College Cravings

4

"Let me get this right, you want to study on a Friday night?" Lisa asked, her doe-eyes getting bigger.

We were standing in line for dinner later that evening and I had just told her about my plan. "Yeah. And you have to invite Tae to our room."

"Why me?"

"If I do, it would look too obvious."

As I took a plate of pizza skillet tice from the food server, I caught Tae coming around the corner carrying a refill of the cheesy casserole. I smiled when we made eye contact.

"On your left," he said loudly to warn his co-worker in front of him.

Rose poked her head between me and my roommate. "What are you guys doing tonight?"

She had overhead us talking so I invited her as well. About an hour later, Rose, Lisa and I were in my room, munching on some pretzels ready to start that study session.

"These pretzels are making me thirsty," I said, coughing a bit from my dry throat.

"Here, Sunny, have some of this." Rose handed me her water bottle and I took a swig. The burning sensation made me cough again.

"A-O!" I sang in surprise.

Rose snickered. "It's my special recipe of 'fruit punch.'" She added air quotes for the last two words before taking her bottle back.

"Well, it certainly hits you," I said, my eyes wide that she would drink alcohol so casually.

"You sounded like Tae just then," Rose said.

I crossed my legs and tapped my pen against my skinny jeans. "Where is he? It's already eight o'clock," I said, checking the time.

"You like him, don't you?" Rose asked, staring at me.

"Uh...no...it's complicated...there are time where you have to look at someone...I mean he is good-looking...I have this cousin in Chino who-"

Rose interrupted my blabbering. "I get it, you like him."

Lisa gave me a skeptical look like she was the mom and I was getting scolded. "Sunny, remember what I told you?"

Before I could answer, JK appeared at the open doorway and fidgeted, not knowing what to do until I acknowledged him with a wave of my hand.

"Oh...hi...I forgot my book. I'll be right back," he said with a nervous tone.

"Wait..." Lisa shot me a look when JK was out of view. "You invited JK over too? So why did you want Tae to know about this?"

"Do you like Tae or JK?" Rose asked, taking a sip of her bottle.

It felt safe to be honest with these girls. They were like the sisters I never had and always wanted so I spilled the tea. "I like Tae, but JK suggested a study date."

"So give JK a chance," Rose suggested.

"Shouldn't I see if I have a chance with Tae first? Tonight I just want to plant a seed in his mind and see how he reacts to seeing me with JK," I explained.

As the words tumbled out of my mouth, I realized I sounded like a silly high school girl with a crush. Had I been watching too many TV shows and movies? Probably. But this was on my mental checklist of things to do in college to see if the rom-coms and K-dramas were like real life.

"I have caught Tae looking your way a few times when we're hanging out as a group," Rose pointed out.

"He's just a very friendly guy. I've known him longer than you and this is just the way he acts with all girls," Lisa stated firmly.