Chapter Nine

Pain.

It racks through the side of my head like a bullet through a brain as I turn under the covers. I feel a body on the top of the covers lying next to me. The door opens but I keep my eyes closed.

"Hey, I brought up breakfast for Blue. Is she feeling any better?" a deep voice asks, placing something on the bedside table.

"Still sleeping. She'll wake up soon," the body next to me replies.

"Okay, I'm having a shower. Elle's still passed out, I'll wake her up when I'm done."

"Okay..."

The door closes and I slowly start to stir around in the bed. The room looks familiar... a little too familiar. It's Lee's room. The pain gets worse as I turn to face the figure, opening my eyes half way. I'm met by a very, very cute face.

"Hey, Blue," Lee says in a morning voice. Sexy...

"Hi, Lee," I reply moving my hands to hold my head.

"Do you know what happened before Noah came into the room last night? Are you okay?" Lee asks, grabbing my head and examining it.

"Um, I don't really remember."

"I remember being pulled away from you and to the pool. Who took you up- Tyler," Lee spits, with venom in Tyler's voice.

He sits up and puts his hands on either side of his head.

"It's fine, Lee. It's done no-"

"No, Blue. It's not fine," Lee starts, "he could have raped you! Killed you! Anything bad could have happened."

"I guess you're right," I sigh, "but I'm okay now. Lee, nothing's going to hurt me anymore."

He turns and half-heartedly smiles at me.

"Okay. You eat some breakfast, I'm going to make an emergency survival kit for Elle," he instructs.

I let out a deep, heart chuckle, "okay."

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> ...Fifteen minutes later... <

I've finished eating my breakfast and Lee's typing away at the computer. The door swings open and a hungover Elle emerges from it.

"Never let me drink again," she says tiredly.

I laugh as she claws over my wrapped up body on the bed. Lee turns around and looks at her sympathetically.

"It's okay," he says, picking up the'kit'  that he made, "I got it covered."

"He made you an emergency survival kit," I explain as he hands the brown paper bag to her.

"Yep. Some granola, sports drinks, some antacids and an epic dose of awkward shame," he laughs as she looks at the contents of the bag.

"Thank you," she giggle, blowing him a drunk-ish kiss.

"Oh and um... really good work last night," he starts.

"What do you mean?" she asks hesitantly.

"You told everybody that Noah and the O.M.Gs will be doing the kissing booth," I say to her.

She rolls her eyes, most likely to herself, then flops down next to me facing the other way.

"Come on!"

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"Listen, it's all about the OMGs," Lee starts as we move in the line for lunch, "we get them to do the booth, everyone else will follow."

"Kay, Elle. Do you want to go over the plan again?" I ask her as I finish piling up my lunch.

"No, I think I got it," she nods, "okay, wish me luck!"

"Good luck!" Lee and I reply.

We go find a table in the corner of the lunch room as we watch Elle sit down with the O.M.Gs. Lee gives her a thumbs up... and a really weird face, then I see Elle hesitating.

"Ask Mia about me!" Lee mouths, adding in odd hand gestures here and there.

"Uh- umm," I hear Elle faintly say, "Lee wants to know if you like him."

Smooth, Elle. Real smooth. Mia turns to look at us... or Lee. Nevertheless, I duck my face down into my food making sure I am not seen. I feel Lee lift up his milk carton and I internally cringe. Mia turns back and I stop stuffing my face.

"Has she stopped looking?" I whisper, ketchup smeared across my lips.

"Uh huh," Lee replies.

"...needs to learn to dress though," I hear Mia say.

Rude. Lee's sense of style is just fine... ish, thank you very much.

A few minutes later, Elle sits down with us.

"Done and done! They're in!" She squeals.

"Great. The stand's all done, we just gotta polish off now..."

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Hi-ho, hi-ho. Back to the school workshop we go. It's sixth period (a free period) and Elle, Lee and I are just putting some final touch-ups to the stand.

"So we've got a pretty solid line up now," I start.

"But we're still down one Noah Flynn, though," Elle finishes, "but let's focus on the booth."

Lee and I nod picking up brushes and opening the paints.

"I'm going to make the letters, and then you two are going to make everything else. Okay?"

I nod again whilst Lee just stands there. Elle snaps her fingers in front of his face, gaining his attention again.

"We're only two days away from the carnival so we need to move. Chop-chop!"

"Have I ever told you that you're bossy?" Lee asks as I get some paint on my brush.

"Yes," Elle agrees, "but then I told you not to tell me that anymore."

Lee laughs, "you're funny."

"I prefer the term 'witty'," I chip in.

"Huh," Lee starts getting some paint on his brush, "I'm more of a slapstick guy myself."

"Really?" I fired back.

He nods and flicks paint across my shirt. Lucky the art staff make us bring 'smock' clothes so we don't get any paint on our clothes... well at least I remembered to bring one. I look up at Lee with a 'seriously?' look on my face.

"I am sorry," Lee says sarcastically, "was that the wrong colour?"

"Oh, you're gonna..." Elle stifles a laugh.

"Oh, you're so dead!" I scream chasing Lee around the table with a bucket of paint.

Elle starts flicking paint at the both of us and I some how get paint in Lee's mouth. He spits it out and dip his hands in the red and blue paint.

"Going for a spider-man look, are you?" I giggle.

Lee nods and wipes the blue paint all the way down Elle's face. She stands there in shock as we both laugh at her. As I'm laughing at Elle, I feel a finger slide down my jawline (no, not in that way. Ya nasty), and spread paint all the way down my neck.

"LEE!" I yell.

He laughs at me and grabs me from behind.

"Get her Elle! Get her!" he laughs, smudging paint down my arms and onto my waist.

Elle lifts the paint bucket and makes me scream. Then at the last second... she rips me away from Lee's clutches and pours all the paint on Lee's head. We laugh as he wipes away the paint from around his eyes and spits out whatever got into his mouth. Then he starts chasing us around the table. Elle, running off to hide somewhere and leaves me cornered and I try to sprint my way out.

"Gotcha!" He laughs as he grabs my shirt, tugging me back to him.

"Elle, help!" I giggle as he tickles me and wipes the paint off him with my shirt.

"Oi! You two!" A head student says as he walks into the workshop, "get out before I get a teacher."

"Sorry," I mumble, getting my things and dragging Lee out of the shop.

We hold our breath all the way out the door until we shut it, then we burst out laughing.

"Your face!"

"That was so much fun!"

After a couple more minutes of laughing we're finally at the car.

"Hey, can I wash up at your house. Elle and Noah got detention after school and I need a ride," I say to Lee.

"Yeah, of course," Lee replies, "but, you need to help me was the paint off the car."

"Fine, I just need to get the paint off me first!" I giggle.

"Okay, okay, let's go!"