“How about we get dessert?” Elena announced. “I know a bingsu place nearby, so we can order two. Edwin and Atticus will share, and Edwin pays for that one. Then Leo and I will share, and Atticus pays for that one.”
Leo smiled. “I could always go for dessert.”
“Weren’t you saying you felt pregnant five minutes ago?” Atticus pointed out.
“Yeah, but the food baby’s gone now.” Leo tapped his belly, bringing my attention to the outline of his abs through black nylon.
I averted my eyes. “Bingsu sounds great,” I said.
As we walked to the bingsu restaurant, I found myself next to Elena.
“You’re studying marketing, aren’t you?” she asked.
“That’s right. I’m guessing you’re studying something science-y?”
“I’m majoring in immunology. So, do you plan to work in marketing when you graduate?”
“That’s the plan, yeah,” I said. “I’m interested in advertising, so I’m hoping to take some subjects specifically about that.”
“Maybe you could do an internship.”
“Yeah, I should. It’d be a good way to see if I actually want to work in advertising.”
“Have you done any internships yet?”
“You sound like my parents.”
I expected that comment to bounce off Elena, but instead, she faltered. “Sorry. I hope I didn’t sound like…” she trailed off. “Atticus warned me not to interrogate you.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “You weren’t interrogating me, just asking about my career and stuff.”
“If it were socially acceptable, I’d ask all sorts of invasive questions to find out your intentions and whether you’d make a good boyfriend,” Elena said.
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Right.”
“I’ve made things awkward, haven’t I? I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to freak you out. It’s just that…I’m protective of Atticus. I know that he’s an adult and everything, but…” It was the first time I’d seen Elena flustered. “He’s my best friend,” she finished.
I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “I get it,” I said. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself.”
She smiled, returning to her usual self. “Of course I am. We just ate at my favourite restaurant,” she said matter-of-factly before her lip curled up in the hint of a smile. “And you and Leo aren’t bad company.”
We glanced over our shoulders. Leo and Atticus were trailing behind us, and they were speaking too quietly for me to know what they were talking about, but Leo was waving his hands, eyes wide, while Atticus was nodding solemnly like he was listening to a complex physics problem.
We arrived at the bingsu restaurant, which was cozy, with wood-panelled walls, warm lighting, and jazz music playing in the background. We ordered two bowls of bingsu: strawberry (for Atticus and me) and matcha (for Leo and Elena). However, once we sat down at an emerald-coloured leather booth, and the bowls of shaved ice and toppings were brought to us, we quickly ended up sharing the two of them, eating both flavours. Elena and Leo quickly slipped into a conversation, and Elena laughed for the first time all evening. I felt strangely proud that Leo had managed to charm her.
“Can I ask you a question?” Atticus asked.
I tore my attention away from Leo and Elena.“Sure,” I said as I pushed my spoon into the mountain of milky strawberry-flavoured shavings.
Atticus’s eyes flicked to Leo and Elena, then returned to me. “You and Leo,” he said in a low voice. “Is there really nothing going on between you two?”
“What? No. He’s straight. Straighter than a ruler.”
Atticus nodded slowly.
“Why do you ask?” I said.
“Well, on the way here, he spent the whole time talking about you,” Atticus said.
