Tasha stood in front of Amanda’s door with her palm resting against the door. She wanted so much to comfort her. She knew that Amanda was not really herself. This was not the first time she’s lashed out at the Lahlings, but this is the first time she’s name-called so fiercely, she felt a chill running through her spine. The Lahlings had their share of arguments and girl-fights that the situation usually never lasts long. This time though, Tasha felt that she might’ve lost touch a little with Amanda, especially since Jackson went missing.

I’ve been so caught up with my own life lately; I haven’t really been there for her.

She turns around to see Sierra put down the bottle of water and angry-munching on toast, while Gwen was wiping her tears with her sleeves. Tasha sighed in defeat and walks to the kitchen.

“What a way to start the morning…” Tasha says while helping herself to Gwen’s breakfast spread.

Gwen had prepared a feast for breakfast, with French toast, scrambled eggs, baked beans, freshly fried bacon and hash browns. There were also pancakes, strawberry compote, honey, cut-up peaches and banana… Gwen was ready to feed an Army. Tasha inhaled the sweet-smelling coffee brewing in the coffee machine and sighed. She was not an avid coffee drinker but since that morning started off with an intense fight, she needed some caffeine to calm her nerves.

“I cannot believe her! Who does she think she is calling us s?!” Sierra sips her coffee angrily. She deliberately clinks her fork and knife on her plate in frustration.

“This should’ve been an enjoyable feast. I made all this for us to pig out on.” Gwen stops cooking and sits herself next to Sierra. “Ira, what did she mean by ‘you gave Peaches a hard time’?” Gwen turns to Sierra. “What happened with Peaches?”

“I’d like to know too…” Tasha joins in. She saw that Sierra has calmed down enough now to speak clearly without the veins in her forehead protruding.

Sierra tells her side of the Laundromat story, but leaves out her ‘special’ agreement with Peaches, made a year ago. She sighs and stops munching. “I didn’t want to burden you guys with this since it seemed very nonsensical compared to what happened to Tasha…. I mean, her husband left her! Imma kill him if I see him by the way…” Sierra points her knife at her neck, pretending to slit Jackson’s throat.

Tasha smiled and lets out a sigh. “Right? Stand in line, Sista… So that’s it? Have you guys talked yet?”

“Talk? Peaches… talk? We don’t talk. We fight. Like, ALL. THE. TIME. We’ve never really had a decent conversation without going off on each other.” Sierra low key wanted to smile but she masked it by chewing Gwen’s scrumptious pancakes.

Gwen was unusually quiet and didn’t offer to explain what triggered Amanda’s yelling and her reason for inviting them for breakfast.

“Gwen, you ok?” Tasha asks, concerned that Gwen was shutting down.

“Yeah… I just have to… clear my head.” Gwen places her coffee mug on the table, walks decidedly to her room and changes into her swimwear.

Awhile later, Gwen emerges from her room ready to leave. Tasha and Sierra exchanged curious looks. “You’re going for a swim? Now? Like, right now?” Sierra asked in between munching on her second pancake.

“Yes.” Gwen looked like she was trying to busy herself and walks out the door.

* * * * *

“What an awkward morning… “ Tasha said to Sierra as she alighted from her Uber. She learned her lesson weeks back not to sign up for anything new on her own. If not for a certain wonderful looking man called Park Jimin, she would’ve chickened-out in a heartbeat and not sign up at all.

This time she managed to talk Sierra into accompanying her for the Cooking Classes she had so badly wanted to register for. After a long search and whining to Jimin about not being able to find a suitable cooking class nearby to the apartment, they finally chanced upon one over Twitter. She had invited Jimin to join them for the lessons but didn’t know how to break it to Sierra.

“Ira, I have good news and bad news.” Tasha tries to soften the blow as they walked towards a Newsstand across from where the cooking class was.

“News? Now? Oh look….” Sierra pulled up a Tatler magazine from the shelf of the Newsstand. “It’s this new painting that’s supposed to be showcased at…. “Sierra doesn’t finish her sentence because while flipping through the magazine, she sees pictures of Jackson posing for a charity function held at a hotel in town. She gulped and widened her eyes when she saw two women linking their elbows with Jackson’s.

“What painting?” Tasha looked over Sierra’s shoulder. She quickly pulled the magazine away from Sierra. “Ira… please tell me, I’m dreaming. Please tell me, that is not my husband with two fugly women??” She brought the magazine so close to her face; it looked like she was going to eat them from the pages. She could feel a mix of anger and confusion brewing in her chest as she tried to calm her breathing.

The am I looking at?! What is he doing there? Is this why he hasn’t called?

“Well… erm… “ Sierra couldn’t find the right words to ease situation. “Does it say what charity it is?” Sierra tried to change the subject instead.

Tasha dug her phone out of her bag when a familiar face turned up. He gave her a peck on the cheek. “Hi Gorgeous.” He smiled so warmly, his eyes disappeared. He turned to look at Sierra. “Jimin. You must be Mandy?” Jimin looked like he was anticipating a handshake.

“It’s Ira actually.” Sierra offers an awkward handshake as she tried to catch Tasha’s eye.

Tasha nodded distractedly when Jimin showed up. She scrolled through her contact list on her phone (while Jimin and Sierra introduced themselves) and found Jackson’s number. As she was about to click ‘Call’, Sierra grabs her phone away from her.

“Tasha. Jimin is here. You must’ve forgotten to tell me he’s joining us.” Sierra threw dagger looks at Tasha, hoping Jimin would ignore it.

Jimin laughed heartily and pulled Tasha into a side-hug. Tasha was still distracted. “She told me not to say anything. She knew you’d kill her.” He looked at her smiling like willfully. “By ‘you’ I thought, ‘you’ were Mandy.”

Sierra couldn’t help but see through that smile. He’s smitten! Aaawwww…. Imma kill Tasha later.

“Oh did she say that, now?” Sierra raised an eyebrow at Tasha who evidently looked guilty as charged. “Don’t worry, Jimin. I’ll kill her later. But for now, nice to meet you.” She adjusts her sling bag and places the Tatler magazine back on the shelf. Sierra and Tasha exchanged telepathic looks.

Buy it later.

I need to see that article! My husband is in it!

The you will! You have Jimin here looking fine in his bomber jacket and you’re thinking about an article?!

But... I need that magazine!

Their telepathic exchange is interrupted when Jimin spoke. “I invited my gym buddy, I hope you don’t mind? He’s been wanting to learn how to cook since he signed up for this Keto diet….” Jimin consciously looks around the newsstand. “He said he’ll be here any moment…. Now… oh there he is…” Jimin left the girls to greet his gym buddy.

They shake hands and walk towards the girls standing infront of the newsstand.

Tasha smiled appreciatively when she saw Jimin’s friend approach them. Damn boy, you iz fine…. She was about to nudge Sierra, as she glanced over her shoulder at a shocked-looking Sierra. Tasha noticed that Sierra was holding her breath when she saw Jimin’s friend. She also realized that Sierra had started patting her hair and adjusting her navy blue off-shoulder blouse, making sure that it showed off just the right amount of skin.

“Girls, meet my friend Jungkook. We call him JK or Kookie, for short.” Jimin introduces his friend to Tasha and Sierra.

Sierra couldn’t hold her breath anymore, she started to cough profusely.

“You ok, Ira?” Tasha turned to Sierra and whispered under her breath. Do you know this guy? If Tasha’s eyes could ask questions, this would be it.

Sierra ignored Tasha’s question and offered JK a handshake. “Pleased to meet you.” She smiled so brightly; Tasha swore it looked like Sierra was throwing herself at him.

JK only then realizing who it was, recognized Sierra and smiled cheekily. “Likewise.” His smile didn’t leave his face as he turned to Jimin and they exchanged an eyebrow-telepathy conversation. The silly smile still plastered on his face.

“Do you know each other?” Jimin couldn’t help but ask since he saw them nodding at each other as if they’ve met before.

Both Sierra and JK answered almost the same time. “No… No… No….” hands signaling exaggerated denial.

Jimin eyed them suspiciously and nudged Tasha. “Shall we?”

While they walked towards the Cooking Class, which was situated in a shop lot on the second floor, Tasha and Sierra hooked elbows and walked arm in arm up the stairs giggling together.

“Is he Laundromat guy? The one you told us about this morning?” Tasha whispered excitedly.

“Yeah… I haven’t spoken to or texted him since that day! What a small world!” Sierra and Tasha giggled over their shared secret.

Meanwhile, Jimin and JK also had a separate conversation of their own. “Why do I have a feeling you two have met? Was she y