*Blue Cheeze* Sami - Sooner or Later*~

CHAPTER ONE:

4th May 1995:

"Oh, I hate you!" scowled the young girl, spinning around to face her enemy, her blonde ponytail swishing vigorously back and forth.

"Good, coz I hate you too!" cursed the boy, standing less than 5 meters away, his face contorted into a sneer.

"Peg one more stone at me and I�ll thrash you to a pulp, you Schwachsinniger!" warned the girl, narrowing her green eyes menacingly and placing her hands on her small hips.

"Ooh, calling me a moron in German now? Ooh, who�s smart?" retorted the boy, flicking his blonde hair out of his eyes. "As if I�m going to waste any more time on you anyway!" he sniggered viciously as he turned and marched away.

"See ya, Pear face!"

"Unfortunately!!!!! God� he�s such a jerk" lamented Sarah, kicking the ground as she watched his lanky form round a corner and disappear from sight. Groaning loudly with frustration, she turned to her best friend, who strangely had remained mute throughout the whole thing. "Don�t ya reckon?! What a jerk!"

"Yeah" her smaller friend replied absently.

"I mean, how the hell did he know that I called him a moron in German?!" spat Sarah, looking severely annoyed.

"Well, you say it to him frequently enough?" suggested the skinny brunette, swinging her school bag lazily from her shoulder as she did so.

"Marie, since when has Lee spoken German?" demanded Sarah, turning to Marie as they walked towards their respective homes, trying to enjoy the short walk from the primary school they both attended.

"I don�t know" replied Marie quietly, finding the stain on her school shirt incredibly interesting.

"You told him!" squealed Sarah indignantly. "Didn�t you!"

"Oh cummon, Sar, I had to!" pleaded Marie, her large blue eyes apologetic. "He can be soooooo cute, really!"

"Marie, what kind of friend are you? You told my arch enemy, Lee Ryan, what all my insults mean!" yelled Sarah, rolling her eyes. "Why?!"

"He�s the most popular boy in our class!" whined Marie, as if that explained everything.

"Do I care? No!" snapped Sarah.

"Sorry, Sar" sighed Marie. "But honest, he is so nice! And cute!"

"Yuck, Lee and cute don�t belong in the same sentence," came the hurried reply as Sarah strode up to the front door of her house and promptly unlocked the door. "You coming in?"

"Am I still allowed?" asked Marie hesitantly, twisting the straps of her school bag nervously. "I mean, I did just say that Lee was nice!"

"Of course you�re allowed, don�t be stupid. Would I ask if I didn�t want you over?" moaned Sarah, opening the door and letting the two 12 year old girls inside. "Mom? I�m home!"

"So I�m forgiven?" begged Marie, with one of her famous smiles.

"No, but I�m letting you off this time. And only this time" said Sarah with a grin, throwing her bag and Marie�s onto her bedroom floor.

"Thanks" smiled Marie gratefully, knowing that Sarah was never mad for too long, as she followed her friend and joined her in the TV room. "So what are we gonna do now, Sar?"

"This is the part where we plot how to get revenge on Lee!" grinned Sarah, a huge gleam in her eye.

"Oh, Sar�."

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June 1st 1998:

"Sar, does my hair look ok?" asked Marie, as the two girls stood in the girl�s toilets, admiring their appearances in the large mirrors. "I�ve never curled it before".

"Since when have you been worried about your hair?" said Sarah, peering at her best friend strangely. As for her own hair, it was pulled back messily into some sort of bun, easy and effortless in anyone�s opinion.

"Please! It�s important I look ok!" begged Marie, her blue eyes desperate.

Sarah sighed loudly, mainly for effect. "Yeah, it looks real nice. Very girlie though!"

"Ohh�" sighed Marie, and began analyzing herself again.

In appearance, the 2 best friends couldn�t have been more different. Marie was of Spanish background, with smooth olive skin, dark glossy hair and sweet baby blue eyes, giving her the look of an innocent cherub. Sarah on the other hand was fair skinned with a dash of freckles across her nose, with honey blonde hair and piercing green eyes, which simply served to make her look cheeky continuously. She was also a good few inches taller than Marie, which she made sure to point out regularly. It was their almost identical personalities that drew them together, albeit a few different opinions making sure they retained their individuality.

"God, you�ve really got it bad for that new guy, haven�t you? Whatever his name is" said Sarah, fidgeting loudly as if trying to obviously signal to Marie that she was well bored with the toilets.

"Antony," sighed Marie dreamily. "His name is Antony".

"Yeah?" groaned Sarah. "Cummon, girl! You look fine! Let�s leg it!"

"Just coz you don�t fancy anyone" sulked Marie, gathering up her things from where she�d rested them in the basin. "We are grade 9 now you know, old enough to date, but NO, you don�t like anyone".

"Thank god" smirked Sarah. "I�d hate to think I�d have to start changing how I look just for him."

"Oh, ouch!" squeaked Marie. "Geez, you�re a bitch!"

"Sorry, hun" apologized Sarah. "You know I didn�t mean that at you, but it�s not fair how girls have to do that".

"Yeah".

"I mean, honestly, guys have to do nothing�" Sarah continued complaining as they turned the corner and fought through the throngs of students crowding the hall, each of them trying to get to their lockers or head off to class. "It would be so much easier being a lad I reckon�"

"Sar, watch out!" cautioned Marie, but too late.

"Don�t you agree?" asked Sarah, turning to face Marie, just as she walked straight into the person standing directly in front of her.

"Watch where you blunder!" snorted a loud, familiar voice.

"Watch where you plant your fat ass!" retaliated Sarah, ever fiery, as she looked up into the blue eyes of a tall young man, as his friends gathered round him.

"Sarah MacKenzie, you have such a way of talking about yourself" snarled the guy, the venom in his voice evident, as his friends chuckled.

"Hi, Antony" blushed Marie, gazing lovingly at the boy�s dark haired friend.

"Hey, Marie" grinned Antony shyly, winning Marie over instantly with a warm smile.

"Get outta my way, slime ball" spat Sarah bitterly as she gathered her strewn books up off the floor. "As usual, Lee, you�re in my way".

"I think you�ll find you walked into me, Pear face, being your usual un-co self" snapped Lee, and his entourage of friends sniggered loudly.

"Piss off!" growled Sarah, pushing past him rudely as she headed for the Geography room.

"Bye, Antony!" grinned Marie happily, before dashing after her furious friend. "Sar! Wait up! Sar!"

"What a psycho!" laughed Lee to Sarah�s retreating back. "She hasn�t changed since kindergarten, you know"

"Kinda hot though" one of his friends replied thoughtfully, eyeing Sarah�s butt as she stormed off.

Lee�s face immediately wrinkled up in disdain. "Oh, come on, don�t be so gross, man! Hot and Sarah are not 2 words that mix!"

"Her friend was cute!" piped up Antony, changing the topic subtly.

"Marie Dacourt?" asked Lee.

"Yeah"

"Oh" replied Lee dumbly. "She is? Well, we�re gonna see if that hold true or not coz we�ve got Geography with them now".

"Damn straight!" smiled Ant, slapping Lee on the back. "And you�ve got time to reconcile with that Sarah chick"

"As if" scoffed Lee, grabbing his books. "Let�s go".

"Are you ok, Sar?" asked Marie, a worried expression written across her young face.

"I�m fine" snapped Sarah, rummaging through her pencil case loudly.

"Just checking. God, don�t bite my head off" replied Marie, annoyed.

"I�m so sorry, Marie, but it�s�"

"I know, it�s Lee. Again." sighed Marie, feeling fed up.

"It�s always Lee!" cursed Sarah. "My life would be so much easier without that waste of space" she added, as she found the pen she desired, right as Lee walked into the room.

"Speak of the devil" commented Marie.

"Ooh, Lee�s here!" squealed some girls sitting a row behind Marie and Sarah.

"Oh yum, he looks well fit"

"He is sooooo fine" admired another, as they giggled and flirted in his direction.

"Ugh, they make me wanna spew" said Sarah, pulling a disgusted face. "It�s so pathetic".

"But it�s true you know" said Marie, trying to catch the eye of Ant.

"What is?"

"Lee. He is gorgeous looking" replied Marie truthfully.

"Puh-lease!" sighed Sarah. "He�s nothing more than a self-obsessed mummy�s boy!"

"You�ll say different one day" giggled Marie deviously, elbowing her sullen faced friend. "You�ll adore him one day, Sar, I bet!"

"Never!" squealed Sarah, positively revolted at the thought.

"You will!"

I will never ever in my life fancy Lee Ryan" promised Sarah, just as the bell rang, signifying the start of the lesson.

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CHAPTER 2:

22nd September 2000:

"I�ve heard it all before!"

"No, no, you haven�t! I�m dead serious, I heard this girl sayin� that Lee�s gonna ask you to the Yr11 formal!" said Marie, her eyes wide and her face solemn, as they say under a large tree in the open ground of the school.

Sarah broke into peels of laughter. "And why would he do that? Oh ha, ha, ha, Marie, you�re a crack up!"

"Cause I think he secretly likes you!" giggled Marie, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Get off it, gal, and back onto your normal medication!" laughed Sarah, reaching across to slap Marie playfully. "You know how much I can�t stand Lee and vice versa!"

"Ever since play group, I know" recited Marie with a knowledgable nod,

"That�s right" agreed Sarah. "Sad to say that he�s been a jerk ever since he came out of the womb" she added as she ripped up a handful of grass and threw it in Marie�s direction.

"Hey, do you mind?!" squealed Marie, gathering it up and throwing it straight back.

"I�d be so honored just to even talk to Lee" commented their friend, Jo, who had been silently watching the pair argue, her blue eyes shining with humour.

"Forget it, honey, he doesn�t talk to you unless you�re with the �in group� or if he hates you" replied Sarah, eyeing Jo with pity.

"That�s not true!" argued Marie.

"It�s not?" asked Jo hopefully, her eyes revealing her crush, as she delicately brushed her layered blonde hair from her face.

"Of course it is" deliberated Sarah. "I should know!"

"Ignore her" smiled Marie, pointing in Sarah�s direction. "She�s just totally biased coz her and Lee have never ever said a single civil word to one another in their whole lives. He�s actually rather sweet" she added, grinning at Jo.

"That�s what I thought!" insisted Jo, nodding her head animatedly. "That�s what everyone else says too"

"It�s all lies!" lamented Sarah woefully, flopping onto her back in the cool, short grass, "Just a pack �o� lies!"

"Sar, shut it!" giggled Marie.

"Oh come on, you�re delusional! Saying Lee is nice is like saying that Ant is ugly!"

"He is not!" defended Marie sharply, looking ready to slap Sarah.

"Precisely" said Sarah. "We know Ant�s a looker and therefor we know that Lee�s a loser"

"Is this all you ever talk about?!" laughed Jo, and Sarah felt momentarily guilty. Jo had only started at Pinerow High a few weeks ago, and the teachers had given Marie and Sarah the job of trying to help her feel welcome.

"Pretty much" sighed Marie, causing Jo to laugh even more.

"Well, Marie�s been in love with Ant from a distance for a good, solid 2 years now so that�s all she ever drivels about, and myself and Lee declared war on each other the first day we laid eyes on each other; so hence, war plans are the only things on my mind," explained Sarah seriously, chewing on a piece of grass as she did so.

"Don�t chew that!" scolded Marie, snatching the grass off Sarah like a mother does to her naughty child.

"But you�re 17 now!" said Jo, still not quite understanding why the rift was still so strong.

"Your point?" chuckled Marie, ribbing Sarah whilst she safely could.

"I dunno, I thought maybe you�d bury the hatchet by now, especially with a hottie like Lee"

"Huh! Hottie! Ha!" retorted Sarah. "Nah, more fun like this"

"And torture for the rest of us" quipped Marie.

"Talking about hotties�" started Sarah, sitting up quickly and brushing the hair out of her face hurriedly, causing her 2 friends to follow her gaze.

"Who? Ooh, Duncan?" asked Marie, her nose wrinkled up in confusion.

"Yeah�" breathed Sarah, trying not to stare.

"Man he�s fit, it�s gotta be his smile�" said Jo. "But uhm, earth to Sarah, isn�t he Lee�s best friend?" Jo asked innocently.

"Unfortunately" groaned Sarah, as she watched Duncan walk up to an ebony haired girl, and embrace her tightly, a grin revealing his perfect white teeth.

"And he�s dating Alannah Charlesworth" added Marie, her eyes also fixed on the scene in front of them.

"I really don�t like that girl" hissed Sarah, as she watched Alannah run her hands through Duncan�s lightly spiked brown hair. "She�s such a miss show pony"

"Thinks she�s queen of the world just because she�s the captain of the netball team and her daddy works in the top order of Virgin records" complained Marie wistfully, as Alannah continued to create a big scene with her good looking boyfriend.

"She told me to clear off the other day when I got lost and accidentally walked into the room where she was meeting with her posse" lamented Jo, a bitter look briefly registering in her pretty eyes.

"She�s like that, stupid cow. I dunno how she pulled a gem like Dunc" cursed Sarah, before standing up and brushing herself down.

"Maybe coz she�s really pretty?" said Marie, as though it was blatantly obvious.

"But that doesn�t make her nice!" snapped Sarah.

"Guys are thick like that, don�t worry" said Jo, insightfully. "If a girl is pretty, that�s all that matters, but he�ll find out soon".

"HHmmppfffh" mumbled Sarah, suddenly walking off.

"Was it something I said?" asked Jo quickly, facing Marie, worried she�d offended the hot headed girl.

"Nup" smiled Marie. "That�s just her, you�ll get used to it"

"Ohh" murmered Jo, still not convinced.

"Trust me, girl, that�s just our moody Sar!"

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4th November 2000

"Who are you asking to our prom?" Jo asked curiously, as the group of girls stood around their lockers, everyone but Jo having got their books already.

"Are you still on about that?" derided Sarah, twisting a piece of hair around her finger in mock boredom. "The only thing I know is that our table of 3 has got to be you, me and Marie"

"Sweet" smiled Jo, agreeing. "Where�d that bloody assignment go??"

"You should ask Dunc" suggested Marie to Sar, with a devilish wink at Jo.

"Oh yeah, and that would go down so well with Alannah. I mean, I really feel like receiving a black eye when I go up and say, �Yo Alannah, can I take your boyf to the formal?�. Yup, I might just do that you know" replied Sarah sarcastically, the words coming out so thick and fast that neither Jo nor Marie had a chance to take a breath.

"But, Sar" protested Jo. "Don�t you know?"

"Know what?" asked Sarah, obviously confused as Jo finally finished fishing through her locker for her elusive Literature assignment.

"They broke up!" grinned Marie happily, somehow reminding Sarah of the Cheshire Cat. Why ever am I thinking of Alice in Wonderland at this time? God, I�m losing it. "It�s all over Red Rover, she cheated on him!" finished Marie, looking dead thrilled for Sarah.

"You serious?" gasped Sarah, a hand flying to her mouth in surprise.

"Oh yes!" chorused Jo and Marie, before giggling exhuberantly.

"You�re in, girl!" prompted Jo. "Quick, before anyone else snaps him up!"

"Oh, I dunno, guys" said Sarah, suddenly reverting to the shy side that was rarely ever seen.

"Why?" pouted Marie. "He�s been single for 2 weeks now, he�s anyone�s game"

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better, Marie, thanks"

"I give up on you" sighed Marie, throwing her hands up in defeat. "If I can ask Ant, my crush for 2 years now, you of all people can ask Duncan to be your formal date!"

"Exactly!" piped up Jo. "And if I can ask Lee, you can ask anyone!"

"You asked Lee??" Sarah half shouted.

"Er yeah� I thought you knew?" Jo blushed, looking at her feet.

"Good grief, are there any other secrets you guys would like to air whilst we�re at it? Feel free, no time like the present!"

"Well, no, I think that�s it" quipped Marie, laughing.

"Don�t be a smart ass, that�s my job!" scolded Sarah. "Jo, how could you ask Lee, when you KNOW we hate each other!" snapped Sarah, shaking her head.

"You know how much I like him" said Jo rather sadly.

"We�ll be fine" smiled Marie optimistically. "Come on you two!"

"Yeah, whatever" sulked Sarah. "I�m just kind of going into shock here, don�t anyone mind me! I can�t believe I�m going to have to put up with Lee Ryan at my table at my formal!"

"You won�t have to sit next to him" reasoned Marie, hopefully.

"At least he�ll look good in photos?" suggested Jo, trying a small smile.

"I can�t agree with that" Sarah said, picking up her books for Literature. "You know what I think of him by now surely"

"So you gonna ask Dunc?" smiled Marie, tentatively approaching the previous topic.

"Maybe" murmured Sarah, a tiny smile starting at the edge of her mouth, and in that moment both Marie and Jo knew that Sarah was going to bear it out at the formal with Lee, for the sake of their friendship.

"So you�re gonna ask Dunc?" repeated Jo, with a wink, putting a friendly hand on Sar�s shoulder.

"Like I said, maybe" replied Sarah, giving nothing away. "Can we just go to Lit so that I can stare at him for a while and make up my mind?"

"Damn straight!" grinned Marie, linking arms with her 2 friends.

"Hey, you got that saying off Ant!"

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Present day, 2001

"Come on, we�ll be late!" complained Jo, running into Sarah�s room and disturbing the apparent peace and quiet. "What are you doing?"

"Me? Oh nothing" said Sarah, putting down the photo she was holding in her hands.

"Oh my god, not that photo!" grinned Jo cheekily. "That bloody Yr11 formal"

"Bloody is right!" chuckled Sarah. "I almost killed Lee that night, and I would�ve if the principal, my parents and the whole school were there as witnesses!"

"You�re a dag" smiled Jo, staring at her friend. "Have you ever noticed how much we looked alike that night?"

"Hell yeah" agreed Sarah, picking up the photo again. It was true, both the girls had their blonde, layered hair out, dried straight, and they both had fair skin with a light sprinkling of freckles. The only true difference between the two was Sarah�s green eyes and rosy cheeks, whereas Jo had topaz blue eyes.

"Kinda freaky" snorted Jo. "Anyway, we�re going to be late as usual!" she exclaimed, grabbing Sarah�s arm and dragging her out of the room.

"What are we late for this time?" groaned Sarah melodramatically.

"Our first day of university!"

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