Lisa
I'm pulling up to park my car when my phone starts ringing. With the engine turned off, I pull out the noisy device. Display reading was - Bambam. Well, this is unexpected.
"Well, if it isn't my missing roommate. You're still alive then?"
His deep chuckle flows down the line. "Hey Lis." Bambam says.
We'd been roommates since he moved to our station three years ago. I'd bought the house shortly after moving to the area and had the spare room. Tired of coming home alone, I started renting the room out.
Bambam and I bonded quickly and thanks to our different shifts, the situation worked. He was a part of junior crew, whereas I was with the senior crew.
We were already ships passing in the night most of the time but for the last few months, it's gotten worse. Practically the only time I would see him these days are during the shift swap. He'd been dating this girl for over a year but recently it seems to have gotten a lot more serious.
"So, what's up Kunpimook?" Even though he has the most Thai first and last name ever, Bambam, which was his nickname actually was easier to pronounce. But, we take every opportunity to wind him up. Calling him only by his first name at times. Every now and then he'll respond with an eye-roll but for the most part, he takes it on the chin.
That's part of being a firefighter, you develop a dark sense of humour that only another person in the service understands. You spend your whole shift with your crew so they become your family. I've gained a lot of brothers when I joined up. All of them have the most annoying quality pat down.
"I wanted to see if we could arrange a time to meet up on one of your off days. I'll cook." He propositions.
"Are you asking me on a date, Bam? Because you're nice but you just aren't my type."
"Darling, my cooking could convert a nun." He boasts. I'll give it to him that his cooking is good. Every firefighter is expected to take a turn cooking amongst the other chores that we complete around the station. No gender roles assigned in that department, everyone just chips in.
After checking that no-one is coming down the road, I climb out the car. Locking it and moving to the safety of the pavement before carrying on the conversation.
"Well, I'm on nights today and tomorrow but Monday should be fine. Any time from the afternoon onwards is fine with me."
"Great, I'll prepare us a feast for tea break then."
"Sounds good. What's this for anyway?" I ask.
"Oh. Well... I'll talk to you on Monday. I've got to go now. Bye." He says, hanging up on me.
Strange. That was very evasive, leading me to believe that there's a possibility of three things which he wants to talk about on Monday.
One, he's moving in with Mina, his girlfriend. Well, officially moving in, he practically lives there now anyway. Two, he's going to propose to Mina. They do have a strong relationship; people have gotten married in less time. And thirdly, he's knocked her up. Of course, all three of these have the possibility of crossing over. He may tell me all that three are true. In which case, I had better practise my surprised face.
Any way I look at it, it seems like number one will be coming true, which means I may need to start looking for a new roommate.
Putting my phone away I turn towards Café LLOW and see her. The first girl I kissed. The first girl I fell in love with.
The one I let get away.
