The Dates.

Tuesday morning and I was standing in the kitchen, eating my bowl of cereal over the sink to avoid dribbling milk down my new shirt. I was wearing the same outfit I wore yesterday (what's the point in wasting clothes I only had on for an afternoon?) and fine, I was a bit wary of what else Jake had picked out for me. Sure, he'd done a great job with this one but maybe he got lucky? How much money did he even have lying around to buy me at least four new outfits, including shoes? What if he'd just splurged out on the first set of clothes and then went to some bargain shop for the rest, where all he could find were sweater vests and Lord knows what?

"Andy, what on earth are you doing?"

I almost spat out my breakfast, surprised to hear my mothers voice. She was usually at work at this time.

"Oh, hey Mum. Uh, what're you doing?" I asked, draining the rest of the milk from my bowl before putting it in the sink. I looked around and my mother was dropping a teabag into her mug; she was wearing her pyjama bottoms and a baggy jumper - her lazy day clothes.

"Work gave me the day off." she said abruptly. "So - "

She turned her back on the boiling kettle and warmed the sides of her arms with hands. She was squinting at me.

"You look...different." she observed. "Your hair is straight."

Her tone was clearly disapproving. I have the same, wild curly hair as my mother and ever since I was a kid, she's been telling me that my hair is a gift. Being the indifferent, teenage boy that I am, I've never really paid attention to her apparent words of wisdom and if I'm being honest, think my hair is the bane of my freaking existence. She might have gotten to the point where she's accepted the inevitable but I was still working through that phase.

"It is, yeah." I said, bracing myself for the onslaught of tutting and sighing.

She opened her mouth but the sound of the kettle bubbling distracted her. I decided to make my move.

"Right, I should really head off to school now. If I don't hurry, I'll probably be late."

"What? School?" my Mum said absent-mindedly. "Never mind that, I'll give you a lift."

Extended time alone with my mother? Stuck in a car for at least fifteen minutes, maybe more if there was early hour traffic? Giver her ample reason to talk some more at me about the change of hair?! No way.

"Mum, really - it's fine. I can walk well, I've been doing it for years. I've heard that I've perfected the technique."

"Andy, I'll take you. I don't mind."

"But what about your tea? You can't leave it." I told her desperately, clutching at straws.

"I'm sure it'll fend for itself while I'm gone, it doesn't need me to protect it. Besides, I have a whole day free, I can make another."

She just wasn't backing down! Why did she have to be so stubborn for? Can't parents just let their kids do what they want or something?

"Mum - " I started but she was waving her hand at me, pulling on her coat that hung off the back of a chair.

"Andrew, I'm taking you to school and that's final. Now get your bag and wait for me in the car." she ordered, pointing to the hallway and sealing my fate.

I groaned and grumbled as I skulked past her, scooping up my bag from the floor in defeat. I kicked open the front door, something I would probably regret later when my toe started aching, but I didn't care in the present. The cold air slapped at my face when I stepped outside and I cursed it bitterly, taking it as a bad omen for the day ahead.

The car unlocked and my mother came bustling out of the house, fumbling with the front door keys for a while in her pink slippers. I'd already climbed inside the vehicle, choosing to sit in the back rather then the front with her. This might be easier.

I stared moodily out of the window, feeling the icy breeze blow in when my mother jumped in the drivers seat. She snapped on her seat belt (after barking at me to put mine on) and pulled out of the driveway. She took a while to address me though, the journey was nearly over when she finally spoke up.

"Andy?" she said. "Is everything alright?"

The question stopped me in my tracks. I hadn't expected her to sound concerned, I was aiming more for exasperated or frustrated. I knew she'd been pondering over something the whole time she was driving, maybe which tactics were best to try and convince me to change my hair back? But this? This was unanticipated and therefore far more difficult to deal with.

"Yeah, everything is fine." I muttered, avoiding her piercing gaze through the rear-view mirror.

"Are you sure? You've been acting kind of...distracted, I guess. And your new clothes, your hair..."

I rubbed the side of my face, almost childishly. It was hard to lie to my Mum, even if how I dressed or looked wasn't any of her business.

"Just felt like a change, is all. Nothing to worry about."

She didn't seem assured but she'd ran out of time. We had pulled up on the school car park and Jake was diligently waiting for me on the pavement. I moved uncertainly, feeling like she should dismiss me before I exited the car. It kind of felt like I was walking out on something urgent.

"Have a nice day, Andy. I'll see you tonight." she said quietly, giving me a small smile in the mirror. It didn't feel entirely warm; she wanted to talk more.

"Sure thing, see you."

Before she could change her mind, I bolted from the car and joined Jake on the path.

"Sup, bro. Ready for Samantha later?" Jake said breezily, waving at my Mum as she drove away.

I'd taken out a bottle of water from my bag and was about to take a sip but Jake's information pulled me up short.

"Samantha. Who's that again?"

"Punk. Mohican. About ten facial piercings." Jake reeled off, smirking at my horror-struck face.

"And remind me why she's on the list?"

Jake shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought she had personality."

Rebecca Grey had personality but that didn't exactly make her a great person to be around. Still, I didn't mention this to Jake, he was still fuming about her since that fateful interview.

Instead, I muttered about letting him get me into difficult situations, hoping he would leave it there and let me dwell on imminent humiliation that would undoubtedly follow when I met Samantha. I should have known better then to think that Jake would leave anything though.

"Dude, you owe me." he insisted, punching my arm. The bottle in my hand jolted and its contents sloshed out, narrowly avoiding my trousers.

I huffed but reckoned it was too early to have a fight with him. "How do I owe you?"

"I'm your wingman. Your faithful companion." he trailed off, his face wondrous.

"I'm like - like...like the Sam to your Frodo!" Jake exclaimed, his expression becoming distant and dreamy.

I was stumped. "Er, what?"

Jake shook his head, like he couldn't believe he had to explain this to me.

"Lord of the Rings? Samwise Gamgee? Frodo Baggins? Sam basically hauled Frodo's arse right up Mount Doom - "

I snorted into my drink and hastily wiped at the water dripping down my face. Jake shot me a dirty look at my immaturity, which I thought was rich coming from him, and continued.

" - and saved everyone in Middle Earth. Frodo wasn't the hero, Sam was. And so am I! I'm saving your sad, girlfriend-less life and providing you with opportunities here. I'm forcing you into destroying the one Ring in order for you to live a happy life in the Shire - or, um...to have a relationship."

"That's like, the lamest analogy I've ever heard." I mumbled, walking into tutorial. Jake rolled his eyes and high fived a passing student in our class.

"Andrew. You've never appreciated the finer things in life. I'll change that."

"Doubt it." I chuckled, dropping into my seat.

"You're right, better leave it for another day. You have Samantha to focus on."

I moaned. How did I keep forgetting about that?