joelle | d.m

28 | sugar cookie

December, 1994.

"Are you nervous?" Nayun asked quietly.

Joey shook her head. "No," she said honestly. "I mean, you and him are right. Communication is good, so I guess it'll be best to talk about this instead of me shutting him out again."

The two were sitting on the couch watching whatever crappy show was on. Imani was gone and had been gone since the night before. Being the only single one, she went out to a bar to find a hookup late last night. She was still gone, but she'd called their landline to let them know that the guy she slept with was taking her out for brunch.

Joey and Nayun, under the impression that their friend was either dead or kidnapped, were about to leave to find her until that call came. So now, the two sat on the couch in their pajamas, watching a crappy show on the tv.

"Is he coming here?" Nayun turned to look at her friend as the both of them leaned toward each other, slumped on the couch. "If so, we should clean up a bit."

"Mate, the flat is always clean." Joey chuckled amusedly. "What do you mean 'clean up a bit'?"

Nayun pointed at their cups on the coffee table. "That's not clean."

"We're not meeting here anyway," Joey mentioned casually, crossing her legs by her ankles. "We're going to Mr. Bubble Tea."

"It's right across the street." Nayun seemed shocked as she sat up straight.

"I know." Joey nodded and sat up as well. "We went there at the end of our date."

It had been a couple of days since Draco wrote to Joey. They settled on today to meet up. She told him to meet at the bubble tea shop since she didn't want to take him to her house yet.

It also was a couple of days since she got that message from Angel, via a random man. Joey didn't know what to make of that letter except for the fact that Angel knew where she lived now and she had eyes everywhere.

Joey decided not to dwell on it because she had months to "gather" money for Angel. She wasn't going to waste her time worrying about Angel.

_____

"Hi, Jellybean." Draco's argent eyes lit up like stars once he saw her walk toward the booth.

The booth they'd sat at during their date.

He was dressed in his trench coat and black boots. Beneath, he had a grey crew neck and black trousers. She didn't dress up for him.

An oversized long-sleeved grey shirt that was lying on her bed hung loosely over her body and black sweatpants clad her legs. Then she threw on her black puffer coat and tossed her hair in a low ponytail.

"Hi." Joey slid in the seat across from him.

"I ordered drinks." He slid a bubble tea across to her, looking proud. "I got the one you got yourself last time and I got the one you got me last time."

"Thanks." Her hands remained in her lap.

"So how are you?" He adjusted his black trench coat and kept his eyes boring into hers. "Is your holiday good so far?"

She nodded and reached for the straw. Her fingers tore the wrapper and slid the straw out before jabbing it through the hole in the centre in the lid of her drink.

He seemed glad she chose to drink the drink. He did the same and poked his straw through his.

"Listen." Draco lowered his serene voice. "I know you're upset and I don't blame you, but I want to keep seeing you."