Chapter five - Leanna

Some absolute moron slashed my tyres during the party so I have to ride into school with Kim and, even though I'm dreading actually getting to school after Olivia thought it would be funny to post that photo of Nathan and I and make out like something happened, being with Kim puts me in a surprisingly good mood.

As much as I complain about having to be the extra responsible one now that she's off following her own path, seeing how happy she is makes it worth it and I'm starting to wish I was more like her. Spontaneous, carefree and full of the absolute joy of life.

We pull up outside Liv's house and instead of honking or knocking on the door or even ringing to let her know we're outside, she drops the window, turns the volume up on the radio which is blaring Olivia by One Direction from her phone and sings along at the top of her voice, nudging me to get me to join in.

I stare in awe as a few of the neighbours appear at their doors, coffee cups in hand and amused smiles in place when Olivia dances her way to the car, both of them singing loudly and waving to the laughing neighbours, once my sister pulls away.

They repeat the whole process at Ellie's and I find myself singing along quietly to Ellie my love by Ray Charles, and by the time they're singing Susie Q by Creedence in Susie's driveway, I'm singing along and laughing just as loudly as the others. 

The singing continues the rest of the way to school and I'm almost disappointed when Kim pulls into the car park nearby and the music comes to an abrupt end.

"Why is everyone saying you and Nathan Graham slept together?" Corrine asks as soon as I part ways with my sister and meet my friends at the benches. Her voice suggests not only does she not believe the stupid rumours that are already circulating, but, like the good friend she is, she's outraged on my behalf.

"Urgh… Olivia thought it would be funny. They all know full well nothing went on. Kim made them take it down, but the damage has apparently already been done." 

"That doesn't explain why he was in your room though? Or why you're riding to school with Kim and the moron brigade. Where's your car?" Corrine asks and I glance across to where my sister's friends are all laughing, her tongue poking out between her lips as she concentrates on trying to make a jump between walls that any normal person would realise is too far, while Jake, her terrifying boyfriend and self appointed bodyguard is tense and readying himself to catch her when she inevitably falls on her ass. 

A pang of envy goes through me when she launches herself fearlessly and lands on her stomach in his outstretched arms, giggling and pressing a kiss to his lips. She really doesn't care what people think, I can't even imagine what that would be like and I start to think about what would happen if I acted more like Kim. 

"Uh oh… looks like scary Georgie wants a word." Corrine's voice brings me back to reality. She's pointing towards Georgie, who's marching purposefully our way, her eyes locked on me.

"Oh shit." I mutter then force a smile onto my face. "Georgie, hi, are you ok?"

"Cut the crap Leanna, you lied to me last night." She glares at me and automatically I feel guilty. 

"I'm really sorry…"

"I don't wanna hear it, but you need to stay away from Nathan, do you understand?" 

"Look, nothing happened, it was my sister's stupid friends, making up stupid shit because they think they're funny. I'm definitely not interested in him and he's not interested in me either, we fell asleep watching N*****x, that's it." She shakes her head at me as though I've misunderstood something that's glaringly obvious but only to her it seems since my friends look equally clueless when I glance their way.

"You have no idea do you?" I frown at her and she gives me a look that tells me she couldn't care less about my opinions. "Just stay away from him, will you?"

"Gladly." I say and she nods, spinning on her heel and walking away. Seemingly unaware of the nervous glances thrown her way from everyone she passes.

"I reckon she's the one who slashed your tyres." Millie says once she's out of earshot and I don't even try to argue with her, because that's what I'm thinking right now too.

*

I've lost count of the number of people who come over and tell me how pleased they are that Nathan and I finally got together. It's ridiculous and for every person I correct, two more appear in their place.

By lunchtime I've had enough, so when Max Carlisle drops into the seat next to me in the cafeteria and asks if I'm really dating Nathan, I drop my head onto my arms and just groan.

"I don't care anymore, people are going to believe what they want regardless." I mumble against the table.

"What she means is, no, she's not, it was a rumour made up by Olivia Hughes." Millie clarifies for me and keeping my head down, I raise my thumb up in agreement.

"Are you ok?" He says softly, rubbing circles on my back, which is pleasant but a bit forward since I've barely spoken to him before. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Kill Olivia?" I say hopefully and he chuckles. His movements stop, but his hand remains settled on my lower back, the heat from his palm warming through my uniform. "No, it's fine, the rumours will die down eventually. Thank you though."

"Hang on." He gets up onto his chair and clears his throat until the whole room is silent. "Ok, everyone's seen the post about Leanna and Nathan, yeah? Well, it's a fake, nothing is or was going on. It was some nasty, spiteful, jealous little girl's idea of a joke and I don't want to hear anything about it again. Understand?"

A chorus of boos and disappointed groans echo around the room but soon everyone carries on with their own chatter, no longer interested in my love life or lack thereof.

"You're my hero." I grin up at him and he winks.

"Any time." He brushes his hand through his sandy blonde hair and gives me a nervous half smile, slipping back into the seat beside me, he clears his throat. "So, uh… My brother is home this weekend and I'm having a party. I wondered if maybe, you want to come?"

"Sure." I look at my friends and they're already nodding.

As lovely as Max is, his brother Jack is even better, an absolutely beautiful man, inside and out. 

After successfully boxing away all my feelings for Nathan, Jack appeared in my life but, to my utter despair, he's always treated me like the kid sister he doesn't have but he's been away at university for the last two years, so maybe it's time I took a leaf out of my sister's book, step outside my comfort zone and let him know I like him.

"Hey Max, thanks for that mate." Nathan claps him on the back and the room noticeably quiets, as though everyone's watching our interaction.

"No problem. Being this good looking always attracts some crazies, right?" They both laugh and while they flex their muscles, showing off to one another and the girls in the room, I automatically find myself searching the sea of faces until I find her. 

Georgie is staring at us from across the room and a shudder rushes up my spine at the murderous look in her eye, directed at me.

"So, I was just telling the girls about my party, you in?" Max drops his arm down the back of my chair and presses his palm against my back, his knee pressing against mine when he twists in his seat to speak to Nathan.

"Is she coming?" Nathan doesn't even try to hide the irritation in his voice and he jabs his thumb in my direction. I raise my middle finger at him and he does the exact same gesture back to me. "Make sure it's big enough for me to avoid her and pull someone hot. I don't want anymore rumours."

"Of course." Max laughs, his fingers toy with the hem of my shirt. 

My stomach lurches when Nathan's eyes lock with mine and he clenches his jaw like he hates me more than ever. I feel so stupid, after the relatively friendly night we had in my bedroom, the childish part of me had hoped we could go back to how we used to be, realising how much I'd missed having him as my friend. But by the look on his face, he clearly doesn't feel the same, so I tear my eyes away from him and focus on Max, who is still talking about the party. "As well as Jack, my cousin Lucy is coming with a bunch from her school, it should be massive."

Max's fingertips brush against bare skin under my shirt and I yelp and try to squirm away from the cold of his touch. Nathan's eyes immediately drop to where Max's hand is and for some unknown reason I feel guilty, like I've been caught doing something wrong, when I haven't. Meeting my gaze, he opens his mouth to say something, then obviously changes his mind and moves to go away. 

Just as I'm trying to inch myself subtly away from Max, Nathan turns around too quickly and too close to our table, his bag knocks my drink over, it spills everywhere and tumbles into my lap.

He did that on purpose!

"Fuck's sake, Nathan." I shout, leaping up so the rest slips onto the floor, an orange puddle beneath my chair. 

"Oh Leanna seriously? The bathroom is just over there, come on." He grins at me as a few people behind us burst out laughing. 

He's only made it a few steps away from our table when the urge to retaliate becomes overwhelming.

Scooping up as much of my chocolate mousse in my hand as I can, I call his name, smacking his bum with the mixture and quickly hiding my hand as I bend to gaze at his bum, putting an appreciative look on my face.

"I meant to say the other day, your ass looks really good. Those early morning runs are finally giving it some shape." He smirks at me and tenses his bum, and I make a show of sure roaming my eyes all over him, biting my lip as though I can't fight my attraction to him.

Admittedly he is a beautiful specimen of a man, every summer from around the age of sixteen, he's dragged his weights out into his back garden to work out and I have to resist the urge to ogle him when the sun glistens on his sweaty, muscular chest. 

Not that I'd ever admit that to anyone!

He clears his throat and I realise instead of fake checking him out, I've actually been doing it and quickly I replace the look with a scowl. 

"Shame your personality still sucks." I add and he gives a short laugh, raising his voice so the whole cafeteria can hear him.

"Baby, there's a queue a mile long and after the favour you did for me at the weekend, I was considering letting you jump it. Jump me to be precise." He grips my chin in his hand and rubs his thumb along my bottom lip, before I react he drops his hand.  "If only you could learn to shut your pretty mouth." 

He turns away, striding back to his table where his friends who are already laughing at the brown mess on his trousers, I grab my sports kit, torn between waiting to see his reaction when they tell him and getting out of my wet things.

"I'm going to get changed before English, I'll meet you there." I say to my friends, strolling out of the doors just as I hear an angry voice hollering my name and I chuckle to myself all the way to the toilets.

Thank goodness for Max, life is back to normal!