Today was better than yesterday. The pair spent a long time at Nancy's cross. They didn't talk much, but that's what Krystal needed.

I feel like I can breath today. I still miss Nancy and that's an ache that will never go away, but I feel better.

The morning ticked by slowly. Seconds barley turned to minutes and minutes barley turned to hours. It's was agonizing. For Blake, the worst was his first class. Ted had refused to speak or even look at him since their blow out.

I know I should mourn our friendship, it's dead. Six feet under. But I don't mind. I'm not stressed and I don't feel like I'm pretending to be someone I'm not. I am myself and I have a friend, a best friend who likes me. The real me, not the guy who fake smiles and faces I'm not too familiar with. She just likes me, it's a weight lifted off my shoulders, a weight I never knew I was carrying.

Ted refused any sort of acknowledgment of Blake's presence. At the end of class, he stood up with his bag, knocked shoulders with Blake and left. He watched his old friend leave, simply shook head and moved on to the next class.

Krystal stared at the clock, willing it to go faster. Blake spent most classes just doodling, waiting for the bell to ring and the next class to begin.

I think I've watched paint dry faster than this. My yard grows quicker than this!

If time is so irrelevant, why am I stuck here 8 hours a day? More importantly, why does it feel like 80 hours a day?

After class, Krystal wondered the halls, taking her time. Time seemed to be in no hurry, why should she be? A bright blonde came bounding down the hall. Krystal tried to step clear of her way, but the girl only followed her.
"It's Krystal, right?" Krystal squinted at the girl. They stood awkwardly in the hall. "Okay, well, are you friends with Blake Hardy?" She stayed silent and just stared at the girl, Krystal recognized her from the party. The girl has lingered around where Blake was.

What is happening? What does little miss perfect want with me? What does she want with Blake? Am I jealous? Why am I jealous over Blake?

The girl sighed.
"Okay, well, when you see him again, can you tell him to call me, Winter?"
"No." Krystal growled in a low voice.
"What?"
"No."
"And why not?"
"I'm not a booty call receptionist." Winter stared at her. Krystal's face was hard and void of any facial expression but annoyance. Winters eyes never left Krystal's.
"No one said you are a receptionist."
"Who are you a receptionist for?" Blake flung his arm around Krystal shoulders.
"No one." Krystal glared at Winter.
"Oh Blake!" She smiled and batted her eyes. Krystal rolled her eyes at the Malibu Barbie she just morphed into. "I was looking for you." He recoiled a little.
"Why?" Her face dropped.
"What?"
"Why were you looking for me?"
"Oh, well, uh, Ted said-" Blake laughed.
"I don't care what Ted said." Krystal gave Winter a smug smile. "Okay, bye Winter." They steered away.

Thank you karma!

"Hannah is asking when you'll come over again."
"I can tonight, we do have our project to work on." Blake groaned.
"Don't remind me."
"You know, the class isn't just for us to hang out in."
"You don't know that. Maybe I did some stuff behind the scene." Krystal barked a laugh.
"Blake Hardy, you barley want to do the project. You wouldn't do that."

She got me, I didn't do it. Knowing what I know now, I would have done everything I could to get us to be in the same class and work together.

"Ahh, technicalities." Krystal wiggled out from under his arm as they approached the door. Spinning around, she flipped behind him and pushed Blake into their class.
"Get in there." She was giggling. A huge smile was plastered on Blake's face. From an outsiders eye, they looked like a couple; from the inside, it was a lot more difficult like that.

Krystal pushed her chair back and flipped all her hair over her head, turning herself into the girl from The Grudge. She ran her fingers through her silky mane. Blake watched her from his side of the table, completely encapsulated by her hair.

Parting her hair like tides, she flipped her head back and flung her hair back. Krystal's hair fell around her like a blanket or a cape. Blake's jaw slacked.

Does she do this on purpose? Does she even get how incredibly gorgeous she is? I mean look at her, I sure as hell can't stop! Her hair was one of my favorite things about her. It was just...wow.

She bobbed her hand back and forth, feeling her hair swish around her. Blake couldn't take his eyes off her. She glanced at him, doing a double take after realizing he was already looking at her.
"What?"
"Nothing. Your hair just looks so soft." She smiled, turn her back to him and flipped all her hair behind her.
"You can play with it, if you want." Slowly he reached out to touch it. Blake grabbed the first stand and slowly pulled it through his fingers.

It feels better than silk! Her hair is so soft and smells like strawberries.

Krystal shivered.

He's being so gentle it's giving me goosebumps and tickles!

"Nancy used to tug the hell out of my hair." She told him.
"Hannah would only let me brush her hair. Gabriel wouldn't let me touch her with a ten foot pole." Krystal laughed.
"Nancy was the same. She said I didn't understand curly hair, dispute watching her do her hair every day."
"Did she normally wear it curly?"
"Yeah. She only straighten it for special occasions, but even then she liked her curls better." Blake played with her hair for another moment, thinking about what Krystal would look like with hair like Nancy's.
"Do you ever curl your hair?"
"Oh god no. Too much work and too much hair." She shook her head, messing up Blake's made up braid. It really just looked like a knot more than a braid, but when Krystal shook her head, it's slipped out easily.
"Can I curl your hair?"
"Do you even know how?" She looked over her shoulder back at him.
"No, but that's what I have you for!" He beamed, Krystal rolled her eyes. Once she was no longer facing him, she let the small smile seep onto her lips.

What a goofball you are Blake Hardy.

🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙 🌙

"Krystal!" Hannah beamed brightly the second she walked in the door.
"Hi." She smiled back. Blake took her backpack and walked into the other room. Krystal migrated towards Hannah, Gabriel came into view on the other end of the couch.
"Were watching The Bachelor, want to join?" Gabriel offered. She wrinkled her nose.
"Not my thing."
"What is your thing?" Krystal sank between the two on the couch.
"I either like movies or books. TV shows have never held my attention. It's a lot of effort. you know." The girls laughed.
"I get that." Gabriel started to flip through the channels, Judge Judy was one of the ones she scrolled over.
"My Oma loves that show."
"Judge Judy?" Hannah cuddled in closer to Krystal, she didn't mind.
"Yes. Ugh, she used to make Nancy and I watch it all the time with her. Our father refused. She is obsessed."
"Wait, who's Oma?"
"It's grandma in German, it's my dads mom." The pair nodded. "Some of these cases are just weird, like why does she even entertain them?" Gabriel laughed.
"That what I said!" She clicked on the channel and started watching. The case was about a daughter suing her mother for selling her car.
"Who sues their own dad?" Hannah questioned. Krystal just shrugged.

After a few minutes Blake entered the room.
"There you are, I was looking for you."
"Sh!" All three girls hushed him, completely engrossed in the show.
"Are you watching Judge Judy?" No one answered, he just watched a few moments to figure it out. "Doesn't Oma like this show?" Hannah and Gabriel's attention both left the TV and to Blake.
"You've met her grandmother?" Hannah finally asked.
"Yeah! Great lady. Plus, she loved me." Krystal rolled her eyes.
"Why do you think he's never met my parents." She muttered so only the girls could see her.
"Hold off as long as you can, he's a charmer." Krystal smiled at Gabriel.
"I'm sure Oma talks my dads ear off about him. Every time I visit she asks." Hannah scrunched her faces. "She calls him spezieller freund, which means special friend."
"Oh he's special alright." The trio laughed.
"Hey, what are you talking about?" Blake was completely out of the loop. No one clued him in. "That's not fair, we're supposed to be working on our project." He pouted. Krystal smiled at the child in front of her.
"Actually, you invited me to hang out with Hannah." He shot finger guns at her.
"Fair enough." He flopped back into the only available seat and joined the girls.

I get why Oma watches this show now! I used to just read through it! I've been missing out on something so great, right under my nose!

I wish I was on the couch and not in this chair.

Blake glanced back at the girls, a new idea popped into mind.
"I want to sit on the couch." He commented.
"No." They said in unison. Blake got up and laid across all their laps, each one protesting. With no choice, Krystal slowly put her hands back down onto Blake abdomen.

Lord he's buff. What does he look like without a shirt on?

Her hands are on my stomach, the kind of tickle. I can't move otherwise I will giggle.

Krystal! Shame on you! Don't think that about Blake, you guys are just friends!

Krystal removed her hands and tucked them under her thighs.
"Blake, you're fat, get off." Gabriel complained.
"Dude, you have my head." He looked up at her.
"You have a big head, barley fits through doorways." Krystal joked before his sisters could come up with a comeback. The girls laughed while Blake tried to pretend he didn't find her joke funny.

Blake withdrew his phone from his shorts pocket and started the scroll on Instagram. Ted was tagged in many different girls photos. Krystal ripped his phone away and tucked it under her thigh.
"Get off you get your phone, stay on our laps and I get your phone." She read him his choices.
"Why have a phone when I have you?" He curled up more in her lap. She tips her head up to look at the ceiling in attempt to hide her smile. "You can't hide your smile from me." A death glare filled her face as she met eyes with him. "You can pretend all you want Krystal, I know you better than that. That face is just a front. Really, on the inside, you're like rainbows and candy." Krystal busted out laughing.
"I think you're confusing me with Nancy."
"Hmm," Hannah hummed in agreement. "Krystal is more badass than that." The bumped shoulders playfully.
"But she's a little faulty because she's friends with you." Gabriel teased.
"Honestly, were friends because I want the popular. Even his fan girls are starting to know me." The girls laughed. They were well aware of how their brother looked to most girls his age.
"Winter is not a fan girl."
"You're right, she's only seasonal." Hannah joked, the room filled with laughter.

I love my home and my family, but I just feel like I belong here.