DIFFERENT (Different Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

full length mirror. I was wearing a strappy dark purple satin dress which was lined with a pink netting that skimmed just above my knees. I’d borrowed it off Louisa because I seemed short on party clothes. Most of Louisa’s clothes weren’t my style, but this dress was kinda cool, and I liked how soft the material felt against my skin.
                  I’d teamed it with a pair of black tights and my black pumps. Looking in the mirror, I guessed that I looked okay. I’d also managed to get out of Louisa doing my make up, so at least I wasn’t covered in glitter eye shadow and lip gloss.
                  I put my black quilted jacket on and tugged my brush through my hair one last time before I closed the door on my bedroom and walked down the stairs.
                  ‘You look really good,’ Louisa said as I walked into the living room to tell them that I was leaving.
                  They were all seated on the black leather sofas watching some programme on the TV.
                  ‘You look lovely, sweetheart. Now, make sure that you have a good time, and please don’t be too late home,’ Gloria said.
                  ‘Thanks,’ I blushed.
                  She’d said the ‘home’ word, and I’d felt my stomach lunge. This family was too good for me; this family was perfect.
                  ‘Bye.’ I gave them all a wave as I left the room.
                  As I stepped outside, the cold greeted me with an intense jolt. I watched my breath briefly mark the air as I quickened my pace. I kept looking over my shoulder at every sound that I heard, and I was annoying myself with my nervy behaviour. If Leo didn’t live the opposite end of town to me, then I so would have made him come and walk with me.
                  No one was following me. Why would anyone want to follow me, anyway? Yeah, okay, so I’d messed up in the past, but things had changed now. I’d changed.  I just wanted to go to this party and be normal.
                  As I walked onto Megan’s street, I felt my nerves intensifying.  I didn’t go to parties because I wasn’t like other people. I did weird things and freaked people out. I was better off in my bedroom alone as I attempted to do my homework.
                  I heard the faint sounds of music that seemed to vibrate under my feet, and that was when I looked up and saw Leo.
                  ‘Hey, Celeste,’ he shouted over to me. He was stood by the large gravelled driveway of a large detached house.
                  ‘Hey,’ I replied, wrapping my arms around myself as I walked over to him.
                  ‘I stuck to my word, unlike you. Ten minutes I’ve been standing out in the freezing cold. Toad must have offered me a fag at least four times.’
                  ‘Oh, sorry,’ I muttered as I followed him up the driveway.
                  ‘I will attempt to forgive you, but it may take time,’ he grinned.
                  ‘Gee, thanks. So I take it that you didn’t take Toad up on his offer?’
                  ‘’Er no,’ he chuckled as we walked past Toad and another boy smoking by the front door.
                  ‘So she came then,’ Toad smirked, as he pulled on his cigarette. ‘You sure you don’t want a fag?’
                  ‘Yeah, she did, and nah, you’re all right, mate.’ Leo grabbed my arm and led me past them.
                  When I’d first met Toad, I hadn’t understood why he was called that. So, okay, he was scrawny and used far too much wax in his hair, but the nickname seemed a bit harsh. In the end I’d asked Leo why Toad was called that, and he said that it was because when they were about seven or eight he’d caught a toad and placed it on the teacher’s desk. He’d