Splash of Color

12: Between the Lines

"Hey [Name], who are you texting?"

You look up from your phone for a moment to see Ami staring at you curiously. Tilting the phone slightly in her direction, she gasps.

"Is that who I think it is?" She gives you a teasing grin.

You sigh and tilt the phone back in your direction. "If you already know, I don't really know why you ask..." Oikawa had been sending photos to you via text for a while now and honestly, most of the shots he took were really nice. Your phone buzzes again and you check your new message and roll your eyes. ...Well, most of the time.

Ami leans over your shoulder and laughs. "Oh wow, what a photogenic guy!"

You stuff your phone in your pocket, ignoring that last text he sent. "I told him I don't want his selfies."

Ami links her arms with yours. "Anything else you guys do besides send each other photos?"

You shrug. "We just talk about whatever is on our mind."

Ami glances at you before looking forward again. "You know [Name], you've really changed since last year," she hums.

You give her a side glance. "Hm? How so?"

She grins. "You just seem to feel more comfortable in your own skin." Her grip on your arm tightens on you slightly. "I know it's been hard for you for the past couple of years but I'm so proud that you're finally letting yourself enjoy the things you like."

You look up thoughtfully, comparing your previous year to your present year. She was right, you were more comfortable being yourself. There were a lot of problems you couldn't solve and agonizingly mulled over on your own which resulted in you shying away from people. It felt nice to have that support from your friends even if they had no idea of what you were currently mulling over—you felt cared for and loved by your peers.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you!" Ami pulls you out of your thoughts. "I'm hanging out with Hanamaki-kun after school!"

Your eyes widened and you turned to face her fully, gripping her shoulders excitedly. "That's great! I'm glad you pulled yourself together~" You teased her as she giggles and rubs her arm in an embarrassed manner.

"Yeah...well..." She trails off and you lean forward to try and catch her next words. "So...I couldn't find the courage to ask him to hang out alone so..." She looks at you with a pleading look and you brace yourself for the following words. "...I said it was a double date!" She presses her hands together to apologize as you rub the space between your brows.

"Ami—" You were about to scold her when she cut you off.

"Please don't be mad!" She continues to give you a pleading look. "Actually, Oikawa was the one who gave me the idea when I was waiting for Hanamaki-kun after practice."

You quirk your brow. You told him not to meddle and what does he do? The complete opposite. You were about to stuff your hand in your pocket to get your phone and give him a piece of your mind but Ami's hand stops you.

"I'm so sorry [Name]! Just this once!" She pouts. "Plus I really need someone to push me when I freeze up."

You sigh. You weren't keen on the idea of meddling but if you just needed to spur on a conversation when an awkward silence would start you could handle it. "So, who am I partnered up with?"

Your eye twitches at her beaming expression that seemed to answer it all. You held in a frustrated sigh. "Why didn't you say anything about it?"

She glances away from you, rubbing the nape of her neck nervously. "He, uh, told me not to tell you?"

You let out the frustrated sigh you've been holding in. You had a hard time understanding his thought process sometimes but you pulled yourself together to make a decision. First order of business is to be a support for Ami and the second order of business is to see what's going on with Oikawa. "Yeah, yeah, I'll come," you finally say as she cheers at your response. "So when is it?"