Author’s POV

“You’re sure you’re fine?” the gentleman asked, offering a smile that reflected the light of the lowering sun. “You don’t need a ride home?”

“I’m sure,” Yuri reassured the young man, running a hand through the length of her hair and serving up her own winning grin. She turned then and trudged up the dirt and grass spotted incline until she reached the bridge. Jessica had been standing there just a few minutes ago, so where did she go? Yuri asked herself, gaze casting up and down the street for her girlfriend. Not having any luck in finding the blonde, Yuri fished her cellphone out of her back shorts pocket and tapped the screen. It remained black and she tinkered with the power button but to no avail. Her little unexpected trip into the river had permanently ended the life of her phone.

“Damn,” she cursed under her breath, slipping it back into her pocket. Arms folded across her chest, she made her way back down the slope, eyes searching for the man who had pulled her from her phone’s watery grave.

The man, with a mop of charcoal black hair hanging in his eyes, crouched down on the local dock, tying a small kayak up for the evening. “Um…”

The young man rubbed the palms of his hands against his knees and then stood, only then noticing Yuri. He didn’t even attempt hiding a crooked smile. Yuri stared up at him awkwardly, a light blush lighting her cheeks. She hated embarrassments like these. He folded his arms, waiting for her to beg him for that ride back.

“Whenever you’re ready to leave,” Yuri stated flatly, offering a brusque nod and quickly glancing off toward the far end of the river, hoping her nonchalant manner would not elicit a desire to tease in the young man.

----

“Ew,” Jessica whined in disgust, gingerly picking at a piece of meat that had ended up on her slice of pizza. “Tiff, seriously.” With a sniff she flicked it onto Tiffany’s plate.

Tiffany glanced at the meat chunk, a large bite of pizza still being crushed between her teeth. “I didn’t make the pizza,” Tiffany calmly reminded her dining partner before plucking the discarded item from her plate and popping it into her gaping mouth.

Jessica’s eyebrows knitted together, lips furling to reveal a set of pearly white teeth gritting together. “Nasty.”

Tiffany ignored the comment and continued eating, Jessica glancing from her to the half empty pizza box and then to the television set. “What do you do for fun?”

“I dance,” which reply was met with a loud snort.

“Yeah, right. Seriously, what do you do?”

“I dance,” Tiffany repeated with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

“I bet you sing into your hair brush in front of the mirror.”

“Hey,” the younger girl replied with a soft laugh. “I actually performed in the school talent show and everyone seemed to really like it.”

“Did you win?”

“Well…no.”

“Then your argument is invalid.”

“Psh, whatever.” Tiffany dug her teeth into another hearty helping of pizza, leaving Jessica to her own devices as she took it upon herself to explore Tiffany’s house. Nonplussed, Tiffany chewed happily, lifting her phone as a text came in from Bora, about to open it until a certain blonde emerged in a black felt top hat and tailored blazer.

“Hullo,” the blonde greeted in a cockney accent, bowing deeply. “Such a jolly good time you be having tonight, Ms. Hwang.”

“What….” Tiffany eyed the girl incredulously before erupting in a fit of laughter. Setting aside her plate, she brushed off her hands and wandered over to examine the now British blonde standing in her living room. “Are you a magician?”

“…sure.”

Two eyebrows arched.

Jessica grinned and swept past the skeptical girl, her hand reaching for the television remote. With a few