clementine // joshler

39

tyler's point of view

"do you think this color looks good on me?" sydney steps out of the dressing room in a pale blue dress. "i can't tell if i like it or not."

"syd, you look gorgeous." i smile at her. "i think this is my favorite yet."

"i agree," emily says, sitting next to me on the bench outside the small rooms.

"yeah? i think i'm going to get it," she decides, turning around in the mirror to see herself at a different angle. "i mean, it'll definitely get me laid."

"you could get laid in a burlap sack," emily scoffs.

"fair point." sydney laughs and then steps back behind the door to change again. she comes back out in her regular clothes and turns to emily. "alright, let me check out and we can go to the next store since you didn't find anything here, em."

we walk to the checkout together and wait for sydney to pay before leaving the building and walking to one that's two doors down.

we all wander around, helping emily look for a few dresses to try on.

"oo, i think this one would be super cute on you." sydney pulls one from the rack and holds it out.

emily takes it from her. "alright, i'll start by trying these on," she says.

we follow her to the back and follow the same routine we did with sydney, which is how it always goes when we go shopping together.

she ends up picking a darker blue dress that compliments sydney's nicely.

"it's so cute! blue is definitely a winter color and now we can match!" sydney stands up and clasps her hands together. "that is so perfect. i love it. and i love you."

"i love you too." emily smiles and goes back to change.

after she pays, we take a few minutes to try and decide where to eat.

we wind up at a restaurant close by and sit at a table together. we order our drinks and then our food, sipping on water and making conversation while we wait.

"no way," sydney goes quiet, looking past emily and toward the door.

"what?" i turn my head to see what she's looking at.

hayley and josh.

i feel my heart begin to race when hayley makes eye contact with me, her smile wide. i lift my hand in a small wave and watch her turn to josh, who glances my way and seems nervous. she rolls her eyes and drags him over.

"tyler! good to see you." she leans down to hug me as best as she can from how i'm sitting.

"hey, hayley. it's good to see you too. i, um, i don't know if you've officially met my friends, but this is sydney and emily."

sydney smiles back at her and emily gives a small wave like i did.

"this is my friend hayley. and you already know mr. dun." i look back to them.

it feels weird calling him mr. dun now. it feels unnatural, like i've never referred to him as that before in the first place.

"hey," josh speaks, his voice stiff. i can tell he feels just as awkward as i do.

"it's good to meet you guys for real," hayley says, her eyes catching the bags with sydney and emily's dresses inside, "ooh! were you guys shopping for this dance i've been hearing about?"

"yep!" sydney answers. "we picked out our dresses and after this, we're going to help pick out some clothes for tyler."

i think sydney and hayley are very similar in a lot of ways. their bright demeanors and ability to talk and make friends with anyone is something i admire.