Read Between the Lines

Chapter 3: The Lion's Den

MICHELLE's POV

It had been short of three weeks since Michelle had proclaimed her undying friendship for Anntonia. And she had literally tripped into the friendzone.

Yes, of course, she was well aware that the friendzone was a social construct invented by frustrated people who couldn't take no for an answer. But Anntonia had tutored her in as much for the past three weeks. And it wasn't like she was the kind of person who believed that 'straight' girls and the ones enjoying the curve of the rainbow couldn't be friends without it leading to something and more. Sure, she liked it when it did lead to something and more, but at this point there was no way she could fool herself into thinking that that could happen with them.

Besides, there was a reason why she hadn't put out her moves on Anntonia. Weird as it sounds, she liked having the girl around. Most girls she met and hooked up with were ditzy and shallow, but her? She was her equal in every way, and then some. And for whatever reason, she didn't want to screw this up. If she did put her moves on her, and if by some astronomical chance, they worked, then what would happen? She'd hook up with her? And then what? Her records of hook-ups weren't exactly meant to stick around. Because at the moment, she feels like she wasn't someone ready for serious commitment.

And the fact that if she did admit to hitting on Anntonia, the girl would surely knock her flat on her ass. She would straight away confirm her theories about her being a jerk, self-centered and interested solely in getting in her pants. And if she rejected her, then she'd lose this grey area she found she liked more than she'd expected. So because the girl would've rejected her and dragged her to hell and back if she dared to step out of the grey area, so she settled for the only way she could think of to keep her close without losing her trust and without jumping into some mushy relationship she didn't want. For now.

She befriended her.

But sometimes, she still wondered if she'd made the right choice because Anntonia was a freaking handful. But then again, being with her was never boring. She enjoyed every minute she discovered little things about her, she thought to herself as she made her way up the stairs of Anntonia's dorm until she found her standing in front of the door.

Cheerfully, she raised her fist and knocked twice and it didn't take long until she was rewarded with the small figure of Anntonia's roommate named Freen who's also a thai like her, studying in their university. She had this adorable round eyes, gummy smile with her cute bunny teeth. And her positive aura could really brighten up the room. She loved how bubbly the younger girl whenever she saw her. She would've hit on her long ago if only Anntonia didn't threatened the safety of her head.

"Hey, Nong Freen. Is Ann in?" She greeted her with a smile.

"P'Ann is studying." Then Freen scrunched her nose and smiled at her as she mouthed, "Run."

That made her laugh heartily.

"Can you get her for me? I'd like come in but I'm afraid. I'm not dumb enough to come into the lion's den."

"I heard that loud and clear, Michelle Dee!" Anntonia's voice yelled from the other side of the door and she laughed again as she shook her head. It's been three weeks and the girl still like use her full name whenever she call her or sometimes just her last name but never Michelle. At first, it annoys her but as days pass, she's starting to like the ring of it in her ears. In fact, she never like hearing her full name until Anntonia says it.

Freen shrugged as if to tell her she was coming in at her own risk, then stepped sideways to let her come in. Anntonia's dorm room the one with two individual rooms and a small living space with a tiny kitchen. Though it's the same as all the rooms of the girls she had slept with on campus, it shone with her personality. And her own room, despite being small and crowded, she somehow had books strategically placed in every corner, some opened and lying face down, some stocked on piles, some lying about with bookmarks sticking out of them. Her walls were plastered with frames of minimalist one line art and some feminist quotes. And on her nightstand, she had a few framed pictures of her family. Her younger brother and her dad, without her mother that she had never met because she walked out on them shortly after her brother was born. It was a sad story, but at the same time, it was funny to think what a strong woman she had grown up to be in a family of men. Her Dad raised her a strong independent feminist who took no shit and that made her often wondered how her childhood had looked like, to shape her into who she is today.

In the middle of this personalized lair of hers was her, Anntonia, lying on her bed upside down with her feet propped on the wall, hair dangling from the edge of her bed, and a law book in her hand.

"Excuse me but the lion doesn't remember inviting you into her den," she told her without moving and she softly laughed, jumping next to her on the bed and tickling her side, making her yelp and lose what she called 'her thinking position'.

"Maybe the lion's shy." She teased and the girl shot her a look, immediately sitting cross-legged on the bed and glared at her.

"Say that again, but slower while you lose your head. Come on."

"Oh, no. Thanks. You know I hate to repeat myself." She was smiling widely. "And I almost choked on it. Could've died."

"Then perished." Anntonia said, grinning like she'd just won a prize, opening her book again and going back into her thinking position.

Did I say I never had a dull moment with her? Yeah. That's it because we love to bicker.

She laughed whole-heartedly. Even Anntonia's infuriating as she was, she kept her on her feet. And while that frustrated her to no end, it also gave her a slight high that she kept chasing. Sometimes , she thought that the girl was dangerous in ways she wasn't even aware of. She was addictive too.

"Is that the way to talk to a friend who came to take you out?" She asked in her most mastered annoyed tone and she saw the girl simply held up her book, looking at her like she was the world's greatest moron.

"Civil Procedure exam. Remember that? How I have to take it again because you got me drunk last time so I slept through it? Ring any bells, Michelle Dee?"

"Vaguely. But you're older, therefore wiser now. You can learn from your mistakes." She said philosophically and Anntonia immediately rolled her eyes on her.

"Hence, me not going out."

"Nope. Hence, you have to know not to mix beer with vodka. And also, keeping count of your tequila shots." She fired back and proceed to tickled her foot but that only earned her a soft kick on her shoulder.

"Aawww! That hurts!" She winced in pain but it's all a fake act of course.

"Good for you because how dare you say that? I kept count!" The girl argued.

They both know she hadn't. Because after her fifth shot, the girl kept asking the bartender for the second one. She suspected that's where she'd gone blank. She even tried to be the responsible one and slam on the breaks, but no one got between Anntonia and her tequila. And clearly enough, she wasn't one to take suggestions, least alone from her.

Looking at her friend, she saw it in her eyes. She wanted to go out. It's obvious that she was tired of studying, too, just like her and everyone. And while she was sure she'd make a kick-ass lawyer one day, law school was probably kicking her ass at the moment. She needed it so she tried to convey that very same message in her eyes as she flashed her a tiny smile and the puppy eyes.

The girl narrowed hers, clearly suspicious and distrustful. Not that there was anything new under the sun. She was always distrustful.

"Come on, Brownie!" She pleaded. "Just a couple of drink and I promise, I'll have you back by 9. Then you can pull an all-nighter and ace that exam. You just need to blow off some steam first. Okay?"

She heard her groan and in that moment, she knew she had her. She may be liked to play it all tough and give her a hard time, but she knew for a fact, in the last three weeks, she enjoyed her company, too.

"Fine... fine..." she barked at her, finally standing up from her bed. "A few drinks and back by 9. Clear?"

"Ma'am, clear Ma'am!" She answered snappily and even stand up so straight that she almost strained her back and give her a salute.

Anntonia rolled her eyes again before she pushed her out of her room so she could get herself ready.

"I'll be out in 30. Make yourself at home but try not to hit on Freen before I hit you in the face." The girl said, throwing her a nonstop threat before closing her room door.

"Yes Ma'am!" She answered again in a snappy way and finally let out a laugh, mostly for herself because when did she even allow someone to boss her around?  Anntonia is totally throwing her out of her game.