Our Winter

butterflies

Mei sighed, disappointment flooding as she set down her phone for the millionth time that day, only to pick it back up and continue scrolling. She groaned at her own lack of productivity, but not being able to fight the temptation of social media. Footsteps. Someone was in her room. Mei looked up from an Instagram reel explaining how to make five minute flan to find Jia in front of her, in her iconic disappointed-hand-on-the-hip pose.

"Mei." She sat up at the mention.
"Jia."
"You've been scrolling for the past hour instead of packing or buying stuff."
"Yeah, I'm a bit tired."
"Don't you mean a bit lazy?"
"Uhhhhh"
"Yep, that's it. Get up. We're going shopping, and we'll make it fun. Girls' day out?"
Mei sighed. There was no changing her friend's mind now. She nodded, getting up as Jia hopped away. Well, at least she'd get something done right?

"Ready?"
"Yeah, let's go."
"Uh hold on, you're going in that?"
"yeah, I have nothing to wear."
"Mei, with all due respect, I will actually kill you if ask what I think you will."
"Maybe... I could borrow your floral dress?" She asked with a smile.
"Mei please, why do you torture me so?"
"Oh come on, I'll buy drinks." Jia looked away and sighed. Then she nodded, waving her friend away.

Mei changed, the dress hugging her body like it usually did. She loved this specific dress, the cream colour and the blue flowers, the puffy sleeves and the little ribbon on the collar made it all a beautiful sight on the eyes. She'd always looked for dresses like this, but she could never get as lucky as Jia. She walked out, her hair bouncier and her face brighter. Mei saw Jia chuckle.

"You know, this dress suits you more than me at this point."
"That's why you should give it to me."
"No way. Just be happy I let you steal it like, all the time." Mei defensively put up her hands. "Of course mom." She joked. The pair laughed, walking out the house.

"Take away or dine in ma'am?"
"Dine in, please."
"Alright, your order will be here soon, till then have a seat. Here's the receipt."
"Thank you."

Mei sat down next to her friend, who texted someone intently, her lips curled into a smile she didn't even know was on her face.

"Who is it?"
"Huh? Oh no one."
"Guy or girl?" Mei asked, her back straightening from sudden excitement.
Jia rolled her eyes but replied quietly. "Guy." Mei gasped. "Wait, do I know him?"
"Don't get all worked up. He's another intern I'm training with. And stop thinking like that, we're only friends." She looked away. A knowing smile bloomed on Mei's face.
"Sure, just a friend. Just a-" she froze.

"Mei?" Jia called. No response. She followed Mei's line of sight to a tall, slender man who bought a take away coffee in front of them. Mei turned back, now snapped back to reality. She saw her friend's jaw set. Her face no longer bearing the sweet smile from just minutes before. "That's him isn't it?" Mei knew exactly what she was referring to. "Y-yeah, that's Chen. NO, Jia. Don't do something dumb. The company's already dealing with it." She grabbed Jia's hand as she attempted to get up and follow Chen. "Jia, please. Calm down." She advised. Jia simply sighed. "Mei, you know what he did and yet you don't want to confront him or ever, like slap him in the face?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I do, but that's just the thing. We don't always get what we want. And besides, Minghao can get him fired, and that's enough, okay?"

Jia seemed hesitant to say what she wanted to. "He abandoned you once, how do you know he won't do it again?"

The answer seemed to come out on its own. "It's just, I trust him. I feel safe with a very few people, and I don't know why but he's one of those people I can just feel vulnerable with. I totally get where you're coming from, and you're not wrong. I don't know he isn't going to leave me hanging again, but I feel it for some reason. As for Chen, I know things can get worse if we go back for revenge sometimes. So, I think it's best we just forgive and move on. That man will pay for what he did one way or another."