Charlie Landon had her future worked out until her mother died in a freak shark attack. Her father uproots their lives in favour of moving back to his small town in America. Charlie meets Percy and Noah who unknowingly turn her life upside down. Bot...
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MIXED FEELINGS
Friday, the 15th of December
The doorbell rings and I race downstairs, my bare feet thudding against the wooden stairs. I reach the last step and groan as Dad opens the door.
"Hello, Percy." He cheers.
"Hi, Mr. Landon." Percy nervously smiles.
"Come inside, I think Charlie's almost ready."
"I'm just putting my shoes on." I slip into a pair of black heels and look up. Percy sharply inhales a breath before smiling. He steps inside and Dad closes the door.
"You look beautiful."
"Thanks! Should we head off now?"
"Hold up, Charlie." He steps in front of me. "Your mother will haunt me for the remainder of my life if I miss photographing this moment."
"We can take photos at school."
"I don't trust you."
"Seriously?"
"Before you pose, can you help me use the camera app thing?"
Percy chuckles while I refrain from rolling my eyes. I help him open the camera app and we awkwardly stand beside each other at the foot of the stairs. Dad frowns at the screen but manages to take some photos.
"Now photos of Percy putting the corsage on."
I brightly smile as Percy slips the corsage on. It's a crimson red rose attached to a bracelet made from elastic with fake sparkly gems.
"It's beautiful, thank you."
"I was worried this wasn't going to be right, but it matches perfectly."
"And so does your tie, thank Lea for me."
Percy's entire outfit if perfect, from the tie, to the crisp white blouse and the tailored suit which highlights his muscular physic. If I hadn't fallen for Noah, I'd be a puddle on the floor.
On our last photo, Percy wraps his arm around my waist and I lean against his chest. The flash blinds me and my stomach churns. I wish this was Noah.
"If you're not coming home, call me. Otherwise, I will look for you, I will find you –"
"- and I will kill you." I laugh.
"Have fun, be good."
"I will, thank you."
On the drive there, we listen to classic punk rock and bop to it. The only perk of arriving early is the great parking spot we score near the oval. Percy races around and opens the door for me. I shiver as the cold air swirls around me.
