It All Started With A Tampon

(19)

I stand in front of the mirror, and smile. I know I probably sound conceited, but I look freaking awesome. Charlie stands behind me proudly. She did my hair and make up. The ride home went great. She barely commented. She just told me she's sorry. I can get used to this friends thing. She sighs.

"I'm brilliant." She says. I laugh, and nod.

"Thanks Charlie." I say, cleaning my purse. I'm actually so happy with what I'm wearing. My hair is in a fishtail, and I feel so fancy. I look at my phone to see it's six fifty. He'll be here any minute now. Charlie's parents and brothers are out, having dinner. We go downstairs and we chat, waiting for Ryan to turn up.

"So do you know when your parents are coming home?" Charlie asks, looking through the take out menus.

"I don't know." I groan. "Josh said a couple of months, and they never answer my calls. They do it all the time, it's just part of their jobs." Charlie frowns.

"That really sucks." She says, "You can stay here anytime." I smile.

"Thanks." I say. "But this is probably just a one time thing. Josh won't let me unless it's like, absolutely necessary."

"Hmm." She muses, thinking. "I wonder if I could stay at yours."

"Maybe." I say, widening my eyes. "But you would have to deal with Mark hitting on you all night. And they wouldn't see it as a threat to their gang. They don't know I know about their one, just Liam's."

"Exactly." She says smiling. "And I can deal with Mark." She puts the menus away, except for the Chinese one. "While I'm there, we can sneak around and look for clues for what they do. Like what's going on tonight." I nod.

"I'll ask Josh tomorrow." I say. "But don't count on it, I can't push him." She frowns.

"It's seven fifteen."

"Already?" I ask, checking my phone again. She sighs.

"Of course he's late-" She starts, but I cut her off.

"He's probably just running a little late." I insist, as my phone beeps. I check my messages to see that Ryan has texted:

"Hey babe. I'm gonna be late. Be there later."

"Seriously?" Charlie shouts, looking over my shoulder. He doesn't even apologise?" I sigh.

"He's probably busy with something." I reassure her. Ryan wouldn't do that to me, without a really good reason.

"Fine." She snaps. "I'm ordering Chinese food and starting my How I Met Your Mother marathon. Do you want me to order you something?"

"No." I say firmly. "He'll be here soon." She sighs, and picks up the phone.

"Whatever." I sit down, and nervously wait. Charlie starts the marathon, and I start to watch it too. I love this episode. Barney hires a wife and a child actor to be his family. I'm so involved, I jump when the doorbell rings.

"See." I say, standing up and straightening my dress. "I told you he would come." She smirks, and opens up the door.

"Hello." A middle aged Chinese man says. "Your dinner has arrived." He hands Charlie a bag, and she gives him the money. She shuts the door, and turns to me.

"Wow." She says sniggering. "Ryan sure has aged a generation or so." I frown, and sit back down in the living room. She follows me and unpacks all the food. Did she buy the whole restaurant? "I ordered double for when Ryan doesn't turn up." She says, her mouth full of satay. I sigh, and I'm about to say something, but a car horn beeps outside. I look out the window to see Ryan's car.