I find myself putting in more of an effort with my appearance. I stare back at my reflection in my bedroom mirror, wondering what I would change about my appearance if I had all the money in the world.

For starters, I'd probably get rid of this nose and replace it with a more slender and minute one. I gently try and pinch my huge potato nose together to see what it'd look like. I'd look more European like Parker. My features are very afro-centric; my father and biological mother are both Afro-Caribbeans but I love my skin and who I am.

I look ridiculous. I sigh and release it. Let me at least focus on the things I can temporarily change like the shape of my eyebrows or the colour of my lips and maybe conceal the dark circles under my eyes.

I watch a YouTube video instructing me on how to fill in my brows. I give up after two tries and resort to just applying some mascara and lip gloss I bought from Superdrug's on the weekend.

I wonder if Parker will notice my new look?

Speak of the devil, I heard the familiar buzz of my phone indicating that I've got a new text.

I'm outside :) - a message sent from Parker. I've finally allowed him to pick me up and drive us to school together after many times of him offering.

Nerves fill my entire body but they soon pass as I realise it's just Parker. The kindest, sweetest boy ever. He's vowed to drop me off at school every day once he found out that I take my bicycle.
He said and I quote -I wouldn't forgive myself if you went home with a scraped knee.

I rush and get my rucksack, camera, kiss Caesar on the head and practically fly down the stairs. I kiss pops on the cheek and grab one- no, two- apples from the fruit bowl. One for me and one for Parker.

Parker's sitting in the drivers' side of his beat down red Skoda Citigo. He doesn't notice me standing there yet so I take this opportunity to snap an off-guard picture. His fingertips gently drum on the steering wheel of his car and his head slightly nods to the beat of the song playing inside. His hair looked as if it hadn't been cut in months and the messy chestnut locks were gently bouncing along with the movement of his head. His smooth skin shone in the morning sun like a milky latte and I suddenly felt thirsty. I'm not sure if my mind was playing games on me but he looked kind of... nervous. Just like he did back in that form class after we met.

Finally, as if he could sense someone watching him, he turns and sees me standing there with my camera out, probably looking like an idiot.

"Hello Sunshine," He sings, lowering the music by turning a dial with his free hand. His eyes light up when they see me. The grin on his face grows as he watches me walk over. He lifts a brown paper bag. "I brought you ham and cheese bagels."

I smile and raise the big red fruit that I was carrying in my hand. "I brought you an apple."

The sound of Mariah Carey blasts from his open car door. The backseat of his car was strewn with empty packets of crisps, coke cans and other rubbish yet the front seats were absolutely pristine.

I raise an eyebrow at him. "You listen to Mariah Carey?"

He starts the car up effortlessly with one hand and starts driving. Somehow, I find that attractive. "Of course, she's amazing." He says this as if it's a well-known fact and only an idiot could disagree with him and to be fair, he is right. Mariah Carey is amazing. "I'm practically a lamb."

"If you say so." I let myself enjoy the music as we silently drive on. I open the window and stick my arm out, feeling the gentle wind tickle the little hairs on my arm. I remember the first time I heard this specific song. Papa was telling me the story of how he and Pops met.

It was Pops' sister's- my aunt Carrie's- wedding day. My Pops was the best man and Papa was simply a waiter for the catering company they hired for the big day. They bumped into each other and Papa spilt all the hor d'oeurves on Pops top. Pops laughed it off and took off his waistcoat and helped Papa serve the rest of the party. That's when they fell in love. Coincidentally, this particular Mariah Carey song was playing at the exact moment they both realised it.

"What's your favourite song?" I randomly ask. I'm super curious. What else did we have in common other than both stanning Mariah Carey?

He leans towards me and smiles. "Your laugh."

I roll my eyes at him and scoff. "You're so cheesy!" He continues watching me in the corner of his eye as he drove.

"You're beautiful, you know? I don't think I tell you enough." He says, one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on his thigh. I turn and stare at the top of his head, too shy to stare into those almond-shaped eyes. "I know that sounds weird. I'm sorry, that was so random, I just had to say it." He bites his lip and his cute face reddens completely looking like a talking cherry tomato.

Immediately, my cheeks feel hot and I'm vividly self-conscious.
I could sense him watching my slightly round face, my eyes, my lips. I can only imagine what I look like in his eyes. Some illusion of a normal girl with a supposedly normal life, if only he knew the truth he wouldn't be saying that at all. He wouldn't call me beautiful. I'm far from it.

I chew my bottom lip for a moment and before I could think too much about it, I quickly reach over and kiss the side of his cheek.

His smooth skin felt warm under my pale brown lips. A bit of my lipgloss stained his cheek so I used my thumb and swiped at it.

His hand slips and the car swerves a little. He blinks in surprise at me and then his mouth curved into a smile.

"Thanks." I chuckle lightly, focusing my attention back onto my fingers in the wind.
That's my first kiss. Even if it's technically not really a kiss. But still, it counts to me.

It was something.

"You're a good friend, Peter Parker," I say, pulling my hand back in and taking a bite out of my cheesy bagel. I didn't like it but I pretended to enjoy it anyway.

Friend.

I don't know why I said that. It just kinda slipped out and I could see the hurt on his face when I said it but maybe what I saw was just an illusion, something my ego made up.

1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th period pass like a blur. I took my notes, tried not to draw too much attention to myself in class and thought about Parker. My only friend.

I promised him earlier that I'd eat lunch with him and his friends in the canteen. I have no idea why I did that, it's not as if I'd even be able to talk to any of them, they'd probably ignore me or even worse think I was some weird tag-along.

I can feel my chest pumping beneath my pale yellow poplin blouse as I awkwardly push through the canteens swing doors.

One part of me wanted to back away, make an excuse and eat by the bins like I always do but the other part of me was daring myself to push boundaries even if it does mean having another panic attack in front of the whole sixth form.

It couldn't get much worse than that.

Then I spot him. Sitting on top of the central table with his trainers planted firmly on the bench. His hair was in an insanely attractive middle-part now with his front hair forming two bangs that shielded his eyes. He reminded me of those floppy-haired actors from the 90s, the ones all the girls had on their walls.
He's laughing mid-chew at something Zacchias said. His mouth wide open with pieces of the schools semi-decent spaghetti bolognese in his mouth. I could see the blonde headed girl opposite him about to scold him for his bad table manners. I stand at the entrance for a moment observing them.
There are 5 people at the table- Cassie Thomas (blonde headed girl), Sander Eke, Zacchias Tovi and his (ex?) girlfriend Jasmin Jelani as well as Parker himself.

I didn't get to stand there much longer than 30 seconds before being violently shoved into the ground. The impact felt like being thrown into a brick wall and within a moment I could feel a painful ache forming on my shoulder. Who would do that to me?

Before I even had a chance to recollect my thoughts and determine my surroundings, I feel a soft hand on the same shoulder. I wince a little under the sudden pressure.

"Are you alright there, love?" I turn and I'm greeted with Jasmin's big brown sympathising eyes. She helps me stand back up, putting her arms under my shoulders and hiking me up while Sander picks up my rucksack and camera bag and places it on the nearby table where some less recognisable students were eating. They look confused but no one was going to say anything to Sander who's rugby physique made him at least twice their size.

Within a second of helping me up, Jasmin turns and hits Brett Valesquez on the bicep with her small skinny fists. "You absolute prick!" She yells at him luridly. "Can't you see where you're bloody going? Almost knocked this poor girl to heaven, you did."
She scowls at him, her petite hands still balled into a fist.

He rolls his eyes at her, clearly not intimidated by a girl who was almost an entire foot shorter and 100 pounds lighter than him.

"Shouldn't have been in the way then, should she?" He retorts curtly, eyes fixed on Parker who had somehow abandoned his spaghetti and found his way here.

They were both standing face to face now. Staring at each other hard.

I could practically feel the hatred burning in Parker's eyes and I'm sure I wasn't the only one to feel it either as I look across the room. Most of the other sixth former's had stopped their conversations to look at what was going on. They're probably as surprised as I am to see an angry Parker for the second time in a few weeks.

But this time was different.

I've never seen him like this before, his jaw tightened and his lips were snapped together in a thin line. He looked livid.
Everyone could feel the tension that I had caused. It felt like we were watching an old American western movie where the cowboys were having a showdown. It all depends on who shot their pistol first.

I'm grateful that Jasmin led me to their table as I hang onto her arm for support, my head now also has an increasingly growing pain shooting through it.

Great. I think, sarcastically. My first impression must be great.

I inhale the scent of her cherry lip gloss as she lets me rest my head on the shoulder of her too-tight baby pink Ralph Lauren polo top. She looks bemusedly on at the two boys, a weird smile on her face that I can't read.

I manage to mumble an apology but she doesn't even look at me when she says "Don't sweat it." Her eyes focused on the boys.

Sander and Zacchias have now abandoned their bags at the table to go and join Parker at this ridiculous classic 'masculine' stare off.

Once Brett sees those two coming, his shoulders slouch and he sighs before saying "You guys have no idea what you're getting yourselves into."

"We don't like bullies." Sander sneers, his perfectly sculpted face masked with an expression of disgust. Sander's a muscular guy who was on the rugby team with Brett. He has roasted acorn coloured skin that looked like he spent hours moisturising it and jet black afro hair that was cut low into a fade. He also has the darkest chocolatey brown eyes I've ever seen. He moved to Beaumont from Ireland about 4 years ago yet he still had the twinge of a Northern Irish accent mixed in with the traditional Beaumont accent.

Brett puffs his chest up with pride, suddenly aware of all the people watching. He takes a step forward, "Since when is bumping into someone called bullying?"

"When you do it with malice it is, " Parker steps closer to his face so their noses are practically touching. I've always thought of Parker being far from intimidating but right now even I think he looks scary. "Go on. Apologise... Now."

Brett laughs and his thin pink lips draw back in a snarl. "I don't take orders from you, Sorespot."

Parker scoffs lightly, looking back and then punches him swiftly in the face.

Sander and Zacchias react quickly and pull Parker back before he damages Brett any further. Brett lunges forward and Zacchias blocks him off. "Not a chance, mate." He shakes his head firmly with his strong tanned arm held in front of Brett's chest preventing him from moving any further.

"Consider yourself lucky Sorrisi, I won't forget." He points a finger at the red-faced Parker who was clutching his hand in pain. He stalks out of the canteen, knocking down every object in his path.

Sander finally lets go of Parker once Brett is out of the hall and he immediately runs over to me.

"You okay, pencils?" I sit up properly and Jasmin goes off to worry over Zacchias. He takes my face in his hands and inspects it. His eyes were full of kind concern while he is searching my face for any signs of distress.

I turn and look at what feels like a hundred faces staring at me.
Zacchias is dressed as usual in a black Nike tracksuit with his arm around Jasmin, looking at me and Parker sympathetically. I could only imagine what they were thinking right now. Probably how much trouble Parker was going to be in when Headmaster Holloway finds out about this and how I'm the cause of it. If only I had listened to my gut and had never come to the canteen in the first place then Brett would've never thought to attack me and Parker wouldn't have felt the need to defend my honour.

Why is it always me? I thought that I could be normal for once and fit in with him and his friends but I've been kidding myself.

Being 'normal' is nothing but a dream.

I imagine them whispering, making snide comments about me. Probably wondering what a guy like Parker was doing protecting me. I feel like I was going to choke. My throat begins to close up, not even my saliva could pass through it. I can't speak. I can't. The words don't even try to come out. Too many people. Too much attention.

He sighs and drops his hands from my face to stuff them awkwardly into his pockets. "I'm sorry Harley, I know I shouldn't have done that but I saw him purposely push you and I'm tired of him being a complete pr-" I hug him. Tight. I ignore everything else that's going on in the moment and just focusing on hugging him. No one has ever stuck up for me before. He has no idea what I'm going through inside and it's not his fault but he must understand that my hug is a replacement for the missing words.

His head nestles in my ear and I could feel his heart beating through his paper-thin shirt. He smells like peanut butter and apples and I feel a great sense of safety from being in his arms.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here before the Headmaster gets on my butt?" He whispers in my ear. I nod just as the tears start leaking from my eyes.

I can hear Zacchias instructing everyone to stop gawking and go back to eating their food as Parker leads me out of the canteen towards the nurses' office.

My heart is still racing but everything seems to be clearer now. He was on my side. Parker was on my side.

Authors note- please comment and vote so I know to continue writing I feel so demotivated when I see that barely anyone reads it. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read it anyway!