N O

S U C H    T H I N G

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After school, Lena and Abby came home with me so we could pick out a decent outfit for this so-called "date".

"Why can't I just wear jeans and a top like you two?" I grumble as I look at the short dress I have on through the mirror in my bedroom.

"Because sky, you need to make James jealous. There's no way he won't get a little mad seeing you in that." Abby smirks.

"Who says I even want to make James jealous? We're just friends for the billionth time." I sigh turning around to face them both.

Lena is sitting on my desk chair, twirling in it, while Abby lays on my bed with her feet sticking up into the air.

"Lena stop! You're making me dizzy." I laugh which makes her smile.

"Me too." She comments as she finally comes to a stop.

"Seriously though, can I please wear skinny jeans?" I whine.

"No." They both state in unison.

I mean the dress is somewhat cute. It is all black with some light pink floral patterns along the top. It stops just above my knees and is spaghetti strap. I paired it with my black sandals.

My brown hair is down and left natural, which in my case is wavy and slightly untamed.

Abby did my makeup, giving me an almost perfect winged eyeliner with mascara and lip-gloss.

Overall, I feel like I look good, but I still wish I didn't have to wear this silly dress.

I'm just not comfortable.

"It's almost seven-thirty. We need to get going." Lena comments as she stands up in her blue jean skinny jeans with a pink crop top and black sandals. Her blonde hair is slightly curled at the ends as she wears minimal makeup.

Abby stands up wearing black skinny jeans with a white tanktop that shows quite a bit of cleavage. She's got a black and red flannel tied around her waist and she's wearing a pair of all black converse. Her red hair is up into a ponytail, as her makeup looks fierce with her signature smokey eye and red lips.

The three of us look like complete opposites from the untrained eyed, yet somehow, I have never found two other people who have made me feel like myself more than them.

I always thought it was so cliché how people who meet at a very young age stay close friends their entire life, but I am glad that I am living in my own real-life cliché.

The three of us say bye to my mom, even though I had to make sure she wasn't sad about me canceling our plans for tonight. She said she understood what it was like to be a teenager and told us to have fun. I still felt like I let her down, but I pushed that to the back of my mind.

I can make it up to her later.

When we finally arrived at the crowded movie theater, the three of us got out and made our way to the front of the building. We didn't see any sign of the boys, so we decided to go inside to the game room to play a few games before the boys arrive and the movie starts.

"Play you both in guitar hero!" Abby shouts as she runs to the game.

Lena and I dart after her and we all begin playing. I don't want to sound conceited, but I totally crush both of them and set a new high score on the entire game.

"Damn Sky, why do you always have to show us up like that?" Lena whines as she sets down the plastic guitar.

"Sorry Lena, I'm just too good." I smirk.

"I'd like to take that challenge." I hear a male voice from across the room.

I look up and smile at the sight of Percy.

He's dressed in dark-washed blue jeans that hug him perfectly, and a black and white striped shirt with a dark jacket over top of it. His hair is styled back with a few loose strands over his forehead. He's wearing a pair of brown shoes that pull the outfit together quite well. Overall, he looks like he comes from money and I honestly have to stop myself from drooling.

His dark brown eyes pierce into my own as he walks over to me in normal-paced strides.

"Care for a match?" He smiles wickedly as he picks up the guitar that Abby abandoned just moments before.

"You're on." I smirk as I turn around and face the screen.

We put in the correct amount of tokens, and hit start after selecting our song. We chose Barracuda by Heart.

As the beat picks up, both Percy and I are effortlessly running our fingers along the neck of the plastic guitar as we hit each note spot on.

When it's time for my solo, I hit each note that I am supposed to, minus one or two missed ones. I curse myself mentally for missing just those two, as that could make me or break me. Once my solo is over, it's time for Percy to shine.

He turns to look at me with a smile, before bringing his eyes back to the screen.

_______

| James' POV |

As soon as Ian and I enter the game room, Percy is smiling with victory as Skylar pouts. I notice her outfit and my eyes slightly widen. They slowly trail down her slender, yet very exposed legs and I notice Ian smirking from the corner of my eye.

"Quit staring, you creep." He chuckles.

"Shut up!" I sigh.

"Whatever, go get your girl." He smirks and then all of a sudden he shouts.

"Lena!"

He runs over to her and I almost laugh at how red her cheeks become. Just as Skylar notices Ian, she looks up from Percy and smiles at me.

I look at her smile as it reaches her eyes, and I think for a moment, 'wow, is she honestly happy to see me?'

I walk over to her and the rest of the gang, before purposely stepping in front of Percy to give Skylar a hug. She seems surprised by the gesture, but hugs me back nonetheless.

That's all that counts.

"Skylar, you look-" but I'm cut off by Percy.

"Beautiful; I was just telling her that." He smirks.

"Yeah, whoopdy-do." I say through a tight smile.

"Thank you both." Skylar slightly smiles and I can't help but watch her as she walks around Percy and me to get to the opening of the game room.

"Ready for the movie guys?" She asks to everyone.

Abby nods and walks with Skylar to get some popcorn. Ian is busy giving Lena a heart attack with how close he is to her, and so that leaves me alone with Percy.

"So, Percy..." I begin.

"Wait, let me guess. You're madly in love with Skylar, but have never told her your true feelings because you're too stuck up and worried about what other people would think if they saw you two together. You have known her your whole life and are just now realizing your true feelings for her, so you want to make sure that I'm not here trying to steal the girl that isn't even yours yet? Am I right?" He casually says in one breath without missing a beat.

I look at him shocked at first, but then I just get angry.

"What the fuck are you, a wizard?" I ask, clearly annoyed. "Assume what you want, Percy, but Skylar and I are just friends and I am just here to make sure that you don't use her for some hidden agenda of yours." I glare.

"Quite defensive over someone you don't have feelings for." Percy raises an eyebrow.

"I won't apologize for being concerned about my friends. It's what I do." I shrug.

"Right, like how you were so concerned for Skylar the multiple times you've pulled a prank on her, or humiliated her in front of the entire school? God James, you deserve a best friend medal or something." He states sarcastically while casually putting his hands into his pockets.

"That was different. I was different." I comment as I feel my fists begin to clench.

"Don't be so cliché James. Nobody really changes who they are as a person. You'll find a way to humiliate her again one way or another. After all, it's what you do." He slyly mocks me while turning to walk towards Skylar.

I took in a few deep breaths while trying to calm myself down.

"Yo, you good?" Ian asks as he walks up behind me with Lena under his arm.

"Yep." I smile, though it is the fakest smile I have ever displayed.

We all get inside the movie theater and of course, Percy sits on the left of Skylar while Abby sits on the right of her. Lena sits on the right of Abby while Ian sits on the right of Lena.

My two options are to the left of Percy, or to the right of Ian, so obviously I pick the latter.

I try to lean forward a little to look at Skylar, but she has leaned into Percy as he is speaking to her in a hushed voice. I see her smiling, and I can only imagine what he is telling her.

I sigh in defeat and lean back into my chair, now in a bad mood.

I don't even care about watching the movie now.

"Want some popcorn Jamesy?" Ian asks while pointing the popcorn bucket towards me.

I shake my head and keep my eyes trained on the blank screen ahead.

Previews begin to play as I pull my phone out and scroll through Instagram. I've only been at this movie theater for fifteen minutes, and I already want to go home.

After about ten minutes of previews, the movie finally starts as the lights dim.

After the beginning of the movie starts playing, I lean over toward Ian and whisper to him.

"Hey, I need help."

"What?" He says at normal volume and a few people in front of us turn around to hush him.

His eyes widen and he softly says sorry before turning to me and whispering, "What?"

"Help me get closer to Skylar. What do I do to get rid of Percy?"

"Are you serious? Right now? In the middle of a movie?" Ian grumbles.

"Please." I sheepishly smile.

"Ugh fine. Just take my drink, pretend like you're walking to the bathroom, pass by Percy and 'accidentally' spill it on him." Ian states causally as if he already had this idea in his head for a while.

"Are you sure that'll work? What if Skylar gets mad at me and leaves with Percy?" I sigh in a hushed tone.

"Then, you'll be stuck sitting with Abby." Ian softly chuckles.

"Ugh." I sigh again. "Well, I've got nothing to lose do I?"

Ian smiles excitedly while he waits for me to unleash his plan.

Please work.

I stand up, grab Ian's drink and begin walking down the aisle past everyone. Once I reach Skylar and Percy, I brace myself as I go to purposely trip, but instead, someone's leg pops out and trips me before I'm ready.

It wasn't intentional, but still my drink goes flying and not all over who I wanted it to be.

Skylar lets out a loud scream as Abby gasps putting her hands over her mouth. My eyes widen as I find my footing again and I stare down at a very pissed off looking Skylar.

"What the fuck!" She shouts while everyone in the movie theater turns around to look as us with glares.

"Shit, Skylar, I didn't mean to-" I'm cut off as Skylar gets up to knee me in the crotch and then runs out of the theater.

My hands immediately go to my precious jewels as I lean over and silently curse to myself.

Abby laughs while Lena just sits wide-eyed beside a very loud cackling Ian.

"Very well done, James. It's true, you do what you do and you do it well." Percy smirks victoriously as he gets up to go after Skylar.

"So like, I told you to spill the soda on Percy, not Skylar." Ian comments and I immediately lift my head up to shoot him the most deadly glare I can muster.

He instantly looks down into his popcorn bucket as he takes a few pieces out and shoves them into this mouth.

"You're never going to get her if you keep doing shit like this." Abby suddenly comments, so I sit down beside her and slouch in defeat.

"It was an accident." I mumble.

Abby just shakes her head with a slight smile as she focuses back on the movie.

"Should we go check on her?" Lena asks Abby.

"No, let's allow Percy to make her feel better." Abby comments and hearing that pisses me off even further.

Everyone in the theater goes back to watching the movie, while I can't stop thinking about her face when I spilled the soda on her. She probably thinks I did it on purpose as another one of my lame pranks.

After several minutes of silence, minus a few laughs from the audience and the sound of the movie playing, Ian finally leans forward to look at me.

"Jamesy, I need more soda..." He wearily states with a frown.

I roll my eyes but angrily get up to go and purchase another drink.

When I reach the lobby, Skylar and Percy are nowhere in sight. I frown as I approach the concession stand.

Great fucking plan, Ian.

_______

| Skylar's POV |

As I feel the cold, yet sticky liquid falling all over my hair and dress, I let out a high-pitched scream.

"What the fuck!" I shout up to James who is standing in front of me.

"Shit, Skylar, I didn't mean to-" I don't let him finish before I stand up and knee him directly in the crotch.

After that, I immediately run out of the theater and towards the bathroom.

I try to dry myself off as best as I can with the small hand dryer attached to the wall, but it's no use. I need to go home and shower.

I huff and walk out of the bathroom just in time to run into Percy.

"Hey, you alright?" He frowns at my appearance.

I can feel tears begin to fill my eyes, but I don't let them fall.

"Can you please take me home?" I ask. "Abby has my car keys in her bag so I can tell her and Lena to just meet me at my place when the movie is over. They are spending the night anyway." I say.

"Sure, let's go."

I follow Percy out to his car and he opens the passenger door for me, and closes it after I safely sit inside.

He gets into the driver's seat and turns to me.

"Why does he do that stuff to you?" He innocently asks.

"I don't know. He's always had a talent for making me feel like shit." I shrug, though the pain that comes with that statement makes me slouch further into the leather seat of Percy's expensive car.

"You shouldn't be hanging out with someone like that." Percy comments before turning back toward the steering wheel and starting the car.

I tell him my address and when he pulls into the driveway, he shuts the car off and gets out. He walks over to my side of the car and opens the door for me.

I get out and stand directly infront of him. The car door is still open, and Percy is leaning his arm against it.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright until Abby and Lena get here?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." I try my best to smile.

"Next time, we should go out together alone. Just the two of us." He smiles warmly.

"I think that's an amazing idea. We should have kept it that way from the start, but I just wanted all of my friends to get a chance to know you." I reply as I step aside and allow Percy to shut the car door.

He walks me up the driveway to my door and I pray that the door is unlocked since I left my keys with Abby at the theater.

I turn the knob and smile as the door pushes open.

"Thank you for taking me home. I'm sorry you couldn't finish the movie." I sheepishly smile while looking down at my feet.

Percy lifts his perfectly sculpted hand and gently lifts my chin upward so I am looking at him.

We stare into each other's eyes for a mere second before he starts to lean in.

My eyes slightly widen and I don't have enough time to think if this is a good idea before I quickly turn my head and Percy kisses my cheek instead.

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" I say nervously. I know my cheeks must be red.

"Absolutely. Goodnight Skylar." Percy smiles that perfect white smile and walks back down the driveway to his car.

I watch him leave, and then walk inside closing the door after me.

I let out a deep breath and kick my sandals off by the front door.

"Hey girls, how was the mo-" My mom is cut short when she takes in my appearance and the fact that I'm alone.

"Lena and Abby will be back after the movie." I softly comment as I finally let a tear fall.

"Oh no, what happened?" My mom softly asks while walking over to me. She pulls me into a hug, despite the coldness of my soda-covered dress.

"I'd rather not talk about it." I mumble into my mother's neck.

"Come with me, I'll run you a nice hot bubble bath." She smiles while pulling me with her to the stairs.

Why would James do this to me, and at the movie theater?

I guess everything he's said to me has been nothing but lies. He doesn't care about me, and I don't think he ever will.

Looks like I'm just going to have to accept it.

After my bath, I pull on some comfortable yoga pants with a large T-shirt and sit on my bed under the covers.

I put my wet hair into a long braid and pull my cell phone off the bedside table.

I see a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hey, Sky. Just wanted to say, despite the ending, I had a lot of fun with you tonight. I can't wait for our second first real date. Xo.

I automatically know that it's Percy, so I save his number and text him back with a slight smile.

Me: Neither can I. See you tomorrow.

Percy: Absolutely ;)