mentions of . 

A bit more cursing than usual. 

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Wendy as a child suffered very little. It could be because she was healthy, but it may also be the simple fact that as soon she showed any signs of discomfort she was shipped off to the hospital. Wendy’s favorite story to tell is the story of the time her parents flew her to a specialist in Arizona. If she’s aware that the story makes her sound entitled, she’s never shown it. 

Aaron Shon, used to watch his daughter sleep. Both of his daughters. He used to keep various weapons around the house for intruders. He had three different alarms, doors, windows and motion censors. One year his eldest try to sneak out to see her boyfriend, and made the entire house go into lockdown. But his youngest always scared him more than his eldest, Wendy always managed to find herself in precarious situations. When she was 3 she was running around, trying to find the (declawed) cat, when Aaron noticed her close proximity to the table top corner. When Wendy was focused, nothing around her caught her attention. Which is why, Aaron explained the dangers of ignoring your surroundings. 

Just because you love something and want to push yourself towards it, doesn’t mean you ignore the red flags, or the world around you. 

The table was baby proofed by the end of the night, and the cat given away a week later. 

When Wendy was 6 she had an extra large LEGO set, while her parents were making dinner they heard the faintest of, “ow”s and had 100 yard dashed to Wendy room in time to see her looking at her foot. 

“What happened eh? You cut your foot?” Absolutely bewildered as to why her parents were acting this way. Wendy just shook her head. “Are you sure? We heard you say ow”. 

“I stepped on the LEGO” Wendy said. Voice a whisper. 

Her legos were we’re taped around the edges after that. No feet wounds under her parents watch. No siree. 

This was Wendy’s life, when she left for the states her parents cried and cried. No one could protect their little one like they could. Who was gonna mix her 2/3 milk 1/3 chocolate milk? Who was gonna make her, her rice? She likes her rice salty! Who was gonna make her mint cinnamon tea! WHAT IF A RAT BIT HER ON THE SUBWAY! 

One day, Wendy’s parents were eating. Enjoy their lunch. They got a phone call, it was a dial. 

“I’m just saying. 3 months is a long time to not be getting it on”. This was Irene’s voice the couple noticed. They hoped the topic of wasn’t focused on their daughter, but hopes were quickly dashed when Wendy responded. 

“Yeah. But when you have , it’s weird. Like if you’re too soon you’re a . But if you wait too long you’re a prude”. Aaron immediately felt tears spring to his eyes. Who was his daughter dating? Who made her feel like a ? Who made his holy daughter feel like a prude for respecting herself?!

“If Joy makes you feel like a prude for holding out then she’s a piece of ”. While they didn’t approve of the language, both Wendy’s parents nodded in agreement. 

“No she doesn’t. At all. We’ve only kissed. She hasn’t even tried anything. Maybe she thinks I’m ugly?”

“Why would she waste three months on you if that’s the case? I think she’s just like you, she’s just taking her time.”

“Maybe. But then when time passes, and I do want to have , how am I supposed to bring the topic up?”

“That kinda stuff just happens Wen. With Seulgi it just happened, granted we only lasted like a month before we shagged”.

“Your ability to bring your relationship into every conversation is amazing.”

“What can I say. It’s a skill, just another one to add to the list.” 

Aaron hung up after that. Not wanting to hear more, but being proud his daughter wasn’t letting the New York life turn her into something she wasn’t. He never brought it up. But he did start stalking his daughters Facebook and very quickly realized who Joy was. 

A young, clean looking, Korean. Yes. A good mix for his daughter. Probably humble, and soft spoken much like his own wife and children. Maybe even a doctor. Yes, he could sleep well at night with this revelation. 

—————————

“Aha! Puñeta! In your ing face!” I watched with my mouth to the floor, as my girlfriend jumped in the air. A smile brighter than my future on her lips as she shook her at Katy. “Eat that loser!” Katy was glaring, and resetting the hackysack game. “Baby, did you see that? I’m like David Beckham”, I tried not to show her my expression as she pulled me into a hug. 

Is she good at hitting a beanbag three times in a row? Yes. Is she good enough to be compared to one of the greatest soccer players of all time? Um, that’s a no for me. 

“Again, again you tall turd”. Joy’s face scrunched up. 

“What’s that mean?” 

“You don’t know what that means babe?” I asked, how do you not know what one of the staple insults are? Joy shook her head. “It means cute”, I lied. Not really knowing how to say it means . 

“She called me cute during a war? She’s weird baby”. I just nodded. Patting her cheek, her sweet sweet innocent cheeks. You’re so cute. 

Joy whipped around, and began pt 2 of her war with Katy while I looked around. Mrs. Garcia was walking around giving everyone beers, a couple I didn’t think needed another drink. Mr. Garcia was manning the grill. I’ve never been to such a loud outting. At home it’s just my uncles talking about hockey with he gravy from their poutine flying out of their mouths. This is just, so lively. And the music is so weird, how everyone dances to it I’ll never understand. But somehow, every time I look, there’s a group dancing to the music. I’ve never been to a barbecue that wasn’t in a backyard either. I feel bad for all the park goers that make eye contact with Joy’s uncle Carlito because he is trying to fight everyone. 

I looked back to Joy just as she hit herself in the face with the beanbag. “Oh my god. Babe. You okay?” 

“Coño that hurt.” I ran over, Joy’s nose bleeding a bit. 

“How hard did you hit yourself oh my god.”

“Oh she’s fine!” Katy yelled. But blame it on my up bringing. I was scared. I sat Joy down on the grass, telling her to lean back. “She’s literally a paramedic Wendy she’s fine”, I paid Katy no mind while I ran to the table with all the napkins. 

“Wendy nena, what’s wrong?” I looked up at Mrs.  

“Uh Joy’s nose is bleeding. I’m trying to find napkins”. 

“What!” Finally someone who understands I thought, when Mrs. Garcia went over to

Joy. But then I was sprinting over when she started hitting Joy. 

“What are you doing?” I yelled. 

She paid me no mind, still slapping at Joy’s arms, “you got blood all over the beanbag! Siempre! And look! You dirty Wendy beautiful shirt!” I looked down, there was really only little stop of blood where it dripped from Joy’s nose. 

“Mrs. Garcia it’s fine.” Maybe I raised my voice. Maybe I whispered. I’m not sure. Because the barbecue stayed loud, and Mrs. Garcia very aggressively might i add, held a napkin to Joy’s nose. And then as if seemingly from nowhere, suddenly started dabbing vaseline to her nose. Still slapping the back of Joy’s head every once in awhile. “Como children”, she whispered. And then. She did a complete 180. Kissed Joy’s head, said I love you and walked off. 

What the hell just happened? 

—————————

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctors? You don’t feel light headed of anything?” Joy just shook her head, keeping her head in my lap while we watched the sunset. The music had calmed down from what Joy called bachata to a slow (albeit I still felt it was fast and loud) set of duets between Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. 

“Did you have fun?” I nodded, brushing my hands through Joy’s hair. 

“I didn’t know you could be so loud.”

“Katy really brings it out of me you know. She’s the Cristiano Ronaldo to my David Beckham.”

I fought the twitch in my eye, mmmmmmmmmm. That’s a stretch. More like she’s the left benchwarmer to your right benchwarmer. “Of course baby.”

We got silent again. It was sweet though, like all we wanted in this moment, was to just be together. You know what would make this better? If we spent the night together. Not necessarily having . Granted that would definitely be a bonus, but not a requirement. Just some nice, cuddles. Like a trust circle, definitely no y, steamy love making needed. Like. Who even does that anymore you know? Just. A nice power rangers movie marathon, maybe read the bible who knows! But we uh. Definitely. Absolutely under no circumstances need to have . Of course, as earlier stated. Would I say no to it? Who am I to turn such a goddess down? If that is gods plan for me, than who am I really to that up eh? 

“Uh babe. Um. I was wondering. If. Uh.” Joy looked up, brow raised. “If you uh, maybe. Like I don’t know. Maybe wanted to like. Um”. Holy on a stick. I feel like dial up internet. 

“Yes”.  

“But you don’t even know what I was gonna ask you. Like. I could be asking you to join my cult and help me kill some young nuns”. 

“Mí amor. You wouldn’t step foot into a nunnery. And two. I don’t really wanna stay home tonight. Not when I can wake up with you.”

“What if I was asking for ice cream?”

“Then I’d spike it and make you let me sleep over.” I grinned. 

“You’d spike my ice cream?”

“With piña colada, it would be like heaven on your tongue.” 

A couple minutes later and we were saying our goodbyes. Which. Is an odd way to say goodbye I feel. Like. It can’t be sanitary to walk around and give all 25 people here a kiss and a hug goodbye. 

This how outbreaks happen. 

—————————————

The drive to my apartment was uneventful. It was full of me explaining the eccentric behavior my roommates and best friends display. And ten minutes of the 23 minutes was spent with me explaining what eccentric means. 

“So like, we’re going to walk in and they’re going to be rolling around on the floor?”

“More like having on the floor”.

“Oh! Well. That’s new.” I nodded laughing. But I promptly stopped laughing when I realized how true my statement was. 

Because when I unlocked the door, we noticed the sounds of a table scraping across hardwood floor, and my best friend bent over said table. “Oh my god!” I yelled. Whipping around and into Joy’s chest. 

“Wendy! You’re home early!” 

“And we’re leaving!” I yelled. Grabbing Joy’s hand and rushing us out the house. “I am so sorry” I yelled. Joy was laughing her cute little off and I was still trying to get the images out of my head. 

“I thought Asians were supposed to be quiet. And well behaved. Not chingando on the kitchen table!” She laughed out. 

“What does that even mean?” 

“It means, ing. Shouldn’t they be studying for something?”  

“That’s so racist oh my god. There can be loud ually active asians. That’s like saying all Spanish people clean houses.” 

Joy’s jaw dropped. “Oh that was mean”.

“You started it! You said they should be studying. That’s racist!”

“Fine. Fine. I started it. Come here, give me a hug.” Is this how Puerto Rican’s solve fights? They hug it out? If so, winning arguments is going to be so easy. 

———————————

“You know it looks sketchy that we’re staying in a hotel”.

“Why is it sketchy?”

“Cause I look like your side piece”.

“My side what?”

“Like your other girl.” Joy nodded her head, a quiet ohh leaving while she pulled me closer in the elevator. “Can I ask you a question?” Joy nodded, grabbing my hand as we walked out the elevator to find our room. “Do you think I’m ugly?” Joy looked at me like I grew a second head. 

“What? No. Why would you think that?” She slipped the keycard in and opened the door for me. 

“I don’t dunno. It’s just. We’ve been together for almost six months. And we’ve never gone passed kissing. And I don’t know if it’s just something about me or like. You’re secretly a nun.”

I turned to Joy, she looked like she was thinking. She pulled off her jacket, and laid it across the chair by the desk. “I thought it was you that didn’t want to go further. When you spent the night, the next day I went to wake you up and you were . And I almost had a heart attack. I think you’re beautiful Wendy. And I’m not a nun. I was just trying to be sweet. I mean. I haven’t really been feeling the need to push it. But if you had been when i had woken up I definitely would have tried something. But I just didn’t want to push you. Cause I really, really like you a lot. And I don’t want to push you to do something that makes you uncomfortable because you might leave me. And I just introduced you to my family, and they mean absolutely everything to me and you fit right into our little family. Even your crack head friends.”

“You like my crack head friends?” I squeaked. Is it just me, or is the lighting in this hotel really adding some vibes up in here? I can literally feel my heart doing back flips. 

Joy nodded, walking over to me. Holy is she walking in slow motion? “Mhm. And I like your little racist comebacks.” 

“Hey. Those were not my mmm”. Oh sweet lord baby Jesus take the wheel. I put my hands the only place I knew where to put them with Joy’s lips on my neck. 

“And I like how sweet you are.”

“Ohhh. Yah. Yeah. I’m, wow.” Joy chuckled from above me. Which isn’t hard cause she’s all tall, dark, and y as ! 

“And I like how easy it is to hold you”.

“Like this?” 

“Mmm, more like this.” And i am not too prideful to admit that I squeaked like a little baby bird as joy lifted me up. And I can also confirm that the air is in fact colder up here. 

“I’m not too heavy?”

“Nope.” Oh wow. I think that’s the best English I’ve heard of her since we met. And then I was laid out on the hospital bed. And man oh man, had I known she’d feel this good on top of me we would have had this conversation a loooot sooner. 

My hands were like magnets to her abs, and I thought Seulgi had washboard abs. These are definitely gonna give her a fun for her money. I feel like something they don’t tell you in Ed. Is how cold your partners nose is. 

But it’s like. Almost a plus, cause I hear Joy i do. What she’s saying I’ve no clue. But those kisses are definitely sinful, and something about her cold as ice nose just adds to this experience. Is that weird? I feel like it’s weird. 

And then her hands were on me, and under my shirt and I kinda get why Seulgi and Irene are always going at it. This is amazing!  

“I love you Wendy”. 

Oh my god, did she just say she loved me. 

“You love me?”

“Is it too soon?”

I shook my head. “No. Cause I love you too.”

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Translations 

Puñeta: no direct translation. But can be used as . Or in the moment. 

Coño: no direct translation. Used as a ‘oh ’ in the sentence. 

Como: like

Chingando: curse word for having