It Began at a bookstore

13. Exclusives.

I kept my eyes on the chat, and the smile on my face as I typed.

*G : "Where are you?"*

It didn't take very long before my phone blared out her notification ringtone of Jimin's voice shouting "Taehyung-ssi!"

*S : "Yah, look up!"*

My smile widened even more, when I did. Steph stood there at the bus stop, waving at me.

I waved back and speedwalked up the slope leading to the bus stop.

There was another girl there with Steph, one with whom she appeared to be having an intriguing conversation. I could tell, because you would know if Stephanie lost interest in the words coming out of your mouth.

Stephanie was politely smiling and nodding, while the girl threw her hands about like she was explaining some sort of contemporary dance move.

And I, sounded extremely judgemental in my head. I saw Steph offer a few words of her own, seemingly in approval of whatever the girl had just spoke, and the curious cat in me twitched its ears, for want.

I stopped for a bit, and cleared my thoughts before approaching the two of them. Besides, I was way too happy and excited to let a little bestfriend jealousy get in the way.

I would have jumped Steph right away, and started hyping about the events that went down this evening, but I was raised better.

I sidestepped the girl and tapped Steph on the shoulder.

"Heya, stranger. Watcha doing?"

I plastered on my smug face as the new girl raised her eyebrows at me, and Steph didn't miss a beat.

"Hello, stranger. You're late."

"Sorry about that, but something came up."

Steph got a tell tale interest in her eyes, but before she could enquire about it, New girl popped into the conversation with an out of place chuckle.

"Are you two strangers familiar with each other?"

And Steph turned to answer her instead.

"Unfortunately, yes. Cathy, meet Grace Sharlene Noel, the less savage and more cute version of myself.

Cathy smiled at me in greeting, but turned to Steph again.

"She's your sister?"

"Oh heavens, No! She's my best friend, well mostly I'm hers."

She then turned to me, before I could retort to that statement, a mocking smile already on her face.

"Gra-aace, this is Catherine Yang, my new co-worker and fellow recruit from the new programme we've been drafted into."

Honestly, I did not mean to over look the girl's introduction, but there were more important things being included in the conversation just now.

"New programme??? So you were chosen! The presentation was the bomb after all! I knew it! OMIGOSH, you did it Steph!"

Steph tried to appear unfazed by it, but the pride shone pretty evidently on her face as she waved me off.

I noticed Cathy's head fall a bit, from the corner of my eye and instantly felt guilty.

"Catherine! Congratulations as well," I held a hand out and put on a genuine smile for her.

She hesitated for just a wink, before she took my hand and giggled out a Thankyou.