"Stop trying to fix your body. It was never broken." – Eve Ensler.
Maisie
WHEN I CALLED my mom to inform her not to bother to pick me up because I was going to hang out with a friend, she couldn't hide her surprise.
"Wow. This is new." I could hear the smile in her voice. "You have no idea how happy I am about this. Go ahead. Have fun, honey and stay as long as you want."
"Okay, mom. See you later."
She even offered to pick me up when we're done but I told her not to worry, that I'd find my way home.
"Boo!"
I jumped away from the sound like a startled rabbit and someone laughed. I narrowed my eyes at Avery, not at all amused by her laughing at my expense.
"It isn't funny," I deadpanned.
"I didn't mean to startle you that much. But it was hilarious either way,"
"I'm starting to think that you like teasing me."
She stopped laughing, and put her left hand to her chin, as if thinking about something. Then she shrugged, grinning. "I guess I do."
I shook my head a little, smiling.
"You ready?"
"Yes, I am. I've told my mom. Has Alex gone home?"
A smirk slowly appeared on her face while she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Maisie… Maisie."
"What?"
"Nothing." She bit her bottom lip, trying to bite back a smile.
"He is either in the library or around here somewhere. He'll wait till we're done and we'll go home together."
"Why?"
"He's my Chauffeur. Let's go."
I closed my locker and we both headed out of school. When we walked into Rainbow Café, Avery led me to an empty table. She pulled out a chair for me and gestured to it dramatically with a bow. "Milady."
"Why thank you." I sat down, playing along. We laughed.
"I'm so glad you agreed to come." Avery commented as she sat down in front of me. "So, what would you like? My treat."
I shook my head. "You don't need to pay for me."
"I insist, Mai." She smiled. "Now, what would you like to order?" She looked at the menu on the blackboard and started to list the items on it.
"Coffee? Smoothie? Milkshake—"
"A vanilla shake."
"Okay. What about something to eat?"
"The vanilla shake is okay. Thanks."
She smiled and left to place our orders at the counter. I watched her go and realised that I wasn't the only one paying attention to her. Some people were obviously checking her out and some girls looked like they would burn holes in her head with the way they were glaring at her. It's one of the downsides of being so beautiful, I guess.
She waited at the counter as they got our order ready and I thought about how she had shortened my name when she talked. I didn't realise we were on nickname basis. It felt good when she called me that.
"Here you go." She returned shortly after and placed my vanilla shake in front of me. She ordered a croissant and a smoothie for herself.
"Thanks."
Tentatively, I held the straw and took a sip out of my vanilla shake.
Avery took a bite out of her croissant and moaned. "Hmmm. Tastes good. I should come here more often." She took a sip of her drink too. "The Smoothie's good too."
"Same with mine." I commented lamely. I continued to sip my drink and she focused on her food too.
Apart from the surrounding noise, silence ensued between us. As time went on, it seemed as if the silence was drowning out everything else and I felt awkward and uncomfortable. I glanced at Avery and she looked unbothered; she seemed very comfortable and was only focused on enjoying her food.
Sitting there uncomfortably in the silence, I was reminded of how I was reminded of how I was really excited to hang out with her but didn't even take time to think about what we'd talk about. I just wanted to finish my vanilla shake and think of an excuse to leave or something.
My mind started racing with thoughts of how to start a conversation and it was really frustrating that I couldn't come up with anything.
Avery's phone that was on the table pinged and she paused eating to check the message. She took a sip from her smoothie before unlocking her phone.
"Can I call you?" She said, staring at her phone. I thought she was talking to me and when I was about to answer, she spoke again and I realised that she was just reading the text out loud.
"Can't this guy take a hint?" She let out a groan.
Then her phone started to ring. The tune sounded so familiar and when the singer started to sing, I immediately recognized the song. It was Life Goes On By BTS.
My eyes widened in amazement.
She listens to K-pop, I mused.
Finally, something to talk about. She declined the call and dropped her phone back on the table to finish her food. She continued to hum the song even after declining the call.
"Hey, Beautiful." A deep voice said. I looked up to see a handsome guy with firm muscles. He looked older than us, like someone in college.
"Hi." Avery answered with a straight face. "Can I help you?"
"Aside from being sexy, what else do you do for a living?" He smirked.
Avery let out a sardonic laugh. "Haha. Very funny."
The smirk on his face disappeared and he cringed. "Um… Sorry. I don't know why I said that." He paused.
Then he tried again, without a lame pick-up line. "Hi, my name is Tyler. What's yours?"
She stared at his outstretched hand for a second before reluctantly taking it. "I'm Avery."
"Nice to meet you, Avery. Did you just move to the United States?"
"No, I didn't." Her answer earned a glance from me.
"Are you from around here?"
With an uninterested look on her face, Avery looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Are you blind? Can't you see that we were right in the middle of something? You can see I'm not alone and you are just being outright rude to my friend here." She snapped.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't notice her."
Yeah, he definitely didn't. When he looked here, I bet all he could see was a beauty with an empty seat in front of her. Why didn't he go ahead and sit on me since I was invisible?
"Can I have your number so I can text you? I feel bad for being rude so I'd love to treat you to dinner sometime to apologise."
I almost scoffed. Was this guy serious?
"No."
"Why?"
"I have a boyfriend," Avery replied.
"So?"
"He doesn't like me giving out my number to strangers, especially guys like you."
I have no idea why but for some reason, my head replayed a similar scenario that happened in this same café when her brother and I met for the first time to discuss our assignment.
A frown appeared on Tyler's face. "What do you mean by 'Guys like me'?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I meant whatever you think I meant."
Tyler scoffed. "So you're one of those conceited and narcissistic bitches who think everyone is beneath them because they're beautiful, huh?"
Avery didn't even bat an eyelid. "Think whatever you want but just respect yourself and walk away. Go back to your friends and let them know that you couldn't get my number. You lost the bet."
That shut the guy up. He was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to speak twice but ended up closing it and walking away with a scowl on his face, defeatedly.
Avery finished her smoothie nonchalantly like the whole conversation didn't just happen while I stared at her.
She noticed. "What?"
"That was kinda rude."
"I hate guys like that. I noticed him and his friends talking and making gestures towards our table before he walked towards us, his friends cheering him on. I had the feeling they made a bet and I was right."
"You're pretty observant. I didn't even know you could act like that. You've always seemed chummy."
"I am." She commented, laying emphasis on the second word. "But not to arsehats like that."
"Um… okay." I looked towards the table where the guy is seated to see his friends still laughing at his expense. "Should we leave?"
"Why? Do you want to go home already?" Avery pouted.
"No, it's not that." I nodded towards Tyler's table. "Because of them."
"No way! If anyone should have to leave, it should be them. I don't give a damn."
"Okay."
"Let's talk about something else, please."
I nodded, smiling because I knew the perfect thing to talk about. I quickly took a sip of my milkshake and noticed Tyler slink his way out of the café, his friends following loudly behind.
"They just left." I commented.
"Great. Now, the air is free of nitwits."
"So, your ringtone is …."
"No way!" Avery's eyes glinted in excitement. "You know them?"
"Yeah, I do. I'm a fan."
She clasped my hands over the table and let out a squeal, causing heads to turn but she couldn't care less.
"Which other K-Pop bands do you listen to?"
I started to list them but she interrupted me in excitement.
"Shut up!" She exclaimed. "Wait. Do you watch Korean dramas?"
"Yes," I sighed dramatically. "I'm a sucker for Korean dramas."
"I can already tell that we're gonna be the best of friends." She grinned.
"It was Korean dramas that got me into K-Pop."
"Which are your favourites?"
"That's hard to pick…" I trailed off, thinking.
And that was how I went from wanting to leave to not wanting the hangout to end. I found myself genuinely smiling and laughing, wondering if this was really happening.
Our swooning, gushing, fangirling and bonding was cut short when Alex's call came through.
"Let's go. He's threatening to leave me to find my way home." She stood and picked up her phone. "Wow. We've been here for 1 hour and 30 minutes."
I checked the time to confirm. "You're right."
A chuckle escaped my mouth, remembering how we planned to spend a maximum of 30 minutes.
Avery led the way as we left the café to see a sleek black car parked just outside, near the café. She told me it was her brother and asked me where I live and I told her.
"That's on our way. Let's drop you off."
I tried to decline, shaking my head. "There's no need for that. Thank you but I don't wanna impose."
"Oh, please! Is it because of Alex? He wouldn't even mind and even if he does, I don't care. Let's go." She proceeded to grab my hand and pull me along.
"Hey."
"What took you so long? You said you'd spend a maximum of 30 minutes, Avery." Alex said to her before turning and sighting me.
"Oh, hi Maisie." He smiled.
"Hey."
She opened the door to the backseat for me and I got in, thanking her. She surprised me by going to the other side and getting in.
"You can go now, Chauffeur."
Alex turned and narrowed his eyes on his twin. "I've told you to stop calling me that.
Avery grinned. "No."
His gaze moved to me. "This is what I have to deal with everyday, Maisie."
"That's offensive. I'm a sweetheart, Maiz; a ball of sunshine. Don't listen to him."
I couldn't help it, I let out a chuckle.
Alex started the car and Avery made small talk all the way until Alex stopped in front of my house, with my directions.
"Thank you so much for the ride."
"You're welcome." I got out of the car and Avery moved to the front passenger seat.
"Hey. Let's meet one more time this week to finish the report. It's due Monday." Alex told me.
"Yeah, sure. Just text me the time and place."
"Bye, Maiz." Avery waved and I watched their car disappear out of sight.
When I turned around to head in, I spotted my mom peeking out a window with a grin on her face.
"Tell me everything!" She exclaimed the moment I stepped into the house.