Just friends.
We're just friends.
No, really. She's just my best friend...
Lili Moon has been my best friend since fourth grade, even when we "hated" each other. We've been there for one another through first kisses, first "times," and we've been ea...
Meet me at the pier at noon today. At that new sub place. I have something to show you.
Prepare your eyes! LILI
Subject: Re: OMG! GREAT NEWS!
I'm pretty sure I've already seen it. Several times, last night, the night before, last week...
Sincerely, VANTAE
SUBJECT: Re: Re: Re: OMG! GREAT NEWS!
This isn't related to sex, thank you very much.
Hurry up. LILI
An hour later, I spotted lili in front of the sub shop, waiting for her to turn around and notice me. Her hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and her brown eyes were gleaming against the bright sunlight.
"Took you long enough." She looked me over. "I see you decided to actually wear a shirt today."
"Only because you told me this meeting wasn't related to sex." I almost pulled her into my arms for a kiss, but I held back. I still wasn't sure what the hell was happening between us, and even though we were more than intimate now, we had yet to show any public displays of affection; wasn't sure what that would mean if I initiated it.
"Do you want me to tell you the news out here or over lunch?" she asked.
"Over lunch." I motioned for her to follow me inside the sub shop and we took a seat in the back.
The waitress quickly took our orders, and promised to be back in less than ten minutes.
"So..." lili said, smiling. "I actually have three sets of news, and I'm going to let you pick which one—"
"You look really fucking beautiful today." I cut her off, looking at her and wondering why I'd never seen just how stunning she was before. "Really fucking beautiful..."
She blushed. "Thank you..." She was silent for a while before speaking again. "You want the good news, the bad news, or the great news first?"
"Bad news."
"I ran into your ex, Mia, about half an hour ago and she yelled at me in front of everyone at the supermarket."
"What did she say?"
"That she hates me, she hates you, she hates your tiny little dick..."
"Is it tiny to you?"
Her cheeks reddened, but she ignored my question. "She said that if we ever end up together, that she will personally crash our wedding...With a personal army of cats, I'm sure."
I laughed. "What about the good news?"
"She tried to punch me and I took her down."
"Are you being serious?"
"Of course not." She scoffed. "Security took her down, but I did try." She smiled at the waitress as she set down our sandwiches.
"Do I even want the great news?"
"The phenomenal news, excuse me." She pulled a folded envelope from her pocket and slid it across the table.
"Open it."
I set down my napkin and pulled out the paper—reading a brief letter from Collège Culinaire de France.
"They are deeply sorry for the enormous error in the processing of your previous application and would be delighted and honored to have you in their newest cohort of classically trained chefs," I read, genuinely happy for her.
"Read the rest..." She beamed. "That's not even the best part..."
I looked over it and summarized it aloud. "Since there was a mistake and this is short notice, based on your talent and recommendation letters, they're offering you a full scholarship if you confirm.
She practically squealed.
"Congratulations. I'm very happy for you." I started to hand the paper back to her until my eyes caught the bolded line at the bottom. "It says you'll need to arrive there June 16th, though. Is that right?"
She nodded, still smiling.
"That's two weeks from now, lili."
"What?" Her smile slowly faded and she snatched her letter back. "No, it's not. It's..." She read the letter again and again. "I was reading it so fast when I got it this morning...I could've sworn it said July..."
"And it's an eighteen month program with no extended breaks?" I read more of the fine print.
"You only get five approved holidays...The first approved holiday is in six months."
Her eyes met mine and neither of us said anything for a while.
I stood up and moved to her side of the booth. Her fingers effortlessly entwined with mine under the table, and I looked into her eyes.
"We'll make the most of it."
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