Young Writers Society

Nope, I didn't discontinue this, but I've been really, really busy.

Sorry everyone ._.

I decided to split it up because it would take me forever to post a whole chapter at this point in time.

*huge case of writer's block*

Gah, I know it needs a lot of working on, my apololgies.

(POV: Melody/Nathaniel/Nate/Helen! Lots of POV changing in the entire chapter, which is also why I split it up in case it gets confusing.)

----------

Let’s just pretend that it never happened.

I couldn’t imagine myself recounting that shopping experience with Helen, without wincing agonisingly.

Dress after dress being flung at you, uncharacteristically girly squeals from Helen the tomboy and having to constantly be thrust in front of mirrors.

It was terrible, to say the least.

It was dreadful to hear you friends lie to you about looking pretty, just because they were your friends. It was dreadful to wear beautiful dresses and feel like an ugly duckling trying to pull off a Vera Wang look.

It was dreadful to look at yourself in the mirror, only to be reminded how you were a bud that would never bloom in the meadow of roses.

Ugh, look at me, I’m already wincing and now I’ve got goose bumps.

**********

”So what do you need a tux for again?” Dad laughed, pawing through his cupboard.

“The Valentine’s dance,”

“Ah, I see. And you want a red tux?”

“Preferably,”

“I’m sure I have one somewhere… I wore one to my Valentine’s dance with your mom. We had a ro-“

“Dad,” I warned, suppressing a shudder. “I don’t want to hear any details of your romantic escapades with mom. I really don’t need it.”

“Fine,” Dad chuckled at my freaked-out state. “So who’s the unlucky girl who has caught my youngest son’s fancy?”

“No one,” I muttered.

“Come now, Nathaniel. Surely there must be someone you have your eye on. You seem to be very chummy with Helen-“

“Oh God!” I gasped in horror, staring at my dad like he’d just done a polka dance in a monkey suit. “Dad, that’s like saying I’m going to commit incest! Helen’s my best friend, just like she is to Nate and Nathan. Besides, she’s going out with Trey.”

“Oh, right.” Dad frowned, “I’d forgotten. You know, your mom and I had thought before, that one of you would end up with Helen. She’s a sweet girl.”

“When she’s not trying to knock my lights out,” I murmured to my myself. “Anyway, you’re wrong. Helen’s like our sister.”

“Back to the topic. You’re going to a Valentine’s dance, son. There must be someone acting as your motivation.”

“Nate and Nathan are going. I’m there to give brotherly support.”

“Whatever you say,” Dad smirked devilishly. “But the last I recalled, Nate was the reluctant one and you were dragging him to go- Ah, here we go.”

With a dramatic flourish, he presented me a bold red tuxedo and a collared white shirt. Quickly, I took it from his outstretched hand and left the bedroom immediately.

I could just picture him wallowing in his mirth. Dad loved making me flustered with all his teasing while I tried to fight back, but I wasn’t going to stay behind and let him swoop down on me with further questions about my love life…or lack thereof.

***********

Cheesy. In every sense of the word.

I flicked a streamer with the words “I <3 u” off my shoulder in disgust, looking up at the sappy red and pink decorations with distaste.

Valentine’s. What a joke.

“I know that look, Nate.” Nathan eyed me sternly. I shrugged. My intense dislike of ridiculous hormone-driven social gatherings like this was something I made a point to declare publically.

My mouth twisted at a corner as I became the unfortunate audience of happy couples who had already paired up and were indulging in ice-breaker activities that involved being joined at the lips as if they were born that way.

I could be doing something more productive right now. Like poetry. Curse my idiot brother Nathaniel for dragging me here.

I had a sneaking suspicion that both my brothers had a thing for Melody. Nathaniel was blatantly hunting for Melody, his eyes scanning every brunette, pausing to consider if it was her.

Nathan was more discreet. He pretended to look around curiously, but he too, was searching for a certain lovely brunette.

I settled for the refreshments table while my brothers hunted for their unfortunate prey. Poor Melody. I’d probably have to save her from the clutches of Nathaniel, should he be the one who captures her first.

I surveyed the treats spread out before me. Like I said, cheesy. Cheese cubes, cheese fries, cheese sticks, cheese- geez, were they trying to kill the lactose-intolerant?

I prepared to reach for the chess cubes, but thought better of it. They weren’t cubed, but obviously carved into heart shapes by unskilled hands.

Girls were already starting to approach me. It was as if they had a Peyton-radar. I heard my name being murmured and shivered.

Maybe I should have worn a sign on my tux saying: “I have no interest in socialising with you. Go away and bother someone else.”

Then again, some girls were very persistent. I would know. Perhaps “I think you’re ugly”, would be a better repellent.

They closed in on me, reminding me of how a pack of hyenas would close in on their prey. I sighed in irritation and resignation.

Damn, this was going to be a long night in hell.

**********

I felt kind of guilty for treating Melody that way; shoving her into a room full of hungry predators seeking their potential ‘soulmates’ by herself, but I couldn’t wait to see Trey.

Of course, once I saw him in the couple’s only ballroom, I wish I hadn’t seen him at all.

It had been talked about for a while. I stubbornly decided to shut my ears and play deaf. I threatened Nathan and his brothers to stop sleuthing around and spying on Trey, because I didn’t believe that it was true.

Or rather, I didn’t want it to be true.

I left them there, he and Shelby, locked in their embrace and dancing to the romantic tune. I didn’t rain punches on that son of a bitch or that slut, neither did I cry. I simply picked up the hem of my dress and walked out of the school doors. I walked all the way home and went straight to bed.

[i]When I wake up, this will all just be a nightmare.

Before the night finally closed in on me, my thoughts danced restlessly around him despite my mental exhaustion.

… and I didn’t mean Trey.

----------

Argh, I'm really, really sorry for the terrible writing D: