Chloe started choking violently on her drink, spluttering loudly and searching for tissues to wipe the table from the milkshake she had just spat out. I couldn't hold back my laughter at the sound of her outburst as she hurried to clean up so we could continue our interrupted conversation.

Chloe and I were inside De Ja Vû after she'd decided that we needed to talk. Outside was freezing but the sky was clear according to Chloe, who took to describing things to me that she thought I would like to know. I didn't mind until she started describing the men we passed in great detail and saying how much it must suck to be blind. I couldn't help but ask about Jordan while we were on the topic of guys. She shut up after that.

Chloe regained herself and then went straight back into our chat. "Come again. Matthew and you what?" I was worried she might cause a scene again and motioned to her with my hands to refrain from shouting loud enough for the whole cafe to hear. "What on earth did you just do with your hands?" she asked.

"We watched that 'Friends' episode together, Chloe." I folded my arms over my chest in mock disappointment.

"You expect me to remember every single episode? Seriously, you - I digress!" she hissed then slurped her milkshake loudly. "Let's try this again, you and Matthew what?"

"We're going on a date," I stated casually and immediately sensed her shock as if she hadn't already heard me say that two minutes before.

"Are you serious? Since when? Why didn't you tell me sooner? I thought we were best friends, Kayla, I should've known about this before it even happened. Oh - what am I supposed to do?" she rushed out, completely flabbergasted.

"Nothing?" I raised an eyebrow and sipped my tea, blinking at the steam that rose from it.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"I could say the same about you...hey, how is Jordan?" I asked slowly and slyly, crossing my legs casually over each other.

"Jordan? He's good, but - wait, why do you care how he is?" she asked suspiciously and I leaned back against the couch we were sitting on and smiled behind my mug.

"He's my friend, Chloe. Isn't he yours?"

She said nothing and I sensed she realised what I was getting at. I stifled a laugh, imagining her stunned face across from me. "Kayla Penelope Hayes, don't you dare-"

"Call me that again and you'll regret bringing me here for a chat."

"Kayla, Penelope was your grandmother's name. Would you really dishonour her like that?" she said, matter-of-factly and I snorted.

"Please, even my gran hated that name."

Chloe laughed and kicked my shin with her heeled boot. I cried out in pain but smiled, grateful for the light-hearted atmosphere. I had missed my friend, I just hadn't realised how much until now.

"So," I prodded. "Jordan..."

"Okay, okay, you win," she sighed loudly and placed her glass on the coffee table next to us. "First of all, he's annoying," I raised my eyebrows at that. "Just wait, okay. He's also basically a child and I don't care if you tell him that. He's always been childish and annoying but recently, he's annoying in an annoyingly cute way - if that's even possible."

"Got the childish part right," I muttered humouredly.

"Anyway, don't think I didn't catch on to your and Matthew's schemes. Obviously Jordan didn't notice, but he doesn't notice much, am I right?" I nodded and clasped my mug in my palms to warm them up. "Naturally, he had no idea I liked him and I eventually started to give up trying, but then, you two got involved. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you."

I nearly dropped my mug onto my lap. "W-was that a thank you?...From Chloe Parker? I'm sorry, could you please repeat that?"

Chloe maintained her serious tone and ignored my teasing. "Never again. You heard me the first time. Now, where was I? Oh yes, so after years of putting up with your plans and schemes, they finally mounted up to something. I'll admit, I wasn't sure if he liked me back, but then...he kissed me." She paused as if recalling the best moment of her life.

"Okay, and?"

"Well, when we left to order pizza..." she sipped her shake warily.

"Spit it out," I urged then added, "Not the milkshake this time, please."

"He admitted he liked me and well, we've been on two dates so far."

"So you think he's a keeper?" I lifted my mug to my lips, careful not to spill.

She didn't reply instantly and I frowned.

"You hesitated."

The sound of Jordan's voice behind me caused my mug to drop from out my hands, for real this time. I gasped as the hot liquid soaked into my jeans and I fumbled for a serviette.

"Jordan -" came Chloe's unusually quiet voice. She handed me a tissue and I took it gratefully. "Uh, how much of that did you hear?"

"Enough to know that you're head over heels for me and that apparently, I'm childish," he answered, humour evident in his tone. "By the way, Kayla, I'm disappointed in your calling me a child. I thought we had each other's backs, man."

I ignored his comment and gestured to my jeans. "Uh, a little help here?"

"So," he continued, unawares to my situation. "Am I a keeper?"

Chloe slurped her milkshake loudly then placed her glass on the table with force. "What do you think, Jordan?"

"Well, I think that your milkshake drinking is horrendous, like all of the ways you eat."

"Please, you should've seen yourself inhaling that pizza yesterday."

"You were watching me, were you?" he teased, most probably smirking, and I coughed loudly, trying to make my presence known. "What do you want, Penelope?" Jordan asked, chuckling at my middle name.

"Will you two just kiss already and get it over with. Then maybe you could help a woman out here?" I stood and waited patiently, for once glad that I was blind so that I didn't have to see what was about to happen.

"Why are you just standing there?" Jordan questioned.

"Waiting for you two to kiss," I stated as if it was the most obvious thing ever. Jordan considered this.

"Huh. Well, if you insist..."

That was the part where I left for the bathroom despite having no idea where I was going.

"Kayla, you look perfect. This is Matthew we're talking about," my mom said dreamily as I stood in front of her in a navy blue sweater and black skinny jeans. I pulled on my black coat and inhaled deeply before stepping forward in my ankle boots and giving my mom a side hug.

"Thanks for helping me."

"Sure," she said, kissing my hair. "I still can't believe you two are finally dating. I knew this would happen!"

"It's one date, Mom. I don't even know if this will work out." I smoothed down my coat nervously and wondered if Matthew was as scared as I was right now.

"It will. But no matter what, just remember that all I want is for you to be happy, and if he makes you happy, then so be it."

"I know, Mom. But you're getting too sappy."

"Am I? Oh dear, I think I've been watching too much television."

I chuckled and blinked up at her. "Mom?"

"Hmm?"

I sat down on the edge of my bed and tried to calm the nerves inside of me. I had no idea why I was so scared. As my mom had said, this was Matthew we were talking about. I'd known him for thirteen years, what was I afraid of? I could never be embarrassed in front of him, either. He knew too much about me for that.

"What was your first date with Dad like?"

She laughed happily. "Oh, believe me when I say that your father was quite the nervous wreck."

"Really? Dad?" I asked in disbelief. "The same guy who auditioned for a singing competition just so that he could be on TV, because he was that bad."

I had, quite clearly, inherited my singing abilities from my mother who had the voice of what my dad described as an angel.

"Yes, yes. The very same guy," she replied in a reminiscing voice. I smiled and hoped that maybe, one day, I'd have a relationship like my parents. I was lucky, I knew. Matthew didn't have that - not since his parents divorced when he was eleven. The thought of Matthew reminded me of tonight and I took a deep breath, hoping to regain my usual confidence.

"Any last minute advice?" I asked as I stood up.

"Whatever you do, please don't trip over something and embarrass yourself. I learnt that the hard way..."

"But hey, Dad still married you." I made my way to my bedroom exit and pulled my coat closer around me, turning my face back to smile at her.

"Yes, yes he did."