love, lisa

01:

I scurried through my brain, looking for an excuse. "Um, my little brother is sick right now," I lied, earning a huff of annoyance from Taehyung on the other end of the phone.

"It feels like you're avoiding me, baby," He groaned. I felt bad. I wasn't necessarily avoiding him I just, didn't really feel that connection with him.

"I'm not avoiding you!" I exclaimed, "Look, this weekend, I promise we can go wherever you like."

I could literally hear a smile appear on his face. "Ok, ok, fine. I love you," Taehyung piped. I laughed awkwardly, "Yeah, same," and quickly hung up.

I threw my phone on my bed and hunched over in my chair. It wasn't fair for Taehyung, I know it wasn't.

I tried to remove Taehyung from my mind as I threw myself into studying. Before I knew it, it was already 7 P.M and my mother had made it back home.

"Lalisa!" She called in her thick accent. "Coming!" I called back, rushing downstairs.

I helped my mom carry in her things before turning to ask her, "Have you seen BamBam anywhere?"

My mom nodded, "Ah, he's at one of my meetings."

Now, my mom is an independently wealthy woman. After mine and BamBam's father left us, she managed to become the president of a modeling agency.

"Oh? Is he modeling?" I asked, trying to hold in my laughter from imaging my brother modeling. But, my mother had a confident grin on her face, "Yes he is, actually."

I exploded in laughter, earning a disapproving stare from my mom. "What?" She snapped, "Your brother is a handsome man. He needs somewhere to display that beauty."

"Absolutely not," I manage to say between laughs. My mom rolled her eyes, lightly shoving my shoulder as she began to make her way to the kitchen.

I followed her, taking a seat at the bar. "So, Lalisa," She started, also beginning to prepare dinner, "I also need you to model for me."

I scoffed, "No way, Ma."
"Yes way!" She retorted, "You're doing this photoshoot with another young woman."

I rolled my eyes, slightly pouting, "Am I there to make her look better by 'comparison'?"

"No way, Thārk," My mom said, her back still turned away from me, cooking, "It's a small collaboration."

"Will you cook me pasta if I do this ONE photoshoot?" I asked, trying to reason. She sighed and nodded, turning to me with a smile.

"Okay then, we have a deal."