It was 4 PM in west coast on the 4th of July, it was a special day. Not because it's the 4th of July, but because someone was coming back home for a vacation, and things were getting even more exciting as time ticked by. Angela looked in the mirror and fixed her hair. For some reason, she was feeling nervous. She wiped her sweaty palms on the front of her knee-long dress  to straighten it out. She exhaled, puffing her cheeks at her reflection before grabbing her phone and handbag. She walked down the stairs and kicked a balloon out of the way.

"Mom, I'm leaving!" she called to the kitchen. 

"Okay, try to stall for time, honey! We gotta wrap things up here," she called back.

"Mrs Tuan, I'm off!" she put on her shoes and waved at the lady putting streamers on the wall, who waved back.

"Go get coffee or something!" she said just as the front door closed.

Angela got in the car and started the ignition, the corners of already curling into a smile. 3 years, she thought. It's been 3 whole years. As she pulled out of the driveway, she found herself putting Mark's favourite CD into the player. Chris Brown's 'Fortune' album. It was a 40 minute drive to the airport and the flight was landing in an hour. She'd have just enough time to park and find the belt he was at. 

~

By the time she pulled into the airport's multi-storey carpark, she was humming to Don't Judge Me. She walked to the Arivals and her phone beeped, "We landed early. Waiting for my luggage. Could you get me my usual fix from starbucks?". She smiled at her phone and walked to the Starbucks to get their drinks. She ordered a long black and caramel macchiato, drinking in the smell and atmosphere of the cafe. The last time she came to this Starbucks was when Mark left for Korea 3 years back. She found herself giggling at the memory of how cheesy Mark was being. Fake crying and all.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Angie. I cant believe..."

"Can't believe what?"

"I can't believe this is the last time in a while I can order you about to get coffee for me?"

Angela rolled her eyes. Mark took her hand with a lopsided grin.

"And I can't believe this is the last time for a long while that I can hold your hand and talk to you over a cuppa like this..."

Angela looked down and let her bangs cover her reddened face as she mumbled, "I'll miss you too, doofus."

If she had looked up at that moment, she would've seen the sheepish grin that had totally devoured Mark's face. She snapped back to attention from her flashback when the barrista handed her the two cups. She thanked him and walked out of the Starbucks, looking around to see if Mark had come out already. She waled to the belt but saw that most of the passengers had already left, and only a few luggages were on the conveyor. Mark had probably left already. Right at that moment, her phone rang. She fumbled with the cups, trying to free a hand so that she could reach her phone that was in her pocket.

She slid her hand into her pocket but froze still when she felt a long pair of arms wrap around her. She gasped as her heart raced. She hoped it wasn't some or a serial kille- 

"Guess who?" said an all too familiar voice as he rested his chin on her head. One hand took a cup from her hand and the other stayed wrapped around her waist.

Angela blushed hard, still unable to move. "You should be grateful I didn't turn around and kick you in the crotch. I thought you were a ert." She shook her head and felt his chin move on top of it. She turned around, pulling away to look up at him. She almost lost it when he grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at her. It was so long since she last saw him. She jumped into his arms, unable to control herself. Mark stepped back, a little taken aback before laughing and hugging her back. He ran his fingers through her hair. "I missed you too, Angie." Angela scoffed, but didn't release him. "I can literally feel you rolling your eyes at me," he teased.

She pulled away and tiptoed, ruffling his hair. "Oh my God... are you real? It's been forever..."

Mark laughed again, and she felt something inside her stir. Hearing that sound in real life, not through a webcam, it was really so much better. He pinched her cheek before turning and grabbing his luggage.

"Ouch! What was that for?" she rubbed her cheek.

"See? You felt that, right? Now you know I'm real." He walked away and she scurried after him, trying to keep up with his long legs. She caught up with him and started walking ahead.

"I'll lead the way. You don't know where I parked the car anywho."

~

This was it. Everyone inside already knew she was here - she texted them when they left the airport. She tried to act normal as she turned off the ignition, she didn't want to give away the whole surprise. "I need to get something from upstairs," she had told Mark. The surprise party was at her house. They were neighbours, Mark's house was a little further down the block. She gave that excuse, knowing that Mark would insist coming in to greet her family.

"It's been forever since I met your parents. I'm feeling weirdly nervous." Mark rolled on his heels as they stood at the door and rang the doorbell.

"Come on, you know they love you. Probably more than they love me."

Mark grinned down at her. "You really think so?"

She just rolled her eyes. "You never got rid of the rolling-of-the-eyes habit, eh?"

The door clicked open and her mother peeked out of the half opened door. "Oh, Mark! It's so good to see you!" she stepped out to give him a hug, which he returned. Angela tried not to wince at her mother's horrible acting. "Come on in," she opened the door fully now. Everyone was in the living room. So she led Mark there.

"SURPRISE~!!!"

Loud and cheerful voices echoed throughout the house, happy faces and small party poppers were popped as they greeted Mark. Mark was so overwhelmed by the suprise and didn't even expect this, a goofy and childish grin grows on his face as he looks at everyone. "N'aww~ Thank you guys! I feel so welcomed~" he said as he feels really touched (and surprised), going in the house more with his luggage as Angela's mother closed the door.

"Welcome home, son~" His dad said in a welcoming tone, arms open as Mark ran into his father's arms and hugged him tightly. "I missed you so much dad." Mark mumbled quite loudly, earning some aww's from their visitors. Angela in the other hand chuckled at the sight of the father and son reunion, sitting down on one of the couches.

"So! Let's eat? Food's waiting for us." Mrs. Tuan said excitedly as she guided everyone to the kitchen.

"Food! I can't wait to taste mom's cooking again!" Mark rubbed his hands together as he walked to the kitchen, looking at the food as he his lips. "Man, this is the best surprise ever!" He said while grinning, heading to the kitchen quickly. He was first to grab himself a plateful of his favorite foods. "My gosh Mark, you haven't changed at all!" Mark's mother started as she chuckles. "Always eating big, that's my boy." His dad added in, a proud look on his face. Mark became flustered and grinned, sitting on the dining table and started talking to everyone.

Angela watched from afar, not wanting to disturb everyone from catching up with Mark. The sight of her best friend and his genuine smile ignited the long dormant feeling in her, it felt like as if she was experiencing it all over again due to never having to get to feel the same way since Mark left Los Angeles to puruse his career as an idol in South Korea. Memories started flashing before her mind, good and bad ones, Angela laughed at herself as she gets lost in her own world. It wasn't long until Mark noticed Angela on the living room, seeing her smiling as if she was with someone. "Excuse me." He excused himself, wiping his mouth with a napkin and tossing it on the trash, walking towards Angela after. "Someone's happy all alone. What's up?" Mark sat beside her and looked at his best friend, getting her attention in a snap. "Oh, hey. It's nothing, just remembered something." She smiled slightly and nods, not really wanting to admit. "Is it about what we did back then? When we were always hanging out and be like crazy people wherever we go?" He chuckled and bites his lower lip. "Tell you what, come with me to the balcony, I have something to tell you." Mark smiles and stands up, offering his hand for her to hold. Angela didn't hesitate and took his hand, following Mark up to the balcony of her house. "You still remember where it is, huh?" She smiled amused, Mark nodding confidently and looks at her. "How can I forget? We always go here." He explains thoroughly.

"Well, what is it you wanna tell me? You got lots of fans? You're rich?" Angela started, leaning her back on the balcony glass. Mark chuckled and shakes his head, looking up the night sky before looking back at her. "I do have lots of fans and I'm kind of rich, but this is not what I brought you here for." He clarified. "Okay so what's up?" Angela asks curiously.

"Okay." Mark took a deep breath and faced Angela, taking her hands in his as he holds them. "Ever since I rode that plane to Korea, I've thought about how I won't be able to see your morning messages when I wake up or you calling me at 3am because you're bored and you wanted someone to talk to. I told myself that life is gonna be a bit lonlier and tougher without you, because honestly, you make my life better when you're around. Angie, never has a day or night passed where I look up at the sky and hope that you're looking at it too, thinking about me as I think about you. After all these years, I thought this feeling in me was what best friends feel, but I was wrong when I told Jackson, my best friend, about it, and he told me that it's something else, more than just what best friends feel. I like you. No, ,scratch that, I LOVE you, Angela, and it was dumb of me for not realizing it immediately. Honestly, Angie, meeting you again after three years of being apart, really made me happy, and I told myself that I'll take this chance to finally tell you what I've been feeling since I developed them not long after our friendship started." Mark finished with a worried look, expecting his best friend to think differently about him. But he was proven wrong when Angela smiled widely. "Why are you smiling? Did I say something funny?" He asks cluelessly, not really sure of his best friend's reaction. "It took you this long to confess to me, gosh Mark, you're really a doofus." She says as she nods after. "I love you too, Mark, and I have been since our high school days, I was just holding back because I didn't want to break our friendship, because it means so much to me." Mark became surprised at her answer. "Then, will you be my girlfriend, Angie?" He asks her full of determination and confidence.

"Yes. I'll be your girlfriend, Mark Tuan."