Hazy

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Facebook: 1 New Friend Request

Jemma, Nathan and I are curled up on Jemma's bed in post-party tradition - curtains drawn, buckets on hand and 10 Things I Hate About You softly playing on the TV. It is late afternoon, and we are deep in recovery. Having cleaned the house after breakfast, had a nap and watched the slow trickle of guest leave it is just us three now reclining and relaxing.  

      "Okay, but I don't understand why," Nathan whines as Heath Ledger strides down the steps of the field belting Frank Sinatra, "How did he even get the microphone  -" 

Jemma hushes Nathan, poking him with her foot. She gives her undivided attention to the screen, and doesn't want to reopen an argument over her favourite film with Nathan again. Grumbling, Nathan watches the screen intently with tension in his shoulders. I unlock my phone, and open my Facebook notification. 

Rydel Lynch has requested to be your friend! 

Over breakfast we'd talked at length. She is such a kind person with such witty humour, and she shamelessly filled in more gaps from last night. Between paying out her younger brother and munching on Nathan's pancakes, Rydel's energy was contagious. Unlike her sibling, I felt comfortable around her and felt like she was someone I would like to get to know.  

I don't hesitate, and accept the request. 

A quick survey of her Facebook account informs me that she is 22, older than myself by two years. This kind of justified her maternal nature, but for only two years difference she seemed just as lively as us. Her profile picture was herself and her long-time boyfriend who she'd mentioned a couple of times. They were holding each other. It was such a cute and wholesome photo that I had a small pang of envy - there is no boy holding me in my own photo. 

Investigating her page further, I found out that she was one of five kids, and the only sister to four boys. You poor thing! It turns out that all the Lynch siblings carried the 'hot' gene, especially the older brothers. From the photos I wouldn't have picked Ross to be our age, or that he was simultaneously immature and a fuck boy from the sweet smile in the photos. Though, there was a tip off with the amount of buttons that were always undone on his shirts...

My eyes dart from my phone to the screen and see the Kat flashing the teacher to save Heath. Nathan wolf whistles and claps. 

     "Hey!" It is my turn to nudge him with my foot. Jemma and I are leaning against the headboard of her bed, and Nathan is draped over the foot of it. He turns to me laughing. 

     "Would you flash to get me out of trouble?"

I pretend to think about it, flipping my phone over in my lap. We both know the answer though before I say it -  "Nope."

      "Dammit." 

My phone chimes and I look down towards it with drawn eyebrows. It rarely chimes when I am with these two because they are the only people who message me, and they know it. 

      "Ross sexting you already?" Jemma asks cheekily, craning her neck to see my screen as I pick up my phone. I laugh and angle it towards me so that I can see the the notification first. 

     "It's Rydel." I say, and Nathan slumps back onto the bed, having risen in expectation. 

      "Thank god, the good one! I don't like him," Nathan mumbles to his elbow. 

     "What?" Jemma asks Nathan, "You don't like Ross?"

      "He looked at Nia and all those girls like a piece of meat." 

      "So?" Jemma draws out the 'o', "It's nice to have attention." 

Jemma nudges me, but I am consumed in my screen.

Rydel L: hey! 

Rydel L: it was so nice to meet you today, and I hope you're feeling better! it's been a long time since i've been to a party and met such nice girls... would you like to catch up sometime this week for a coffee?

     "She wants to meet up for coffee," I inform Jemma and Nathan, completely ignoring the comments they'd made about her brother.  

     "Oh yes!" Jemma exclaims, "Let's get coffee with her." 

Me: it was cool meeting you too, i'd like to meet up :) 

Me: would it be okay if jem tags along?

Rydel: of course. 

Rydel: i don't have many girl friends. 

Rydel: where did you say you study?

I didn't blame her for not interacting with many girls, I imagine it would be hard to make many female friends when you have four brothers, and at least one of them is a man-whore. We exchange a few more messages and it turns out that Rydel (like Jemma and Nathan) studies at the neighbouring university to my own - where I am at the conservatorium, they are on a big campus. 

We quickly tee up a time to meet up a small cafe between the two places that fit around our schedules.

      "So where's my invite?" Nathan asks, fully turning himself from the paint-bomb scene. 

     "It is a girls-only coffee date." 

Nathan pouts. 

     "You and your bff Ross could have a top-secret date too," Jemma is quick to offer, and is quick to be smacked in the face with a pillow. 

      "You know I don't trust him!" Nathan cries. Jemma consoles him. 

My phone, already unlocked, vibrates in my hand and I watch a notification banner drop over mine and Rydel's conversation;

Ross Lynch has requested to be your friend!