“So he gave you his number?  And he tried to be all sneaky about it but failed but you still let him off the hook because you were ‘tired’ and ‘didn’t care’ at the time.”

I wasn’t sure what I expected out of him but it wasn’t this.  He looked more concerned than excited or annoyed with me.  “Yup that’s about right.”

He took his time drinking down most of his coffee and took a bite of his donut before speaking again, “And now you feel guilty because Ben told you to not talk to him like that and you think he’s going to see it and flip sheets.”

I don’t “think” dear best friend I know he’ll blow a freaking gasket and getting him to stop being jealous was like trying to stop a train with a walker.  “Pretty much.”

Carefully he hummed before moving is coffee over to the side and held out a finger almost right in my face.  Usually that meant he was annoyed with me or annoyed with a situation in general, hopefully the situation I didn’t really want him yelling at me in the middle of a coffee shop.  “Okay one, doesn’t need to be going through your phone in the first place that’s annoying and can be seen as harassment you can get his arrested for that if you wanted to.  I mean remember that boy that I was talking to that did that?  Dropped him like that.”  He snapped his fingers and then held up a second finger.  “And two it’s not like you guys were flirting right?  You’re just making friends in high places.  Besides helping him with his pronunciation might be the edge you need to get past the others.”

Groaning in discomfort I let my head fall forward and hit the tabletop with a slight thud.  The corners of my vision turned purple for a little bit and I groaned again but I refused to move.  “I don’t wanna look at it strategically like that it makes me feel worse.”

When he wiggled his fingers under my forehead and pushed me up. I didn’t fight him, but I didn’t fight gravity either as I felt forward again. Apparently he expected it and caught me with his hand and pushed me up again, harder this time. “Fine speaking as your best friend I think it’s perfectly okay to make friends with a celebrity especially when he seems so willing.  And for the record I like him better than Ben too.”

Without thinking I threw the napkin by me at him, successfully hitting his nose.  “You like a horse’s tail better than Ben most of the time.”

He tossed the napkin away knowing that if he threw it over then a war would start and this was one of our favorite coffee places neither of us would risk drawing attention.  “This is true but I mean come on even if he did hit on you you’d think after nearly three years he’d have a little more confidence in you. I mean I hit on you all the time.”

How many times had we had this conversation?  “Yeah but…you’re gay that’s different.”

Dismissing that idea entirely, he waved his hand and poked the top of my hand that was on the table.  “Getting hit on is getting hit on it doesn’t matter.”

And here we go again. Then again I have to admit it’s always fun when we did this and kind of a confidence boost in a really weird way. “Oh yeah?” Sliding out of my seat I took the empty space next to him and looped arms with him.  “Excuse me baby but where are you off to this fine night?”

He laughed before wiggling his arm out of my grasp and wrapped it around my shoulder and winked.  “Spending time with you y.”

“Oh forward are we?”

“Girl I’d beat some oysters to make you a pearl necklace.”  He was the only person in the world I know that could say that with a straight face. Well for about two seconds. As always after staring at each other we fell into a giggle fit.

Once I calmed down I moved back a bit and pretended to be shocked and excited.  “Oh I love necklaces.”

He cupped his hand to his ear and grinned, “What? What’s that? Do you hear the sound of some angels wings girl, cause you must be from heaven.”  I so knew that was coming but it made me laugh every time.  I swear I really would go crazy without this boy. 

Hitting his shoulder I grinned and went back to my seat.  “You’re crazy.”

“But you also love me.”

“I do but in all seriousness what do you think I should do?”

Skyler looked around slowly and sighed heavily before leaning back into the booth.  “Speaking as a completely objective third party with absolutely no personal interest in the matter,” I really needed to stop showing him western movies, “I think that there isn’t anything wrong with making friends with Kikwang. I mean he’s willing and he’s sweet. If Ben can’t trust you, that’s his loss and he’ll come around. He always does.”

As per usual Skyler was right.  I hated that and I knew I should get upset with Ben for not trusting me but I couldn’t even make myself stay angry at him for too long.  “True.”

He grinned and raised his coffee cup, “To new friendships and making it past the third round of elimination!”

If he could make a toast to wearing a nice jacket I was certain he would. Nonetheless I hit my cup against his and laughed a bit. “I’ll drink to that sir.” 

We stayed for another hour or so enjoying another cup of coffee and a cookie or two.  Our conversation ventured from work and how scared we were to the midterms that were quickly approaching just a little over a month and it would be time for midterms. That wasn’t scary at all.  No. Granted there was still time but with the internship and Ben and everything else going on I knew it would sneak up on me. Thankfully our conversation didn’t linger on those too long other than the fact we thought we were ed. Mostly we talked about summer break and if it would be possible to finally visit my home. Skyler had talked nonstop about wanting to go since I met him. 

He actually wanted to go this coming break but after reminding him that our internship wasn’t over until after the semester was completed he shut up immediately. Of course he went then decided it would be a good time to get up and pay the bill with the biggest pout on his face ever. I didn’t see why he was so obsessed with London anyway sure it was a beautiful city but not all the movies were spot on, especially the area I lived. Then again he was probably looking forward to the English boys the accent would probably turn him to jelly like most tourists. 

When he came back I hooked arms with him so he wouldn’t run away and smiled. “I promise we’ll go during the summer just you and me and you’ll get to see all the fashion and gorgeous dancing English boys you want.” 

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips and I knew I won. “Alright but if you don’t keep your promise Anais remember its death by stuffed animals.”

Only once had I experienced this “death” by stuffed animals. Never again. It wasn’t exactly fun when he held you down and beat you mercilessly with a stuffed animal you think it doesn’t hurt but oh my god it does. I think he had something in those stuffed animals but he won’t tell me what exactly it is. “Yeah you’ve got my word I’m not particularly keen on being beat to death by stuffed animals thank you.”

“That’s right my babies strike fear in the hearts of everyone.”

The rest of the way home we argued about his stuffed animals and how they were only scary when he was upset any other time they were adorable and squishy. Since by the time we got home it was around midnight which meant it was Saturday now we both knew sleeping wasn’t an option. You can’t watch Mean Girls and be asleep.  Usually we waited until later in the day but since we knew that we’d be working all day there would be no time for our tradition. 

We had gotten about halfway through the movie when suddenly my computer started beeping.  Which usually meant someone was trying to call me on Skype. “You left that thing on all day?”

“Shut up I wasn’t thinking.”  Sure enough as I crawled over, half asleep my mother’s name, Mariah, was on the screen.  Damn time zone differences that she always seemed to forget.  Knowing that she would just keep ringing I answered the call and put on my best smile. “Hey mom what’s up?”

She gasped as soon as my webcam and adjusted to the lighting. “Anais Marissa Crawford you look dreadful what in the world!”

Glancing at the clock on the computer I groaned in annoyance and rubbed my hand over my face.  “It’s nearly three A.M. mother what do you expect?”

As I expected she wore a dumbfounded expression for a bit before frowning, I love her to death but sometimes she can be so forgetful.  “Oh…right I’m sorry.”

Waving off her apologetic tone I yawned a little and straightened up. “No, no, no it’s fine now what’s up.”

The smile appeared on her face again and I could already tell what she was going to want to discuss.  Either marriage, someone was getting married or she had some sort of brilliant plan for me to come home over some break and we’d do all these wonderful and fantastic things. “Well I was wondering about you coming home this break.” Ha I so knew it she’s so predicable sometimes. I tried to interrupt her and tell her that it wouldn’t work out right now but she made no sign of stopping her explanation, “You haven’t come home for nearly a year in and a half even when Ben came to visit his home. So I was thinking that you should come by your father and I can take a few weeks off work and you can even bring Skyler if you really want and-”

Clearing my throat I spoke loudly, “Mom I can’t.”

Clearly offended she moved back from the computer and bit and crossed her arms over her chest before speaking in an ‘I’m mad and you do what I want’ tone.  “And why not?  You can do all your school work here.”

Well this was going to be fun to explain all over again.  Rubbing my temples I sighed before beginning to explain. “But I can’t do my internship work there.  I mean…you do remember my internship right?”

She huffed and on her teeth a few times, “I don’t see why you can’t take a week or two off to come visit I’m sure they won’t mind.”

And this mother is why you’re a librarian that only works weekends because dad makes enough money for you to be pretty much a stay at home mom. Sighing heavily I tried to sound as nice as possible but I was certain that there would be hints of aggravation showing. “Do you not realize how competitive this is? They’ve already eliminated half the candidates, one just because he showed up late two days in a row.  Another because he turned a song in late. Do you really think they’ll be alright with me taking two weeks off to visit home based on that my mother wants me to? No I’ll lose my chance.”

She looked like I had just taken away her favorite candy or a puppy that had been hit after it scratched up the couch a little bit. “There are just as many good companies here I don’t see why you’re so worried about it.”

Without even missing a beat I moved closer to the computer and I almost laughed as my accent came back out, as usual when I was upset, “Because this is a chance to be part of a big company that I could have only dreamed about a year ago mom. I know there are good companies back home but I want to be here you have to understand that.”

Once again the lost puppy look covered her expression. “I do and I support you in your decisions…well most of them but I just miss you honey.”

I softened a little hearing that. God I did miss home. I missed the food and my family the mass of people that we were. Mostly I missed the comforting smell of the bakery across the street from my house, that was the best thing ever. “I miss you too mom and I want to visit I really do I just-”

She held up her hand and sighed a little. “I understand…I don’t like it I hate it actually every time I call you always look so tired and as a mother I worry. But you better visit us as soon as you can. And get Tanner to visit too he hasn’t left the states in nearly three years either.”

How in the world was I going to explain to anyone that Tanner had no intention of ever going back to England? He hated it there and he always had. The best you would get is for a wedding maybe if it was for me or Daniel, maybe Amanda. “Yeah…I’ll try to do that.  Mom I’m sorry I am I-”

“Hello Mrs. Crawford!” Skyler I could kiss you.  “How are you?”

As expected her expression lightened and she moved forward once again. “Oh Skyler! I’m wonderful how are you?”

He glanced over at me before turning back to my mother with the brightest smile on his face. “I’m good.  Anais told you about-” 

I took the time to quickly excuse myself and darted for the kitchen. Skyler was always good at coming in at just the right time to get mom back in a good mood and for me to get my thoughts together again. Why couldn’t she just understand that I wanted to be here?  I loved Korea and everything about Korea and there was nothing wrong with wanting to work here for a living.  I missed home but damn it Korea is like a home to me now too and all of them would have to learn to respect that. All instinct told me to call Ben but I knew he would probably be busy cooking right now and I couldn’t remember time zones to save my life.  For half a second I contemplated texting Kikwang but I quickly squashed that idea when Skyler called me back in. Grabbing the can of Coke I used as the excuse to leave I came back. “So what did I miss?”

Warily Skyler shifted at his spot on the floor and spoke, “Relationships your mom wanted to know how-”

“How you and Ben we’re doing.”

As always when she was excited she liked to interrupt people. Or did she even realize that was something that she did?  “Oh…we’re fine,” when I saw her face fall a little bit I straightened up, “I mean we’re great he’s just traveling the world right now so it’s a little difficult. But don’t worry I trust him and everything.”

She grinned and began to bounce in her seat a little. Oh dear god please don’t bring it up please don’t bring it up please don’t bring it up. “I know sweetheart. Has he popped the question yet?”

I scowled and crossed my arms over my chest. “Mom.”

She of course thought she had said nothing wrong. “What? I’m curious! You’re going to turn twenty-three soon when I was that age you were nearly three years old.”

I didn’t even bother sounding nice anymore. “Not everyone in the family has to marry early.”

For a moment she hesitated and shifted in her seat awkwardly, at least she was getting better at telling when the subject was annoying me. “Right you Tanner and Amanda are special cases I know since you want to do so much but even Jacob and Jason have girlfriends they’ve been with for over two years and my sister is already talking wedding plans.”

Throwing my hands up in frustration I wasn’t sure what snapped in me but for some reason the filter between my brain and mouth turned off. “I’m not Jacob or Jason or Terri or Mark, Bradley, Josh, Taylor or even Daniel for god sakes. I’m Anais and I’ll get married on my own time. Besides he wouldn’t even think about it until after I make his mother like me. Maybe she doesn’t like me because all my precious eggs are dying and my good years are almost gone.”

“Anais I didn’t mean it like that I-”

Scowling I moved my cursor to hover over the end call button. “Goodnight mother.”

“Anais-”

“Goodnight mother.” I repeated before ending the call and quickly logging out of Skype.

Skyler, though he looked a bit impressed with what just happened reassuringly rubbed my shoulder and gave me a tight hug. “You know you’re going to have to apologize later.”

Huffing I shoved him away but smiled a little bit at his playful scowl. “I’ll apologize when she apologizes.  She’s just upset because she’s the second oldest and she doesn’t have any grandkids to call her own yet.  It’s such bull.”

Smiling a little he ruffled my hair before taking my hand and trying to drag me over to the couch once more. “Come on you let’s just finish the movie that’ll make you feel better.” 

I complied and I did feel a little better as time went on. But I just couldn’t wrap my head around the reasons mother was so freaking obsessed with me getting married. Why couldn’t she just be happy that I was happy? Then again she thought no one was happy unless they were in a relationship or married. But I couldn’t see how marriage brought happiness if you weren’t happy with yourself first. Was it really so wrong I wanted financial security of my own first?