Chapter 2 What It takes To Have The Upperhand

"How do I look?" I twirled around slowly with a broad smile on my lips. I was wearing a thin, tight fitting red dress that hugged my curves at the bottom and exposed my shoulders and a bit of my cleavage at the top. It stretched down to around three inches above my knees, though I guess you can call it four since it keeps riding further upwards whenever I walk. Of course, I was also packed with expensive jewellery.

Katie shook her head disapprovingly while Harry sighed as he watched me.

"What's that look for?" My smile was quickly replaced with a frown.

"You weren't invited," Harry stated bluntly as he moved behind Katie in order to zip the back of her dress.

Ignoring his words, I turned and grabbed my red lipstick from the dressing table, coating my lips while admiring myself in the mirror. "I'm so gorgeous," I acknowledged, sweeping my black hair behind my shoulders and stepping back a little so I could get a better view of my prominent curves. "I can totally get married if I want to."

Through the mirror, I saw Katie roll her eyes. "Your jealousy is showing, Haley," She said matter-of-factly.

I scoffed. "Jealousy....I've never felt that before."

"You make it obvious that you are."

"Someone like me can't get jealous of someone like her." I gnawed at my nails to make myself seem preoccupied, hoping she'd drop the conversation. But as always, Harry was the one who didn't seem to know when to shut up.

"Someone like her?" He butted in with a raised brow.

"Yup...she's beneath me," I told him with such certainty that a smile broke out on my face.

"Yet look who's the married one with a hotshot husband..." He countered.

I glared at him through the mirror. These were the times when I wanted to smash his head to goo with my bare hands. He's so freaking annoying! I seriously don't know how Katie puts up with his sissy attitude.

"Who's side are you on?" I fired at him, tossing the lipstick aside and turning to him with my arms folded across my chest.

"No one's."

I sharpened my glare and flipped my hair angrily then stomped over to Katie and laced our arms together. "Since that's the case, you can go by yourself...Katie and I will go with Josh." Frowning, I grabbed my purse and stomped out of the room, dragging a reluctant Katie behind me.

"...But you weren't invited," I heard him repeat under his breath after I slammed the door shut.

"I heard that, you punk!"

I dragged Katie all the way outside, setting her free when I stood infront of the old, wooden bench underneath the small tree. I flopped down on the bench, my heel unconsciously tapping against the ground out of anger. Katie watched me cautiously, as if afraid that I'd explode...that may as well be the case.

The bench was cold, almost like ice against my skin and the night air was chilly, causing goosebumps to rise as the wind swept over me, but my momentary anger left me mentally oblivious to that for a while.

Stupid Harry! He and I had been friends since high school so he damn well knows how I feel about Layla yet he keeps on defending her and makes it seem as if I'm being unreasonable! What kind of bestfriend does that!?

"Have you called Josh?" Katie asked after a while, pulling me from thoughts. My scowl deepened. "He should be here by now."

Josh...another friend that needs to be disposed of! Why? Well for starters he's stupid...and he's a total chatterbox. If it were any other time, I'd honestly walk through a freaking storm just to prevent myself from seeing him but right now, I'm in dire need of his help, though I hate to admit it. Since I'm single-- which isn't something to be proud of around here---I'll need someone to be my boyfriend for the night. Obviously Harry can't do it, so on such a short notice, the only person who can get the job done is Josh...the most annoying person ever as well as the only friend I have apart from Katie and Harry.

Reluctantly, I took my phone out of my purse and dialled Josh's number.

He picked up on the third ring. "Haley?"

"Where the hell are you?!"

The beeping of a car filled the other end of the call then Harry's voice mixed in as he answered me, "I'm just around the corner."

My jaw ticked. "Just around the corner my ass! Hurry up and get here!"

"Just give me tw-" was all he got to say before I hung up on him.

After the call ended, silence reigned for a while...very much appreciated silence... until Katie got a little too impatient. "Hey...its been a while," she started hesitantly, "why don't we just go with Harry?"

My eyes narrowed in irritation. "I already said we're going with Josh-"

"No YOU'RE going with Josh..." A voice cut me off. I looked around, finding Harry standing on the porch. Smirking smugly, he walked forward and grabbed Katie's hand in his. "Katie's coming with me," he finalized.

Katie bumped his shoulder with hers and sent him a warning look, one that didn't look very scary on such an innocent face, "Stop being so childish, guys." She turned to me with a smile, "Come on, Haley. We can all ride together in Harry's car since it doesn't seem like Josh will be coming."

I stared at her indecisively. Despite Harry being VERY annoying right now, I honestly want to go with them, but I can't. Showing up empty handed would make me look inferior and not showing up at all would make me look like a damn wuss.

Ugh! I don't even know what to do!

"I'm going with Josh." I insisted, though I was pooling with agitation. I swear if Josh messes this up I'll break his freaking neck!

Harry ran a hand over his face. "You're seriously too-"

Just then, the sound of beeping filled the air. My eyes searched and found Josh's car pulling up.

My face instantly brightened. "Well..." I said, jumping to my feet, "that's my ride." Flashing a smug smile at Harry, I waltzed over to the car, patting a slightly flabbergasted Katie on the shoulder as I passed by. Like the gentleman he is, Josh opened the car door from the inside. "Toodles!" I waved at them before sliding in, but my good mood suddenly evaporated when I looked over in the driver's seat.

"Take that shit off!" I demanded, frowning as I stared distastefully at the big-rimmed glasses Josh was proudly sporting.

He smirked at me. "As you wish princess~" he cooed. He removed the glass and flipped his chocolate brown hair that stopped just above his eyebrows as his blue eyes remained trained on me...I guess that was his ridiculous attempt at looking hot.

I glowered at him, scrunching up my nose in disgust. "I'll kill you." I warned and a loud laugh left him in response. Sighing, I sat up and shifted in my seat so I was facing him. "Now that that's taken care of...let's set some rules."

"Rules?"

I nodded. "1. Don't drink, 2. don't do anything stupid and 3. don't talk unless spoken to...got it?"

He pouted but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, let's go make a bitch mad!"