Imo: Split personality (2)

Hey...This is chapter two of my third book, Imo: Split personality. Please comment and review, your help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you =]

Carefully navigating my way across the now bustling common room, I just caught sight of Tiffany and the others stepping out of the door. Hitching my bag up, I hurried along to catch them.

“There you are,” the brown haired girl smiled, as I came to a halt in front of them, just outside the door. Even in the damp September weather, all three of them managed to look just as radiant as if they were standing below a summers sun. I smiled nervously, scuffing my trainers across the gravel.

“So what did you say your name was again?” Tiffany asked, causing me to jump slightly.

“Uh, I didn’t,” I replied, “but it’s Imo.” All three girls exchanged looks at the sound of my name. “Well my real names Imogen, but I’ve always been called Imo for short.” Actually, Dougie was near enough the only one to call me that, but I’d always preferred it to Imogen.

“Cool,” the brown haired girl nodded and I noticed that she now had a plum coloured scarf draped elegantly around her neck. “I’m Bianca,” she continued, “and this is Tiffany and Sara.” I smiled in reply as the girl named Sara flicked her ponytail graciously.

Walking to English with Bianca, I’d already begun to feel the benefits of being seen with someone popular. Every single corridor that we walked down, we were getting looks from boys. It felt surreal. The most attention that I’d ever gotten from a boy was when I’d met Dougie outside of his school and then that was probably only because they were wondering what a girl was doing at an all boys school. Even now though, strolling down what looked to be a science corridor, crammed with posters and periodic tables, I wasn’t hopeful. After all, it wasn’t like any of these looks were directed at me. Even so, it was a positive experience. Great for my self esteem and all that.

As I took the seat next to Bianca, I immediately felt eyes on our table. Sure enough, a group of boys appeared at the desk behind us seconds later.

Getting my pencil case out of my bag, I noticed Bianca smiling at me out of the corner of my eye.

“I take it your not used to all this attention,” she said, gesturing to the boys now chatting behind us with her eyes.

I shrugged pathetically. Had I been that obvious?

“It’s nothing to worry about,” she added, feeling my insecurity, “you’ll get used to it in no time.” Suddenly, my self consciousness was washed away, to be replaced by a feeling of triumph. She’d said that I’d get used to it. Surely that meant that she was planning on keeping me around. Dougie wasn’t going to believe this.

“So you’re one of them now are you?” he asked, eyeing me sceptically as we braved the cold winds on our way home.

“It sounds like it,” I replied, pulling Dougie’s jacket closer around me. Me being me, I’d totally forgotten a coat this morning, being too preoccupied with trying to get my hair to sit right. His thick, grey hoody was a bit on the big side, but it would have to do.

“So I guess you won’t be needing me anymore then,” he shrugged, giving me puppy dog eyes although the lopsided grip that he was trying to conceal, assured me that he was kidding around.

“Let me think,” I said, knitting my eyebrows together in fake concentration.

“I’m offended!” he exclaimed in mock hurt, “you shouldn’t even have to give it a moments thought.”

“You’re right,” I nodded, “of course I won’t be needing you.”

“Right!” he laughed, pushing me into the privet hedge that lined the garden we had stopped outside.

“Hey!” I chuckled, grabbing onto his arm for balance, “there’s no need for violence.”

“Well I’ll be having my jacket back then,” he added, raising his eyebrows.

“But I’ll get frostbite,” I pleaded, still laughing.

“I don’t care,” he insisted, raising his nose in the air, “you don’t want me anymore.”

“Of course I do,” I smiled, straightening myself back up.

“No,” Dougie said, shaking his head overdramatically, “you only want me for my jacket.”

I was about to respond, when a passing car beeped its horn, causing me to jump. Looking out at a black sports car, I realised that it was Bianca so I waved.

“See what I mean,” Dougie sighed, still shaking his head theatrically, “total lack of respect for life long friends,” and with that, he brushed my hand off of his arm and stormed off like a sulking toddler. Laughing, I made an attempt to catch him up, but I wasn’t fast enough.

“Fine,” I called, humour in my voice, “I’ll keep your jacket then.” From across the road, I saw him turn around and stick his tongue out. Charming. “So mature,” I added with a wave, just as I appeared outside my garden gate.

Waking up the next morning, I felt strange. For the first time in ages, I was actually looking forward to going into college. After all the years of trying to avoid going to school, it was a welcome change. Peering over at my alarm clock through dreary eyes, still clouded with sleep, I realised that it was only 9:30AM and according to my timetable, my first lesson wasn’t until 11:15. Feeling even better about the oncoming day, I pulled my duvet back slightly and stretched my arms up into the air.

“Imogen,” a preoccupied voice called from the bottom of the stairs, “I’m going now.”

“Okay,” I called back, only to hear the sound of the front door shutting. She’d probably been on the phone again. Not that she ever seems to be off of it. It’s like that damn things her life line.

Sitting up, I caught my reflection in the mirror on my wall. I’d only had a bath last night so there was no need to have a shower, but it still seemed useless. I’d spent almost half an hour drying my hair, trying to coax it into staying reasonably tame, but sleep had made all my efforts seem like a waste of time as it now shot out at all angles. Running my fingers through my dark brown hair, I sighed. Why couldn’t my hair be naturally straight instead of an abundance of curls?

Wriggling my toes to rid them of pins and needles, I pulled my duvet back fully before slipping my feet into the tired baby blue slippers that lay beside my bed. My knees clicked in protest as I stood up and slowly made my way over to the mirror for a closer inspection.

After deciding that my skin was quite pimple free for once and my hair wasn’t actually misbehaving that much, I made my way downstairs to find some breakfast.

With only enough milk left to fill a shot glass and the bread only suitable for the birds, my only other alternative seemed to be one of Mum’s health conscious cereal bars.

“Now with 28% less sugar and fats,” I read aloud to myself. “Yeah and 100% less flavour,” I sighed, stuffing the bar back into the packet. Not for me. Deciding that stale bread was probably a lot tastier than one of the cereal bars, I popped two slices into the toaster and waited for it to cook.

Two burnt pieces of toast later, I returned to my bedroom, dreading the next task. What to wear to college?

Riffling through my wardrobe, I tried to spot any clothes that were blue and or had checks on them, after all, that had been what Bianca had said suited me. Deciding that the shirt I had worn yesterday was the only thing seeming to fit the brief, I sighed. I couldn’t wear the same top again. My only other option was to try and find something close to what Bianca had had on yesterday. Thinking back, a v-neck jumper and a skirt was all I could remember. Turning my attention back to my wardrobe, I searched for the only skirt that I owned. As far as I could remember, I’d only ever worn it once and that had been two summers ago, so I had to pray that it still fit.

Result! 10 minutes later, dressed in a denim skirt, navy tights and a pale blue jumper, I slipped on my grey, fabric trainers. Now all I needed was a jacket. Just as I was about to lift my coat off of the hook, next to the front door, I smiled. Hanging next to it was Dougie’s grey hoody. That would teach him to not run off so fast. Shrugging, I slipped it on before hitching my bag onto my shoulder and making my way to college.

Thankfully it wasn’t as cold out as it had been yesterday, so I wasn’t frozen solid by the time I reached the common room. Gazing around, trying not to look lost although my heart was trying its best to break through my chest with anxiousness, I smiled to myself as I saw a familiar face on the table we had staked a claim to yesterday.

“Hey,” I breathed, as I placed my bag onto the floor and took the seat next to him.

“Hi,” he replied, not looking up from the magazine he was reading. Maybe it had something to do with the picture of the actress that was printed on the page he was looking at. Glancing at the back of his chair, I noticed a black jacket hanging over it.

“You know you could have had your jacket back if you hadn’t insisted on running home at 100mph,” I joked, leaning over his shoulder to see if the text was about the actress in the picture.

“Oh yeah,” he said, finally looking up from the magazine with a small smile, “I forgot I’m not talking to you.”

“Don’t be stupid,” I replied, mirroring his smile, “anyway, it kept me warm on my way here.”

“Hey,” he said, trying to sound annoyed, “I didn’t say you could wear it.”

“I told you I was keeping it,” I laughed, prodding his shoulder with my finger.

“First disrespect, now theft,” he tutted, closing his magazine and stuffing it into his backpack. “What am I going to do with you?”

“You can walk to Biology with me if you want,” I replied, knowing his last question had been rhetorical.

“Now why would I want to do that?” he asked, eyebrows raised. He was going to make me give him an answer.

“Because we’re in the same class,” I said, rolling my eyes at his useless effort to catch me out as I stood up.

“Fair comment,” he smiled, his eyes now drawn to what I was wearing. “Since when do you wear skirts?” he added, eyeing my suspiciously.

“Since now,” I replied, picking my bag up and making my way around the table.

Halfway to the common room door with Dougie right behind me, I heard a half familiar voice.

“Hi,” it called, as I turned to see who it was.

“Hi Jason,” Dougie replied. Of course. It was Jason Sullivan, Dougie’s friend from secondary school. He’d hung out with us a few times last summer.

“Hi Imogen,” he said, making it sound as though he’d meant the first greeting for me.

“Hey Jason,” I smiled, taking hold of the door handle.

“You look nice,” he added, returning my smile. I was about to respond with a ‘thank you,’ when Dougie ushered me rather too forcefully through the door. Funny thing was, I could swear that he was giving Jason an odd look. A look that said, ‘watch it.’

Dougie’s silent outburst had kept nagging at me throughout the whole hour of Biology. Why had he acted that way? As far as I knew, him and Jason were good friends although I suppose they could have had an argument at some point. Not that this was the only thing bothering me at the moment. Yesterday I’d gotten loads of attention from boys when I was with Bianca, but today, walking through the corridors with Dougie, I didn’t get a single glance. And I was wearing a skirt. What was up with that? Apparently Bianca had a theory.

“So you up for tonight?” she asked, before taking a sip of her drink.

“Sure,” I shrugged. Why not? A trip to the cinema would probably end up bringing the four of us closer together.

“And you can bring your boyfriend of course,” she smiled, making her bronzed cheeks appear fuller.

“Uh,” I stammered. Boyfriend? Bianca seemed to sense my panic.

“Of course you don’t have to bring him, it was only a suggestion. I know how boys get about chick flicks, they prefer gore and violence,” she finished, wrinkling her button nose.

“It’s not that,” I replied, looking to the floor where my trainer clad feet were shuffling around nervously.

“Oh,” she smiled, shaking her head. “I suppose it was wrong of me to assume, but it just looked that way,” she continued, “you know, holding his hand yesterday on the way home from school and wearing his jacket.”

I looked up to realise I still had it on, a piece of evidence clearly on display. I could feel a blush appearing. Did it really look that way? At least that would explain why guys ignore me when I’m with Dougie. I felt the sudden need to explain. “He tried to push me in a bush,” I smiled, more to myself as I remembered our play fight. “I grabbed hold of his arm to steady myself and I’m wearing his jacket because I was cold yesterday and forgot to give it back.”

“Oh,” Bianca nodded slowly, as if she were still unconvinced. “It’s just that Tiffany said that she overheard Jason Sullivan talking with Dougie and that, well, he’d kinda given off the impression that he likes you.” At her words my heart jumped. What if it was true? Maybe that would explain why he had given Jason a funny look this morning. He doesn’t like me getting attention from other boys. I felt myself raise my eyebrows questioningly.

“I take it you had no idea then?” Bianca laughed, bringing me back to reality. I shook my head, only then realising that Tiffany had joined us at the lunch table.

“He seemed really into you,” she nodded, placing a plate of ham salad in front of her, “it sometimes happens this way.”

My confusion must have leaked to my face as Bianca took over to explain.

“You see, when a boy and girl have been friends for like, well, ever, it isn’t long before one starts to fall for the other and in this case, Dougie’s fallen for you.”

I almost choked on my food as she said the last part. What was she on about? It just didn’t seem plausible, let alone make sense.

“But me and him have known each other since we were in nappies,” I said, almost laughing at the picture of the two of us as babies, that had now appeared in my mind. “He was the first person I knew here.”

“That’s why you have such a tight bond,” Bianca stated, with Tiffany nodding enthusiastically beside her.

“I mean, we’re more like brother and sister than anything else,” I replied, just catching sight of a familiar face out of the corner of my eye.

“Maybe that’s how you feel,” Tiffany nodded, “but I’m guessing his feelings are more than platonic.”

I nodded in reply, just as a boy with shaggy auburn hair appeared at the table. Bianca and Tiffany’s eyes fell silently to their food as I looked up smiling.

“We’re still walking to class together right?” he asked, whilst putting his hand out to take a chip off of my plate.

“Sure,” I replied, looking at my watch to realise that we still had five minutes left until the bell rang for the end of lunch.

“I thought we could take the long way round,” he suggested, plucking another chip from my plate and eyeing Bianca and Tiffany lazily as they giggled quietly.

“Uh alright,” I nodded, placing my bag on my shoulder just as Dougie picked up my tray.

“I’ll put this back for you,” he grinned, “meet you by the door.”

“Okay,” I smiled, standing up before looking back down to where the two girls were eyeing each other knowingly. “I’m going now,” I said, feeling stupid at repeating the point when I knew that they’d been listening.

“Alright,” Tiffany smiled sweetly, as Sara joined the table.

“What’ve I missed?” she asked, taking my now empty seat.

“I’ll see you guys at seven,” I called, taking a few steps forward. I didn’t want to be around when my supposed love life was retold to Sara. Just as I reached the door, I heard the table erupt into giggles.

“What’s that all about?” Dougie asked, appearing at my side.

“Just some mindless gossip,” I replied, rolling my eyes as we stepped through the door to leave.

Thanks for reading!