Bubble Tea

midsummer nights

Song for the chapter: Enchanted by Taylor Swift

Audrey's POV:

After arriving home from the game, I feel the rush of excitement still lingering. Tomorrow is Jeremiah's party, and it's bound to be the highlight of the year. But first, I need to get my homework out of the way. Even though midterm exams are over, I still want to stay on top of my class.

I quickly change into something more comfortable and dive into my homework, trying to push aside my racing thoughts. But as I work through the assignments, I find my mind wandering to the confusing swirl of emotions I'm feeling. I decide that maybe a chat with Stella will help clear my mind.

I grab my phone and FaceTime her, hoping she can provide some clarity. To my surprise, Jaemin picks up the call instead.

"Hi, princess, what's up?" he greets me with his usual charm.

"Hi, Jaemin. Why are you picking up Stella's phone?" I ask, slightly taken aback.

"Stella's in the shower, and I was at her dorm, so I thought I shouldn't ignore your FaceTime," he explains casually.

"Okay, then. Please tell Stella to call me when she comes back," I reply, ready to end the call.

"Why are you hanging up so soon?" Jaemin's voice stops me. "Let's talk for a bit until Stella comes back."

"But I want to have some girl talk with her. Are you a girl?" I tease.

Jaemin laughs. "Is it relationship advice you want from her?"

"Um, kind of," I admit hesitantly.

"Audrey, you know Stella is not good at giving relationship advice. I think I'm better than her, so you can ask me, please."

"Wait, what are you even doing at Stella's dorm? What were you two up to?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Nothing, we were just hanging out," he replies.

"I know what 'hanging out' means for you two. But you should focus on studying at the university, not doing this naughty stuff," I tease.

Jaemin laughs.

"But we weren't even doing anything. Can I not even hang out with my girlfriend now?"

"Ha ha, I know you can. But do not corrupt my innocent sister, okay?" I say with a smile.

Just then, I hear Stella yelling from the bathroom. "No, Audrey! Don't ask Jaemin about such things. He's the worst at those! I'll call you back in just five minutes."

Jaemin laughs again, and I can't help but join in. "Haha. But Jaemin, tell me, how did you confess to my sister? I'm sure she's not the one who confessed first because she's not that type. I've known her my whole life."

"You're right," Jaemin begins, his tone becoming more sincere. "I'm even shyer about these things, but we were hanging out for quite a while, sharing mutual friends. One evening, I realized I had to tell her my feelings. Stella would never initiate it because, after hanging out so much, it was obvious we liked each other, but she wasn't going to make the first move. So, I planned a special date for us and confessed to her."

I smile, picturing the scene. "That's sweet. So you think you're better at relationship advice than Stella?"

"Absolutely," Jaemin says confidently. "Stella doesn't even have much experience giving advice. I can give you better advice, so you can count on me."

"Thanks, Jaemin. But I'll just call Stella later. Bye," I say, ending the call.

As I set my phone down, I can't help but feel a bit lighter. Jaemin's story was heartwarming, and it gave me a lot to think about. Maybe there's more to relationships than I thought. With a small smile, I return to my homework, feeling a bit more at ease about tomorrow and the confusing feelings swirling inside me.