Oh my god, isn’t that Lisa?

It’s 7 pm and I’ve just finished my shift at Subway, now standing in line at Starbucks. Only a big cup of Iced Caramel Macchiato will be able to keep me awake long enough to get me home safely.

I squint my eyes. It totally is! I’m wide awake now.

Not five metres away sits Lisa at a table, staring blankly at her phone. Lisa. The goddess of all Instagram goddesses. With almost two million followers, she has promotion deals with clothing and make-up brands, phone applications and most importantly – Coca Cola.

Sometimes I wonder if she’s even real. Blessing the world with her supermodel body, her gorgeous blonde hair, and cute face.

What do I do now? I want to walk up to her, but my knees tremble and my mouth gets all dry. Probably not a good idea.

I totally need to share this with Jisoo though. Jisoo is the other employee at the Subway, and in the three weeks I’ve been working there, we’ve become close friends. She’s worked there a lot longer, and has been super nice easing me into the art of sandwich creation. We also like the same music and TV shows, so working with her is mostly fun.

Pretending to text someone, I unlock my phone and open the camera app. I try to get a good shot of Lisa, but there are some people in the way.

The line’s moving, great. I press the button and a slightly blurry picture appears on the screen. It’s definitely her, but maybe I should take …

“Oi, this is where it’s at!” the barista interrupts my thoughts.

I blush and quickly put my phone away.

“So, what can I get ‘ya, ma’am?” I place my order and leave as soon as possible without looking at Lisa again.

 

“Hey Jisoo, guess who I just saw!”

“Who? I thought you were going home,” Jisoo replies, not looking up from the table she’s cleaning.

“Lisa,” I whisper.

“Who the hell is that?”

“How can you n…” I start, “That’s Lisa ing Manoban, the love of my life, but also the one who shattered my dreams by becoming her wife!” I show her the photo.

“Okayyyy,” Jisoo says, surely doubting my sanity; but I don’t care, because I saw Lisa. In the flesh. My life is complete.

“Maybe you should tell her that,” she suggests, “You’re not gonna get anywhere if you just swoon from afar, you know.”

“Jisoo, I can’t just message her! I mean, she’s so up here,” I reach out my arm over my head, “And I’m down there,” I gesture to the floor.

“She’s a young woman with a lot of money. Whose only assets, I’ve seen so far, are, that she looks pretty,” she argues “Come on, what could happen?”

I guess I don’t have much of a choice. I open my private Instagram account (which I admit, is mostly for stalking Lisa anyway), and write her a PM.

jen_the_hen Hey, i saw u at starbucks today. i just wanted to say that you’re so cute. :)

lisa_manoban Thank u

I blink.

Lisa has replied?

Lisa has ing replied!

“Lisa has replied,” I say dumbly to Jisoo. Jisoo gives me two big thumbs up.

jen_the_hen I’m so glad u replied‼! Haha

lisa_manoban why, u my fan?

jen_the_hen YES‼ <3 i’m so gay for you‼ Hahaha

lisa_manoban Omg

jen_the_hen Oops hehe :3

Didn’t intend to reveal that fact. But maybe it’s okay if she knows, she must get that all the time.

lisa_manoban U lesbian?

jen_the_hen I think so :c im still denying it to myself hehe

lisa_manoban Ewww

lisa_manoban Im straight

jen_the_hen Lol haha

jen_the_hen U hate lesbians?

lisa_manoban I hate gays, biuals and lesbian they all need be in some other plant away from earth

lisa_manoban Planet*

, that hurt.

jen_the_hen Woah haha maybe thats true lol we’re sick

I don’t actually think that, but damn it, I just want her to like me.

jen_the_hen I must be annoying u then

lisa_manoban No

She said ‘no’, but I can’t see her profile now. She’s blocked me!

Jisoo, having read along everything, takes my phone away and slips an arm around me. I don’t resist.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry,” she says, “I didn’t think she would be such a homophobe.”

I try to be strong, but a few tears do make it over my cheeks.

“Maybe she’s right,” I try to reason, “I am pretty sick, aren’t I? God knows what my mum would do if she knew I liked girls.”

Jisoo looks scandalised. “No, you stop those thoughts right there!” She gestures at me. “Look at you, you’re strong, you’re beautiful, you’re smart. You don’t need no man at your side and you sure as hell are allowed to love who you love. If someone has a problem with that, they can off.”

“I guess so.”

“I swear to God, if this Lisa person is ever going to get near you or me, I’m gonna punch her so hard she never forgets,” Jisoo threatens.

I chuckle. “Don’t do that.”

 

Later that night at home, I stare at Lisa’s Instagram.

Obviously, Lisa and I never had a chance to begin with, but I could dream. I can’t dream now. Lisa has crushed them. Burned them with a flame thrower. But the worst thing is, I don’t hate her. I know Jisoo wants me to, but Lisa’s still a precious angel in my mind, and I don’t think this will ever change.