Ashling

Chapter 20

I pout my lips and do a dramatic hair flip. She shakes her head and giggles, kicking me gently on the shin. I've bought a couple of girls I dated to this place. But they were mostly concerned with how they looked, not really paying attention to the surroundings or the game. I didn't really mind that, but being with Cassandra here and the way she's easily sitting and devouring her burger, makes me realize how much I was missing.

She's herself. She's original. It's not like she doesn't care about how she looks, because she does. But she doesn't care about what people think of her. She doesn't pretend. It's an admirable quality, but I'm not sure if I like it so much. Because as much as she reminds me of myself when I don't care what people think of me, I can't deny the fact that she also reminds me that I pretend.

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She finally agreed to let me drop her home. I think we both don't want this little hang out to end so soon. After we were finished eating, she looked at me with a naughty smile and said, "Tyler? Take me home?" Then she burst out laughing and I just sat there, embarrassed and happy at the same time. It's 10:30 pm and here we are in the car, making small talk.

"So, what's your favourite colour?" I ask her.

"Yellow."

"Why yellow?"

"It's a light, cheerful colour and it makes me happy. It's the innermost colour of the rainbow spectrum, it's the colour of the sun. It can be as dark as you want it to be, and as luminescent."

"Whoa! That is some description." I say as we make our way out of Manhattan and towards Queens.

She shrugs and asks, "What's yours?"

"Blue."

"Any reason for liking it?"

"It's my calming colour."

She hugs her legs tighter and smiles. The road we're travelling on just has dim street lights on it's side, which is the only source of light here. We stay in silence for a while and it feels a bit weird. I guess we're not on that level of friendship where you can appreciate silence, because quite honestly I'm feeling nervous and hot all of a sudden. I think she's feeling a bit uncomfortable as well because her hands are fidgeting.

I tune in to the radio and we both wait for a song to start, grateful for the distraction. The music starts and she squeals.

"It's 'Misery' by Maroon 5!!" She's so excited I'm scared she might just jump outta the car.

So scared of breakin' it that you won't let it bend
And I wrote two hundred letters I will never send
Sometimes these cuts are so much deeper than they seem
You'd rather cover up, I'd rather let them be

"I've heard this song.."

"Of course you have!" She screams. The chorus starts and she starts singing along.

"I am in misery!
There ain't nobody who can comfort me!
Oh yeah!
Why won't you answer me?
The silence is slowly killing me! Oh yeah!"

I laugh, shaking my head. Her voice is so out of tune but she's enjoying it so much that I can't help but feel happy.

Your salty skin and how it mixes in with mine
The way it feels to be completely intertwined

She's nodding her head and I'm tapping my fingers against the steering wheel. And without having any control, I start singing as the chorus comes.

"I am in misery!
There ain't nobody who can comfort me!
Oh yeah!"

She looks at me with a huge grin on her face, literally her lips have curved from ear-to-ear. And then we're both singing.

"Girl you really got me bad!
You really got me baaaad!
Now I'm gonna get you back!
Now I'm gonna get you back!"

She squeals, "This is so much fun!"

"I know!!" I swear, I feel so fresh right now, it's almost like I'm having an adrenaline rush.

"Oh! The best part!" I signal her to quieten down. I make out a squeaky, girly voice and sing.

"Why do you do what you do to me yeah?!
Why won't you answer me answer me yeah?!"

I bloody nailed it! It's evident because Cassandra is hollering with laughter and clapping.

Girl you really got me bad, you really got me bad!
Now I'm gonna get you back, now I'm gonna get you back!

She rejoices with me as we both lose ourselves in this song and sing our heart out. This is the perfect end to the beginning of our friendship.