Sounds Fake, but Okay | ✓

e l e v e n

    "You know," Andrea spoke as they stood on the balcony, their bodies leaning on the railing and looking down into the city. "Cat isn't going to develop feelings for you until, like, a year from now or something."

   "I said that I don't like her that way. I haven't even known her for two months and you think I like her?"

   "A crush doesn't have to have a basis, Jae." She shrugged. "You just like being around them and maybe you won't ever talk to them. At least you're one step ahead...or maybe even a few."

   His cheeks were on fire still and he rested his chin on his hands before looking up at the cloudy night sky. "I don't like her, and that's the last time I'll say it. She's a friend, I don't see her as anymore than that, okay?"

   "You don't? So, why are you blushing then?"

   "I'm not blushing!" He argued before touching his cheek with the back of his hand and feeling the heat radiating from it. "I'm tipsy. Have you never seen an Asian person drinking before?"

   "I know the difference between Asian flush and a blush."

   "You clearly don't," Jae grumbled. He might have been slightly embarrassed but it was true, he had horrible Asian flush, even his upper arms were red and on fire, he looked as if he should have been drunk, but he wasn't just yet. He'd only had two drinks and they weren't strong at all.

   Andrea scoffed, "You like her and you know it."

   "I thought you were against me?" He raised an eyebrow and looked over at her.

   "I am," she nodded, "that doesn't mean I can't tease you, we are friends after all."

   "Yo!" Daniel slid open the balcony door and Andrea and Jae looked back at him.

   Andrea blinked, "What? We're talking here."

   Daniel rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, he spoke, "It's not sad boy hours, that's reserved for three a.m, it's time to play video games. Jae can choose the first one."

   "Oh." Jae shook his head, lifting up his hand. "I'm not much of a video game person."

   "Lies." Daniel narrowed his gaze. "Try it out and we'll see."

   "Really, I—" he was dragged by the arm back into the living room without any further argument. He was sat down on the couch before Andrea sat next to him.

   "Player one!" Daniel called, raising up his hand.

   "Two!" Catalina followed.

   "Three," Andrea said and then everyone looked at Madeline and Jae.

   "Jae can play, you guys know I don't like video games that much anyways," Madeline spoke as she swirled her drink in the cup.

   Andrea shrugged and handed Jae his respective controller before Jae chose a game from the many he saw laid out before him. He was told everything he needed to know and they began playing. Just like Daniel had said, Jae was enjoying himself, he was getting competitive and genuinely laughing.

   "I thought you said you weren't much of a video game person?" Daniel smugly remarked.

   "I used to play lots of video games in high school but I thought I'd outgrown them."

   "No one outgrows video games," Catalina grinned. "You beat Drea, twice, and that says a lot."

   Andrea flipped her hair over her shoulder and grinned. "You're okay, kid, you're okay."