Black Velvet

Even though I wanted to leave the school building again I knew that dad would be furious and before I even had time to consider what to do, I was being marched back into the office by the Principle. She made Alex and I apologise to each other and also told us to meet back in her office at lunch so that we had to talk things over. Surprisingly, it made our relationship as civil as it could be. Although it was under the conditions that I never spoke to Kyle again and I explained to Marnie and the other girls so they would also accept Alex. Even though I was furious with her I knew inside that I wasn't up for handling the constant animosity and my anger was still very much over Mr. Way and his actions.

"So are we still going to Brooks' together?" Alex asked me primly as all of us walked out of school. We had barely been talking all day apart from inserts of civil conversation and this was the first real thing she had said to me.

"I have Saturday detention, I guess I'll have to make my own way there," I replied, keeping my voice light and polite as we across the parking lot.

"Bring your dress and change in school, it's probably a good idea not to be late," she said, punctuating her sentence with a rigid smile in my direction as we stopped to part ways. I sent an equally as forced smile back her way before turning on my heel and heading out of school, relieved to be away from the intense atmosphere of the day I had endured.

Luckily dad wasn't home when I arrived but he'd left me a note on my bedroom door.

'mom rang. call her when you are back from school. dad x'

I assumed the kiss at the end of his note was a sign of an apology. Dad and I never did big apologies, we'd usually do simple, small things to make up. Selfishly, no part of me wanted to ring mom and talk to her, all I wanted to do was bury myself in my duvet and pretend today hadn't happened. It was driving me insane, I wanted out, I wanted to take my mind off everything. By some stroke of luck my cell phone buzzed and even though it was probably the last person I wanted to see, I still agreed.

'Hey, it's Kyle. Saw what happened today at lunch. Please come with me to the movies tonight. I won't tell anyone, I just want to take your mind off Alex. My treat x'

My eyes wondered over my cellphone screen before I accepted his offer. We arranged to meet at nine that evening outside the movie theatre. He had offered to come and pick me up but I didn't want to have to introduce him to dad.
I picked through my closet blankly, trying to find something that was vaguely attractive. As far as I could tell Kyle was popular and wealthy, not privileged enough to go to an all boys school like the guys from Idestead though. Unlike the other boys he was always well groomed and smartly dressed, I wanted him to see me in the same light. I had also realised whilst pathetically rummaging through a pile of clothes, I was someone's superior as he was chasing me and his dad worked for my dad. I found myself feeling mildly powerful. Deb came in halfway through my clothes flinging frenzy, she was carrying a cup of camomile tea and was wearing a long dark green maxi dress, several chucky necklaces wrapped around her neck.

"We gave you a closet to put your clothes in," she joked in the doorway, her Birkenstocks slapping softly on my floor.

"I have a date," I sighed, "I wanted to look... nice but I don't think that's going to happen," I finished, sighing again.

"You look lovely in everything," Deb said unhelpfully, leaning down and kissing my temple before leaving again. After twenty minutes of excruciating choosing I tugged some tight black jeans up my legs and then chose a fitted cream jumper that Alex had given me. I painted my lips a deep crimson and loosely pinned my hair up, becoming more and more worried about my appearance. The more I looked in the mirror, the more I felt I looked even worse. Eventually I pushed my feet in my black boots and ran downstairs in the kitchen, where mirrors weren't available.

I began to walk into town around quarter to eight, not wanting to be completely on time. It was already dark by the time I had started walking, making the air considerably colder. The movie theatre was part of the multi-complex that was just outside the centre of town. I could see Kyle standing outside aloofly and he grinned when he saw me approaching, my hands pushed deeply into my aviator jacket.

"I had a suspicion you may stand me up, I'm a little surprised you showed up," he smirked, taking a step towards me. I could see his breathe in the air in front him and he was bundled up in a dark blue collared coat and chequered scarf.

"I kind of wanted to take my mind off today," I started, "It was intense," I then finished, thanking him quietly when he opened one of the double doors so I could walk into the theatre. I was instantly hit with the heat and sickly, sweet smell of popcorn and candyfloss. The ticket area was filled with couples milling around and loud families trying to bustle their children out of the door. I glanced up at Kyle quickly and he smiled, his hand suddenly being thread into mine.

"Do you want some popcorn? Or more of a candyfloss girl?" Kyle asked, walking me towards the ticket desk, "There's a new movie out called Rapture, it's got a some romance, action. I guess it's kind of like a Bond movie or something. It was better than anything else that was out," he rambled comfortably as he collected our tickets, his hand leaving mine momentarily to pay, "So, popcorn?" he asked, blinking down at me.

"Sure," I smiled quickly, a little overwhelmed.
"I hear you're going to Brooks'," Kyle said as we walked to sit on one of the couches to wait until the movie opened, "I know Ed's cousin, I was surprised when I heard a new girl like you managed to get yourself in," he grinned, chucking a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth.

"Are you going?" I asked him, chewing on a piece of popcorn also.

"I may make an appearance, I've been to them all my life so there not much of a big thing to me," he replied smugly. I simply nodded, listening to him make mindless conversation until the double black doors opened and Kyle escorted me inside.

I treaded carefully up the pitch black stairs, using the handrail to guide myself towards the back row of seats. Once I'd shuffled through one of the rows, my body landed in the seat heavily. Kyle sat beside me, a lot more elegantly, sliding his scarf off from around his neck. My hands clutched the bucket of popcorn and even though it was dark I still felt strangely awkward. Also I felt guilty, part of me was only seeing Kyle to secretly annoy Mr. Way, even though he didn't even know I was here.

We watched the film silently and Kyle was the perfect gentleman. He would occasionally put his hand on my thigh and lightly rub it but would only stay there for a few minutes. The film was below average, a lot of fucking and a lot of guns. I even started yawning after the first half an hour and my eyelids had grown heavy after the film was over.

"I am so sorry about the amount of naked women in that movie!" Kyle exclaimed as we burst out of double doors back into the ticket area.

"I wasn't especially offended by the amount of naked women I saw, the whole film was pretty terrible," I said, half joking, half serious.

"Please don't let that movie cloud your judgement of me, I thought it was just going to be an easy watch!" he grinned at me before his facial expression turned as he recognised someone, "That's Ed," he said to me, pointing behind my shoulder. I turned around, furrowing my brow as I looked in the general direction he was pointing at, "Ed!" he then yelled, taking my hand in his and dragging me towards a group of three boys.

"Kyle!" A guy with blond hair smirked once he had turned around. Him and Kyle were pretty much identical other than the hair colour. The others boys were dressed similarly. one of them wearing a dark green beanie over his hair.

"Man, I haven't seen you since Maria's party, this is Amelia Roseden," Kyle said, gesturing to me.

"I know who she is, you're friends with Queen Alexandria, I'm surprised you're allowed outside," Edward smiled at me patronisingly, I narrowed my eyes at him worriedly for a second.

"I know Alex likes to keep her puppies on a leash but this one tends to kick up a fuss," Kyle replied for me, raising his eyebrows as he said it.

"Someone trying to change the monarchy of the popular girls," Ed then said, his own eyebrows raised. I was growing annoyed with the way they were talking about me like I wasn't here.

"This puppy is also here and listening," I interjected, my tone light. The four boys chuckled lowly together.

"Public school girls, got to love them," Ed smirked.

Notes

sorry for the lack of updates, will be updating later on also x