Cerys' POV

"How do you use a curling iron?" VJ Aziz said while standing in front of the mirror, messing with their hair.

"VJ, why are you using that, your hair's already curly enough as it is. And I don't trust you around anything that could be a fire hazard, give me that." Kara McIntire replied, snatching the curling iron from VJ and getting to work on doing my hair.

"Thanks for doing my hair, Kara. You know, the last time I tried to do it, I almost set the house on fire." I said.

"How-"

"Long story." I said. Kara giggled as I watched Cole Keli'i slick his dark brown hair back with a glob of hair gel, the gel getting all over his fingers and even his suit.

"Cole! Wipe that off, didn't you rent that suit?" Lauren Hudson said.

"What's a little hair gel gonna do to ya?" Cole snickered, 

"Well, you might have to pay a cleaning fee, but you do you." Lauren shrugged as Sherman Demir burst into the room wearing a maroon pantsuit, their hair messy and tangled and their trumpet case in one hand.

"What happened to you?" I said.

"Guys. We have a Code Red." Sherman said under her breath. 

"You got your period?" Lauren said. "There's stuff in the bottom dresser drawer, just take whatever you need and-"

"No! Wait, is that what that means?" Sherman said. "God, we really need to talk through all these friend codes you tried to teach me, anyway! There's a love interest."

"Are they cute?" VJ said, and I swear I could see xem blush.

"VJ!" I yelled.

"What? I was talking about for them, not for me." VJ said. 

"Lemme text Lars. They gotta hear this." Cole said, pulling out his phone

"You don't need to text Lars every time one of us has some new romantic development. You remember that time when some girl winked at VJ in the halls and xe started freaking out in class about it because they thought she was cute? And Lars was at the front of the school with their SUV within an hour?" Kara said, smirking at Cole.

"Yeah?" Cole asked.

"Yeah, don't do that." Kara said. "Poor Sherman already has enough going on."

"Like what?" Sherman said, confused. 

"Your pants still have a tag on them, your shoes don't match your suit at all, and you only put eyeshadow on one eye." Kara said, going over to Sherman to fix her hair. "And while I'm doing this, tell me about this...someone."

"Well, they're in my Art class."

"Ooh, art kid! I already like them." Cole said. "What's their name, what country are they from?"

"Yana, Croatia." Sherman said, putting some blush on her already pink cheeks. "I have math with them too, and they're really good at math."

"That makes one of us." VJ said under their breath, laughing a little. 

"Yeah, we all know you suck at math, let Sherman finish." I said.

"There's really nothing more to say. They're the new kid, they're cute, and they waved at me in the hallway once or twice." Sherman said. "Anyway, how do I look?"

"Better?" Kara said.

"Wow, thanks for the encouragement. Let's go."

___________

We were all at the dance, lights all over the gym and people everywhere. 

"I don't think I've ever seen people in our school dress so formally before." Sherman said.

"That's because we all have to wear school uniforms?" I said. Sherman shrugged and said, "Maybe. I'm going to get some Doritos, peace!"

"Wanna dance?" Cole said, holding his hand out to me.

I slapped it away jokingly and said, "Ew, no. Get away from me."

"Your loss." Cole laughed, running away and almost slamming right into someone.

"Woah, Cole! Watch out!" the person said, laughing while fixing their hair. Cole blinked for a second then gasped as he seemed to recognize who they were.

"Grace?" I said as Grace Khatri stepped into the light. "Grace, what are you doing here?" 

"Just chaperoning." Grace laughed. "Wanted to see how East Bridge is doing now that the cool kids are all gone. Where's all your friends? Where's that new girl Lars told me about?"

"Sherman, the new girl in question, is at the snack bar. They probably took the opportunity to flirt with this kid she likes for all we know, don't question it. The rest of them...God knows where they are." I said.

Grace laughed and said, "Well, Lars and everyone else are over there. Cole, Lars was looking for you, she wanted to tell you something."

"Who wanted to tell Cole what now?" Kara said, followed by VJ, Sherman, and Lauren. 

"There you all are." I said, as VJ shrieked at the sight of Grace. 

"Gracie!" VJ yelled, hugging her. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, kid." Grace said, and then Lars Sua came barreling over.

"LARS!" Cole shrieked, jumping into their arms. Lars giggled and hugged Cole tightly, and then hugged everyone else. 

"Hey guys!" Lars said.

"We missed you!" I giggled. 

"Grace said you wanted to ask me something?" Cole said.

"Yeah...well...so. I'm getting married in six months, and I was wondering if you wanted to be my best man." Lars said with a smile.

"YES, YES! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!"