“Give me that!” I finally snatch my phone back, feeling my cheeks burn. “He’s a writer. Aren’t they all like that?”
“No, babes, they are not all like that. This one guy I was dating was an aspiring film writer, and his idea of sexting was texting ‘You coming over to suck my dick again?’” She opens the other bottle of soju. “Don’t think I missed how he calls you his ‘fiery Athena.’ Does he call you that in the bedroom?”
“None of your business.” I sink deeper into the couch cushions. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Tell me,” she whines. “And you love it. I can see it all over your face.”
“No, he likes to call me ‘Counselor’ or ‘Honeybee’ during sex.”
“Counselor?” Her eyes widen with amusement. “I mean, hey, if you like it, I love it. But since you like it when he spitsthere,andthere,he can call you whatever he wants.”
She’s right. I think I love it more when he calls me Counselor than when he calls me Honeybee.
“But ummm, are you going to text him back? Don’t get all shy because I’m here.” She turns back to watch the television. “Just act like I’m not here.”
Acting like Demi isn’t in the room is always damn near impossible.
“I’ll text him later,” I mumble, placing my phone down.
“No, you’ll text him now. I want to see what passes for flirting in Minji Lee’s world these days. It’s been over five years since we did stuff like this.” She flops back onto the couch, gesturing impatiently at my phone. “Show me how it’s done,Counselor,” she teases.
I roll my eyes but pick up my phone.
Me
My best friend thinks you’re trying to seduce me with literary references.
Aaron
Is it working? Because I have an entire anthology of Nikki Giovanni ready to deploy.
Demi reads over my shoulder and lets out an appreciative whistle. “Damn, he’s good. Nikki Giovanni? The man knows what he’s doing.”
I can’t help the smile spreading across my face as I type back.
Me
She also thinks you’re a keeper. I told her to slow down; we aren’t there yet.
Aaron
Yet somehow, I know how you take your coffee, you hum Korean lullabies when you’re concentrating hard, and you have a tiny scar on your left hip from falling off your bicycle when you were nine. You only like red M&M’s, which is weird because they all have the same flavor regardless of color.
“Girl,” Demi whispers, reading the message. “This is not ‘a man who is just sampling.’ This is a man who is paying attention. A man who wants you to be more than benefits. A man who wants to give you his last name.”
“He’s a writer. He’s just great at observing?” I argue weakly, but even I don’t believe it anymore.
Me
Stop noticing things. It’s unsettling.
Aaron
Can’t help it. You’re worth noticing… I do remember a few things about you from our college days.
Demi fans herself with her hand. “Holy shit. I need his clone. Where’s the factory that makes men like this?”
I place my phone face down on the coffee table. “I don’t know, Demi. It’s starting to remind me of how fast everything moved during college. Like the feelings, the wanting to be around him more, and the thought of me losing him scares me shitless. This all scares me.”
