Amber Eyes

FIFTY

Harley

If you're looking for a person to talk to when you're sad, looking for someone who would say comforting stuff to you to make you feel better, then I can assure you that I am the last person you should come to.

Sure, I might listen to you with as much interest as I can muster in that moment but saying what you need to hear in that moment – I can't guarantee you that.

And I don't think Jude has realised that yet.

"Dude, he was talking to her in front of me and he touched her hand and she was totally flirting with him and I'm sure he gave her his number." She exhales, closing her eyes for a second but I know she's not done yet. "And then he saw me! He saw me and then put his hand away and looked away then went to the back. Fuck, dude, am I overreacting?"

"Jude," I say finally, "are you sure he was flirting?"

"I said she." She crosses her legs and leans her head against the wall. "She was flirting. I'm sure of it."

"Did you hear her?" If she can't sense my annoyance, then she's dumber than I thought she would be.

"No, but–"

"If you like him that much, you better ask him about it. Or do you want a misunderstanding to happen?" I grab my phone. "For all you know, that's his sister or something."

"This isn't Alabama."

"You said you don't know whether she was flirting or not."

"Yeah, but–"

I roll my eyes. "Jude, if you're that desperate for some relationship–if you can even call it that because technically, you've only kissed once and you don't know if he's your boyfriend or not–go to Ana or any one of the girls you know. I'm terrible at this "

"Don't abandon me like that." She pouts, the way kids do when their mothers refuse to buy them their favourite chocolate. "And you're a fucking genius. Surely you'd know what to do in a situation like this?"

I scoff, giving her an incredulous look. "What makes you think that I'd know how to solve your relationship problems?"

"I don't know, maybe because you've probably been in one and I haven't?"

"And what makes you think I've been in a relationship before?"

That gets her. She leans forward, eyeing me with fake suspicion. She bites her lip, clearly not believing it when it's something actually true for once.

"I don't believe you," she simply says. "How many guys have you rejected?"

"And what makes you think guys have asked me out?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, how many guys and girls have asked you out?" She's hugging her pillow now, her red hair sprawled across her shoulders as she watches me intently. "Come on, now's not the time to be humble. You're hot, pretty, beautiful, insert-every-single-word-related-to-that. How have you been single all this while?"

"Jeez, chill. Thanks, I guess. And I've been asked out before but I've never dated."

"Have you had your first kiss yet?"

I should have expected this question but I didn't. I could lie to her about it but there's no point in that as long as she doesn't ask me who I kissed. So, all I do is nod and she squeals.

"Oh my god, Harley, give me details. You know what details are?" She throws her pillow away and walks over to my bed, sitting right next to me. There's genuine excitement in her eyes. "Who was it? When was it? How was it?"