“Oh! Hey, hi, Elvis,” Paige says with her bright blues looking first at my hair, then my eyes.
I totally get why people stare at my hair. It’s even more obvious when I tell them my name. Although I don’t have the exact same
hairstyle as Presley, the combination of my name and my wild brown hair throws them off.
“Nice to meet you, Paige,” I say, though I’m a little disappointed that I won’t get to talk to Scarlette more. Then, I have an idea.
“Would you ladies care to join our group at the bar?” I ask, a little nervously, not knowing if she’ll rejec t me.
I’ve always felt so confident about these things, but with her, everything seems to be different. I’m feeling things inside me I don’t recognize too well. Scarlette looks across the bar to where my friends are standing and then turns back at me with a s mirk.
“I think you have an audience,” she says with a soft gi ggle.
I look over to see what she means, only to find Allison, Logan, Liam, and Philip all staring in our direction. I quickly give them a death glare, and without hesitating, they all look away.
Why do I keep getting humiliated around this girl?
“My audience are a great bunch!” I say. “I would really like it if you joine d us.”
As I finish talking, Scarlette’s smile disappears from her face.
“I think one fan didn’t get the message,” she says. “Your blonde friend is waiting for you.”
Sure enough, Madison is sitting on the other side of the bar with a foul stare and jealous eyes. As I make eye contact, she slides off her chair, looking away from us, and I turn my eyes back to Scarlette. This means that Scarlette must have noticed me earlier at the bar, even before I noticed her, and she saw us together. I don’t want her thinking I’m on a date this evening, Madison is nice, but I’m just not into her the same way I am with Scarl ette.
“She’s just a friend,” I assure her.
But before I get a response, I feel someone put their arms around me from behind. I swing my body around to see who it is …
“Come back, Elvis. We’re missing you over there,” Madison says with a pout, looking at me, then focusing her stare on Scarl ette.
This is not looking good. I’m not sure how to make it clear that I have no interest in Madison—hopefully Scarlette will be able to read the expression on my face. But before I get the chance to fix it, Scarlette scoots off her seat, landing in front of me with her eyes set on mine.
“We will let you get back to your party. I’ll see you at school,”
she says curtly, taking Paige by the hand and turning to walk away. Then she stops and turns her head to look my way again for a second, mouthing the words thank you before walking off.
I can’t believe it. In my head I’m screaming, NO … don’t leave .
I struggle to get Madison’s hands off me since she has a tight grip around my waist. I don’t want to use force, but I’m furious at the way she acted. This is a great example of how having girls throwing themselves at me can be a little frustra ting.
Scarlette has disappeared through the crowd of people. This will give her completely the wrong impression of me, or maybe the right impression of my life up to now. But if she was to give me a chance, I would turn it all around for her.
I manage to remove Madison’s arms and gently pull her in front of me. I hadn’t realized how drunk she was until now. I want to search for Scarlette, but I know I have to make sure Madison is in Leanne’s care first. She’s way too drunk to be left alone.
While Madison stumbles her way back to the bar with me holding her by the arm, she looks at me apologetic ally.
“Do you hate me now?” she asks.
I feel sorry for her at this point. If I hadn’t seen Scarlette tonight, I would have probably left the bar with Madison. But after seeing her and finally learning her name, I can’t get Scarlette out of my head.
“No, Madison, I don’t hate you. I just wish you hadn’t done that,” I tell her, sounding a little frustrated. She stops walking and throws her arms heavily around my neck.
“I promise to make it up to you. We can go somewhere more private if you like?” she sugg ests.
I carefully remove her arms and hold them down her s ides.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” I say hone stly.
Madison looks instantly annoyed, and even a little shocked, but before she can say anything else, Leanne approaches to give me a hand.
“Come on, Madison, time to go home,” Leanne says, putting one arm around her waist while Philip takes the other side.
“I’m sorry about all this, E lvis.”
“It’s just the alcohol, Leanne. No offence taken,” I reply, still feeling a bit ann oyed.
Leanne nods back a t me.
“Thanks, Elvis,” Philip says.
He knows I’ve been waiting for this chance and that Leanne’s friend may have just jeopardized it, but I bite my tongue so that I don’t make Leanne feel even more horrible about her friend’s actions. She and Philip make their way to the front entrance with Madison, and I see him gently rubbing Leanne on the back as they walk away. Now I want to explain myself to Scarlette. I need to see her again, but I’m not sure if she already left after the encounter with Madison. It was going so well until Madison showe d up.
I head back to the bar where Allison is waiting for me with Logan and Liam. Along the way I find myself looking around, but Scarlette is nowhere in s ight.
“That was some bad luck, man,” Liam says, shaking his head a t me.
I don’t respond as I focus on scanning the crowd for her.
“Are you going to tell me who this girl is, Elvis?” Allison asks.
“Scarlette!” is all I can say back.
Allison looks at me, completely baffled, and I can see on her face that she’s making a list of questions to ask me l ater.
We decide to leave. Liam and I walk Allison and Logan to their car, saying our goodbyes, and then continue on to the L exus.
“You’re trying real hard with this girl, El!” Liam says.
I keep looking straight ahead, without giving him a response. I realize that at the same moment he said that, I was already picturing her face in my head. As we get closer to where my car is parked, we hear two female voices a few feet away from us.
Liam and I both snap our heads towards them to see Scarlette and Paige. They’re just about to get into what seems to be Paige’s car, since Scarlette is grabbing the keys out of her friend’s hand. I’m surprised to see they’ve both ignored the LC parked just three spots away from them. They’re showing no interest at all. Most people at least stop to admire Snow White’s be auty.
“Keys, please!” Scarlette says. “I’ll drive us home.”
Without arguing, Paige hands the keys over to her. At that moment, Scarlette and I make eye contact, and I feel a wave rush through me. Liam and I stop, and Paige notices Liam right away.
She keeps her eyes on him, seeming to forget for a moment where we are. Liam stares back, giving her a shy smile. I don’t remember Liam ever being shy with the ladies. But the thought leaves my mind as I look back at Scarlette. I take a few steps closer to her and Paige, while Liam stays rooted on the spot. I stop right in front of Scarlette with my hands in my poc kets.