3

I quietly walk in, followed by Penny and I sit down on one of the two free chairs. As I sit opposite Rex, I  take a little tip from my mom's sitting manner because I don't want to look " undignified", though there isn't anything about me that is similar to his current girlfriend Hailey, I still have hopes that he might notice me at least.

"Penny and....umm Tobi are finally here. Great!" Mr Jenkins, our principal says. I just sit down and stare at him, Wondering how every year he presents me an award of excellence for my academic performance and yet he doesn't know my name! Am I so invisible or am I not important enough to be remembered? I sigh, completely tired of things like this happening and then I say; "Sir, it's Tori - just Tori" only thing is , I'm probably the only one who hears myself say that.

" This is a new academic year and like I was saying, I really want this year's events to be unique".

Nate yawns loudly and shrugs when everyone looks at him. 

"For those of you who got added to the committee, incase you're wondering, it's just because the previous members totally wrecked last year's events. Since the junior students' lives are way more fun than the previous and most of you here, I thought I'd pick the three most popular from there to bring in more ideas."

I look at him, utterly shocked at what he just said. Three most popular? Is something wrong with this man? In fact, why am I the only one surprised at this statement? Even Tiana who is a member of the board doesn't seem surprised. 

" So! You guys will be having meetings every Friday after school to deliberate on event matters. Last year sucked but this year has to be better okay? "

" Yes sir" they all say as I still try to decipher the meaning of what he said before.

" Tobi! " He says. 

" Tobi!!" He says again.

I look up and find every one staring at me. He's talking to me?

" Sir, it's Tori not -" I manage to say audibly but he cuts me off.

" Whatever, you and Penny will report to me on the meeting!"

" Yes sir!" Penny says enthusiastically, while I just mutter my own response.

" Great! Have a good day!" He says before he leaves. Immediately they see him leave they all start talking to each other. Since Rachel isn't a member of the board, I just get up and  start towards the door. 

" Woah calm down Tori" I hear a very familiar voice say to me. I freeze because the person whom it belongs to is someone I've only spoken to in my dreams and well... When I was in fifth grade - Rex. I turn around and find him behind me, picking up my notebooks that probably fell out of my bag. He hands them to me and says ; " bad day?" With a smirk.

" The worst" I say but I don't smile. Though I like him, I don't want him to know, he might just freak out. 

" That makes - "

"- three of us" Nate says with an eye roll,completing Rex's sentence, yeah they are close like that. 

" Or should I say two of us?" 

" That's totally up to you Nate" I say before I take my books out of Rex's hands.

"Thanks" I say. He smiles at me and if not for the fact that I had imagined the day he finally talks to me probably five hundred times, I would've swooned. Instead, I keep my cool, open the door and head to my first class for today - Math. 

When I get to class, the teacher is there. I don't even bother taking a look at him, I just throw my bag on my desk and heave a sigh of relief. I'm relieved that I didn't wreck my first conversation with Rex. 

Rachel gives me a questioning look and then the smile that I had been trying to keep from creeping on my face breaks free. Like a true best friend, she gets it and smiles mischievously. I'm pretty sure the rest of the class won't  sink into my brain, I'm too busy being happy that Rex talked to me.

At the close of school, Rachel and I leave our chemistry class totally exhausted.

" God! Today was stressful" 

" Tell me about it"

" So Tori, how are you feeling?"

" Still awesome!"

" Awesome enough to accompany me to the party tonight?"

" Definitely not, if you wanna party go on your own!" I say in my most " that's final" tone. 

" Your loss ! I'm gonna have fun today at the party" 

"And I'm gonna stay up all night daydreaming of a hundred and one ways Rex could've kissed me after we talked"

" That sounds really boring Tori but do you" 

" Oh, Mr Joe is here. I'll see you tomorrow Rachel"

" Or you'll see me tonight, never say never" she says as she walks backwards and winks at me. I just shake my head, grinning as I wave her good bye. 

" Mr Joe, you're not picking up my sisters are you?" I say when I get to the parking lot at my school.

" Definitely not, I wanna live long" he says with an exaggerated shudder and I laugh. 

"You look happy today, what miracle caused that?"

"The ' once a while' miracle" I say and he drives me home. Again, I listen to ocean eyes but this time , I have this really big smile on my face as I hold the books Rex had given be in my hands. Things are starting to look really good for me and I'm loving it. 

The ride back home is just as fast as it was in the morning. When I get home I take off my clothes, have a really fast shower and lay flat on my bed, daydreaming  of how my  small talk with Rex would've ended with a kiss. Before I get far with dream, Tiana and Toni barges in and starts asking questions. 

" Tori! Heyy" Toni says as she sits on the chair by my reading table. 

"What?!" I hiss in reply. They both look at me, smiling at me mischievously.

" So, Tiana said you talked to Rex today"

" Well, I'm not one to brag but yeah we talked. In fact, HE talked to me" I say with a proud smile on my face. 

" Yeah for once her royal clumsiness finally got her Rex's attention" Tiana says and they burst into fits of laughter while I just watch them angrily.

" So, what are you gonna do?" Toni asks.

" What else? Be happy for this one time he spoke to me." I say with a shrug.

" Wait, you don't want to try and make that happen again ?" Tiana asks with her eyes widened as she stares at me.

"It's not gonna happen okay? We all know that"

" But it can happen if you'll just try to be the Tori we used to know and stop dressing the way you do now" Toni says, this time without any hint of mockery.

" Stop okay, I'm fine this way." I say as I tuck my hair behind my ears and fiddle with my fingers.

" No you're not. You're just trying to be closer to dad and you think dressing like dad used to will do that but.... It doesn't work that way"

" Yeah, Tiana's right. I mean, you used to love doing everything thing that a typical girl would until... Well you understand. All I'm saying is, that Tori isn't gone - just try to let loose and bring her back okay?" 

" I even saw you on Instagram scrolling through an ad for heels like you used to back then. It's not late to be you again , I genuinely miss my beautiful,nosy and most importantly - bold sister."

I say nothing because, even though I always deny it, it is the truth they just said to me. I AM trying to be closer to my late dad, I still wear his clothes sometimes .

" Think about it Tori. In the mean time, I need to figure out what to wear to the party, my boyfriend told me to dress sexy Tonight" 

" Wait you have a boyfriend Toni?"

" Duh! Nate can't resist all this" she says as she runs her hands through her body and I laugh. But when I realize who's name she mentioned, I freak out.

" Wait! You're going with Nate McClain??" 

" Yeah she is and their probably going to do IT Tonight" Tiana says as she gets up and leaves , Tobi follows her out and says " see you later Tori!"

I try to breathe and calm down as I tell myself " Nate McClain can't date my sister!"