"Now that you're going to University, what course are you taking?" Your mother asked you as you're sitting on the kitchen table with your parents.
You told them about the result the day after you found out and they couldn't be more proud of you.
"Literature." You answered confidently. "...I know I'm going to enjoy it."
"Hanni? She got in too?" Your mother asked again as you just nodded. "Well that's good to hear. At least you have someone you know in campus." Your father added.
"Don't make it sound like I can't make friends dad come on." You said with your eyebrows raised. "Well we can count how many friends you have right now son; it doesn't even take a whole hand to count."
"I prefer quality friends over quantity. Friends that I can trust fully is better than friends who might stab you in the back don't it?" You told them your ideal type of friendship. "Now that's a motto worth holding onto. You thought him well"
"Alright, I got to go now, Hanni want me to fetch her from driving class then help her with shopping a bit so I might not be home for dinner." You fetched your car key as soon as you stood up. "At this point you two should just settle down and get married like seriously."
"Mom..." You stopped your steps. "...marriage? It's not the perfect time to think about married mom. I do like Hanni but it's not easy"
"Well just know that if it's not you who make the first move, someone else will. We just don't want you to live with regrets because Hanni's a great woman you know." You mother added. "If it's another woman we might just question you more but not Hanni. We know her since you two were younger."
"I know..." You heaved a silent sigh. "Got to go now. See you." You walked out your house and headed into your car.
You got the car on but suddenly stopped as your mind went back to what your mother just said a few minutes before.
Your mother's not wrong, yet you're not in the fault for having difficulties in confessing your feelings to your best friend.
The risk's there and your heart's not ready to handle if you messed up that risk.
You heaved another sigh before you drove off while trying not to think too much about it.
"Okay now we're going to do another round then we'll conclude the class alright?" Hanni nodded to her driving instructor's request as she got the car in gear and drove off carefully.
As she's driving back into the training area, she drove past the waiting area and saw you, standing there and lightly cheered her on with your arms.
She's trying hard not to crack a snicker. "Concentrate Miss Pham." Her driving instructor said.
"Sorry..." She whispered as she continued driving. "Your boyfriend I suppose?" Hanni almost hit the brake upon hearing that question.
"Oh no, he's my best friend." Hanni immediately answered. "Well, that boy's always waiting for you every class, surely he has that sort of affection towards you."
"How so?" Hanni asked again. "I know so." The answer she got.
"Well I've known him since we're kids, he probably already has his eyes on someone else." Hanni trying to concentrate as her mind's wandering out on you.
In the end, she made the round and they parked right where they started. "Alright that was definitely an improvement, we'll do one more class then we can head straight for your driving's test."
Hanni thanked the instructor as she exited the training car and went over to the waiting area immediately.
"Whatsupp~" She greeted you as she always did. "My bread?" Hanni held her hands out to you as you handed a small plastic to her.
"Thank you." She said as she immediately got a piece of bread out and ate it. "So which one's first? Are we eating or are we shopping first?" She asked with her mouth full.
"Aren't you eating right now?" You asked sort of teasingly to her. "Oh yeah..." She answered as she took another bite. "...shopping it is then."
Hanni and you made your way to your car, preparing to leave. "Hey can I... ask you something?" Hanni broke her silence and you turned your head to her, waiting for her question but she became quiet again for a short while.
"You know what never mind it's not that important..." She shrugged lightly as she leaned back against her seat. "You want to ask me if you've gain weight?" You asked calmly and she had this shocked expression on her face.
"No absolutely no- wait... did I gained weight?" She asked as she's puffing her cheeks while examining her face from the front mirror. She glanced over to you as you nodded your head jokingly eagerly.
"Don't play with m- Yah I know I ate a lot nowadays but it's not that much of a gain now does it?" Her mouth formed a pout as she scanned her face again on the mirror before you let out a laugh.
"I'm joking, even if you gained it's not visible, you still look the same. Mini Pham." You said in between your laughs before a storm of smacks swarmed your head from Hanni.
"Okay I'm sorry- oww" You pleaded in between the smacks before she stopped. "You deserved that to be honest. You're lucky I used my hands instead of my sneakers." She leaned back, looking away from you.
She's sulking.
"I am going to start my two-part apology by saying you're a wonderful person..." You said slowly and apologetically. "...and I'll buy you your favorite mint-chocolate ice cream as a sign of my apology."
"I want double scoops" After a short pause, you heard her faint sulking whisper. "Triple scoops it is then." You said compliantly and Hanni couldn't hold her laugh as she burst out laughing.
"Alright, on a serious note, I'm sorry, I don't think you gained too much and if it makes you feel any better, yes you're still pretty." You said calmly as she nodded her head. "I know. Sorry for smacking you." She said.
"You do it in every bickers we had, I'm used to it." You joked as you finally drove away.
Hanni and you went over to her usual place to shop for clothes. She spent some time in looking for a few clothes and few pants while you're behind her, standing there to give opinions on her picks.
She got her picks, went to the fitting area, satisfied and immediately went to pay for them. "I'm done~" She walked over to you carrying her clothes in a plastic bag. "...Ice cream time?" She asked rather teasingly.
"Do you mind if I go back in there? I suddenly remember to get something." You asked her as Hanni just nodded. "Sure, I'll be roaming around the area, just text me when you're done."
"Sure." You immediately went back into the clothes store as you disappeared from Hanni's sight then she wandered down to the lower level. As she's walking past shops, out of nowhere her driving instructor's words echoed in her head.
She also recalled her bicker with you back in the car before and Hanni faintly remembered your apology where you said that she's still pretty. She halted at some empty spot as her head was still hanging around those words you said.
Back then, she had this urge to ask you whether you have some sort of feelings of affection towards her but immediately her heart told her don't as she's afraid of the friendship between you and her would be affected.
She didn't know how long she's been standing there until you came to her. "Hey you okay?" You asked her but she seemed to be daydreaming. "Pham Hanni." You called out to her as she's coming back to her sense. "What..." She squinted her eyes while looking at you.
"I texted you but no reply, I thought you've gone missing." You replied, obviously worried. "Can I ask you something?" She asked rather calmly. "Okay, what is it?"
"Do you think I'm pretty?" She asked.
I literally forgot how exciting cliffhangers can be. Leave a vote if you enjoyed this part. Much appreciated much love. Peace