Coffee and Cigarettes and Everything in Between

Fourteen

Winter

"I'm really happy for you Winter." Giselle suddenly says breaking the silence as we sit on the couch while binge watching her favorite series.

I narrowed my my eyes at her giving her the notion that I don't understand what she was talking about.

"About you and Karina. You dumbass." She says hitting my arm.

"Well my bestfriend is dumb too so what do you expect?" I retorted back which earned me a kick from her.

"But seriously though, I'm happy for you. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to be in a relationship."

"You're talking like I haven't been in one."

"I know, I know. But this one is different from your previous ones. You never shut up about her!"

"I don't know Gi, she's just... she's just—"

"Dude you can't even finish your sentence anymore!" She says her laughter filling our apartment. Reaching for the cushion beside me, I pick it up and hit her with it but she just laughed it off again.

"Fucking whipped!" She says out loud while pointing her fingers at me. Once she starts teasing she never really stops and knowing this I only rolled my eyes at her.

"Rolling your eyes at me? Seriously? I can't believe my bestfriend is a bottom."

"Just because I rolled my eyes? Really Gi?"

"So you're saying that you're not a bottom? I don't believe it for a second Winter. Karina tops in my opinion. I'm betting a hundred dollars right now." Bitch. Why does she have to be right in almost everything? Now she's never really gonna stop teasing me.

"See? You're not denying it. A whipped bottom spoiling her top. Never seen anything like it. Kim Winter you really are built differently." She says with a teasing smile playing on her lips as she drink her water.

"Why? Where does those terms even came from? Do I need a reason to spoil my girlfriend? Do I need to be labeled as a top to pamper my girlfriend? I love her Gi. It's as simple as that. I want to make her feel loved, I want her to feel special, I want to spoil her every chance I get."

This time her teasing smile drops. Her eyes turned into serious ones.

"She's really lucky to have you Winter, I hope she knows that. See you even defy the norms of society for her."

"And I'm really lucky to have her too Gi. She may not be showy as me but I feel it. I know it." That's the thing about Karina, she's subtle when it comes to showing her affection. It's the little things that she does. Like the way she holds my hand and lead me while crossing the road or whenever she absentmindedly holds my hand and kisses the back of it after intertwining our fingers. It's on the details when it comes to her. It's those little things that she does that makes my heart beat a mile per minute, it's those little things that has the biggest effect on me.

"Then that's all that matters." She says giving me her reassuring smile.

Silence engulfed us for a while. We sat there while watching Phoebe sing "Smelly Cat" for the umpteenth time in the series when I suddenly remembered something. Reaching for the remote, I paused the show and faced her.

"Yah! I remember seeing you last month in the mall with a guy. Which happens to be the same guy that I saw you with last week in the diner!"

Shock was clearly evident on her face. "When did you have the time to see us? You rarely roam around the city?"

"I was buying a gift last month, then I was looking for places to bring Karina to when I saw you sitting beside the window."

"Kim Winter a homebody no more and all because of Karina. Fucking whipped!" Yup and there goes her teasing again.

"Don't you dare change the subject! Why didn't you tell me?"

"You really look happy with Karina and whenever I look at you I just feel so happy too that it slipped my mind okay? Plus the fact that you never shut up about her you whiplash."

I hit her arm this time. "Spill more details come on."

Sitting lazily, she grab the bag of chips before explaining. "His name is James."

"James?" Where have I heard that name before?

"Yes. James. James Lee. Do you know him?"

"I'm not sure."

"Moving on, he's a software developer. He works downtown. He just settled back into the city after going away for months from some place that I can't remember the name of." She says nonchalantly as she munch on her chips.

"Not remembering something, that's so you."

She smiles proudly. "I know right?"

"But I do remember that he's gorgeous. I'm telling you Winter, he is fucking P.R.E.T.T.Y and so far he's treating me right."

"And you're the one who's telling me I'm whipped? I can't with you Gi, you sound like you're head over heels over this guy already."

"I'm just stating facts. He is a fucking pretty boy, Winter."

"Okay Gi, whatever helps you sleep at night." And now it's her turn to hit me. "But on a serious note, he treats you right so no red flags so far?" I asked her. She's my bestfriend I gotta make sure she's with someone decent. She shakes her head no.

"So when will I meet this guy?"

"Probably when you're not gushing about Karina." She teases.

"Gi, I'm serious come on. I wanna meet the  guy, he's gotta at least get my approval first."

"Then why didn't you asked me for my approval before going out with Karina?"

"Gi, you're the one that introduced me to her in the first place. Remember that night at the convenience store?" I explained to her.

Snapping her fingers, her eyes wide, it finally hits her.

"Oh yeah! You were so shy back then." She says poking my side.

"Please don't remind me."

"How about a double date then?"

Double date? I've never been in one.

"So what do you say?" She asked again.

"I'm not sure about that Gi."

She nudges me. "Come on in that way you'll get to know James while I get to spend more time with Karina."

Knowing Giselle she's not the type to let this go. Heaving a deep sigh, I surrendered. Plus she got a point there. It will be like hitting two birds with one stone. A win-win situation for all of us.

"Okay, I'll ask Karina about it."

A smile of triumph appeared on her lips just right before pressing play on the remote letting Phoebe to finally finish her song.

Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault

They won't take you to the vet
You're obviously not their favorite pet
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault...