Snippet #2148604

Emmeline Valance let out a peel of tinkling, infectious laughter that echoed around the parking lot. It was lunchtime and she was perched on the bonnet of her cute little red convertible. Cross-legged, she lent back and angled her pale face to the sun, her copper coloured french plait glinting in the rays. Around her, guys and girls chatted and laughed, making jokes and just being teenagers. Emmie wasn't popular, but she wasn't without friends either. None of those that hung around her car were tiny little cheerleaders or strapping jocks. No, they were just normal kids with normal lives. There wasn't any worrying about whether or not they'd made the football team, or if their butt looked big in their cheerleading uniform. And that was just the way she liked it.

Releasing a sigh, she allowed her body to soak up the sun's rays. Despite the cute little denim shorts and a vest top (her jacket was slung over the drivers seat) that revealed a fair amount of skin, she knew that she would never catch a tan. Forever would her skin be pale. The only thing that would happen would be that her freckles would stand out even more. Not that she minded. No-one bullied her any more. Except the odd cheerleader with whom she had grown up with. They were all spiteful. If you didn't look perfect then they pounced. Emmie had never understood vanity.

"Sooooo..." A smile tugged at Emmie's lips as her best friend, Amy, let the word hang in the air. Cracking open an eye, Emmie regarded her coolly, with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"Have you seen him today?!" The words burst from Amy's lips as though she could barely contain them. Emmie refrained from smiling, keeping her face as straight as possible.

"Seen who?" She asked nonchalantly, closing her eyes again. It took all her willpower not to squeal and spill the latest gossip, but she managed it.

"Emmeline Mariette Valance!" The use of her full name made her flinch slightly. Only her father used it when he was really, really annoyed. And that didn't happen much any more...Well except that one time she had taken a guy back to their house. Emmie still believed it would have been fine if the dude had shouted his mouth off about sleeping with her. Actually, she was glad her father promptly kicked him out. She wasn't sure she was ready for that yet.

"I don't know what you mean...."

"Yes you do! He's all you ever talk about Emmie!"

Heaving a sigh, Emmeline opened her eyes and regarded her friend for a moment. She shrugged, uncrossing her legs and swinging them over the side of the car. Sliding down, she hit the pavement lightly, bending her knees slightly. It was probably best that she admitted this now, both to herself and to Amy who seemed to grow more obsessed about her relationships that she herself did.

"It doesn't matter because he doesn't know that I exist." When her friend shot her a sympathetic look, she merely shrugged her shoulders. "It's not like I've made an effort to get to know him either. I'm happily quietly crushing on the poor guy for now and we'll see how it goes." Linking her arm through her friend's she gave it a squeeze before releasing. "Remember what happened when dad met the last one anyway? I'm pretty sure he was ready to shoot the poor guy. Anyway, we'd better get back into that school and see who is lurking around." She grinned, grabbing her backpack and jacket and gestured for the group to follow suit.