Lisa is thankful that it’s the weekend so she doesn’t have to deal with whatever Friday was about…

When she got back from her break, Amanda was on hers so someone else had to deal with her report question and by the time that was done, it was time to go.

She stares at the tupperware on her counter before opening the lid angerly and biting into a cookie that immediately melts her resentment. It tastes too good for her anger. She opens the fridge for some milk.

What was up with Jaehyun?

She chews thoughtfully before gulping her drink.

Well, it can’t be anything that lasts until Monday. And if it is… it certainly has nothing to do with me. Why would I be that important anyway?

Her phone dings, showing a new message.

Daniel.

Ugh, is there any man I'm not in a weird situation with?

‘u up? i want to stop by’

‘yea, i am’ she sends, not bothering to think too hard about it.

They’d been avoiding each other all month because of it. She hopes he isn’t coming over to specifically talk about that. It wouldn’t make sense considering all the girls he’s kissed before. It was unlike him to sit them all down and kindly explain he wasn’t looking for anything serious.

The last thing she wants is to be rejected by her best friend, for Christ’s sake.

It’s not like she’s been pining for him. Just curious… She always wondered why he picked up so many girls when she was always around… It seemed like the classic case where one day they’d look up and realize they had each other all along.

But instead of bringing them together, their one kiss had pulled them apart. This was the longest she’d gone without seeing him since… they first met probably.

It hurt.

She was friends with Amanda and Sue, of course. But it was different with Daniel. Knowing someone still from high school, having that history. And co-worker based friendships always seem to fade away once you quit or the other people leave. False promises of keeping in touch, phone contacts using data for no reason.

That’s when Lisa realizes how much she’s missed Daniel and glad she told him to come over.

They couldn’t end their friendship of 11 years over something that lasted five minutes.

She goes to open the door when she hears his knock. The familiar three gentle raps.

“Hey,” he slips in, taking off his dress shoes and heads to the kitchen island, already making himself at home.

She locks the door behind her.

“What’s up?”

He turns around to meet her eyes. His are a lighter shade of brown, the type girls swoon over when sunlight hits them and they gain a gold quality. He’s got a low cut fade, her favorite hairstyle on him and damn, if those perfect straight teeth in his smile don’t bring her back to every memory of them laughing so hard they cried.

“Just missed you,” he shrugs, nonchalantly.

And this is the part of Daniel she can’t handle. That isn’t familiar.

His borderline boy act where he pretends things are fine but they're obviously not. Why would he stop this late at night when he’s usually clubbing around this time?

Lisa wants to be honest and say she missed him too but he doesn’t deserve it.

She lets the silence sit so he knows she’s waiting for something a little more but he leans over the counter, grabbing a cookie without permission and putting it in his mouth hole.

She watches the back of his head and shoulders rock as he chews, making an appreciative hum.

“Since when did you bake?”

“It’s not a regular occurence. Just a one time thing.” Lisa says, grabbing another cookie for him and putting it on a small ceramic plate before closing the tupperware.

Jaehyun had given her a dozen but for some reason she didn’t want to share.

Didn’t these people have sweets of their own?

“Interesting shape,” Daniel notes, before eating the second cookie just as fast.

“So you came here because you missed me or you came here because you’re hungry?”

Daniel leans back, standing up straight.

She hates how easy he turns any space into a GQ photoshoot. Is the type of man she’s heard women say “whew… he fine…” aloud without realizing it. The way they would look at her and assume they must be a couple.

The way Lisa leaned into that imagined idea a little too much because it was better than knowing all she’d ever had was Ryan.

“Look, I’m sorry I haven’t been in contact recently. It’s just… It’s easier to avoid, than to confront.”

Lisa crosses her arms and nods. Understanding. It’s not like she had reached out either.

“I just want to make sure we’re okay.”

There he goes. Saying things without saying them.

She guesses the word “kiss” won’t be said at all.

“Yeah, we’re okay,” Lisa softens when he takes her hand and squeezes.

She hears her phone get another message.

‘Hey… It’s Jaehyun… Just checking in on my tupperware’

Lisa rolls her eyes.

“Who’s that?:

“Just a co-worker,” she brushes off.

Daniel smiles.

“Amanda, right. She’s so nosy. I swear. I never should’ve given that woman my phone number…”

“No, his name’s Jaehyun. He started around a month ago.”

Right around the time we stopped talking to each other, she thinks.

She watches Daniel’s face perk up at the sound of a man’s name. What a goddamn surprise, Lisa interacts with men at all, Lisa assumes he must be thinking.

“What’s he messaging you for on the weekend? Busy project?”

Lisa doesn’t want to feel strange about Daniel asking. Afterall, it is asking about work and he is her best friend… It’s not like she has anything to hide.

“Just a scandalous t,” she says dryly but adds “No, just about his tupperware.” Not letting the joke sit.

“He made those cookies?”

“We made them together,” Lisa sighs. Why must every question lead to more information to lead to more assumptions… All she wants is a quiet weekend with no one getting any funny ideas.

“You’re seeing someone at work?”

“I’m not “seeing” him. We’re doing this shopping project. Decided to take a break and bake some cookies. That’s it.”

“Does he know you once caused an oven fire?”

Lisa busts out laughing, from the instant recall of a turkey forgotten a couple Thanksgivings back.

Daniel laughs just as hard because of her laughter.

“You know damn well, that was your fault,” is all she can choke out.

“Not according to those legal documents! You’re the one with the rent record. I’m still surprised they let you keep this place.”

“Shut up,” she says, looking down to reply to Jaehyun.

‘Did you think I’d already finish twelve cookies on my own in a day?’

He’s quick to reply back.

‘they were pretty good cookies…’

“So… you said you’re not seeing him?” Daniel asks.

“Correct.” Lisa answers, looking back up.

“Then why you smiling at your phone like that?”

“Smiling at my phone like what?!”

“Like you’re seeing him!” he says, accusingly.

“I’m smiling like I smile at anything amusing. From him, from you, from Amanda, from Sue, from my mail man, from-”

“Okay, I get it,” Daniel puts his hands up in defense.

‘don’t worry. I’ll eat the rest and wash your tupperware just in time for Monday’

‘okay, :) See you Monday’

“Ugh,” Lisa sighs . Hadn’t he just been pissed at her? And now a smile emoji?

“Now why you acting frustrated like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re seeing him!” Daniel points.

“Bye, Daniel!” she moves to shove him back toward her front door.