Follow The Rain

Fifteen

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."