clementine // joshler

67

tyler's point of view

sydney, emily, and i sit in the taco bell parking lot, eating our food in my car. the restaurant was packed, so we decided it was probably best to avoid eating in.

"maybe we should've gotten food before we got ready," emily notes, her quesadilla barely sticking out of the wrapper as she takes careful bites.

"i just wanted to make sure we'd have time to finish our hair and stuff! there's food at the dance if we hadn't had time to stop anyway," sydney says.

"it'll be fine," i reassure both of them, wiping my mouth with a napkin, "but we are getting close to time to go. are you guys almost done?"

"yes, sir!" sydney salutes.

we finish up and then i step out of the car to throw the trash away before we head out. the traffic doesn't bother us on the way there, thanks to sydney's playlist curating skills. we've known each other for so long that she always makes a perfect mix of what we all like. there's a feeling of nostalgia that comes with the songs that play, bands we discoverer in middle school serenading us on the way to our senior prom.

we laugh and sing along together, and when i park, sydney makes sure we take several pictures in and out of the car before we go inside. then, of course, we stop at the photo area, posing together in front of the backdrop.

all the decorations look really nice and the song that starts when sydney drags me and emily to the dance floor is another one that i recognize.

we dance for awhile, lost in the moment together before sydney says she needs a drink. i volunteer to get them, mostly because i know josh is at the drink table tonight. emily and sydney wait at a table while i walk over to him.

"good evening, mr. dun. enjoying punch duty? i was sent to get a few cups," i say, watching him try to stifle the wider smile he's trying to hide for the sake of normalcy.

"definitely. are you having fun?"

"i am," i answer genuinely, my cheeks sore from all the smiling i've been doing.

he hands me three cups of punch, careful to make sure i've got them in a way i won't spill them.

he nods once, "good, i'm glad. this memory will be important. live in the moment. all that other stuff."

i thank him and silently wish i could kiss him, but begrudgingly walk away.

i set the cups down and then sit between them, "your drinks, ladies."

"thank you, good sir," sydney taps her cup against mine in cheers, "i'm absolutely parched."

"your boyfriend over there has been staring at you for most of the night, you know," emily says, nudging me a little.

i feel myself blush and hope it isn't too noticeable under the dim lights, "i know. i can feel it."

"i think it's sweet," she says.

"i think it's hot," sydney shrugs, "he's all protective of you and stuff."

"shut up! tonight is about is three amigos, okay?" i kick her gently under the table, but i couldn't wipe the smile off of my face if i tried.

"yes. that's why i turned down my many suitors," she sighs dramatically.

"will you ever settle down you think?" emily asks. there's no judgment in her tone, only curiosity.

"someday. but it's not time for deep talks right now. so, what is on our drunken agenda? i am thinking drinking games, ordering takeout, and my super awesome, kick-ass playlist," sydney clasps her hands together and looks between emily and i, waiting for our reactions.