The Model Project

Chapter 2

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP,BEEP, BEEP BEE-

L.J shot out her arm from underneath the blanket, letting all its weight drop smack down onto her black digital alarm clock. She groaned as loudly as she could and sat upright in her bed. Her mouth stretched wide open with a yawn, and she rolled out of bed, walking like a zombie to her bathroom. When she finally opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, she contorted her face into something of disgust mixed with shock. She opened the cold faucet, sticking her hand under the running water, and then used both hands to scoop it up and splash it on her face her nerves feeling like they were being woken up by being electrocuted. As she got in the shower she thought about last night and what she and the guys did at that party.

"We're here"Shane said and he parked his Jeep close to a few other cars in the street. When Shane switched off the engine, and the automated lock system was disabled, Cam nearly fell out the backseat trying to rush to the front door of the house.Someone was in the mood to party and meet cute new girls she thought to herself, nearly gagging at the imagine that popped into her head. L.J has heard many of the rumors going around that Cameron just play girls and don't ever want to settle down, but she always disagrees. Not just because he's her friends, but because she basically lives with him as well as the other boys too,and she grew up with them all getting to know the real people they are. That's why she loved all of them, they are amazing people, no matter what other people tells her, L.J will always love them.

She watched as Aaron slowly got out the car along with her and Shane, not as eager as Cameron to go and find someone to make out with, even though she knew Shane would totally land another girl tonight. He hardly ever dated girls and only made out with some of them when he was in the mood, but even though girls throw themselves at him he isn't bothered with them at all. She never really thought about her own love life, and didn't care about it either, but like any other girl she has thought of her friends as hot, or handsome. She couldn't help it, all three of them are too attractive for their own good. She hasn't said anything about it yet, and she never will, but she always felt attracted to them in some ways more than others, but that's just because their hot, and she knew that it would never be more than that. L.J could remember the first time in high school when they started working out, they all went to Shane's house to swim in the big pool in their backyard. L.J has seen them all shirtless before, but that was when they were all chubby little boys with round faces, and that day they suddenly had abs, biceps and strong jawlines that made her feel like she always needs a fan next to her.

L.J shook her head and looked at Aaron as he put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a concerned look.She smiles at him and he returned the gesture, but his eyes still held a slight tinge of worry in them.

"Are you feeling ok?" He asks her, and she takes a deep breath nodding.

"Yeah, I'm great" L.J says but Aaron kept looking at her like she was about to breakdown and cry her eyes out.

"Really, if you're not up to partying tonight, we don't have to. I can ask Shane and I can drive you home or-" L.J gave a hearty laugh at his seriousness, and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.

"Aaron, really though, I'm fine" L.J said, and Aaron hugged her back, pulling away a few seconds later. When L.J let go of Aaron, she noticed Shane stood only a few feet away from them, teasing them with a disgusted facial expression while making gagging noises.

"Ew, guys get a room" He said and then smiled at L.J as she stuck her tongue out at him,scrunching her nose up tightly shutting her eyes, just like a five-year-old fighting with a friend. She heard his deep voice ring through the night air as he chuckled at her childishness.

"Maybe we will" Aaron said, and L.J gasped in shock her head snapping in his direction, and her hand shot out with instinct and she lightly slapped him across the back of his head.

"Ow!" He yells, and both hands latches onto his head his face changing into a pained expression. He peered at L.J through his arms shielding his face and pleaded with her to stop hitting him trying to duck her blows.

"Oh, you big baby, I didn't even hit you that hard" She states and starts walking after Shane entering through the front door of a person's house she didn't even know all that well. She felt reassured that her friends will keep her safe, and therefore didn't feel uncomfortable or awkward. L.J never felt out of place with these guys, because they always made her feel like she was apart of all the special things, no matter how little it was. They always made sure she was ok, and feeling fine, and always tried their best to be there for her in every situation. They even bought her pads and ice cream the first time she got her period, and they stayed with her the entire day, no matter how mean she was to them hence the hormones.

The music was blasting, reverberating off the walls, nearly shaking the picture frames with family pictures in them from the nails holding them up. One glance around the place told L.J that the party has been going on for a few hours already. She felt like she was stating the obvious as she saw crushed, empty beer cans scattered over the floor, and drunk girls trying to stay upright while walking to the drinks table for another round of shots. She turned to her side about to say something to Aaron but found that he was already dragged away to a dark corner with a girl. She was all over him, flirting with him like it was her lifeline. She didn't want to disturb his "oh so heavenly"conversation with blondie, so she walked over to the table filled with different types of drinks and sorts of alcohol, grabbing a bottle of beer,leaving the room that seemed to be a once tidy living room, and what was now a rotting pit of beer stains and sweaty teenagers.

She walked outside to the backyard where there were a little less people, and she could actually feel her own heartbeat again. She saw a big oak bench right under the tree, next to the roots that were clawing their way out of the ground. L.J took a seat on the bench, throwing her legs out in front of her on the bench, taking a big gulp from her beer. With her eyes closed she took a deep breath and exhaled, opening them to reveal a dark brown-haired guy standing in front of her with a smile on his face. She felt her heart jump at that gorgeous mouth of his, making a gesture so inhuman that she almost thought he was an angel sent to her for her own happiness.

"Hi" He said to her, his voice low, yet smooth.

"Hi?" It sounded more like a question coming from her lips, but she didn't know how to talk to guys. Sure, she had three friends that were classified as the hottest guys in school, but she grew up with them. She saw them at their most embarrassing moments. She was there through all the birthdays, and family dinners,Christmases, and thanksgivings. She's seen them wear adorable panda bear onesies while watching the Lego batman movie, but she never got around to flirting with them, since she didn't think about ever doing it until now. This guy was really good looking and she really wanted to act cool, and say something sexy, but she kept her mouth shut, knowing that she would just ruin her life if she opened her mouth.

"Is this seat taken?" He asks, gesturing to the part of the bench with her legs on it.She looked down, realizing what he meant, and she lifted her legs, setting them down on the floor. He stood in front her for a while longer, raising one eyebrow at her, confusing her as to what he was trying to get across to her. Oh,how she wishes she could speak to him like a normal girl would have already done.

"Can I sit here then?" He asks with a slight chuckle, and she nods silently. L.J turned her head to the side, away from the guy, chugging down big gulps of her beer. She felt so nervous she had to concentrate not to let the beer spout out through her nose like a teapot, and all over the place.

"So, I'm guessing you go to MLH?" She knew what the abbreviation stood for and she once again just nodded. MLH is a private school close to the suburb she lives in called Miami Lakes High.

"You don't talk, much do you?" He asks her and L.J just sat still, terrified to even move.

"Can I at least get your name?" He asks, and she slowly opened her mouth, careful not to stumble over her own name, and embarrass herself.

"L.J"

"Is that short for something?"

"Yes" Is all she gets out, falling silent after the words left her mouth. He raises his eyebrows at her, chuckling at her shyness. She felt like an i***t, and scolded herself in her mind, having a silent conversation with herself about she sucked at socializing.

"Well, can I hear it?" L.J wanted to hit herself when she realized she didn't tell him what it stood for.

"My full name is Lara-Jean" She says and glances at him once, hoping he would say his name next.

"That's a nice name"

"Thanks"There was a short time of silence before she mustered up the courage to ask him his name.

"What's your name?" She asked him, avoiding eye contact not wanting to melt away by his gaze.

"Ah! I thought you'd never ask" He teased, and she cracked a small smile at that line.

"So, she smiles!" He said amused and then smiled in return looking at her.

"I'm Roy, by the way" He says and then holds out one of his hands for her to shake. She prayed that her hand wasn't sweaty and reached out to hold his hand in hers for one firm shake. His hand was strong and a little cold, but she couldn't focus on all of that, only feeling her heart pounding in her throat.

"So, tell me a bit about-" Roy was cut off by L.J's phone ringing. She grabbed it from her hoodie pocket and looked at the caller I.D. a picture of Shane giving L.J a piggyback ride flashing on the screen. They were at the beach when that photo was taken.

"I have to take this, real quick" She sighed and looked at Roy apologizing with her eyes.He gave a nod of approvement and she got up putting some distance between her and Roy for privacy. She answered the call and all she could hear was Shane talking to someone in the background.

"Shane?" L.J said into the speaker of her phone and Shane didn't waste a second answering her.

"Hey L.J! You need to come with us right now!" He yells, trying to beat the loud thumping music behind him.

"Why?" She asks not sure what they got themselves into this time.

"Cam got into a little bit of trouble, and we need to get out of here" She glanced over her shoulder at Roy sitting on the bench waiting patiently and sighed. She really wanted to stay here and get to know him better, but she didn't want her friends to get beat up by whoever Cameron pissed off again this time.

"I'll meet you guys at the Jeep in five minutes"

"Ok, bye"Shane yelled and hung up. She put her phone back into the pocket of her hoodie and turned back to Roy. She stood in front of him and gave a tight smile, not really wanting to say goodbye.

"I have to go"

"What, why?"He asks her, and she shrugs.

"I have to be somewhere else" I all she says before leaving him alone on the bench in the backyard. L.J trudged through the crowd inside the house, trying her best to avoid sweaty, and half naked people. She made it out of the front door, her head slightly pounding as the fresh air returned to her lungs. She waited by the Jeep for about a minute before all three the guys came running towards it like they were being chased by the devil.

"Get in the car!" Cam yelled at her, and as confused as she was she did what she was told.

"Drive, drive,drive!" Cam yelled at Shane when they all were in the car, and Shane sped off like a pro. L.J turned around to look out the back window to see what the hell was going on and saw the captain of the football team trying to run towards the Jeep.

"Cameron! What did you do?" L.J scolded him not needing to ask him if he caused trouble.Cameron was a very un-serious joker playboy type of guy. He made jokes all the time, even when the time wouldn't seem right. He likes to play with girls'feelings a lot, and you'll always see him with another girl almost every day.

"I just…had a conversation with Celine" Shane scoffed at Cam's remark on the whole situation.

"Please, it was like you were eating her face off with you mouth" Aaron started laughing at the mention of that, and L.J didn't even want to try and imagine it. Celine was the girlfriend of the football captain. He stopped in the middle of the road, throwing his hands in the air, and she could still hear him, screaming profanities at the top of his lungs. She couldn't help but join in on the laughter that was filling the car, and she soon felt her stomach ache from all of it.

"Cam, one day someone is going to get to you, and kick your player ass" Shane said and L.J playfully scoffed at that statement.

"And what about you mister 'tall, dark and handsome'" Shane met her eyes for a short second in the rear-view mirror and smirked, biting his lip.

"You think I'm handsome?"

"On the contrary I think your all just a bunch of man whores, but ok, let's go with that"She jokes, and Aaron turns to face her from the front seat looking hurt.

"What did I do?"

"You weren't even in the house for a full minute and you had a girl with you" Aaron's face fell at that and he suddenly seemed to be deep in thought.

"Yeah, that girl" He faced the front again and stayed silent for the rest of the ride.

The rest of the night was spent, drinking, dancing and more drinking. All L.J remembered after that was Shane carrying her into her room, laying her down on her bed tucking her in.

L.J got out of the shower and finished getting ready.Getting dressed in some black leggings a sweatshirt and sneakers, she grabbed her shades and pulled them on walking out of the house, wishing the sun wouldn't shine directly into her sensitive eyes. She saw Shane's truck in the road and walked over about to get in when he honked the horn at her. She stopped in her tracks and grabbed her head with both hands trying to stop the pounding. When she got in the front seat, she saw Aaron and Cam half asleep on each other.

"Morning sunshine" Shane said leaning over,kissing her cheek, handing her a jumbo cup of coffee. She looks at him and smells the pure glorifying coffee.

"Did you get it right?" She asks in a low tone and he nods.

"Three tablespoons of coffee with milk and sugar"He replies, and only then does she take her first sip.

"Mm" She swallows down the warm liquid, her brain feeling a little less bloated.

"Thank you" She says, and he nods driving off to school.

The entire way everyone stayed quiet, not saying anything trying to make as less noise as possible. When they arrived, they all got out,groaning and grunting, trying to block the sun from their faces probably looking like wannabe vampires to the rest of the students that were gathered in their usual groups in the parking lot.

"Tell me, who's idea was it to go out and get wasted again?" L.J asked wanting to kick that person in the shin.

"It doesn't matter now, we all did it and now we must suffer the consequences" Aaron said, and they entered the halls. They slowly walked to their lockers, flinching as other students slammed their locker doors shut, making all four of their heads wanting to explode.

"Bye guys" L.J said, and the guys all went their separate ways to start the very long day they were all about to have. As L.J walked down the hallway to her first class of the day, the bell decided to ring,nearly causing her brain to fall out of skull. Flinching she entered the classroom full of loud, irritating teenagers and sighed.

"This is going to be one hell of a day"