During Gym class I receive a message from out of the blue. "Hey. Meet me where you were sitting when we first met after school, ok?" I repeat to the empty air. I'm here, waiting for her to show up.

The buzzing in my head was a bit weaker today. I guess it's because of the lack of pressure from class, but I definitely won't complain. My phone is dead now, though. I hope she didn't cancel. At least it's not raining today I guess but without my music, I am very vulnerable...

She appears from behind the rock, taking a seat beside me. "Hey, Tess." I look over to the tree in the grassy area of the courtyard. "Hi." Another awkward pause, just like earlier with Alf. "You seem moody as usual. Anyway, I was wondering if you'd want to hang out today."

A feeling of shock overtakes me as I look back to her quickly. "What?" She lightly punches my arm. "We're friends, right? I figured since neither of us really want to go home we could go around the city a bit." Friends? Her? But I just met her yesterday.

"I mean..." What do I got to lose? She isn't the worst person to be around and I've had a decent day. "Why not, I guess? Where do you want to go?" She looks down at her feet, licking them out into the air randomly.

"Honestly? I wanted to take you to this fashion place I know. I wanted to see what you'd look like if you weren't dressed like a trash bag." Well yikes. Fuck you too. "I look fine. Besides, even if I did like something I can't afford shit." It's a harsh truth, but an honest one.

She steps down, tugging me down by the arm. "Just come on. If we find anything I'll pay. Please?" She gives me fucking puppy eyes. Who does she think she is?! "Hell no. I'm not a charity case." I rip my arm away from her hand. "I'm going home."

"Wait!" I stop, turning around slowly. "What is it?" She kicks her foot against the ground. "I already called my mom to tell her I'll walk home later... After hanging out with a friend." Are you fucking kidding me?

I roll my eyes, and then gesture my head to basically say come on. She does, and I begin walking. "Then where are we going? Because we're not going there." She frowns hard. "Can we? Please? We won't get anything... I just wanna try my fashion sense on you."

Fucking hell... "Fine." She smiles excitedly, wrapping her arms around mine in a... hug. It was warm. The feeling was really nice... And the scent left from it was strawberry. Why is she so fine with being around me? So damn close too...

"Sorry if that was a bit much. I just think I can make you look really, really good! And don't worry, I'll keep that edge you have." She winks to that, but I just stare at her blankly. It gets her to stop, thank goodness.

She begins asking stupid fashion questions. Like "Do you like piercings?" and my response every time is "No." "How about tattoos?" "No..." She looks away, embarrassed to ask the next one. "How about collars?" "Fucking, no..."

I knew that look. Although it's never usually a look I see this close to me. Her face was kind of red. She is either embarrassed or... blushing? She like collars or something? Kinky fuck.

"You okay?" She asks, oddly. "I'm fine. Why?" I take my hands out of my hoodie pocket and stretch them a bit. "I don't know. Usually, people like you have a reason to be so standoffish." I put my hands back up, looking down at the ground.

"I mean, I do. Duh, but who fucking cares?" There is a wind that comes through, and we are left in silence for a brief and peaceful moment. Then she stops me, putting a hand on my shoulder and turning my head over to her with her other hand.

"Maybe I care, stupid." Why do you care? What did I do to deserve care. "It's my business. I don't even care enough to say. Now let me go." She does, in one quick and vicious movement. Great, she was pissed.

"Fine. Whatever. You really are stupid." She begins walking ahead. Damn, do I want music right now... I feel the black smog closing in. Luckily, as long as I'm not alone it won't invade.

"Hey." She turns around to my voice, still fuming. Her fists were clenched. "I'm sorry. I'm not used to... being in social situations." Her hands soften, as does her expression. Her eyes were replaced with a light sadness, maybe pity. I don't know.

She takes a deep breath with closed eyes, and walks back over to my side. "Fine, Tess. I won't push, but if you need to let things out then don't keep it to yourself, okay?" I nod in hesitance, and she looks away again.

"Can we still go...?" I nod again, and her frown is quickly replaced. "Good, Edgy." She grabs my wrist and begins dragging me down the road. I wince to the pain, but luckily she doesn't notice. "Don't call me Edgy."

"Why not? It's cute." She looks back at me, and her smile changes somehow. It was a different kind of smile, even if only for a moment. I noticed it, and I wouldn't forget it.

Within minutes we reach a small shop with a fancy name that wasn't in English. Mannequins lined the glass window displays, and when we went inside the place had an odd smell. I couldn't quite tell what it was. "So this is the place?"

She turns her head to me. "Yep. It's a small place, but it's also quite classy. Come on." She pulls on my arm again and drags me to the back corner of this odd store. Oh no, there was a dressing room...

What only seemed like seconds later she handed me a full set of clothes. "Try them." "You didn't even ask my size?" She shakes her head. "A true fashionista doesn't need to ask such trivial questions."

I just roll my eyes and head in, shuttling the curtain behind me. I begin to undress, questioning my life decisions. Why the hell was I doing any of this? Ugh.

I button up the white shirt, and the dress up is complete. I put my hands in the black dress pants, and then notice the mirror. What I saw was something odd. Something I've never seen before. I looked... semi-professional.

The white buttoned shirt and the dark pants really went well together, and my neck was for once very visible. Usually my hood or my headphones are in the way... Odd. "You done changing?"

"Yeah. I am." I quickly pick up my clothes and walk out into the store once again. Blue suddenly freezes. "Holy shit, Tess!" We get a bunch of weird looks for her language. "I was right... You pull that off well."

She keeps looking at me rather uncomfortably. I can't help but put my hand on my arm, as if trying to make myself smaller. "Tess, I have to get you this." And suddenly, I'm snapped back to normal. "Hell no."

"You look too good in it not to have it. Just consider it a gift from me. Even if it's my eyes that are getting fed when I look at you wearing that." Did she just fucking call me eye candy? Fucking hell...

"I said no, Blue." I slowly go to walk back inside the changing room until I feel a tug on my back. "Wait!" She whistles, and a tall man in formal wear comes over. "Yes, ma'am?"

"How does he look?" I give her a death stare before the man begins to speak. "In his current wear, he looks excellent, ma'am." What? She begins giving me an evil smile. "Agreed, sir." He nods, and walks away behind the counter.

"Now. You look hella good in that, we're getting it." An upset feeling comes to my chest, but I decide to submit. "Fine. Just, fine. At least let me change back." She nods, and I get that chance.

The smog enters through the cracks of the empty room. I felt the pain welling up, but I manage to force the thoughts away for now. I step out with my old clothes on, and we head out with a bag in my hand.

I couldn't help but feel bad on the way back. And apparently she notices. "Hey, Tess. Is there anywhere you want to go before we head home?" I didn't really know how to answer the question. Today has already been so... different than usual.

"I... I don't know." She looks across the street, thinking. "How about there?" It was an arcade place, and it looked fairly empty. I'm not to into games, but it sounded more fun than that fashion place back there. "Sure."

We headed inside, and honestly had a good time. Some time during the games and such I forgot about how much the clothes cost, how mom was going to throw a fit over them, how guilty I felt for letting her buy them...

Soon enough, it was dark outside, and we were still playing a fighting game we grew attached to. Once we knew the time though, we prepared to head out. We looked at the Aquarium in the corner of the room toward the exit one last time.

"Hey. It's kind of dark so I'm going to walk you home, and then I'll go home." She smiles, looking at the fish. "That's sweet of you, Tess." An awkward silence kind of filled the room as we looked at the blue glow of the otherwise dark room.

My heart was beating a bit fast to a thought that wouldn't leave my head. Something that just wanted out of my mouth. And eventually, I couldn't anymore. I nervously place my hand on the tank. "I hate everyone but you..."

To be continued...