix her makeup after every two classes. While part of me wants to tell her that Alex likes her, tangled hair and glossless lips included I decide to let her live in the honeymoon phase while she can. They haven't even kissed yet but with the way her green eyes light up at his name that time isn't far.

"Do you think he'll like Raspberry Blush or Strawberry Ripe more?" She asks holding out two lip glosses which honestly look exactly the same. However since the strawberry one reminds me of the ice-cream I'm craving so bad, I tell her to go with that one.

She applies one coat.

Then she applies another.

Then she applies Chap Stick.

Oh for the love of God.

I'm about to flush her make up bag down the toilet when the door opens and the last people I want to see walk in. Nicole's followed closely by her minions and they're all scantily clad in their dance uniforms. It's not like they even practice these days, the uniform is merely a show of power. Nicole is very in-your-face when it comes to things like these. Her pony tails swishes side from side and her heels click on the tiles as she stalks powerfully towards us. I'm reminded of one of those grizzly bears my Grandpa likes to hunt. A very hungry and ticked off grizzly.

"Well if it isn't Prude and Pruder." She chides and our very own Paris and Nicky Hilton giggle.

I think something along the lines of, 'Slut, sluttier and sluttiest' but think better of it. She's angry; she's probably having withdrawals from all the bullying she's had to forgo. I shouldn't test her, not right now.

"We were just leaving," Megan stutters and begins collecting the cosmetics that are sprawled all over the counter. Before she grabs hold of it, Marcy, Nicole right hand grabs the perfume bottle Megan always keeps and lets it slip from her fingers.

It crashes to the floor and the bottle shatters. Megan really likes this perfume, her grandparents send her a bottle from France, every year on her birthday.

"Oops." She says but it would be obvious to a blind man that she's anything but sorry. Rage starts building up in my as I see my best friend's bottom lip quivering and my former best friend's vicious smile.

"Don't." I warn as I step in front of Megan. Surprise crosses Nicole's face for a second before she replaces it with a sneer.

"Or what Tessie? Will you run to Cole and complain? Are you that thick headed that you can't see how tired he is of you? Everyone knows he thought you were an easy lay but obviously he's not getting any. "

"Stop, Nicole, just stop."

"Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he is getting laid. Is that why he hasn't gotten rid of you yet? Have you learnt some new tricks?"

"But why would he want to sleep with her," the other minion Rita spits in her nasally tone. "She's such a man with that chest and butt,"

My eyes begin to prick but Megan places a soothing hand on my shoulder. I know what she's saying; she doesn't want me to react. She's worried I might do something reckless and get myself into trouble. Cautious, that's all I ever am, aren't I?

Blinking away the tears, I straighten my shoulders and look Nicole right in the eye.

"You might want your lap dog to shut up right now." Once again she's taken aback. I enjoy seeing the shock on her face, it's good to know that she doesn't know me as well as she think she does.

"Why is that? Are we hurting your feelings?" She chuckles, placing a hand on her hip and refusing to back down.

I smile politely at them, like I've been doing for about a week or so now. "Not mine, I couldn't care less. But see, my mom's a little protective when it comes to her children and hers might get hurt."

All three start snickering and look at me like I'm the dirt stuck to the bottom of their designer shoes.

"Is that the best you've got? You're going to tell Mommy Tessie?" She closes in on me until we're nose to nose," Don't play this game with me, you won't win."

"Funny how you brought up winning," I say appearing least affected. "My mommy, Nicole is the chairman of the Ms. Farrow Hills committee. I hope you haven't forgotten that."

Her entire body stiffens at my words and this time I feel like laughing but I hold it back.

"So if you try to pull a stunt like this one more time, you can kiss your chances of participating in the pageant goodbye."

With that I grab Megan by the hand and push past her and her minions. The latter look like they're about to start foaming at the mouth while their leader just looks...stunned. Mission accomplished.

I wait until we're out of earshot and stop walking. Megan and I look at each other before she starts squealing and jumping up and down.

"That was awesome! Oh My God, Tessa. Did you see her face? I repeat, did you see her face?"

"It looked like she smelt cow dung." I try to stifle my laughter because of all the curious onlookers but this just feels so good .Adrenaline is coursing through my veins and  I want to skip and dance and sing at the top of my lungs, all whilst shoving down as many Kit Kats as I can down my throat.

We keep laughing all the way to class, where I take my seat next to Cole. He takes one look at me and gives me that half moon like smile.

"What's with you?"

"I just feel awesome." I shrug and he shakes his head.

"You're weird."

"You're a sick pervert."

"But you want me."

"Shut up,"

"See, you're blushing. You so want me Tessie."

"Mr. Stone, Ms. O'Connell if you two would please stop your shameless flirting, I would like to start my lesson." The teacher glares at us and I duck my head out of embarrassment. Everyone's laughing and with the way my desk is shaking so is Cole.

So I can take on Nicole but he's still a huge pain in my derriere?

Hmm, can't say I have any objections with that.

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I know, I know. You guys were expecting the Ball and dancing but I felt like I had to put this chapter before that one, hope you arent disappointed :(

ALSO-I've had the most amazing time looking through all the links you guys sent me. If I ever need a dress, I'm pretty sure where to look now :P Seriously though, you guys are the BEST :D That's proven by how you got me to number 1 on Teen Fiction again. Thank you so so so much, I appreciate all your support fo freaking much <3

I have picked a dress but I wont disclose which one it is right now :D I've also chosen one for Nicole, Beth and Megan so four dresses will be feautred :) 

Alright, I think that's about it. Please leave your thoughts/rants/feedback in the comments below. Okay ummm random question time? If you guys have a question for me, I'd love to answer it. Like a quirky, fun question, nothing too personal. I'll answer the most interesting questions :)

That is allllllll <3 See you all next time :D

P.S Haylor should not be happening (The fans know what I mean :/ )