Chapter 6 - Packing order

At Lunch 

The three of us are sitting under a huge willow tree behind the school gym. It's the only place that's quiet enough that we can have our lunch, and a great conversation and not feel like everyone is breathing down our necks. Most of the school prefers the cafeteria so that's a no-go zone for me. 

"Are you okay?" Tamrin asks tapping my hip softly. I look at her and blink a few times to bring my mind back to the present. I realised then that I'd zoned off a little. 

I smile and nod, which makes her frown. 

"You know, you'd be very pretty if you put in some effort," Presley says coming to stand between Tamrin and I.

"We'll talk later," Tamrin whispers to me as her cousin squeezes between us. I scooch over giving her the space she's so openly demanding. I don't have the time or energy to argue with her about how rude this is.

 " I mean you could let your hair down every once and then" She says moving her hand to touch my top bun. I move my head out of reach and she chuckles. I look at her angrily not sure what gave her the idea that she could do that. I hate when people touch my hair.

I didn't give her permission.

"Would you leave her the hell alone," Tamrin says grabbing Presley's hand and moving it away. "You're always starting something with someone." She adds and Presley shrugs like she didn't do anything wrong. 

"I'm just trying to help." She says looking at me like I'm crazy for not taking her unsolicited advice.

"I don't need it," I say and she scrunches he face at me.

"Wel, honey if these two won't tell you the truth I will." She says disregarding everything we just said."You need to let go of that scruffy look. It's not ladylike. And no man is goin' to take any interest in you if you don't" She says looking at me and then at Tamrin and Sadie. 

"I'm good. I don't need any man looking at me " I say and she gasps as if I insulted her. I almost laugh at her reaction because how dramatic can one person be?

"That is bullshit and you know it." She says and I laugh. "Who doesn't want to be adored and worshipped by a man?" She says looking at me like there's something deeply wrong with me. 

"Me," I say and she says gasps again.

"You are a downright liar. All of your friends are dating and you expect me to believe that you're not in the least bit envious of that?" She asks and I shake my head. "It's either you're lying to me or you're dead inside because I would never live like that. I need my man." She says and I sigh. I get this reaction every time I tell someone I don't have a boyfriend or don't desire to have one. It's like I'm damaged and need to be fixed.

"You don't have a man, Presley," Sadie says and she waves her comment away.

"Yes, I do," Presley says and Sadie shakes her head in disagreement. "We might not be an official couple but at least I'm getting some," Presley says and I sigh sadly.  How can someone settle for this?