roses | kim woosung

e i g h t e e n

"i'm so glad we have no school today." jia says. "yeah, it gives us time to prepare for tonight." i say.

"do you know if dylan and leo got dates?" she asks. "they just might surprise us." i say.

"maybe." jia says, as a phone goes off. "it's not mine." jia says, passing my phone to me.

"hello?"

"iM FREAKING OUT"

"wait, calm down-"

"i cANT! I AM NERVOUS ABOUT THIS DATE I HAVENT DATED AND-"

"leo calm down- i'm coming over, you're at sammy's right?" i ask.

"yea-"

"i'm running down the stairs now."

   i hang up and grab jia with me as we rush down the stairs together.

   we enter sammy's apartment and take leo and dylan into different rooms.

"have you went on a date with this girl?" i ask. "when you and jia had the double date." he says. "have you spoken to her?" i ask.

"she goes to our school. in fact, you might know her. she's in our korean class." he says. "you mean olivia's your girl?? she's cute!" i say, sitting next to him.

"she knew ella since elementary. i miss her you know." he says. "i know you do. but what about olivia?" i ask. "what about her?" leo asks. "do you love her? it doesn't have to be as much as ella-"

"we kissed, jennie. i love olivia to death. as much as i've ever loved ella, maybe even more than that. i'm just scared of losing her." he says.

"i know. but leo, i don't think you will." i say. "can you talk to her? please?" he asks. "i can try-"
"thank you so much!" he says, hugging me.

"they calmed down? what'd you do?" jeff asks. "we're women, it's what we do." jia says, as we say goodbye and go back to my place.

"now i have to call wendy to com-"
"liZA?? YOU MEAN THE LIZA YANG LIK-"
"shut up, no. i just wanted to see you crack." jia says. "so who's dylan bringing then?" i ask.

"wendy." she says. "you mean that girl in science? she's cute for him." i say. "and she's the biggest kpop obsessed person in school. but of course in disguise; perfect for dylan." jia says.

"i know! guess who's leo's girl." i say. "who?" she asks. "that's not guessing." i say. "just tell me." she says. "ugh fine. you know that girl in korean class?" i ask.

"olive??" jia asks. "yeah, our olive is datin-"
"DATING?? SINCE WHEN?" jia asks. "since they kissed." i say. "tHEY WHAT?" jia asks. "why do you sound shocked?" i ask. "i'm just really happy for him, that's all. i mean, i've watched him grow from seeing him as a little boy running around the park trying to squirt me with water to him being an adolescent encouraging me to do so much with my life." jia says.

"that's cute. have you ever liked him in the past?" i ask. "in middle school until he moved here. i got over it quickly though. anyways, let me call wendy." jia says, dialing a number on her phone.

t i m e  s k i p

"i'm honestly quite nervous myself! i honestly love leo a lot and i know he fears i'll leave him because of what happened with ella but that's one of the reasons i won't leave him." olivia says.

"i know, olive. sometimes a man just needs a little reminding that his girl will stay with him till death do us apart." i say.

"i plan to do that, jen." she says. "same with dylan. i love him and everything about him, i just don't know how to tell him." wendy says. "you just gotta come out with it. try telling him tonight when you guys are dancing, preferably slow dancing." jia says.