"Josh likes Stevie." Nate blurts randomly, ruining the comfortable silence I found myself lost in.

"Who the fuck is Josh?" I ask as we make our way to school in the rays of the morning sun. His name not triggering any memory or conjuring up a face.

Nate dramatically gasps, pausing in place and forcing me to halt as well.

"Josh? My best friend? You seriously don't know who he is?"

I shake my head in response.

"Damn, I need to introduce you two." He says as he begins to walk again. "He's a great guy. You'll like him." Nate says with a little too much optimism.

"I don't like many people."

"You see this is the type of mindset we're trying to change. Remember when you didn't like me?" Nate says.

"Yeah but you're different." I reply because I could never imagine liking someone as much as I like him. It terrifies me how attached I'm getting.

"I think the word you mean is special." He says, looking at me with a cheesy grin on his face

I roll my eyes.

"Whatever makes you happy."

*

After two hours of me not paying attention in my lessons, I head outside to my designated spot, waiting for my two friends.

"Woah, what happened to the silver hair?" I ask as Stevie sits opposite me on the wooden bench.

"Got my sister to dye it. Thought I needed the change." She says as she takes out a lighter from the pocket of her leather jacket and lights a cigarette.

Her once silver locks are now a pastel pink. Her hair hangs in loose curls that slightly brush her shoulder blades.

"It suits you."

"Thanks." She replies before breathing out a puff of greyish smoke. Out of the mist Niall arrives, sitting next to Stevie.

"Cool hair." He says.

"Thanks." She smiles. "Ms O'Neil has been giving me hell for it but I told her that I believe we should all be able to express ourselves freely without the confines of the school regulations."

"Preach. She made me take my eyebrow piercing out when I got it done." Niall adds.

I smile at the memory of Niall coming into school with a piece of metal in his right eyebrow. I hated it while Stevie, on the other hand, thought it made him look more edgy. But no ones more edgy than Stevie.

I subconsciously look around the student area outside and spot Nate sitting on a bench table with the guy I assume is Josh. I can see that they're good friends just by the way they're talking to each other. When Nate isn't face palming at something Josh has said, he's laughing with him instead. And it's weird because I don't feel the need to be jealous or overprotective of him (even though losing him would break me) I just feel happy. When I look at him, I just feel-

"Why do you look so happy?" Stevie says as she stuffs out her cigarette. Niall tries to figure out what I was staring so intensely at by looking in the same direction I was previously.

"Yeah. You seem happier." Niall adds. "Not that it's a bad thing. I'm happy you're happy."

"I erm, guess I am happier."

"Why's that?" Stevie asks.

"I'm dating someone."

"What?" "Since when?" They both say simultaneously.

"Please don't tell me you're back with Penelope. She's obsessed with you. She tried to sit with us all the time and it was just so weird." Stevie says as she shudders.

"It's not Penelope." I add, chuckling a little as I remember our very bizarre relationship. Here goes nothing. "It's Nate."

There's a silent pause.

And then laughter.

"Good one." Niall says in between his laughing fit.

"Next thing you're gonna tell us is that Coach is your sugar daddy." Stevie says making both of them laugh even harder.

"I'm serious." I say.

They stop laughing when they look at my face and see I'm not joking.

"Coach is your-"

"Not about Coach." I say, interrupting Niall and rolling my eyes.

"About Nate. We're kinda dating." I hate how scared I feel right now. I shouldn't be scared, they're my friends.

"I should have known. The way you guys went from hating each other to smiling and shit. I've got to admit, it's kinda cute." Stevie says as she eyes Nate sitting with Josh then turns her gaze back to me.

I look at Niall. Then Stevie looks at Niall and I think she can tell I'm nervous about what he's going to say.

"It's better than Penelope."

We burst into laughter. And I thank the universe for putting us three rejects together.

"Why don't you invite him and his friend to come and sit with us?" Niall asks as he looks over at the two friends.

"Well that friend of his, Josh, happens to have a little crush on Stevie." I say.

"That weird, nerdy kid with the Harry Potter glasses?" Stevie says as she stares at Josh. Josh seems to notice her glaring and turns a bright shade of pink before turning his head back to Nate and shaking his arm aggressively.

Nate looks in our direction, smiling and waving when he sees me.

"No thanks."

"Come on Stevie, give him a chance." Niall tries. "When was the last time you had a boyfriend?"

"Ermmm." She pretends to think. "Never. I don't need one."

"Yeah because all the guys are scared of you."

Stevie sighs. "Fine. I guess I'll give him a shot." She rolls her eyes but I know deep down she's happy she's getting attention from a boy that she doesn't consider her brother.

"Since we're all making these ridiculous changes it's only fair you do too Niall." Stevie says with a smirk playing on her lips.

"Erm. What change do you have in mind?" Niall asks hesitantly.

"Chase?" Stevie hands the power to me.

"When's the last time you've done something to your hair?"

*

"You're back here already! I only dyed your hair yesterday!"

"No Julia, we're here for Niall." Stevie grabs Niall by the shoulders and shoves him into an empty chair.

"You didn't make an appointment."

"I thought being the little sister of the owner of the salon meant I didn't need to make appointments."

"Yeah...for you." Before Stevie can argue her sister, Julia, interrupts her. "But since they're your friends and I haven't seen them since forever, I guess I could give Niall a free haircut."

"Thanks Julia." Stevie says and goes on to explain how she thinks Niall would look cool with a green streak in his hair.

"Hiya Chase." Julia directs to me as she puts on some disposable gloves to prepare Nate's hair dye with. "I haven't seen you in such a long time. How's your brother?"

I try to hide my nerves just like how Julia trues to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. Julia and Derek used to date. Then he turned away from her and towards drugs but it's pretty clear she still likes him. Which to me is a mystery. She knows about the drugs just not what they do to him.

"He's fine." I deadpan, quickly walking away to sit beside Stevie in the waiting area. Whilst Stevie is preoccupied reading a magazine, I grab my phone and see a text from Nate.

Nate-I didn't see you after school. Thought we were walking home together.

Chase-I went to the salon with my friends

Nate-You have a buzzcut why do you need to go to the salon?😂

Chase-🙄Not for me you idiot. For Niall.

Nate-Ohhhhh.

Nate-Come by after??

Chase-Yeah sure.