Vera In Love

Thirteen

I woke up to Lady's tail brushing under my nose. Her soft fur tickling my nostrils. I waved away her tail and picked her - cuddling her in my arms.

Two nights ago felt like a dream. I felt Nathan and I connected more after the Eunjin incident. I spent the last two days at his place and just got back this afternoon. I took a nap before Frida could get home from work. When I hear the door open and close, I dash out of my room - Lady in hand - and greeted my best friend.

"What's the matter with you? Frida asks cautiously.

I put Lady on the couch, and went to hug my best friend.

"I'm just extra happy today."

Frida pushes me away from the hug and places her hands on both my shoulders. Her eyes narrow as they try to see though my dazed ones.

"Oh. My. Fucking. God. You had sex!" Frida shouts out the last bit.

Out of my daze, I shake my head - cheeks turning red. I drop her hands from my shoulders.

"No! We hadn't had sex. Nathan . . he . ."

How would you say it when the guy you're with touched and pleasured you. Frida's eyes bulge out as I finish telling her about sleeping with Nathan. She puts her hands on my shoulders and jumps on her toes. Cheering loudly.

"Oh! My! Gosh! Vera, tell me all about it. How did it feel? Is he good with his fingers? His tongue?"

A playfully slap her arm. We order three pizzas, buffalo wings, and breadsticks. Frida pops open a red wine and pours neatly into two large wine glasses. When the doorbell rings, I tip the pizza delivery guy and bring in the piled warm foods into the living room. We sit across the coffee table from each other. I open the first box of pizza of ham and pineapple. Frida slips her hand in and grabs the first large slice.

"Tell me details, details," Frida says with a mouth full of pizza.

Just as I was going to tell Frida the buzzer rings. With puffed cheeks, we both look skeptical at each other. The buzzer rings again. I get and check through the screen that looked out to the streets. Two men in black stood side by side right outside our door. I wave Frida over my heart beating nervously fast. Frida tip-toes and looks at the screen.

"It's not the landlord," Frida whispers.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

"You don't suppose like it's a mafi-"

Frida slaps my arm. "You read too much fanfiction," she hisses.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

"Let's answer them through the machine," I suggest.

I press the intercom. "Who are you?"

"We're here on behalf of Junseok Park," one of them speaks.

My heart skips a major leap. Nathan has bodyguards?

"Okay? Does he need anything?"

The same guy answers, "he wants us to escort you out."

Escort me out? This doesn't sound like Nathan. If he needed me, he would have called me or came here himself. These two men in black seemed sketchy.

"Sorry, but right now isn't a good time. You can tell Nathan to call me."

"We can't leave without you, Miss Vera. We offer you to come along and don't make it difficult for us. It will be a moment, Miss Vera."

There was no way I was getting myself out of this situation. I had to go or else they wouldn't leave. I grab my hoodie sweater and turn to Frida.

"Call Nathan if I'm not back in an hour," I whisper.