Free Then Came You by Cherelle Louise

flashing up to meet Tyler’s as he smirks proudly at me, winking. Soon, another note is passed to me, the girl sighing with effort despite the bored look on her face.
    So… does this mean you’ll lunch with me?
    Finally, I give up, rolling my eyes as I write YES! in capital letters and passing it to the girl to give back to Tyler.
    “Finally!” She moans at me from the corner of her mouth. “I thought you were never going to reply!”
    After class, Tyler waits for me so we can walk together to the cafeteria. He takes my hand and looks at me, as if to see if it’s alright. I smile at him, stretching up so I can kiss his cheek, my cheeks going red. He beams at me, triumph flashing in his eyes as we walk to lunch.
    “So,” he says as we sit down, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “I’m glad you decided to ask me to have lunch with you.”

 

     
     
    Thirteen

     

     

     
    “Put your head to the side – No, the left! My left!”
    “Don’t you yell at me! It’s not my fault you coated my ear with pink dye! Now it’ll look like I have Pink Ear or something!” Remy screeches back at her.
      “There is no such thing, you idiot! Now, move. Your head. To the left,” Dana says through gritted teeth.
    “Stop telling me what to do!” Remy yells in a high pitched voice, her face going red.
    Dana growls at her, her fists clenching tightly around the dye bottle and almost squeezing it to death. I quickly intervene, taking the bottle out of her hands and putting it on her counter.
    “You guys need to calm down,” I tell them with a roll of my eyes.
    “Yeah!” Joey’s voice calls from where he’s sat at the table, his eyes glued to his phone. “I can’t hear my phone beep, and I’m falling behind with my messages; stop being so hormonal!”
    Remy groans, looking up at me with a pout and narrowed eyes. “Darcy, can you dye my hair for me? Dana can’t seem to do it properly.” She shoots a quick glare at her friend before turning back to me with a sweet, innocent smile on her face.
    Dana scoffs. “Whatever, I’m getting a snack,” she grumbles, turning around and opening the cupboards.
    “Hey! This is my house! Get your own food!” Remy yelps, her eyes growing huge.
    Dana pauses in between opening a packet of Oreo’s and makes an ‘aww’ sound, batting her lashes at Remy. “B-but you l-l-love me. We’re b-bestest friends in the w-whole world.”
    Remy groans and sighs at the same time, shaking her head and watching as Dana cheers and fist pumps the air, shoving a biscuit into her mouth, Remy clutching her sides as tears of laughter roll down her cheeks. “Oh, my God, - your face! Ahaha!” She makes a ‘woo’ sound as she calms down, wiping her
    “I love you so, so, so, so, so much – Pink Ear or not!” she bursts around the biscuit, spraying crumbs. We all look at her with wrinkled noses and looks of disgust and she shrugs innocently back at us.
    After watching Dana’s messy display, I turn back to Remy with an apologetic look on my face. “I can’t, sorry – I’ve got to go soon.”
    “To your big d-a-t-e!” Dana says cheekily with a wink in my direction.
    Joey looks up to raise his eyebrows at her. “You did not just spell out the word date – what are you, ten?” Dana flicks an Oreo in his direction and sticks her tongue out at him.
    “Nine, actually, but thanks for the compliment,” she retorts. “Anyways… what are you going to wear?”
    I shrug, slightly confused at her question. “Um, this?”
    Remy gasps loudly, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. “Oh my god, are you okay? Girl, it’s your first date with Tyler! You can’t possible wear something like that!”
    “Hey!” I burst, “I’ve been wearing this all day!”
    “Exactly!” Dana grumbles. “You need to get changed and wow him on first sight – it’s in the date book.” I look from Remy to Dana as they both nod intelligently.
    I shake my head slowly, “I don’t think Tyler is like