Chapter 1

DAY 7

BRIANNE

"Suzy, where should we meet for our study date?" I speak into the phone. I'm balancing my phone between my ear and my left shoulder while my hands are occupied with packing my bag. I glance back and forth from my checklist to my bag to make sure I'm not missing anything.
"Starbucks?" I thought for a moment, "Starbucks sounds good."
"Remember to bring all the items I've told you," I remind her again, "I can send you the list if you need."
Suzy, on the other end of the line, is calling me a grandmother for my irrational fear of things not going smoothly. I tell her that nothing must go wrong today, considering the fact that a jerk at the supermarket pissed me off real bad yesterday. Today's the second of January. If something is bound to go wrong today, it shows that this year is going to be an unlucky one for me.

Suzy has been my best friend for almost 4 years. We are totally different from each other, but I guess they say opposites attract. Every time I look at Suzy, I think of her as an animated character. She has big goldfish eyes, and her hair is always tied into two ponytails, like a 5 year old girl. She is bubbly and cute and wears high socks like those Japanese high school students. I say her socks looks like the kind on football players, and she would always say that I'm just trying to bring Darren into the picture, since Darren's a football maniac.

It has been 5 minutes and Suzy has not arrived. I lean back onto my seat and sip on my chilled frappuccino. The sun is blazing hot this morning and I'm wearing a muscle tank with huge armholes.

I check my watch again when I hear a voice from my left.

"It's a sunny morning, isn't it?" A guy slipped into the empty seat opposite me which was meant for Suzy. He has a handsome face. He is wearing a basic white tee with denim jeans. He has a crooked smile of a player. He grins at me, but I don't smile back.

"Sorry but this seat is-" I begin but he immediately interrupt me.

"Nah I'm not sitting here for long," He grins again, and I don't like that, "Just wanna have a chat with you."

No, unfortunately, I don't want to have a conversation with you, I almost blurted out but refrained from myself from doing so. Be nice, I remind myself, always be nice before you assume.

"Alright," I say and he seems pleased.

"How old are you?" He asked, getting comfortable in his seat as he shifts it closer to the table. I wished Suzy could come now, so I don't have to entertain this stranger, or be his source of entertainment.

"12," I lie blatantly, since I'm no way obliged to speak the truth. I checked my watch again; it has been 10 minutes. Suzy, where are youuu?

He laughed, thinking that I'm joking with him. I am, but not in that kind of way.

"I must be 36 then," he cracks a joke and I don't laugh. He straightens up, "What's your name? You are really pretty."

I instantly gets turned off. I hate it when someone calls me pretty. It's like as though that's the only thing good about me. I want to be called funny, or neat, or intelligent. I don't want to be 'just pretty.'

My eyes are wandering around for Suzy aka my savior when a message pops up.
Sorry I'm stuck