Kisses

Friendship

Ali's POV

I am so late. Oh crap. How did I wake up this late? I stare at my alarm clock in disbelieve. I take out my timetable and realise it's art first. My favourite lesson. There is no time to do my hair so I scrape into a ballerina bun and throw on a pair of jeans, a pink peplum top and some cute pink ankle boots. polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=125388736. I grab my bag on the way out the door and rush down the steps into the madness of the city that never sleeps. New York never stops. I rush down the street to my favourite café Bella's. It is the best place on earth to get a bagel. My personal favourite is ham and cheese. I step into the shop hearing the bell jingle behind me. Max is sitting at our usual spot waiting for me. He has an empty plate in front of him. I am obviously really late. I wonder how long he has been waiting. I feel so bad. It is his parents café so he already has my bagel wrapped up to go. We have been best friends since birth. We do everything together.

"Max" I squeal with a grin plastered from ear to ear. He looks up with a smile to die for. Perfectly straight teeth and a twinkle in his eyes.

" Where have you been? I have one logical explanation. Were you attacked by a fairy? Not only do you look magical but that would also be a perfectly good reason for you being so late." He is always trying to make bad jokes. He wants to be a stand up. He sometimes does them at the café. "How did you know?" I gasp with a look of mock horror spread over my face. We both burst out laughing. He stands up and envelopes me in a bear hug. "Come hear you" he laughs to himself. His muscular arms rippling around me. I look at his arms curiously. "Either you are working out for some girl or you have been carrying way to many bags of bagel flour!" I joke. He hits me playfully. "Ouch!" I squeal.

"Aw come on it didn't hurt that much. I tapped you. I think it may be the latter as all the girls around here are too ugly for Brandy and Mandy." He jokes curling his biceps. I burst out into hysterics as the tears of laughter come streaming down my face. It is so hard to utter these words because I am still laughing. "Brr..a..ndy and Mmm...aaa..ndy?" I snort.

"Of course I named my biceps what do you take me for? Come on we better get going or we'll never get to school."

"Yes sir" I mock with a salute grabbing my delicious bagel off of the table before exiting the building.

We arrive at school as the bell for the end of role call. We rush through the massive double doors as a sea of hormonal teenagers explode out of the classrooms. Max and I walk to the office to be signed in. We are soon joined by a queue of people that are also late. Oh God it's Jake Hunter. "You look gorgeous today Ali. I love that colour on you it really brings out your beautiful green eyes." He says checking me out.

"Erm... thanks I guess." My cheeks have gone bright red.

"Any time beautiful." He replies with a wink.

Max grabs me by the arm with a really angry look on his face. He whisks me down the corridor. "What did he say?" he demands.

"He just complimented me. Jesus Max what the hell is up with you?" I ask furious that he dragged me away from the hottest boy in our grade.

"Oh sorry. I thought he had said something to you. I just looked at you cheeks and I was about to punch him then and there. Jake Hunter is bad news and I don't want him hurting my best friend you got that?" He replies. Now it is his turn to be embarrassed his cheeks flush red.

"Thanks Max. I would have done the same in your position." I agree standing on my tip toes to reach his neck wrapping my arms around it in a hug.