"There's nothing on TV," Theo whined.
"Out the news on," I told him.
"No way. Why do you even watch the news?"
"I like to know what's going on," I said defensively, snatching the remote.
"And latest in celebrity news: Whitney Houston has been found dead in her bathtub this morning, presumably by drug overdose, though the police are still looking into it," the news reader said.
I choked on my lemonade, staring at the TV in horror.
"Cher, what's wrong?" Theo asked me, rubbing my back.
"Family friend," I murmured.
His eyes widened slightly. "Whitney Houston is a family friend?"
"Was."
"Whitney Houston? As in, famous actor incredible singer Whitney Houston?" He spluttered.
"Yes, Theo, keep up!"
"How!?"
"Honey, my Dad was one of the most famous news readers in the UK, of course we have famous friends..."
"Like who?"
"Umm, I met Justin Bieber once. He was pretty cool, and he stamped my forehead with one of those date stamps."
"That's just weird."
"It was funny."
"If you say so. Who else?"
"My dad was friends with Colin Firth. When I was younger he took me on picnics with his kids. Oh, and Enrique Iglesias is pretty cool, and Ed Sheeran is just the nicest guy you'll ever meet, seriously."
"Except for me?"
I smiled and pressed my lips against his forehead. "Except for you."
"Yay."
"I still can't believe she's dead. My mum would have been beside herself," I muttered
"So, she was a close family friend, yet no one has called to tell you?" Theo asked.
"Someone will call," I promised. Just then, my phone rang beside me and I glanced at the caller ID.
"Hi Colin," I said down the phone.
"Kiddo, you answered my call," he replied, sounding surprised.
"Umm, well, yeah."
"You've been ignoring them for three weeks. And everyone else's! What the Hell is going on with you?" He shouted.
"I'm in Colorado. With Jenna Lockhart," I mumbled. "Sorry."
"Why didn't you answer my calls?"
"You remind me of my dad. I'm sorry," I muttered.
He sighed. "I'm sorry, kiddo, I didn't know," he whispered.
"It's alright. I guess you're calling about Whitney?"
"Yeah. If you want to come to her funeral I can pick you and Jenna up on my way?"
"I'll ask her, but I'm sure it would be fine. Can we bring Theo too?"
"Who's Theo?"
"My boyfriend." I clamped my hand over my mouth, realizing my mistake too late.
"What!?" Colin yelled, his voice raising an octave. "Let me talk to him."
I glanced at Theo who gulped and shook his head feverently.
"He's umm, not here," I stammered.
"That's quite alright. I'll have a word on Saturday. I'll pick the three of you up at 9 AM, got it?"
"Okay Colin, see you then," I mumbled.
"Bye kiddo."
I threw the phone down on the bed.
"Now, see, one of the really cool things about dating you is there's no Dad threatening to shoot me in the face if I hurt you. That guy is scary!" He muttered.
I giggled. "Don't worry about him, he's a teddy bear."
"Yeah, really sounds it."
"Come on, we have to go shopping."
Theo sighed. "Why?"
"I don't have anything suitable to wear to a funeral, and neither do you."
"What did you wear to your.... No, never mind, I get why you can't wear that."
I smiled. "Thanks."
"But I have a black suit, you know," he mumbled.
"How much did it cost?"
"I don't know, $70?"
"No offence, but not good enough."
"Hey!"
"Come on, Theo. The other men will be wearing $3,000 suits..."
"I can't afford a $3,000 suit," he grumbled.
In grinned. "But I can. My inheritance just kicked in. Turns out, it's even bigger than Jake's."
"You can't pay for me," he insisted.
I sighed. Boys and their pride. "What if I give you my card and you 'pay'?"
"Why?"
"Because the reporters will be all over me, and by extension you," I explained.
He scowled at me. "So you're just worried that your boyfriend will look cheap?"
I touched his arm, but he jerked it out of my reach. "No! Theo... I just don't want them slagging you off in magazines and stuff."
"Because it's embarrassing for you."
"No, because it's embarrassing for you, idiot! People at school read these magazines."
"Whatever, let's just go shopping."
I followed him out to my car, sighing. I sent Jenna a quick text to explain where we were going,
The store attendant gave us a dirty look as we strolled into Dolce & Gabanna.
"Excuse me, we don't need grubby children waltzing...." She trailed off as I flash her my Platinum card.
"I need clothes for each of us suitable for Whitney Houston's funeral- pronto," I demanded.
She flushed and stumbled across the store, searching through the racks.
"Geez, spoilt much?" Theo muttered.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him into a changing room.
"What the Heck is your problem!?"
He glared at me. "Well I'm sorry that I'm not good enough for you!" He snapped.
"What?"
"Maybe you should just go out with Sam... He's rich enough to buy a nice Dolce & Gabanna suit to go to your fancy, celebrity party!"
"What the Hell has gotten into you? I don't want to go out with Sam, I like you, you stupid idiot! I don't know why, seeing as you're being a proud, jealous dick, but I do, okay!?"
I turned and stormed towards the door, but Theo caught my wrist and pulled me into his arms.
"I'm sorry, Cher," he mumbled into my neck.
I folded my arms.
"You are good enough for me," I insisted.
"I'm sorry, babe, I didn't mean that!" He caught my chin and tilted my head up so I would look at him. "I'm sorry."
I pressed my lips against his softly. "Okay."
"I cannot believe you just spent $1,500 on a bloody dress," Theo muttered.
"And $500 for the bolero," I reminded him.
"Spoilt brat," he teased.
“Yeah, yeah. Yours cost more.”
He winced. “This suit is ridiculously expensive.”
“Let it go.”
“Whatever.”
“Wanna go to McDonalds?”
“I feel like Taco’s.”
“I’ve never been to Taco Bell,” I mused.
His eyes widened. “Taco Bell it is.”
"What's a taco like?" I asked.
"Uh-maze-zing."
I looked up at the menu on the window of the restaurant and scrunched up my nose.
"Nicky would have a fit if he saw me eat this stuff."
"Health freak?"
I grinned. "Vegetarian.”
Theo chuckled and pulled me inside.
“Hi, how can I help you?” The girl at the counter asked, her eyes raking over Theo.
“Nachos Bellgrande please.”
“And her?”
“She’ll have the Crunchwrap Supreme.”
“Hello, I can order my own food,” I muttered.
He slid his arm around my waist.
“Just trust me,” he murmured in my ear, and I rolled my eyes.
“Anything else?”
“Two Strawberry Frutisa freezes, a bag of cinnamon twists and a caramel apple empanada.”
“Okay, you didn’t even look at the menu,” I said, laughing.
“I come here all the time.”
“That’ll be-” The girl started, but Theo cut her off.
“Just put it on my tab, Theodore Thomas.”
She shrugged and clicked some buttons.
“Eat in?”
“You wanna go out?” He asked me.
I smiled and nodded.
“We’ll take-out.”
She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “Not a problem.”
I tugged Theo’s arm. “Let’s go wait over there,” I suggested.
He smiled and took my hand. “Okay. Cher, are you alright?”
I sighed. “Yeah.”
“How close were you guys?”
“Honestly, not at all. I hardly knew her; she was a friend of my mum’s.”
He wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “That’s why you’re upset? Because she reminds you of your mom?”
“I guess, yeah.”
He hugged me tight, and a few tears leaked out against his shirt.
“It’s gonna be okay, baby,” he whispered.