HOLDEN'S POV

I can't believe she actually said yes. I thought I was going to have to pay somebody to be my 'friend' for a second there. Maybe Skye wants something in return. I should be ready for anything. With her, you never know. She looks a lot like someone that I used to know. I used to live in the city. I went to the prestigious academy, Watson's Elite. You could say I ruled the school. Everybody knew my name. After all, I was the captain of the soccer team. But here, I'm a nobody. For now.

Back at my old school, there was a girl named Skylar (what a coincidence, am I right?). She was pretty, but in a nerdy way. I thought it would be total social suicide if word got out that I kind-of liked her. So instead, I bullied her, making fun of her every day. And in turn, she moved away.

Last year, my mom somehow found out about that, and decided that we would move. To a small town. That no matter how hard you looked on a map, you couldn't find. That was my punishment.

My mom expects me to make friends, but I kind of don't want to. They already have their groups and cliques. I would mess that up entirely. Basically, I have no friends. I don't want to talk about it.

Mom knocks on the door. "So, is she coming?"

"Yeah," I say with a slight grin. "Yeah, she is."

"Great!" My mom smiles brightly and goes back to her cooking.

I decide to text Skye and pick up my phone from it's place on my nightstand. After sitting there for a few seconds and wondering what to say, I go with a simple "Hey".

SKYE'S POV

I dash out of the coffee shop, dodging people on my way out. I can already feel my textbooks slipping from my tight grip. My knuckles are turning white as I struggle to hold on. My phone buzzes unexpectedly and I freak out, dropping all my books into a muddy puddle on the side of the street. Mud splatters all over my new top and my favorite pair of jeans. It lands in the unruly curliness of my hair and across my shoes. Whoever texted me IS GOING TO DIE. No questions asked. I am going to kill them.

I dig my phone out of my back pocket and see that the message is from Holden. Of course it is. Either way, I was on the brink of murdering that pest. He is going down. That way, I won't have to worry about the PTA dinner! Nice plan, me. I give myself a casual pat on the back.

"Skye?" A voice asks from behind me.

I slowly turn around with my hands up. Ben laughs. "Are you okay? Do you need a ride home?"

"I'm fine," I murmur. "But my books aren't."

He looks over at them in the pile of mud. "Yeah, that could be a problem."

"Maybe just a little bit." I sigh.

"I'll get them," He says, bending down and rolling up his sleeves. This guy was too good to be true.

"No, I got it." I say. "My outfit's already ruined."

"No, I got it." He insists.

"No, I got it!" I push him out of the way and move as if to pick up my books, but he pulls me back.

"Skye Anne Johnson," He says. "I'm going to get your books and you are going to stand there and watch."

I sighed, "Ben whatever-your-middle-name-is Calloway, I am going to get my own books and YOU are going to go get your car so you can drive me home."

He gets down in front of me before I can do anything and picks up my books. "Thanks," I muttered. "But I could've gotten it."

"I know, but I wanted to get them for you." He grinned at me. "Come on, let's get you home."

How could he be any sweeter? Or hotter, can I just add?

I unlock my phone and text Holden back. 'Why are you talking to me?'

"Who ya texting?" Ben asks.

"The most annoying person to ever walk the planet, AKA Holden Jones." I reply.

"Oh, him," Ben says. "Is he the reason you dropped your books?"

"Yeah, he decided to text me for some unknown reason," I respond. "So my phone buzzed and surprised me and I dropped my books."

"Oh. So, see you tomorrow?" He says as we pull up in front of my house.

"See you tomorrow." I confirm and hop out of the car.

"Ace that Algebra test for me!" Ben yells out the open window of the truck.

"I will!" I yell back without turning around. I had my mind set on one thing, and one thing only.

Netflix.

HOLDEN'S POV

It says that she read my text, but she hasn't responded yet. I throw my phone across the room in frustration. Why does she hate me so much? Well, I mean, she must not hate me too much because she's going to the dinner with me.

I sit on my bed, lost in thought. I hear the annoying ping of my phone. I should really change that. I race over to the phone and check the message. It is, indeed, from Skye.

My face falls as I read the message. 'Why are you talking to me?' It reads.

'The question is,' I texted back. 'Why are YOU talking to me?'

The response comes back a few moments later. 'Do you not want me to talk to you? Fine with me. Bye'

I slap my forehead. That's what I get for trying to be a smart aleck.

SKYE'S POV

I wake up the next morning bright and early at the unholy time of five in the morning. I groan and slap the pillow over my face, trying to block out the faint light that's streaming in through my blinds.

"Skye?" My mom knocks on the door. "Honey, we're leaving in five minutes!"

I bolt out of bed. Five minutes? She's insane if she thinks I can get ready in five minutes! I throw on a pair of black aztec-print leggings and and a white sweater. Tugging on my combat boots, I grab my backpack and run out the door.

On the car ride to school, I pile my hair on top of my head into a bun and apply my mascara. I stuff my cleats into my soccer bag and study for the algebra test I have first block. This was nerve-racking. I have to do good for Ben.

My mom's voice interrupts my studying, "So do you have a date for tomorrow?"

"Yeah," I answer.

"Who is it?" She asks.

Who should I tell her? "Ben Calloway." I answer. He's more believeable. My mom would never think I would go with Holden. I mean, the only time she met him, we were in the middle of an argument.

"Isn't he on the basketball team?" Mom asks.

"No, that's Ben Cogney." I answer. "The Ben I'm talking about is on the wrestling team. He plays ice hockey too, actually."

"Oh, that's interesting." She offers, but I can tell she's not actually listening to what I say. She's always off in her own world unless she's talking about something relatable to her. I miss my dad; he's always off on business trips halfway across the world.

"Yeah," I mutter and shoot out of the car. I drag my soccer bag along the hallways down to the locker room. I shove it in one of the lockers and take off to class. I sit down at the desk positioned in the very back of the classroom. I pull out the notes Ben had written down for me a stare at them until the teacher walks in. No matter how much I stare at the notes, no information processes in my head. I think I might have a problem.

"Okay, time to get started!" Mr. Tucker bellows and starts passing out the tests. I roll my eyes and pull out my mechanical pencil, scribbling my name at the top of the paper. My handwriting isn't like your typical girl handwriting. I'm pretty sure it's on the verge of being illegible.

I look down at the test and my eyes widen. I don't know any of this crap!

HOLDEN'S POV

I run into Spanish as the bell rings. Grumbling, I take my seat next to Skye. She shoots me a look of disgust. "Ew, you're here."

"The feeling's mutual." I return the look.

"Mhmm." She raises an eyebrow.

I roll my eyes. "So I'll pick you up for the dinner tomorrow?"

"My mom's the principal, idiot. I was already going." She responds quickly, before Mrs. Juarez comes over.

I stay quiet as our teacher walks down our aisle. "Where is your work, Señor Jones?" She questions me.

"You'll have to excuse him," Skye cuts in, and I thought for once she was going to say something nice. "Holden's not really smart enough to process simple things like that."

The quiet class bursts into laughter while Skye grins. "I do not tolerate bullying in my class," Mrs. Juarez said. "If you say something like that again, I will kick you out of my class. Again. For like the seventieth time!"

"I wasn't bullying, I was just stating the facts." Skye shrugs while the class snickers.

"Go to the Principal's office. Now." Mrs. Juarez yells, and I can picture the steam blowing out of her ears like they do in comics.

Skye smiles almost victoriously and waltzes out of the classroom. Bye Felicia, I think to myself, grinning. Pain (aka Skye) is gone.

SKYE'S POV

I prance down the hallways and into the office. I slam the door shut and yell, "Hey Mom!"

She sighs. "Hey Skye. You know if you do this again I'm going to have to do something about it. Like forbid you from going to soccer practice or the PTA dinner."

"The PTA dinner?" My ears perk up at that.

"Never mind," She seems to realize who she's talking to. "You're still going to that."

I groan, "Come on, mom!"

"You wouldn't want to ditch your date, would you?" Mom asks.

"One of them, yes." I mutter.

"What was that?" I swear, she has the ears of a hawk. Or maybe the saying was the sight of a hawk...? Either way.

"Nothing!" I yelp quickly.

"'Okay, so I guess I have to record what you did this time." Mom pulls out my records and a pen.

"Can't you just record it on an index card and then accidentally on purpose discard it?" I smile my 100-watt-smile at her.

"Nope, it's my job as principal," She smiled back at me. "I've already neglected it by not giving you punishments so far."

"Okay," I hang my head and try my last defense--puppy eyes. "Please?"

"Skye, you're almost eighteen. Puppy eyes don't work."

"Fine," I give in. "I talked back to my teacher, ish."

"Ish?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Ish." I confirm with a smirk.

"Oh my god." She rolls her eyes. "I'll just keep you here until next block."

"Can't you just keep me here until soccer practice?" I go for the angelic smile.

"No, you'll miss APUSH."

"So what are we going to do now?" I ask.

"We're going to look for a dress for you to wear tomorrow."

I groan, "Come on!" Girly shirts and pants were fine, but NOT dresses. NEVER dresses. Dresses were like the devil in disguise. Not my type.

"What? Either way, you're going to be wearing a skirt OR a dress. Not neither."

"A skirt, then." I compromised. Skirts weren't as bad. Because they're mostly plain. And maybe, just maybe, I can rebel a little bit. Like, pick out an outfit with my mom, and then wear something entirely different. I'm going to do it. But for this plan, one of my dates are going to have to pick me up.

Ben. Ben's going to pick me up. I pull out my phone when my mom decides to go take a bathroom break. I text him, 'Hey, can you pick me up at five tomorrow?' My mom's leaving at 4:30, but I'll say that I decided on the other outfit and need more time. I'll tell her my date is picking me up and that she can leave without me. And she'll have to because she can't be late. I mentally high-five myself.

My mom comes back in and points to the screen. "Those are your two options."

I point to the first one. "That one. Are we done now?"

"I'll get both of them just in case you change your mind." She decides.

"Fine with me." I grin, having my outfit already planned out in my mind.

"You can go now."

"Bye, mom."

"Bye honey."

HOLDEN'S POV

I trudge out of fourth block and down the halls to practice. I'm late, thanks to my teacher‒who thought I was the one acting up. I swore up-and-down that it was the boy next to me, Darren. She held me after fifteen minutes.

I run down the halls and out on to the field. Everybody is practicing a trick (Drag and Scissor). That is, except for Skye.

"You don't look busy," I remark as I walk up to her.

"Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time." She smirks.

"Okay," I say slowly. "Can you practice it with me?"

"That depends." Skye says. "Are you worthy of the task?"

"What do you mean am I worthy of the task?"

"I don't know. Are you?"

"Why don't we just do it?" I'm starting to get really annoyed.

"Why won't you tell me if you're worthy or not?"

"Let's start."

"Are you worthy?" This makes no sense.

"You're so stubborn."

"I'm not stubborn," She defends herself. "My way's just better."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, riiiiight." I draw out the right.

"Whatever," She rolls her eyes.

"So are we going to start?" I ask.

"Are you worthy?" She grins.

SKYE'S POV

It's 4:29. One minute before Mom is scheduled to leave. "Skye?" She calls up. "Are you ready?"

"Wait!" I yell. "I decided I want to wear the other outfit!"

"Honey, we need to leave! NOW!"

"My date's picking me up at five, mom. I'll be there." I persuade her into leaving.

"Are you sure?" She asks uncertainly.

"I'll text you when he picks me up!" I say, grinning.

"Okay." She caves in and I hear the door opening. "See you soon!"

"See you soon!" I call back, pumping my fist in the air. Time to change. But not into the outfit mom picked out. I mean, sure, I was still wearing a skirt. Mom would absolutely kill me if I didn't. I pull out the black stockings and skater skirt that go with my other outfits and slide them on. I tug on some black pumps and grab a black and white striped shirt off of it's hanger. Unhooking my golden arrow necklace, I multitask, yanking on my dark gray jacket. The outfit is complete. Running-more like stumbling-over to my bathroom, I plug in my straightener and get to slathering on concealer and blush. I pile on the mascara and then pick up my straightener, doing the twenty minute deed that is straightening my hair. It's a wild mess, and it's goal is probably to make my life as hard as possible.

The doorbell rings just seconds after I finish stuffing my straightener back into it's drawer. I almost tumble down the stairs but save myself at the last possible second. I sprint down the stairs as gracefully as possible. Opening the door, I smile my brightest smile up at Ben.

"Ready to go?" He holds him arm out to me. "You look great."

"You're not too shabby yourself." I grin and follow him out to his truck. He opens the door for me and tries to help me up but I insist that I can do it myself. He rolls his eyes and lopes over to the drivers side and we take off.

We sit in a comfortable silence on the way to the school. I walk in beside him, but make sure to distance myself a little bit just in case Holden's at the entrance. We walk over to my mom who smiles at Ben. "You must be the lovely Ben Calloway that Skye's been telling me about."

"Yes ma'am." Ben smiles at her. "Your daughter is a beautiful girl."

"Thanks, hon." She goes for her motherly smile but I can see the disdain in her eyes when she notices my outfit.

"I'll, uh, go get some punch for us," I excuse myself, seeing Holden over by the drinks. "You guys can talk."

I rush over Holden, but instead trip over my own feet and crash into him.

"Watch where you're going!" Holden snaps, and then sees that it's me. He smirks. "Or could you not see through all that mascara?"

I rolled my eyes. "Save it, Jones. Just be glad I decided to come with YOU, of all people."

"What do you mean, come with HIM?" Ben asks from behind me. "You came with me!"

I close my eyes, wondering how I got myself into this. But just as I thought things can't get more complicated, someone placed their lips on mine.

A/N: WHOA

THIS IS THE LONGEST WATTPAD CHAPTER IVE EVER WRITTEN ITS 5 PAGES YOURE WELCOME

ALSO to the side, the first two outfits are the one's skye's mom picked out; the last one is the one that she wore.