Chapter Five

It's been a week since Amy and I went to the zoo. We've been hanging out every day since then. It's really nice to have a friend again. The last friend I had was in seventh grade, and since we got in that bad fight, nobody I knew wanted to be my friend. But I didn't know Amy before, and so now, it's like, a clean slate. She has no idea what happened that day, and I don't intend to tell her. It could ruin our whole relationship. I'm not taking my chances.

I put down my pencil and reread what I've put in my journal entry. I nod and put my journal under my pillow. I finally get out of bed and get in the shower. The warm water is hardly different from the way the room feels now. Before, it was always cold and depressing, but now, it's a warm and light feeling. I wash my blue hair and get out of the shower in a few minutes. I wrap myself in a towel and dry out my hair with another. I brush my teeth and put on some makeup. Once I finish putting lipstick on, I unwrap my hair and brush it out. I blow dry it and put it in a messy bun on top of my head.

Then I return to my bedroom and change into a black short-sleeved crop top, high-waisted blue jeans and my white high tops. I slip in some diamond earrings and walk out into the kitchen/living room. Amy is already there, making breakfast.

"Morning!" she says brightly.

"Morning," I say, smiling. I sit down at the counter and lick my lips. "What's for breakfast?"

"Eggs, bacon and waffles!" Amy says. She's in a very good mood today.

"What's up with your mood?" I say, taking one of the finished waffles and putting it on the plate set out for me.

"Well," Amy says, blushing. "It's… It's my birthday today."

"Oh right!" I say. I face-palm myself. "I knew that."

Amy smiles and finishes up the breakfast.

"After we eat, we can go do something, my treat," I say.

"Why?"

"Because it's your birthday, duh!"

Amy smiles.

After we finish the delicious breakfast Amy made, we go out to my car again. I start the car and ask Amy where she wants to go.

"Um…"

"C'mon, you can think of somewhere," I say playfully.

"How about…" She giggles.

"Yes?"

"Jackie Green's? It's silly, but we could get some food and go to a a park. It's what I did as a kid."

"Sounds great!" I say. I start driving to Jackie's. It's funny. I'd always come to Jackie's because it was the most positive thing I had. Now, I have Amy, and I don't need to go there for that reason.

We go through the drive-thru and drive to the park of her choice: The Koret Playground. We go to the grass and start eating. The park is packed as always, and we start talking about school.

"What are you majoring in?" I ask Amy, even though I know the answer.

"Art; painting," Amy says, then takes a bite of her burger. "You?"

I freeze. I still have an undeclared major. I know I need to pick one soon, because you usually should pick one before two years in college, and I just turned 20 (I've just barely past two years). "Um, I still don't really know what I want to do," I say. I blush. Ugh, this is so embarrassing. It feels like Amy has it all figured out, and I'm over here, just taking classes for two years that don't lead up to anything anymore.

"Oh," Amy says, putting her burger down. "Well, I could help you with that, if you'd like."

I blink.

"R-Really?"

"Yeah."

"Well, thanks, I'll keep you posted…"

Amy smiles and finishes her burger.

After about an hour, I stretch and take my phone from my pocket

4:15.

I clear my throat. "Where do you wanna go next?"

Amy pauses. She smiles. "I think I have the perfect destination."