Grey blouse, black pencil skirt, black pumps. It wasn't the most cheerful first day attire, but I felt y. Six o'clock rolled around and I knew I had to get going. Bom had promised to pick me up at six fifteen, which usually meant six thirty, but I had to be ready anyway.

 

I wandered into the kitchen, exhausted from the previous night. Taeyeon had gotten me home at midnight - how courteous - and I'd woken up at five. I remembered that she'd stayed the night, but when she wasn't in my bed, I'd figured she'd gone home for whatever reason. taeyeon had a lot of early mornings, and waking up alone never really gave me pause.

 

But when I got into the kitchen, expecting to brew a cup of coffee in solitude, there she was. Standing by the stove in sweat pants and a form-fitting tank top, looking casually y. There were muffins on the counter, and a coffee already made.

 

"Hi, baby," I said, smiling, strangely excited to see her even though she'd driven me nuts the night before. "What are you doing ?"

 

She put her hands on my shoulders and went on tip-toe to kiss me in my heels. "Making apology muffins," she said, half smiling. "For how I acted last night."

 

"You didn't have to do that, honey," I lied. If she hadn't apologized somehow, I probably would have frozen her out for at least three days. "I know, but I wanted to. I love you, Dara. And you know I only get insanely jealous sometimes because you're so beautiful, and deep down I know I don't deserve you."

 

She was smooth with words, but this was a girl who made a career off of persuasion. "Thank you," I said, calmly, picking up an apology muffin. I could have kept trying to be mad, but they were good muffins.

 

"I also wanted to wish you good luck," she said, pouring her own coffee. "You didn't think I'd miss the morning of your first day, did you?"

 

I smiled. I hadn't really thought about it. "You're the best."

 

She wrinkled her nose. "I know."

 

I heard the horn of a car outside, and figured it was Bom.

 

"That's my ride," I said, kissing her on the cheek and taking my coffee to go. "I love you."

 

"I love you too, baby," she said, taking my hand for a moment. "Good luck."

 

I left, knowing I'd definitely need it.

 

***

 

When I came out, Bom was on the street out front.

 

Bom and I were friends from college. We'd both studied secondary education, but after graduating, taken jobs with different schools. The school I was at ended up closing two years later, and so I applied for an opening where Bom was working - Whimoon High, as it happened - and landed it after the first interview. September rolled around, and here we were.

 

I opened up the passenger door of her car, setting my coffee in the cup holder. "Hey," I said as she put the car into dri