" Our son, he's going to make us all very proud!"

    The small yet loud gathering in his family's restaurant rattled the walls as cheers and bottles of alcohol were passed around. Jae Hwa had been accepted into UC Berkeley. He had worked hard in school, being at the top for as long as he could remember. He was already known well around Busan because of his extraordinary academic skills, and when he had received the acceptance letter into an American university, his parents hadn't been shy in bragging to everyone they knew.

    His mother would be at the market buying food for the week, and before you knew it, " You know my son, Jae Hwa right? He will be attending school at a university in The United States! California to be exact."

    Seeing his mother constantly beaming with pride gave Jae Hwa confidence in being able to fulfill his dream, and to meet his parents' expectations. Sometimes it would feel like a burden when doubt tried to rear its head. As he looked around the small restaurant now, he saw nothing but smiles and laughter. His mother and aunts worked hard to prepare a feast that was never ending in his honor. He didn't want to let them down at all, especially seeing how important his own achievement was for everyone else also. He didn't want all of their support to have been in vain. He had to send home letters and pictures, have phone calls where the only thing he had to say was news of his success so that he could hear the same joy that he did now.

     Walking to the front of the party, Jae Hwa cleared his throat.

    " Everyone, I want to say thank you for being here today. Thank you for all of the hard work you've put into raising me, into teaching me many things. Without all that I've received, I'm certain that I could not stand here in this way today."

    " I Love you Jae Hwa!" A zealous friend shouted out. Everyone erupted into laughter as they began to send words of encouragement Jae Hwa's way. He grinned widely into the crowd.

    "Thank you for all of your hard work! Thank you!" Bowing vigorously to everyone in the room, he made his way to his mother and father as they hugged and kissed him with tears.

   " You'll be leaving in just a few days. " Caressing his face, Jae Hwa's mother looked at him adoringly with red rimmed eyes." What will I do when you're gone? My heart, it hurts because I'm sad that my son is leaving me. My only son.... But then, then it bursts with joy because I know you've become a man now. You've done so well all of these years, and I know you're going to accomplish many great things now. Knowing this makes my life a little easier. I worry less for you." Kissing both of his cheeks, his mother wrapped her small yet strong arms around his body tightly.

    " You can't keep crying like this, your face will swell up and I won't be able to recognize you!" Jae Hwa's father stepped to his son, standing at an equal height. He got his looks from his father, while embodying his mother's soft demeanor. His hands that had seen hard work over the years gripped his son's shoulders in a gentle manner. He had held Jae Hwa as a newborn with just as much care.

     " You're going to make this family proud. You already have. Do you realize that?"

   " Yes. That's one thing I can say I am proud of Dad."

   " Always be proud of the hard work you do, always be proud of being the good man that you are. Stay humble, but strong. That's how you get by." The older man's voice became heavy with emotion hidden behind his gruff voice. Feeling the knock of his daughter at his legs, he wiped his eyes of any possible tears as he lifted her into his arms to join in.

    " Oppa, you have to take me to Disney Land. I've seen pictures of it, they have Mickey Mouse there!"

    " Oppa promises to soon. Okay?" Jae Hwa patted her head playfully, but Min Young wanted a more solid promise. Sticking out her pinky finger, she kept a stern face that said she wouldn't forget this transaction.

    " Min Young, Jae Hwa is going to go study really hard in America, and then we will go and visit him." Their mother rubbed her back as she giggled excitedly.

    The joyful group broke out in song as the night burned on. Jae Hwa would be on a plane in just a few days, off to a land that was far away from the home he has always known-the home that has made him into the person that he was today.

    To say he was not afraid would be foolish, but he had a feeling that things were looking up for him.

    Something great waited for his arrival.

        Jae Hwa adjusted the straps on his backpack as he made his way down his dormitory's stair way.

      " How's it going James?" He dapped hands with another student he had become acquainted with. He had been nervous when he had first arrived at the school. He had walked through the crowded halls on moving day amongst all of the chatter of excited freshmen who were ready to embark on the parties and life of college. They were finally away from their parents, and constantly cheered for this fact. Unlike them, Jae Hwa had felt a sense of longing and loneliness being an entire ocean away from his mother and father.

   " It's good man." The words had left with an ease he had finally gained after a couple of months of being reclusive. He had worried his English would be weak, that he wouldn't be able to converse normally with his roommate and classmates. Letters that he had written home were filled with these concerns. After encouraging from his parents and the few friends he had seemed to make, he let go of his inhibitions and began to make this new country like  his new home.

     Pushing the heavy metal door, Jae Hwa felt the warm sun blanket his skin. Shielding his eyes, he looked up to see the clear skies and the passing clouds above him. Glancing at his watch he saw that he would only have half the time to make it to the class that was the furthest away on campus. He picked up a quick pace as he made his way there.

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     Walking into the air conditioned building, Jae Hwa smoothed back his disheveled hair with one last look at his watch. He had made good time, as always. The unintentional jog took his breath away, leaving him parched.

    He found the closest water fountain, and guzzled down as much water as he could. When he stood up, he backed into what felt like another much smaller body.

    " Sorry. I didn't see you there." He immediately went to his knee to help the person pick up the papers he had caused to scatter on the tiled floors. His eyes saw long brown arms reach in between his, grabbing things he had missed.

    " No need to apologize. I doubt you have eyes in the back of your head." The young woman before him spoke softly, and with a gleaming smile.

    There was a lump in his throat that made it difficult to swallow, let alone speak anymore. Her eyes had captivated him. He had never seen a pair of eyes that were of such a rich dark brown hue. Handing her the last of her belongings, he happened to graze her fingertips. A heat rushed over him that rivaled the hottest day in summer.

    Quickly turning around, Jae Hwa took another sip from the water fountain out of nervousness.

    "There you go hogging the water again. You know, this is probably the best one on campus." The woman held her notebooks on her hip as she teased him with her head tilted to the side. He saw her from the corner of his eye, and nearly choked on the water from embarrassment.

    He had prepared to apologize again, but couldn't get a word past the itching in his throat. A strong hand hit his back, in what he sure was meant to relieve him.

    " That's what you get." The woman tried to control her laughter, but couldn't help that she had found the red faced guy more than amusing. He stepped to the side, and she had expected him to take off in a run to avoid her. Lisa knew that she made guys nervous sometimes, and was completely okay with some of the jerks that would approach her with unwanted advances running away with their tail between their legs after she rejects them, but with this boy, she hoped that he would stick around just for a moment longer.

     Flipping her high ponytail out of the way, Lisa leaned down to finally have her turn at the fountain. There was a pinch in Jae Hwa's stomach as he watched the cool liquid flow over her dark puckered lips. They wore adorned in a deep red lipstick that was so immaculately applied, it look as if she had been born with lips that wonderful.

    While he ogled her mouth, and the way her throat moved with the water, he missed her narrowed eyes that watched him watching her.

     Rising, Lisa wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and wiped the corners of her lips. She puckered them with a loud pop that caused Jae Hwa to come back to his senses. He realized he had been caught.

    Was his mouth seriously drying up again?

    " I'm Lisa." Holding out her hand, she waited for another one to meet hers.

    " My name is James." Slowly, he reached out and pressed his palm against hers. His hand covered hers almost entirely. The softness made the roughness in his stand out even more.

      While he was ready to withdraw his hand, Lisa held on tight enough to stop him.

     " Wait, I've seen you before. Are you going in for Professor Taylor?" She pointed to the end of the hallway indicating the room.

    " Yes I-"

    " Oh! Well me too! That's why you seemed familiar. You sit in the very front ...don't you?"

    " I like to be close for the lessons."

    " Mhm." Grabbing him by the elbow, Lisa began dragging his much larger body away. " I can tell you like to be punctual and all, but I believe that today you may have broken that streak. We have at least thirty seconds before class.  He'll lock us out if we aren't there on time, trust me, it's happened to me..."

     Jae Hwa was almost helpless as she took control of him. When they had reached to class, he didn't get to sit in his usual awaiting seat. Instead, he climbed the stairs up to higher rows in the room, and was placed directly in the middle.

    " You can sit with me. Here. I promise you can still learn from here."

     Lisa propped her feet up on to the seat in front of her.

     " It gets lonely at the top sometimes. I can see you sitting all the way at the front, and I wonder if you're just as lonely as I am."  There was a seriousness that laced her words as Jae Hwa watched her speak.

    " Do you mind sitting with me, James?"

    Their eyes were locked together as the rest of the class began to start.  Jae Hwa didn't hear the professor greeting everyone, or all of the other people getting settled around them. All that he did notice was the rise and fall of Lisa's chest, and the pleading in her words.

    "Do I have a choice?" Lisa had a satisfied grin on her face as she turned away, accepting that as his way of saying yes to her invitation.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 

      Jae Hwa leaned on his elbow at the large table in the school's library. Before him laid books and papers with his scribbled writing showing very detailed notes and assignments. He was nearing his second wind of the study session as he felt the fatigue beginning to retreat.

     " Hey..."

    Jae Hwa's head tilted forward as his eyes began to close.

   " James. Hey."

   His eyes lost focus of the words on the pages before him. Just five minutes...five minutes and he could go for another hour.

   Just when his breathing slowed, and his head began to lower, the harsh sound of a book being slammed down on the table top startled him, chasing away any hopes of a cat nap.

    His brow was furrowed, ready to kill whoever it was being so rude.

   " Hi." Any ill intent he had before vanished the moment he saw that it was Lisa who had disturbed him. Suddenly, he wasn't as upset that he lost his five minutes of rest, but happy that he had gained five minutes of her company.

     Moving his books aside, he made room for her to sit with him. It had become a regular part of their lives now, inviting each other in. Jae Hwa had found that sitting with her in class had not given him any problems as far as learning wise. If anything, he had to work even harder to stay focused as her scent drifted into his nose, or whenever her elbow brushed against his as the wrote. He was left handed, and she right handed

    He had never been so happy about this fact before in his life.

    " You're late." He whispered to her. Lisa nodded her head knowing that she had managed to do this one too many times now. She had made a promise to meet at the right times with Jae Hwa, but some days she had to stay longer for dance practices.

     " I'll buy you the best burger in town. Huh? How's that sound? I haven't had one in ages, and I'm sure I can work it off." Though she was a lean dancer, she wasn't afraid to eat what her heart desired every once in a while.

      Jae Hwa contemplated on her offer.

     " I want a strawberry milkshake to go along with it. No skipping out on it this time." He poked Lisa in her forehead as she pouted.

    " I'm offended you would say such a thing." Mumbling, she picked up where she had left off on previous homework, working quietly alongside Jae Hwa.

     He watched her hand move rapidly across the paper as she worked hard. It had been four weeks since they began hanging out together like this. Nothing had gotten old yet, and he figured that was a good sign.

  He had the chance to phone his mother just last week. She had asked how everything was going....if he was enjoying himself.

      "Are you eating well? Studying often? Please get enough rest Jae Hwa. You need to keep up your strength."

      He let her know that everything was fine-more than fine.

     He was studying well.

      Even had time to hang out and live life outside of school, of course he told her this didn't happen too often.

      The one thing that he hadn't found the courage to talk about was the new light he had found in Lisa.

    For one, he knew his parents would discourage getting involved with girls at the moment, and though they had never really faced a situation like this, he didn't know how they would react to finding out she wasn't a nice Korean girl, or a "typical" American girl. She was black, and he had no idea how they would deal with that.

    Even mentioning that what they had-so far-was a fresh friendship could make them worry.

    He promised that he would never give them a reason to do that, so for now, he enjoyed the time he was spending with Lisa, and hoped that one day with a little more insight, and he would talk about her to his parents.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

   " So how is Korea? Do you like being here?"

    Lisa and Jae Hwa sat at a booth in the busy diner. It was a hotspot for the college town, and was constantly filled. They had both been nursing their meal as they had begun talking more about their lives. Jae Hwa had found out that Lisa had come from a prominent family.

   Her father was a business owner, her mother a professor, and her grandfather a very influential pastor in the area. He preached at one of the largest well known churches in town. Growing up, she had been an only child, and was admittedly spoiled.  As a girl, her mother had placed her into ballet classes where she had flown to the top of her class the same way that Jae Hwa had in school. In that, he saw something admirable in her. They both had worked hard for what they held closest to their hearts in hopes that one day they will live out their dreams.

    " Korea is ...home I guess. I don't know how to explain it. Of course it's different, but it's the same to me as the place you call home is to you."

     " Say something in Korean." She asked enthusiastically.

    " Why?"  Lisa tapped the table at the sound of his voice.

    " I love languages. I know a French and Spanish, but that sounds a lot more fun." Lisa wrapped her lips around the long stripped straw as she enjoyed the last bit of her shake. Seeing her suck in air, Jae Hwa took her cup from her as he poured some of what he had left into hers.

   " Thanks." She winked.

    Smiling, he dipped his head hoping that he could wait out the blush that would surely reach his ears. It was a feature of his that Lisa had picked up on, and she began to notice just what could make him all giddy. Was she doing it on purpose just for the laughs?

    At first, yes.

   But soon she had found herself enjoying his little habits. Wanting to see him in those little moments more and more.

    " You're so cute." The statement had left before she realized what she had done, and this time, it was her turn to look away abashedly as Jae Hwa's eyes flew open.

   " So...Jae Hwa. That's your real name?" Clearing her throat, Lisa tried to take away the attention quickly.

    " Yeah. Kwon Jae Hwa. James isn't too hard, so I chose that for my American name."

    " They both fit you well. Though, James gives you a more mature feel."

     "Lisa! Oh my God I haven't seen you in forever!" A tall blonde girl nearly jumped into their booth as she bombarded Lisa with a hug. They both began to scream, making Jae Hwa wince from the high pitched sound.

    " Sara! It's been a day or two at the most! Here, this is my friend James. James, this is Sara, remember the one I had told you about?"

    He remembered hearing a story of how they had met in dance class long ago. They had been rivals until grade school when Lisa had come to Sara's help during recess as girls from an older grade teased her for being so tall and lanky.

    " Hi Sara." He waved with a friendly smile as she gasped opened mouth at Lisa.

   " Oh my God. Is he from China?" Sara threw back her head laughing." He's so cute with his accent."

    " He isn't a dog Sara. And no, he's from Korea, not China."

   " North Korea??"

    Lisa wasn't as amused by Sara's words. In fact, she had found herself becoming very irritated with the way she was acting.

    " No not the north. I'm from South Korea." Jae Hwa wasn't ignorant of preconceived notions people had of Koreans or Asians. There were preconceived notions about foreigners in Korea too. It wasn't a topic that was new to him, but he had never really had any real interaction with others that may have held ignorance about who he was, and where he came from.

      Sara's laughter died down, and her eyes became wide.

    " Oh. Oh...you're English is good."

     Mentally, Jae Hwa rolled his eyes.

     He looked to see Lisa, and noticed that her demeanor had changed since Sara's arrival. She wore a frown, but it was soon replaced by a tight smile.

    " Sorry to split so soon, but we have to be somewhere." Looking at her white watch for emphasis, Lisa began to force Sara from the booth so that she could get out as well. Grabbing Jae Hwa's hand, she pulled him to his feet also.

     " But we haven't even hung out yet! I know you don't have anything to do-"

    "Bye now...." Digging in her pocket, Lisa left a tip on the table as she headed to the cashier to pay for their food.

     " Oh no. But I was just starting to like her...."

    " Ha. Ha. I'm sorry for that. There's a reason I've been trying to avoid her lately. Looking over her shoulder, Lisa saw Sara being absorbed into a group of people, completely forgetting about them. "Now, she's given me a good reason."

    The two of them emerged into the daylight once again. Lisa jogged ahead and struck a pose as she turned around to Jae Hwa.

    " I'm dancing for my grandpa's church Sunday. Will you come to watch?"

   "Sunday?"

   " Unless you have something planned..." She said a little dejectedly as she pointed her toes, and raised her arms above her head.

   " Would that really be okay?"

" Of course, what do you mean?"

   " I mean..." Jae Hwa wondered if it would be awkward to be in a place where he would stick out. " I don't want to be a bother or anything."

   "James, it's a church. Everyone is welcomed in the house of God." Lisa stopped her movements and walked closer to him. "You can get a taste of some southern cooking too. My grandpa is from South Carolina..."

   Jae Hwa waited for the significance of what she was saying.

   " Southern cooking is the best. It's bad and good for you at the same time. Don't worry, you'll get a taste of a little bit of everything with me."

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    Jae Hwa pulled at the neck of his button down shirt. His parents had been Buddhists, and he had not been all that into religion before, so attending a church where everyone was so well dressed while he looked like he barely tried was a little unsettling. He was experiencing just what he had feared. Many eyes had lingered on his face, but no one necessarily engaged in anything with him.

    On the bus ride across town, Lisa had given him pointers for being in a new place like this.

    "Don't act nervous or scared because there is nothing to be frightened about at all. I promise. They are just as harmless and curious as you sometimes. Okay?"

      He had tried to do what she suggested, but combined with the heat, he found it to be just a bit difficult.

     At the front of the church stood a short round man, whose glasses rested on the tip of his nose. He was decked out in a full suit, even in the heat. You could see the proof of the rising temperature in the church as he constantly wiped at the pools of sweat making its way down his entire face. If he looked hard enough, Jae Hwa could have sworn that he saw large stains soaking the suit jacket.

      The voices in the building were strong as they all agreed with something that had been said. Jae Hwa watched as many people shot their hands into the sky, and bowed their heads to the words before them.

     This was something definitely different.

    He remembered visiting a catholic church as a child. It was the only interaction he had with Western religion, and it was completely different from what he saw now.

   " I would like to give thanks to the Lord for blessing me with the family I have. For the love and joy they have given me throughout the years. Y'all know my granddaughter Lisa. She's here to praise Him through dance, a talent he has most definitely blessed her with. If y'all can welcome her up here today..."

       Jae Hwa applauded along with the rest of the church as they watched Lisa appear from the left side of the preacher's stand. She wore a white flowing ensemble. When she raised her hands above her head in her beginning stance, it reminded Jae Hwa of the clouds in the sky. Of how large and powerful they looked as the crept across the sky slowly. Their ability to appear larger than life, yet be so delicate in reality reminded him much of Lisa.

      And as he watched her move in time with the choir's singing, he realized that he may have just fallen for her.

   Jae Hwa sat beside Lisa at a long dining table in the basement of the church. The spread was elaborate, and reminded him of the food his own family would make on special occasions. There was the same laughter and talking going on, just in a different language.

      Looking to the seat next to him, he saw that it was empty. It's owner was still greeting the church members she had missed during the service.

      " Hi Mrs. Walters." Lisa hugged a plump woman in a bright lavender dress. All of the decorative hats that the ladies wore made a sea of heads which hid Lisa as she moved from one person to the next.

    " You were beautiful up there baby, I had tears in my eyes seeing you."

   " Thank you." Lisa's smile was nice and warm. Extending her arm behind her, she introduced Jae Hwa to Mrs. Walters.

        " This is James. He's a friend from school."

        The older woman looked him over. She had dark ringlets that fell to the tops of her shoulders, and a youthful face that held just a few creases along her eyes and mouth indicating her age. He wouldn't have put her past forty years old, so she was one of the younger ladies of the church.

     Mrs. Walters saw that the young man before her was nothing but a shy child. She found him to be sweet, and the approving smile on her face made Jae Hwa feel at ease.

    Holding out his hand, Jae Hwa reintroduced himself. Mrs Walters had always felt that handshakes were impersonal. Embracing him in a hug, she showed him her loving nature that was open even for strangers.

    " I saw you during the service. I was wondering where you had come from, but I figured you must have been one of Lisa's little friends. She's always got someone around."

      Always? Jae Hwa smiled as Mrs. Walters continued talking, but he wasn't focused on anything she was saying, but what she had said.

     Jae Hwa wasn't surprised to hear that Lisa was a friendly and inviting person. He knew that she had friends all over the place, it was evident in the way there was always someone to say hello to as they walked around campus. Suddenly, he realized that somewhere deep down, he had hoped that being invited to church with Lisa was special, but now hearing that he wasn't the first put a damper on his mood.

    His mind instantly went to other guys. That was what he hoped wasn't true.

   Were they better than him? Surely they were easier to hang around. They probably didn't duck their head every time she smiled at them....

    " This is the first time I've brought someone to the praise dances Mrs. Walters."

     " Well, I guess that's true. Sweetie you're welcomed here anytime, we've got more than enough food to feed hungry mouths. I'm about to get to my seat because I see the pastor eyeing the greens." Mrs. Walters opened her eyes comically as she grazed Lisa's cheek with a kiss, and gave Jae Hwa one last hug.

     " It was wonderful meeting you."

     " It was nice meeting you too."

      "Hurry, hurry. I'm starving right now."

    " I'm already full just from looking at everything." Jae Hwa rubbed his stomach as he sat down, and watched as Lisa began placing various items on their plates.

     Lisa laughed as she saw him eyeing everything." I'm going to start you off slow because sometimes your eyes can be bigger than your stomach. Wouldn't want you to catch the it is on your first time, though it can be quite relaxing."

   "It is?"

    " Yeah it's when you eat too much, and then get really, really, really sleepy afterwards."

    " I'll have you know I was a champion eater back home."

    Cutting her eyes at him, Lisa shook her head." Oh, really? We'll see then."

     Picking up her fork, she looked to Jae Hwa to do the same.

    " Are you challenging me? I don't think that's smart..."

    " Well I mean, you say you're a champ. Put your money where your mouth is."

    " I don't have any money..." Jae Hwa responded genuinely confused.

    Laughing, Lisa began eating. She couldn't control her giggles, and ultimately Jae Hwa seemed to have caught a case of them. Watching as he raised a forkful of macaroni and cheese to his mouth, Lisa waited for his reaction. His face scrunched at first, and she was worried that he didn't like it. That was until he released a groan and rolled his head back in delight.

    "This is delicious."

     " Is it okay?" Lisa asked still wondering what he thought. He had said something she didn't understand, but saw him going in for another bite.

    " This is really good." He said with a thumbs up.

    "Told you!" She said excitedly. Knowing that he was enjoying himself, she could enjoy her own meal too.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

       Jae Hwa sat back in his chair filled to the brim with food. The ladies of the church had begun clearing away the dishes, and he had offered to help.

    " Oh no, you're a guest. " They said sweetly.

     Jae Hwa was happy that they had begun making him feel comfortable amongst them. He had been introduced to them, though he could remember only a few names.

    A hand pulled on his arm as he was led away from the table.

   "I see the it is is kicking in." Teased Lisa." Here, I want you to meet my grandpa."

    The man he had seen before had looked like he was falling apart at the seams as he preached, but now, cleaned up and relaxed, he didn't seem as intimidating as before.

    " Grandpa, I would like for you to meet someone." Lisa politely caught his attention as he finished up a conversation. The older man had a peppered beard that was neatly cropped just like his hair. His glasses were nicely placed on the brim of his nose.

    " Hello, I'm James." This time, when he reached  out a hand, he received a strong handshake back. The grip was tight, but he returned it with just as much vigor. Out of habit he bowed to the elder. He guessed it didn't matter where he went, he still held on to who he was.

   " Hello young man. I felt the presence of someone new today. I'm glad you were here with us this morning."

      " Everything was wonderful." He complimented.

    " Thank you, thank you. So, tell me. How did you come to know my granddaughter."The smile that was once there vanished as he stared Jae Hwa down.

     " Uh..We. We have a class together sir." Just like that the tense look disappeared as her grandfather smiled once again, and let out a hearty laugh.

    " That better be the only place you're meeting boys Lisa." He warned her. " Church or school. Those are your only options."

     " Daddy has a few lined up for me from his job already grandpa. " Pouting, Lisa put on a sad face. " It's really...irritating."

    " That son of mine. " He said shaking his head." I see that once again he wasn't in service today. Where is he? And your mother?"

     "He had a business brunch that he couldn't miss." Lisa wasn't all too convinced with that, just like her grandfather.

    " Well..."

     Jae Hwa had noticed that he had met many people today, yet hadn't remembered being introduced to anyone named mom or dad. From what he had gathered, it sounded like he wouldn't for a while.

   Once everything was put into place, and most of the goodbyes were said, the church members began filing out of the building one by one. Lisa and Jae Hwa walked elbow to elbow up the gravel covered driveway. Caught up in their own world, Lisa hadn't taken notice of the luxury car parked directly in the middle of the churches parking lot, but everyone else did.

     " Lord, there they go."

    " Don't make no sense how they act if you ask me. Look at them...Hm."

    " Lisa! Lisa dear, hurry up now!" The sound of her mother's voice disappointed Lisa as she knew there would be no way for her to ignore it. Her eyes turned to Jae Hwa who looked back at her with a curious gaze.

     "Lisa!"

      She hoped that if she didn't look her mother's way, then she would get by with the "Oh, I didn't see you.." excuse. Her steps slowed, and she reached behind Jae Hwa tugging on his shirt to get him to follow suit.

     The Dudley family lived by impeccable standards. Hair in place, mind in place, clothing in place, and you're sure to have your life in place. Tonya Dudley embodied their family motto completely. She stood in a high end skirt that was of the latest fashion. Her wrists, ears, and neck donned jewelry that her husband approved of. He always wanted his wife to have the best that there was. Tonya had kept a slim figure, due to her past as a high school track and basketball star-and if one wanted to go there, her husband's preference to have no more than one child in their marriage.

     " I know that child hears me." She said to herself as she shielded her eyes from the sun. A ray of light blocked most of her view, but she could see that Lisa was walking with what looked to be a young man. Cutting her eyes to the driver's side of the car, she mentally sighed knowing that this could be blown up in seconds for no reason.

   " Li-"

   " Lisa! You hear your mother, girl!" Charles Dudley slammed his car door, shocking everyone as they walked past. He welcomed any kind of attention, even the attention like now where church fans cooled the faces of the older women as they rebuked Satan in the name of Jesus Christ.

    " He's never known how to act....damn shame."  Whispered one woman. She was nearing 90, and had seen the pastor come to California as a young man, and had watched all of his children grow up throughout the years. Charles was the only one that could make her shake her head.

    " Grandma it's Sunday!" Her granddaughter whispered back. Rolling her eyes, the woman went ahead and spoke to Charles seeing as how he had no intentions to show he was at least raised with some kind of manners.

    " Charles, I haven't seen you in a long time...Bless your heart."

   " Hello, Miss May." Putting on his charm, he wrapped the more frail woman in a hug, all the while keeping a lookout on his daughter. When he stood back to his full height, Miss May could almost feel him pushing her aside.

    " You have a blessed day then...Hmm."  Her granddaughter led Miss May away as she began telling how if her arthritis wasn't so bad she'd tear his behind up right here and now,

    Charles pushed his hands into his white pants, Checking his gold watch for the time.

     " They said they'd wait an hour for us to get back. She needs to hurry her ass up."

    " Charles, I don't understand why it has to be today that she meets him. You're rushing things, she doesn't need to be getting married!"

    "She isn't getting married, yet. She needs to show face, so that when it is time, we aren't running around looking crazy." Lisa completely objected the deal that seemed to have been made between Charles and his business partner. Especially since it involved treating their daughter like an item to be auctioned off.

     She objected.

   But kept silent.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

       " Oh God." Lisa's chest became extremely heavy as her steps were numbered. She had a history of anxiety that only her father seemed to cause. Even from this distance, she could see the lines drawn on his taut forehead. She hadn't forgotten about the plans he had set for her today.

   The brunch this morning was nothing more than a business meeting with her life being the main topic.

    She wasn't a goat, but that's exactly how her father made her feel.

   Lisa knew that she couldn't have Jae Hwa meet them. She wanted to protect him from her father. Thinking quickly, she pulled away from him, walking ahead.

    " I'm sorry James. I'll see you back on campus , okay?" Tucking her hair behind her ear, she hurried off to her father's shiny car.

    " Where are you... Lisa!" He called after her quietly.Why had she run off like that? He picked up his own pace to catch up with her, but stopped. She approached a taller man who seemed to say harsh words to her as she ducked her head.

    Lisa's dad.

    An older, but taller woman placed her hands on Lisa's shoulders, guiding her to the back door of the car. She opened it, and left a kiss on Lisa's forehead as she lowered herself into it. The man continued talking, pointing over the roof of the car at his wife.

    Those are her parents. He realized. Jae Hwa didn't know how to feel at that moment. On one hand, Lisa's father didn't look like someone he would want to meet, yet he couldn't help but wonder if Lisa hadn't wanted them to meet him.

    He stopped walking, and placed his hands on his hips.

   I don't even know how to get back from here.  He spoke out in Korean as he rubbed the back of his head. He was stranded now.

    Turning around, he looked for a woman dressed in lavender.

     Mrs. Water? Wa-wall-Walters. Mrs. Walters.

    He needed to look no further. Like the other nosy people who stayed behind to watch everything unfold, Mrs. Walters had walked behind watching the show . Catching Jae Hwa's eye, she waved him down.

   " James honey, I'm sure you wouldn't know your way around." Shaking his head, Mrs. Walters laughed.

    " Come on then, I'll give you a ride."

   " Seriously? That's very kind of you. Thank you." Jae Hwa was grateful that she didn't just point him in the direction of the nearest bus stop.

    " Ain't nothing to it. Someone needs me, then I'll be there. You remember that, okay?"

   " Okay." They both smiled at one another, not knowing that years on down the line, Jae Hwa will remember that kind gesture, and take her up on it in his darkest hour.

       Sitting at his desk in his dorm room, Jae Hwa tapped his pencil against the textbooks stacked before him. His watch read 9:30pm, and he had yet to concentrate on the studying he should have been doing. Blowing a strong stream of air mixed with frustration, he tilted back on the wooden legs of the chair.

    He could hear his own breathing, and the sound of pages turning beneath his roommates fingers.

      Looking at his watch again, time had managed to move an entire minute forward.

      " Hey James, what do you have planned? You've been looking at that watch for days."

     It was true.

    The last time he had seen Lisa was on Sunday.

    Monday, he went to her dorm room to see if she was there.

   Tuesday, he camped out at the dance practice building, hoping that he could catch her on her way out.

    And today-Wednesday-he sat anxiously in their row in class, watching the door like a hawk in the sky for her to come in, smiling as always, and talking up a storm. He had been waiting for her warmth for three days now, and had finally reached his boiling point.

     Falling back down on all four legs of the chair, he viciously opened his composition book, and began the math problems that had been prodding at him all night.

    He had no one to ask about her. No one who seemed to know more than he did about her whereabouts. How could a person leave a friend hanging around like this?

    The crackling of a radio dial took over the screaming in his mind.

   " Break time! Hey, you don't mind if I turn this on, do you? No, okay sweet." Jae Hwa's roommate's name was Thomas. He had started to become used to his ways as they lived together in the small space. There were so many things Thomas did that Jae Hwa couldn't wrap his head around, but he figured that's what to expect when two people from two different worlds came together. Thomas had become his answer bank whenever he became perplexed about something in The States.

     Right now, Lisa perplexed him, and he needed a little insight from someone else.

    Turning around, Jae Hwa sighed, and asked," Thomas, can I ask you a question?"

   " As long as it doesn't require too much energy." Laying on his back, he tapped his toes in time to the music." But go ahead, shoot."

    " Well, it's kind of a personal question."

   Popping one eye open, Thomas's interest was piqued. Sitting up with his elbows on his knees and a suggestive grin on his face, he said," Go on...."

   Becoming embarrassed, Jae Hwa began shaking his hands and head.

   " Nevermind, I-just-nevermind."

   " Nah, man! It's about a chick, isn't it? Did you score? Got an itch? I can help you in that department, I know just the place where you can go-"

   " Score?"

    " Yeah...you know. Bang. Hook up. Who was it? Was she smokin'?"  Thomas's questions made as much sense to Jae Hwa as it would have to a five year old.

   " I don't know what that means....Bang? Doesn't it hurt to bang something?"

    " Well, if it's a chick, then it shouldn't be that painful." Watching Thomas chuckle at his own inside joke, Jae Hwa rolled his eyes, and stood to his feet as he began pacing the room.

   " It is about someone though. A girl."

     Sobering up, Thomas turned his full attention to Jae Hwa as he swiped the blonde hair from his eyes. " Do you need my guidance, son? Then you've come to the right place." Patting the seat beside him, Thomas offered him a seat.

     Jae Hwa had too much stored energy to sit down any longer. Coming to a stop in front of Thomas, he began moving his hands around as he searched his mind for the right words.

   " I met a girl, and we are friends, okay?"

   " Okay."

  " Okay. We are friends. I think good friends."

   " Being good friends is good...yes..."

   " We have fun, we laugh. It's all good. Sometimes we even eat together."

    " Wait, I think I know who you're talking about. I see you with her all of the time...What's her name, Lucy or something?"

    " No not Lucy..."

    Snapping his fingers, Thomas exclaimed," Lacy! It's Lacy right?"

    "No, Lisa. Lisa is her name...."

     " She's a hot one there. I've never done a black chick before...but if I did..." Narrowed eyes stopped Thomas before he went into detail.

   " She's avoiding me. She's avoiding me, and I have no idea why."

    "Well, did you do something to make her mad?"

   "No. She invited me to her church Sunday, and then disappeared."

    "Just like that? Into thin air?"

   "Thin air?"

    "I mean, did she just go off with no warning?"

    Jae Hwa could feel his heart become a little heavier at the thought. He didn't like the separation between them, and the weight of loneliness was excruciating.In his mind, he continued to tell himself to not feel so strongly for this girl. She won't give him an education. She won't make his family proud of him. She may not even be accepted by them.

      He had never had the urge to go against what he was used to, and that was pleasing others before himself. If anything, the only person he could think of pleasing at this point was Lisa. Except, he had no idea how, and he had no idea how to handle any of the alien things that ran through his mind, coursed through his body because of her.

    "Yeah. She did." The thickness of his voice made it hard for him to swallow. Sinking down onto his bed across the small space in the dorm, Jae Hwa stared at his knuckles as his grip on the bed became tighter, and they became whiter. "And I don't know why."

    Seeing a fellow male in distress because of his obvious blooming love, Thomas sighed in understanding. He himself had fallen for a girl in high school, and had been heartbroken when the relationship fell through the just weeks before college started. Though he could talk big, Thomas truthfully had as little experience in this department as Jae Hwa. So, offering up the best he could, he gave Jae Hwa the only explanation he could think of.

    " Sometimes, girls are...They can be hard to read, you know? Hard to understand. They say one thing, but mean the other. Happy one moment, sad the next. They are like a rollercoaster ride. Just too much if you ask me...That's why I will forever be in it for the goods." Wagging his eyebrows, Thomas stood up, laced up a pair of sneakers.

    "Matter of fact, I'm supposed to meet this cutie in a few minutes." Dusting off his clothes, he gave Jae Hwa a thumbs up and headed out of the room.

      Why did I even ask this guy?  Tilting his head to the ceiling, Jae Hwa closed his eyes, and let the silence engulf him.

    He could see Lisa's eye's glistening the way they did when she laughed to hard. And the way her gums would show when she smiles so big that her face looks like it will split in two.

   The way her hands held her pen as she wrote was even something worth fantasizing about.

    Get out. Get out, get out get out get out. He pleaded with his thoughts. They were stubborn, and lacked concern for the person they ran crazy.

       Three sharp knocks could be heard at the door of Jae Hwa's dorm.

      His eyes shot open, staring up to the ceiling as he lay in the same position he fell into hours before. His body felt as if he had been asleep for a thousand years. He heard the knocks again, this time, his suspicion of it being Thomas vanished. He had no idea who it could be-- Looking at his watch, he saw that it was just past 11 o'clock-especially at this time of night. He didn't have many visitors himself, and seeing as how Thomas wasn't here, it must be someone looking for him.

     Dragging himself to the door, he twisted the knob just as the person on the other side raised their fist.

     " Thomas isn't here-" Blinking his eyes rapidly, Jae Hwa first thought he was hallucinating.

    Relief passed over him, then happiness, and finally anger.

    " Hi James." Lisa's voice was small as she stood before Jae Hwa's expressionless face. His eyes travelled from her head, to her toes, and back to her eyes. A pain shot through his temples, while a wave of embarrassment washed over her.

    He was silent, not giving her any verbal reply. He spoke with his body as she watched the muscles in his face contract to form a small sneer.

    James? I'm sorry, there is no James here.

     " You're probably cussing me out right now, aren't you?" She grimaced as he refused to speak in English.

    I should be. In fact, I have no idea why I haven't yet. Aish....

   Gripping the edge of the door, Jae Hwa struggled to do what his mind said, which was close it in her face, and with what his heart pleaded. It wanted him to get rid of the irritation she had caused, and to just be glad that she was here now. That she was safe and healthy.

    "Can I come in? Please?" Looking to her left, she watched as some guys walked out of their own dorm towards her. She felt them checking her out, and Jae Hwa quickly pulled her in by the elbow, witnessing the same thing.

    Before she had realized where she was, the door had been shut behind her, and Jae Hwa stood at an awkward distance from her.

    Should he get to the point and start asking questions? Or should she be the first to speak?

       "Where have you been?" Well, it seemed that his mouth moved faster than his mind.

    " I-Well I was just..." His question was abrupt, but not surprising. This was a different side to Jae Hwa. She had known him for weeks now,and this was the first time that she hadn't seen the soft spoken guy she was used to. Before her now was someone who looked guarded, and on the offense.

    " Is it that hard to say?" He didn't want to hear her skirt around the question. How hard could it be to tell someone who you've become close to where you disappeared to for three days?

    " I had to go on a trip. It was with my parents, and I had forgotten to tell you about it."

    His mental lie detector looked for any hiccups in her statement. It made sense to him, he guessed. She looked truthful...

     " Is that all?" His shoulders sank as he released some of his tension.

    " Yes, it is. I promise. It had been scheduled months ago, and I kind of forgot about it until the day I had to go..." Lisa peered up at Jae Hwa through her eyelashes. What she said was the truth.

   Her parents had arranged a trip for them a long time in advanced. Though she hadn't naturally forgotten that it was coming up, she had managed to use Jae Hwa, school, and dance as blockers of the dreadful thing.

    It was a trip for six to her father's summer house. Lisa's stomach churned through the initial meeting between her and a man that was nearly ten years her senior.  His name was Marcus, and she had known him since she was a little girl. He was the attractive older guy who innocently flirted with her for fun. Now that all of that was replaced with a deal between their parents, which helped to suck all of the good natured fun out of the brother sister relationship they once had.

      " You're a lot older now, Lisa. You can handle this kind of change you hear me? I need you to act like a woman. That's how your mama and I have raised you to be. You're not a child anymore."

   "You're sick." Folding her arms over her chest, Lisa whispered underneath her breath. Her the eyes she inherited from her father shot to the rearview mirror.

    " Watch yourself now." He cautioned.

   His eyes demanded her attention.

   "Yes. Sir." She spoke softly, yet harsh.

       Shaking her head, Lisa wanted to rid herself of the awkward touches and chaste kisses to the cheek she had received from Marcus as he tried his best to make her comfortable with him. He had always found Lisa to be a charming young girl, and couldn't help but to see her as a woman now. The only problem, which he mistook for her being young and innocent, was that she was appalled at the prospect of them developing into something more.

   Standing here with Jae Hwa, she didn't feel as grimy as she had before.

   " Did you enjoy your trip?" He had watched the emotions that had swam across her face as her thoughts captured her. Now that he had simmered down, he was eager to hear from her.

     " It wasn't a pleasure trip, trust me on that." Raising her eyebrows, Lisa clasped her hands in front of her as she rocked on her heels. There was an undertone to what she said, that Jae Hwa wanted to question, but as soon as he caught it, she had sprung back to life.

    " Did you miss me? I know you missed me? What would you do without me..." She laughed as she walked past him, checking out his room. Pointing her fingers between the two beds, she sat on the one she guessed was his.

    " So what's up?" She sucked on her bottom lip as her eyes brightened up once again.

     For some reason, Jae Hwa wasn't satisfied with how she was acting. He had fretted over her being gone for days. He had felt so many things that he shouldn't have for someone he hasn't known for very long. He cared for her.

    Seeing her swinging her legs and smiling like nothing had been done struck a nerve with him.

    Did she care for him?

    Don't you think this is too much?

    " Look, if you want to hold a conversation, you might think to do it in a language we both know." Rolling her eyes playfully, Lisa gave him a coy smirk." Otherwise it's pointless."

   She had picked up a knickknack he kept beside his bed, toying with it as he seethed before her. He took the object from her hand, and threw it on the ground.

    " I was worried about you, you know." His jaw was clenched as he controlled himself. Lisa wore an awkward smile.

   " I don't know what for...." Standing to her feet, she laughed nervously. " Come on, it was just a couple of days..."

   " You haven't even said sorry. You make yourself a part of my life; even invite me into a little piece of yours, only to push me away suddenly. Don't I deserve a little more respect than that?"

    " Respect? When have I ever disrespected you? Look, I told you it was something that was already planned. I don't have to apologize for that."

   " So it's okay to just dump me anywhere you please? You don't just leave people in the cold like that."

   " What do you mean? I-" Lisa's defense faltered as she remembered leaving him at the church on his own. They had gone so far from where he was used to and...

    " Okay, so that was dumb on my part, and I didn't mean to just leave you hanging like that."

    " I don't think you get it..."

    "What? That you're being bitchy with me because I left you at the church?" Throwing her hands to her side, Lisa's voice raised.

      " It's more than that!"

    " How!"

    " You weren't thinking of me! You weren't thinking of me when you just left like that. You weren't thinking of me when you stayed gone for three days, all the while the only thing on my mind was you! Even though I was the one who was deserted, I could only think about you being okay. I could only think about the fact that I couldn't find you anywhere. All that I could think about was you, Lisa! Have I not earned some kind of room in your thoughts yet?"

      " You say that like you're my boyfriend."

      Why? "Is that the only time I'm allowed to care for you?"

    " I'm just saying..."

   This time, it was his turn to take a seat on the bed. His face was buried into his hands as he rubbed at his eyes. He had expressed the way he felt for her, and received nothing more than a stale reply. Gripping the hair at his edges, he took a deep breath. Maybe it had been a mistake saying what he had. Obviously, he had confused the joy of finding a friend in a strange place with the joy of finding his first love.

     He felt like a fool now.

       " James...James." Tapping his shoulder, Lisa's heart began to feel pain as she watched him sit still as a rock.

     "Leave."

     " What?" Swallowing hard, she was hesitant to move.

    " Leave. Go. Now." His voice was leveled. Much more stable than how he felt.

   " But can't we just talk-" Jae Hwa's eyes cut to Lisa's, leaving no room for argument. On shaky legs, she walked away from him with tears in her eyes.

    It was going on to be the third week since Jae Hwa or Lisa had spoken. They had passed by each other going to class on more than one occasion. It had occurred so often, that they had made some kind of unspoken agreement that she would resume her role as the late arriver, while he took the place of the first student in the room.

   It was unnerving to face the front of the room, especially knowing what was behind you. Jae Hwa had snuck a few back stretches and head turns to see if he could catch a glimpse of Lisa, but whenever he did, she was either speaking and laughing with someone else, or looking nowhere in his direction. He took this as a finally statement  for where he stood for her.

    What he didn't get to see was the way her eyes never left the back of his head. She watched him so much, that she was sure she could count each hair on his head. Her notebook remained blank for many classes as her focus was solely on Jae Hwa. She would watch the way his shoulders moved as he inhaled and exhaled. She missed the way their elbows would intentionally knock as they wrote side by side. Or the way he would wait at the bottom of the stairs for her as they were the last ones to leave the classroom.

   His blushes became pieces of gold that were lost to her now.

   The way he would stammer over some words, or obliterate a sentence grew in value.

   Lisa had begun to miss Jae Hwa, and it hurt like hell.

   She stretched during her cool down session in the studio that began to empty one by one as the other dancers left. She said her goodbyes to the girls in a polite way, when in reality, she hadn't been feeling that genuinely in days.

    Using the back of her arm, she wiped the sweat that slowly rolled down her face. She couldn't wait to get back and take a shower. She had thrown herself into her dance, improving all of the moves she had already mastered. Training harder.  Becoming better in any way that she could. It was the only thing she could bring herself to do.

     Her duffle bag hung at her shoulder as she stepped off into the cool breeze of the outdoors. She felt refreshed even though her muscles began feeling fatigued. A flutter passed through her stomach as she walked, slowing her down. More sweat dripped from her forehead and chest area even though she wasn't exerting any effort.

    The sensation of vomiting hit her hard as she felt weaker and weaker walking along the sidewalk.

    I have to get back to the room. She thought to herself. She imagined that her legs had followed her brain's command to get her to where she was going faster, but they were actually stumbling around.

    As her eyes began to flutter, Lisa thought she saw a familiar figure running towards her.

   It got closer and closer as her eyes began to shut, and her body fell to the ground.

    Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

   James had found himself walking towards a building he had no business going to. He looked ahead to the dance studio, knowing that there was a reason for passing by here that he wouldn't admit to.

   He never saw her face to face. He usually came at the perfect time when she would be turned with her back to him. He would casually watch as her small feet walked in a rhthym. Changing course with great precision so as not to be seen by her.

    Today, he was thrown for a loop. When he had looked up, he saw that she wasn't walking in her normal direction. This time, she was coming towards him. He debated turning around and speed walking off, or taking a detour to somewhere else.

   Before he could make a decision, he saw Lisa sway in the wind. She steadied herself, and began to walk at a very stagnant pace. She took a step to the left, then another to the right as her feet dragged beneath her. Jae Hwa's legs carried him to her side instantly as he saw her weird behavior wasn't on the verge of stopping.

     " Lisa? Lisa, are you okay?" Cradling her face in his hands, he could feel the clamminess that covered her skin. He looked around him, trying to remember which way could take him to the main building the fastest way so that he could get her into see the nurse. Others watched, but simply continued on their way.

    Removing the duffle bag that was tangled around her body, Jae Hwa put it across his own. His arms reached out to hold her under her neck and knees as he stood to his feet, as quickly as he could, he ran with her body held tight to his.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

     Lisa felt herself being tossed around. It felt like she was travelling on a bumpy road, but when her face slammed into something firm, she opened her eyes to see that she was being carried.

     By Jae Hwa.

    She could feel the dampness that seeped from her skin meet the coolness of the breeze that came with his speed. She watched from below as his jaw clenched and unclenched. As his eyes held concern that she had seen all of those days ago in his dorm room.

   Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to enjoy the feel of him.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

     Jae Hwa watched as the nurse pressed two fingers into Lisa's wrist.

    " I take it that she's suffering from dehydration and exhaustion." Looking at Lisa's dance wear, the nurse wasn't surprised. The dancers were notorious for passing out, but that was usually during their first year. When they became good at it, they balanced out the hard work and discipline a lot better. Looking at Lisa's young and still plump face, she instantly knew that this was her first time.

   " Will she be okay?" Jae Hwa asked. The nurse smiled at him and nodded her head.

   " Her pulse is good. Blood sugar is fine. This young lady just needs some TLC, that's all."

   Figuring that what she said meant rest, Jae Hwa nodded in understanding. " Good, good."  In her office, the nurse's phone began to ring.

   " She should come to any moment, get me when she does." Walking out the room, she left Lisa and Jae Hwa to themselves.

     You idiot. How could you not treat yourself well?

    Lisa's chest rose and fell beneath her clothing. Folding up a pamphlet, Jae Hwa began fanning he, wanting her to be as comfortable as possible as she rested.

    Taking his finger, he pushed back the hair that had fallen out of her bun during all of the commotion, and right then she began to move.

    His hand fan paused as he waited to see if she was going to wake up completely.

   Her eyelids squeezed together tightly, and he let out a breath of air he didn't even know he was holding.

     Standing there for a couple of more minutes, Jae Hwa admired the features of her face. The way her nose slightly flared at the sides fit perfectly atop her pouty lips. Long eyelashes touched the apples of her cheeks.

   " Oh, good. She didn't wake up." The nurse reentered the room whispering.

    " It's a good thing you were there with your friend. When she gets up, you two can-"

   " Actually, I'm going to leave now." Placing down the fan, Jae Hwa rose to his feet.

    Watching him in confusion, the nurse corrected herself." Oh, I'm sorry. I assumed you two knew each other since you carried her here. Well hey, another good Samaritan amongst us,huh?"

   Nodding his head Jae Hwa looked back down to Lisa. A tug in his chest told him to not just leave like this, to at least wait until she wakes up. He wouldn't have to say anything, just witness for himself that she was fine now.

   " I'll be leaving now." He decided on what he would do.

   " Oh, of course, you're free to go." Giving him a farewell wave, the nurse began writing down Lisa's information as he left as quick as he could.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

     Her eyes fluttered open to the fluorescent lights above her.

    " Well hello there, how are we feeling?" Lisa heard a woman's voice, but as she looked around the room, she wasn't looking for its owner.

    "Wasn't there someone here with me?" She asked. The nurse walked closer to her with a glass of water, and urged her to not try and sit up too fast.

    " Yes, the young man who brought you here. He left some time ago."

    " Did he?"

    " Mmhm." The nurse was busy writing out paperwork from the work that laid across her desk. " It was good that he brought you here, instead of heading back to a dorm. Most people forget that there is a nurse right here on campus." She rambled on.

   Lifting her feet over the edge of the bed, Lisa slowly began to stand up.

    " So eager to leave? Honey, I think your enthusiasm to be on the go is what got you here in the first place."

   " Thank you so much, but I'm feeling great now, honestly." Slipping her feet into her shoes, Lisa spotted her duffle bag on a hanger across the room. As she moved about, the nurse continued to talk.

    " I know that you're feeling fine, but I think it's best you wait another twenty minutes or so. That way I can monitor you."

   "I'm fine, really. Thanks again!" Rushing out the door, Lisa raced down the main building's halls hoping that maybe she just missed Jae Hwa.

    When she emerged from the door, she did a quick scan of the grounds. Only a few people walked about before her, and not one of them were Jae Hwa.

    Disappointment brought a frown to her face.

 Kwon Jae Hwa

 Lisa Dudley

 Tonya Dudley

  Charles Dudley Jr.

 Charles Dudley Sr.

 Sara

 Carol Ann Walters

 Marcus

     Her eyes fluttered open to the fluorescent lights above her.

    " Well hello there, how are we feeling?" Lisa heard a woman's voice, but as she looked around the room, she wasn't looking for its owner.

    "Wasn't there someone here with me?" She asked. The nurse walked closer to her with a glass of water, and urged her to not try and sit up too fast.

    " Yes, the young man who brought you here. He left some time ago."

    " Did he?"

    " Mmhm." The nurse was busy writing out paperwork from the work that laid across her desk. " It was good that he brought you here, instead of heading back to a dorm. Most people forget that there is a nurse right here on campus." She rambled on.

   Lifting her feet over the edge of the bed, Lisa slowly began to stand up.

    " So eager to leave? Honey, I think your enthusiasm to be on the go is what got you here in the first place."

   " Thank you so much, but I'm feeling great now, honestly." Slipping her feet into her shoes, Lisa spotted her duffle bag on a hanger across the room. As she moved about, the nurse continued to talk.

    " I know that you're feeling fine, but I think it's best you wait another twenty minutes or so. That way I can monitor you."

   "I'm fine, really. Thanks again!" Rushing out the door, Lisa raced down the main building's halls hoping that maybe she just missed Jae Hwa.

    When she emerged from the door, she did a quick scan of the grounds. Out of all of the people that walked before her, and not one of them was Jae Hwa.

    Disappointment brought a frown to her face.

    Walking down the steps, she trailed her finger along the steel railing. Lisa wasn't oblivious to things around her. She knew that whenever she left the dance studio, there was a chance that she would be accompanied by Jae Hwa as he not so secretively walked behind her. Having a compact mirror helped her to get a glance of him the first time she had a feeling of being followed.

    She didn't like the cat and mouse game going on, and these past few weeks had been more than enough for her. Speeding up, Lisa walked as fast as she could to Jae Hwa's dorm. She had never been the type to chase after someone else, but there was a first time for everything.

oOo

     Taking the steps by two, Lisa hurried up to Jae Hwa's dorm room. She could hear music coming from some rooms the further she ascended the stairs. Dodging between the young men coming down the steps, Lisa lost her footing.

    " Shit!" The palms of her hands throbbed as did her knee. She could see a fresh bubble of red liquid ready to spill down her leg. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself up and was off again.

     Breathless in front of his door, Lissa held her fist tight and banged for him to hear.

    She couldn't hear any movement from the other side, but what she did hear was the radio being turned up louder.

   Banging again, Lisa spoke under her breath as her entry continued to be denied.

  " James!" Kicking with her feet and pounding with her fists, Lisa was determined to be answered.

     Behind her, Jae Hwa approached the scene puzzled by what he saw. It looked like Lisa was going to put a hole through the door with her aggressive hits.

   " Let me in! James!"

    Jae Hwa raised an eyebrow upon hearing the name.

   She's here for me?

   " Jesus Christ! What the hell do you want?" When the door swung open to reveal a shirtless Thomas, Lisa lost her balance and fell face forward into the room.

    Thomas maneuvered quick enough to miss her falling body. He looked at her in bewilderment, and then relief. At first, he had suspected that an angry lover was awaiting him on the other side. Seeing that it was in fact Lisa, he was relieved to know that he didn't have to do any explaining to his current rendezvous.

   Once Lisa had regained enough of her dignity to lift her head, she was shocked to see a familiar reddened face staring back at her.

   " L-Lisa. What are you doing here?" Sara held the pillow at her chest even closer, mentally wishing to disappear.

   " Sara?" Looking between the two, Lisa scrambled to her feet, embarrassed for interrupting." Sorry! Really, I was just looking for Ja-Yeah I'm just going to-" Backing out of the door, she made her exit.

    Tilting her head back, Lisa groaned, rubbing her neck. She could hear muffled sounds of Sara and Thomas arguing, and she had a feeling that she would come face to face with her soon.

    After a moment's thought, she began to figure that maybe it was a good thing that the person who answered the door wasn't Jae Hwa. Something told her that the emotional wave she had ridden here would have made her spill out all of the newly acquired feelings she had for him. Maybe she wasn't quite ready for that...

  " Oh God!" Startled, Lisa jumped back as she saw the person who had invaded her every thought for the past three weeks.

    Jae Hwa cleared his throat, looking any and everywhere he could so that he wouldn't have to meet her brown orbs.

   Lisa was frozen on the spot, struggling with swallowing the nerves that had gathered in her throat. They hadn't ended on a good note the last time they had met, and she was for sure that she would show just how angry she was with him. Only now, her anger seemed nonexistent as the feeling of anticipation took over while waiting to see who would make the next move, and what it would be.

      Relying on the little confidence she had at that moment, Lisa took the plunge and initiated conversation. " I came by to see you." Her voice had come out just as stern as she had hoped. Straightening back her shoulders, she lifted her eyes to stare him down, but was met by an equally-if not more intense-stare.

    His silence was unnerving. The only movement he had was the slow methodical blinks. The fist at his side clenched as he fought the urge to look at her injured leg, where he had seen a glimpse of blood when he first arrived.

     "We need to talk, James."

   "We do?" His voice was cool as he replied.

   "Yes! I think it's been long overdue now. Come on." Leading the way, Lisa walked with pride, but soon realized that she heard no footsteps following behind.

   "James." She called.

   Shaking his head, Jae Hwa stuck his tongue into the side of his cheek.

   You're calling me like that?

      Crossing her arms across her chest, Lisa spoke with a low voice,"So, what. You want to do this here? In front of everyone?"

   Jae Hwa glanced around him for emphasis." I don't see anyone else. Whatever you want to say, say it now."

    "You know what? I'm leaving." Lisa spun around quickly, stomping down the flight of stairs with exaggerated steps. When she hit a blind spot, she continued to make loud noises as she waited to hear if Jae Hwa would follow. She held her breath as the empty sound of the stairwell would have given away her position.

    After what felt like forever, she finally heard his unrushed steps. Smirking, she leaned against the railing, waiting for him to find her.

   "How long are you going to stand there?" Looking up, Jae Hwa leaned over the banister with his arms and legs crossed as he stared down at her." You shouldn't just hang out there."

    Her mouth remained open as she struggled with the words to say. She had never had someone treat her so nonchalantly before, especially a guy. This didn't make sense; he should have asked her what was wrong by now. He should have been apologizing for kicking her out, for ignoring her, and yet he stood there completely unbothered by anything.

    "I could say the same to you. How about you stop stalking me outside of the dance studio? You didn't think I would notice?"

   "Stalk-stalking? I don't stalk you!" Jae Hwa stood up straight as he processed what he was saying.

   "Showing up at the same place and same time where ever I am constitutes as stalking."

   "You're accusing me of being a creep?"

   "If the shoe fits..."

    Lisa began to walk away as she finally heard his footsteps chasing behind her. The hand on her elbow drew her into an unlocked closet that seemed to be just the right size for a person in a half.

    "What are you doing?" She looked up into the poorly lit room as she searched for where Jae Hwa was. A light flickered on and revealed him to be at the tip of her nose, so close that she felt herself going cross eyed just to see him.

  "Talk. You said you had something to tell me. That's why you were beating down my door, huh? Talk!"

   Jae Hwa hopped from foot to foot as his anger was released. His pacing nearly ran a hole into the ground as Lisa stood stupefied. Stopping, with both hands on his hips, he stared her down through the dark.

    "Lisa." The name came out with a bite.

    "Why are you this mad..." her words came out as mere breath. Straining his neck closer, Jae Hwa waited for more.

    Lisa tucked the escaped strands of hair that framed her face back behind her ears. She was never one to accept that she was at fault. She had tried hard to ignore the fact that abandoning someone after being together almost constantly could hurt. Lisa had been the most familiar thing to him since he moved here.

    And I left him alone. It became hard to swallow as her heart and mind pushed her to see her wrong, to feel the guilt.

     The only sound around her was the heavy breathing of Jae Hwa as he began to calm down. As her fingers gingerly reached out to feel for his body, she could feel the soft streams of cool air meet her face. There was a hitch in his breathing, and the muscles in his arms immediately clenched.

    "What-what are you doing right now?" His eyes widened. He could feel the heat of her chest meet his.

   " Lisa-"

oOo

   When she had leaned forward, introducing her taste to his, what was to follow was hard to imagine. Lisa had kisses before. Ones that tasted of Cola and popcorn in the dark rooms of movie theaters, or in the middle of a crowding high school dance. 

    The one thing that they had all in common was the fact that she had not initiated any of them. She remembered the embarrassed looks upon eager faces when their thought out spur of the moment lip lock didn't rouse up the response in her that they had expected. She knew that when she was not interested in that kind of affection from someone, she would stand rigid, waiting for the moment when she could softly tell them, "I'm sorry. I just don't feel the same way about you."

    Going out a limb here, she was left on nervous tip toes as Jae Hwa stood in an all familiar position. His mouth remained unmoving against hers, and she could have died at the wall she felt even as her lips touched his.

     Her shoulders slouched as she counted to five in her head. If he didn't react in some way, she may crawl in a hole and die.

oOo

       The stiff hand held in midair began to twitch. It was the first sign of life that told Jae Hwa he was, indeed, still alive. A sharp sensation had shot to every inch of his body, rendering him motionless in his state of surprise. His eyes crossed as he looked at the girl below him, trying her best to become one with him.

      Jerking his head back as he regained control of his body again, Jae Hwa caught Lisa as she stumbled forward. He took a breath, allowing oxygen to circulate to his brain to get his mind going again.  Before Lisa ran out of the closet from her seeming fail of a kiss, the single light bulb flickered on. The light waved back and forth from the force of Jae Hwa's pull.

    The passion lurking behind his brown orbs lurched out.

    Both hands softly grasped her neck; the pads of his thumbs rubbing the sensitive skin just behind her jaw. He wanted to see her. He wanted to see the softness of her lips, the way the parted as he descended upon them. Pulling her closer to him, Jae Hwa kissed her with all that he could.

      Lisa stretched her arms above her head as she exited the dance studio. She had a wonderful practice, drawing applause even from the girls who usually paid her no mind during rehearsals. Her muscles were worked and relaxed, putting her into an automatic good mood as the sun kissed her skin. Gripping the duffle bag strap slung across her stomach, she looked to the many people walking around her. Rocking back on her heels, she tilted her head to catch a glimpse of Jae Hwa bobbing through the crowd.

     Waving him over, she counted the steps he took to her. The giddiness she felt did nothing but prove her first case of full-fledged infatuation with another person. She had dabbled in many love games before for fun, but this was something completely different.

    She decided she couldn't wait as Jae Hwa began to slow down once he saw her antsy behavior. Throwing his head back he looked to the sky, admiring its endlessness and hoped for moments like this to be just the same. He heard her footsteps approach in an instant, her hands tugging on his wrist as she led the way down the sidewalk.

       "We have to hurry now since you took your precious time. Do you have the tickets?"

     "No way they would start without us." Reaching into his jeans, he produced two tickets for the outdoor concert being held in the outdoor theater on campus. They had stood with their eyes closed in front of the community bulletin board as they blindly chose an event.

        "If this is bad, then it is your fault, you know?" Pointing to her, Jae Hwa flicked her chin as she rolled her eyes.

     "If this is bad, then you can just enjoy my being there. Simple as that." They were going to support and check out a campus club as they raised money for one of their special activities. She had heard about them from older students, and the reviews were not all that hot.

     She had managed to leave that bit of information out for Jae Hwa. He had wanted to explore the city, but reluctantly agreed to find something closer to the dorms to do. This is where Lisa felt she had the most freedom away from her parents. It was insane how easily she could happen upon them beyond the school's boundaries.

    Since their kiss, they had been inseparable.

    Lisa fixed the shoulder of her shirt where Jae Hwa had managed to leave tender kisses alongside her neck. She looked around for a mirror to check her appearance, which she knew would tell anyone that looked at them just what they had been up to.

    Her ponytail holder was long gone after he released her hair to tangle his fingers in.

   The red lipstick she had worn was faded now, its shadow lingered on  Jae Hwa's jaw.

   " I'll go out first, okay?" She resisted the temptation of his mouth as he moved closer, ignoring her words. Time didn't exist in the closet, yet Jae Hwa felt as if he was running out of it.

   " Five more minutes, huh?" Teasing her lips with his fingertips, Jae Hwa smiled as she groaned in defeat.

   " You said that ten minutes ago." He chuckled because despite her verbal complaints, she was already moving ahead as she spoke, her hands resting on the skin of his hips just beneath his t-shirt.

      Lisa could remember the serious tone he had taken in the closet as he held her face in between his hands.

     "You can't disappear again. Promise?"

       Not being able to touch, see, or hear Jae Hwa seemed absolutely impossible now.

       "Is this it?" They had arrived at the theater, and Jae Hwa gazed down in to the sparse gathering of people.  Many of them hung around, talking to friends with their attention completely diverted from the small band on stage. The few people who were listening clapped and rocked off beat to the music.

       "Yah.... " he looked at her in disbelief and laughter in his eyes. " This is what we are here for?"

      " Hey," Lisa held tight to his arm, preventing him from walking away," they may be better than it looks."

     "Lisa!" He called after her as she began down the steps. He glanced at his watch seeing that if he could convince her quick enough, they could still make it to the next bus downtown.

    Following after her, he dodged his way through. As he got closer, he could hear that the sound of the band was surprisingly good.

    " James, hurry! You have the tickets!" Lisa waited below at ticket table. She tapped her foot to the beat of the drums he could feel all the way to his toes. The sound of the song didn't seem to fit this kind of event, he was expecting something upbeat, yet what he heard was much more sensual.

I don't wanna touch you too much baby

Cause making love to you drives me crazy

I know you think that love is the way you make it

So I don't want to be there when you decide to break it

      As he heard the words of the song, the sun disappeared, shade casting over the theater temporarily. The smile on Lisa's face had blended in with the blinding rays, but as soon as they were gone, the expression seemed almost devious. Though Jae Hwa picked up on the sight, nothing registered with him as just as soon as the sun was gone, it was back again.

oOo

         They were wrapped up in each other's arms once again.

       Lisa pushed her hips into the firm body beneath her as she hummed the tune of Natural Woman.  It was nearing the winter months, and the large white sweater she wore hid her taut figure, the figure that tantalized Jae Hwa whenever she was around.

    Moving herself in time with the song on her lips, she could feel the pressure building up in his lower body. She reveled in this sensation as it was the most she had ever felt of his sex. Though they were going on their second month of dating, they still hadn't taken it a step further than kisses and touches.

     In an instant, she found herself lying on her back, arms outstretched above her head. Lips pecked the exposed skin of her stomach as Jae Hwa crept down her frame. She watched the muscles in his back twitch as his shoulder blades came together. She closed her eyes as his tongue left a fiery trail of desire.

    In her haze, she heard the button of her jeans being undone. The moment she felt a kiss along the sensitive skin just above her curls, she nearly jumped off of the bed in delight.

   Jae Hwa smirked at her reaction and the small squeal which followed. Coasting his finger lightly over the same spot, he enjoyed her body as it pushed and pulled away from his touch.

     Back home, Jae Hwa wasn't one without experience with girls. He had admirers, which was understandable because of his friendly nature, and the signs of a prosperous future. He had seen other girls shy away from him, but Lisa was different. Her body seemed to beg and run away from him at the same time, and it only enticed him further.

       "Stop moving." His voice was husky and low as she obeyed his command. He could practically feel the blood pulsating through her as his face was just a few inches away from it. The heat that radiated off of her was internal, and caused by him. Placing his hand on her stomach, he prepared her for what he was to do next.

      Lisa let out a yelp as she felt a strong tongue wet her panties just above the bundle of nerves which sent her entire body into a carnal mode. She could feel her own natural wetness come to meet his tongue, seeping through for him to taste.

    To keep her hands to herself nearly broke her. Just this stimulation was enough for her to burrow into the bed with Jae Hwa, and to never emerge again. Her nails became white against his shoulder as her grip tightened.

         " Jae Hwa-"  Her head became light as she began to ask if they were prepared to take things a step forward.

      An urgent knock at her dorm door interrupted the couple. Both let out a sigh of disappointment.

     "Be quiet and maybe she'll go away. I told her we would be busy...." Suddenly, a very recognizable voice could be heard on the other side of the door. Lisa had figured her roommate had forgotten something that wasn't important enough to end her intimate session with Jae Hwa. When she heard the questioning voice of her father, she could feel her stomach drop with unease.

      "Get up. Get up right now!" She nearly fell off of her bed as she hurriedly searched for the sweatshirt she had discarded from Jae Hwa's body an hour ago.

      " What's wrong? What's happening?" He spoke at a conversational level that seemed to blare out to Lisa.

     " Shh!" Holding her finger to her lips, she stood still and listened for a sign of her dead again.

      Her roommate stuttered as she came up with a response to whatever intrusive question Charles Dudley had asked.

    "You have to get somewhere quick...." Frantically looking around the room for a hiding spot, Lisa ran to her wardrobe, but nearly threw a fit to see that it was far too small for someone of Jae Hwa's stature.

    He watched her fret around the small space like a maniac. Confused, he grabbed her in midflight.

     "Calm down, Lisa. She isn't coming in. She hasn't even knocked again." He gave a reassuring smile. Had she been afraid that they were going to be seen in such a position?

   " Lisa, open the door."

     Everything was soon clear to Jae Hwa as he heard the deep voice of Lisa's father.

    Slowly, they both turned to look at each other as the sound of Charles had them frozen into place.

    " Mr. Dudley, maybe she's gone out. I must have left my key, so we have to wait for her to come back." The roommate laughed nervously, failing to sell her story.

    " Lisa!" Next, he twisted the door knob along with his knocking. Panic set them in motion as Jae Hwa flew to the ground, and crawled beneath her bed. Pulling her comforter over the edge and pushing random items to hide any kind of view of him, and smoothed her hair and clothing as she took a deep breath before opening the door.

     "Daddy, what are you doing here?" She brightened her eyes, hoping that they showed a pleasant surprise rather than a petrified one.

    " What took you so long to answer the door?"

   " I-I was asleep. Sorry, you know I'm a heavy sleeper." Lisa kept her cool as her father raised his eyebrow of suspicion. She could see his eyes searching behind her, and she prayed that there was nothing left behind to incriminate her.

       Over his shoulder, she urged her roommate to leave. She could see how her dad had her sweating bullets. That was the usual reaction to meeting Charles.

    Reaching in for a hug, Lisa wanted to keep his suspicions down as much as possible.

    "This is a surprise visit." She said  with as much sweetness laced in her voice that she could muster up.

     "You know it's never a bad time for your daddy to come see you." Hugging her back, Charles invited himself into the dorm, hands in pocket.

    "You haven't called home in a while...but I see it must be because you're working hard." He peered at the wonderfully placed books on her desk. " I like to see that my baby is staying focused."

     "Well, you know, gotta make a living someday."

    "That's right." Turning around with his arms held open, a smile fell on his lips. "You will have a wonderful future, baby. You will have all that you need, all that you could ever want, I promise you." A deep sound of laughter from his chest shook the entire room. Lisa's smile soon downturned as she sensed where things where headed.

     Clearing her throat, Lisa crossed her arms in front of her stomach in a lack manner." So, is everything okay?"

    " More than okay. Lisa," Plopping down on her bed, Charles smiled as if she had accomplished something big," I'm here to let you know some good news. Marcus has been asking to see you again."

    " Are we having a dinner with his family or-"

    " No, no, no. He wishes to personally take you out to dinner. To spend some time together." Charles was delighted as he relayed the message to his daughter." I came to get you so that you and your mother can go get ready for tonight."

     " Tonight? Dad, that's insane! I can't just get up and go out with him tonight. Plus I have a class in the morning-"

    "Hush." Standing up, Charles put an end to her words with that one stern word.

    " Now, you listen to me. You will go with Marcus, and enjoy yourself. This man likes you, and you need to come to."

    "You know, I liked Marcus before you started to auction me off to him." Lisa's words came out before she could stop them. She knew that one of two things could happen now: she could apologize and accept the dinner invitation like a good little prize, or she could stand her ground for once in her life, for her life.

      "Excuse me?"

      "I'm saying-"

      "Say no more." Cutting her off with an abrupt hand, Charles narrowed his eyes. " Get your things. We are going to go home. You will get ready for tonight. You will be back before late. You hear me?"

     The tension lying in his hand made Lisa stiffen.

   Gulping, she darted her eyes to her right, thinking of Jae Hwa listening to all of this. She hoped that he didn't understand everything that was being said. Lisa knew that there was no way for her to get her dad to leave the campus without her.

    "I need to change first."  Her voice was hoarse with defeat as she avoided her father's gaze. Strong fingers pinched her chin and brought her face up to meet his.

    "Daddy is doing this for you. You know I love you, Lisa. I would never steer you wrong." For just a moment, Lisa choked on her own spit as she felt the fatherly tone he had taken with her. This one was caring, and if she was easily deceived, she would have thought it was meant for her.

   No.

    The only thing Charles was concerned with was Charles.

   "I'll be downstairs in the car. Don't drag your ass."

    Lisa watched her father sway out of the room. Turning to her bed, she closed her eyes and listened for the sound of Jae Hwa's breathing.

    " Come out now." She watched his legs and arms extend from under the bed. His movements were cautious as he freed himself.

      The expression on her face told him that he had assumed right.

     " You. You're going on a date."

    A slow nod was his answer.

    " With someone else."

     She confirmed his statement with a body shaking sigh.

     "Who isn't me."

     " Who isn't you." Lifting her sweater and dropping her pants, Lisa looked for a new outfit to wear. Jae Hwa stood behind her, watching her back. Any other time, and he would be gratuitously admiring her and her body, but now he could only dwell on the situation at hand.

     "Don't go." He grabbed her hand, stopping her movements. Lisa looked him in his eyes, hoping that she could find some last minute courage to opt out, but she couldn't. Instead, she wore a smile that did not reach her eyes.

     "It's okay. It's just dinner with a person I grew up with. He's practically my brother." Hurrying, she wanted to get things over and done with so that she could return back to Jae Hwa. Brother figure or not, Jae Hwa did not feel at ease knowing that she was going.

     Lisa rubbed her hands over her face, attempting to relieve some of the stress building up there. When Jae Hwa looked at her, she could see a closed off expression beginning to form.

     " You're telling me that you let your parents pick who you are with? Don't you think you should respect me a little more than this? I must be a fool to even sit here and act like this is even okay..."

    "You are not a fool. This isn't like last time. I promise." Seeing some skepticism in him, Lisa wrapped her arms around his waist.

    "Didn't I promise you?" Giving him a light peck, she touched the corner of his mouth with her fingers. "A promise is a promise. This... this is nothing." Leaning back, she searched his face for acceptance.

         "This is all a lie."

          "It's to keep peace, so that I can come back to school. Back to you."

          "This is new for me." Jae Hwa whispered against her lips as he leaned his forehead against hers.

           "You're not alone." Lisa brushed her top lip across his bottom and tightened her hold on him."Remember, I promise that nothing is going to happen. He and I are on the same page, this is just to make our parents think they're doing something. He's not interested in me, and I'm not interested in him."

       A long silence fell over the two as Lisa awaited Jae Hwa's response.

       "Breaking promises deserves the ultimate punishment."

    "Girl Scout's honor." Raising three fingers, she saluted him. Lisa knew that any moment now, her father could barge in the room and see how she was devaluing the product he saw her as.

    Walking to the door, Lisa reached down to squeeze his much larger hand. With a final smile, she took leave first down the building stairs, leaving him to watch the top of her head bob out of sight. Moving to the window, he watched as she climbed into her father's car, and rode away.

When I'm with you are you somewhere else

Am I getting through or do you please yourself?

When you wake up will you walk out?

It can't be love if you throw it about.

It had been months since he had heard the song whose lyrics replayed in his head every so often. Shaking his head, he decided the coast was clear, and left down the same steps as Lisa.

      "Mom, this isn't necessary. "

      " Nonsense, of course it is. I can't have my daughter looking any kind of way.

     Lisa's eyes followed her mother's svelte body, she saw that from head to toe she was dressed and groomed to the nines. Her feathered hair, impeccable make up, and stunning jewelry said nothing but the best about her to others.

     What Lisa could tell behind all of that glamour was the unhappiness and willingness to please her father that made her mother go to extra lengths. She had seen old photographs of her mother; long and lanky would have been the best way to describe her. Back then, her beauty could actually be seen in her boyish oversized clothes, but now it was merely masked by the façade and luxuries of wealth.

   She was a professor at a local community college, and her job didn't call for none of the showing off with fancy clothing and jewelry. As she placed an earring on in the mirror, Tonya studied the woman looking back intensely. Yes, the smoky gaze she gave herself screamed conceited, but there were two sides to everything. Behind her false confidence was a woman driven into a hole by her obsession with appearance.

        "You are not going to argue with me on this, Lisa. I have already called Shantel and scheduled this appointment at the very last minute. You know that doesn't happen often."

    Leaning back she fluffed her hair into the perfect position and puckered her lips to apply lipstick. Lisa was over her shoulder in the mirror reflection watching with a screwed up face.

     Scoffing, she asked, "Is there an issue, young lady?"

       "I can find something in my closet. It's just one dinner, and with Marcus of all people! I could go out in sweatpants and he wouldn't care either way! You know that we are like brother and sis-"

    "Brother and sister, and nothing more. Lisa, honey. You are a woman now, and Marcus is a man. Now, tell me you don't know what goes on between a man and a woman?" Turning around at her vanity, Tonya leaned against it and crossed her arms with an incredulous grin.

     "One day you can be outside shooting basketball with the boy, and the next he is eyeing you and seeing just how beautiful you have become. After that, they don't see just the friend in you, honey. No." Stepping to Lisa, she cupped her face which still held the innocence of her age in the apples of her cheeks.

    "He looks at you different now, baby. A woman. A confidante. A lover." The last word she whispered into Lisa's ear, sending chills down her spine.

    "What's better than getting to know the man you will marry one day?"

    "How about choosing him, worrying about all of this when I'm ready, and not having your parents give you away like a heifer?" Lisa's sarcastic tone put a sour look on her mother's face. Releasing her, she sucked her teeth.

      "Go put your face on. We are leaving when I say so."

     "Mom! This is too much!"

     "DO as I say! I am your mother, and I said go!" Tonya was curt as she turned her back on Lisa.

    As her daughter left the room with heavy feet, she couldn't help but to feel a tug in her chest as she watched her leave the room. When she was gone, Tonya stopped to put her head in her hands.

     "This is good for her. It is good for her. She needs this." She whispered to herself. By saying just these little phrases, Tonya had managed to endure a lot, and she hoped that maybe she could teach her daughter the same method. Lord knows that she would need it.

oOo

        When Lisa arrived at the clothing boutique with her mother, she was quiet as she led her into the back of the store, the area designated for special customers.

     "Stand up straight, and quit acting so hateful and put a smile on your face." Tonya commanded through clenched teeth.

     Lisa did as she was told. She wasn't as tall as her mother, but in that moment she was nearly an exact replica. She had taught her well in acting like she had class. Just then, a blonde modelesque woman came to meet the pair. It was Shantel, a woman Lisa had known all of her life. She had her fitted for all of her dance recital outfits, Easter dresses, anything that called for looking good.

     "Well, look who we have here!" Shantel clacked over in her high heels, grabbing Lisa by the shoulders and kissing her on both cheeks. "I haven't see you in a while, looks like you have grown into a beautiful young woman." Standing back to admire the more mature girl, Shantel squealed.

    "I am itching to get you into some of my new pieces!"

     "I've told her she should stop by to help you out. I know you've been just so busy lately with all of the buzz." Tonya and the other woman exchanged kisses and greetings. " Darling, we are in a crunch and need to get her into a new dress as soon as possible."

    "Oh, of course." Winking at Lisa, Shantel swept her arm in front of the mother and daughter, inviting them into the back of the store." Right this way."

    Lisa's feet remained planted right on the spot. Her mind was in turmoil as she fought with going with a very rash decision. If she could just turn, she would be out the store in seconds...

    " Lisa! We have no time to waste." Her pivot was halted midway as her mother turned to catch her daughter. Standing with her hand on her hip, she cleared her throat." Girl..."

   Stepping in behind them, she obeyed her mother with her head hung low.

oOo

Standing in front of the floor length mirror, Lisa clenched the fabric of the dress that was wrapped around her tightly. She pried her fingers away before she could tear it to shreds.

    It was a red number, bringing out a womanliness that even see had never seen standing bare in front of her bathroom mirror at home. Turning her head to the side, she examined what was before her.

    "No..." She breathed. The dress was indeed eye catching, and she could not deny it. It was the eighth one of the afternoon, and by the sound of her mother's gasps and awe behind her, it would be the last one.

     Crossing her arms before her raised breast, Lisa fought back tears in her eyes. This wasn't the way she wanted Marcus to see her. She didn't want anything to change.

    Amid the chatter and claps of the ladies in the room, Lisa croaked out a resounding, "No!"

    "No what honey?" Putting down the glass in her hand, Tonya narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

    "I refuse to wear this." Spinning on her heels, she stood with determination. Tonya let out a short laugh of disbelief. Standing to her feet, she walked slowly to the platform Lisa stood on. The confidence she had wavered at the sight of her approach, but steadying herself, Lisa held her head straight.

    "You don't refuse anything.With.Me. Baby girl."

    "I told you before we came here that I didn't want to do this, mom."

    "And I distinctly remember telling you that wasn't an option today." Tonya's voice lowered to a deadly level. She took a step up and onto the platform, coming within inches to Lisa's face. The woman towered over her exerting authority. Forcefully turning her to face the wall of mirrors, she gripped her elbows tightly.

     "You look beautiful in this. You will feel beautiful in this. You will wear this. Dress.Here." Releasing her, she spoke up as she said her next words.

    " Ladies! She looks absolutely stunning! Please ring us up, this is a winner!" The atmosphere resumed in the room as they began moving to pack things up.

    "This dress is for a cheap whore!" Lisa burst with anger as she watched things move out of her control."Not for me!"

     The stinging hit of her mother's palm stunned everything into silence. Numbness spread through Lisa's face and neck from the powerful slap.

      "We'll take the heels also, size 7 please." Stepping down, Tonya went over to the waiting couch and picked up her designer bag, looping over her arm.

     "Hurry up and get dressed. We still have to do your hair." The smile on her face had not faltered, even when she silenced her daughter and everyone else with her sudden action. Walking through the doors, she left with fear in her wake.

      A cold chill hit Lisa as she felt the gentle hands of Shantel on her shoulder. Flinching away, she hid her face, not able to bare looking at anyone who saw what had happened.

    Speaking softly, Shantel motioned to the other women around her to gather up the items to go. Shooing them out of the room, she heard the heavy tears falling from the young girl's eyes. Rubbing her hand down her hair, Shantel kissed her temple and without a word began to re dress Lisa.

     All the while her chestnut shoulders shook violently, but not a sound left her throat.

         Lisa's hand moved slowly as she applied blush to the apples of her cheeks. She sat before a vanity mirror designed almost identically to that of her mother's. She cried inwardly as she realized that she held the exact same expression her mother did as she applied make up in her own mirror. The same look she had walked in on many times as a young girl, wondering why her mother would look so unhappy when she was making herself pretty.

     Downstairs she could hear the sound of her father's voice, and that of three other guests. She hadn't spoken to her mother since the boutique, since the hairdresser's, since they've been home. She wondered how much she had relayed to Charles about their afternoon, and dreaded having to walk down and meet his silent promise to deal with her later.

       Marcus's voice floated up to meet her ears and she shuddered away from it. Biting her bottom lip, she held back the cry that threatened to sound. She lifted her usually bright brown eyes to her reflection and saw nothing but dullness and exhaustion.

     She wanted Jae Hwa.

      She wanted him beside her. Skating his fingers across her back as he studied. Telling her jokes with his newly learned English. Out of all things, she wanted the comfort he brought with him.

     Slamming her hand onto the table, she took a long breath to relax. Even as the stream of air left from between her lips, she could still feel the tension that held her shoulders in discomfort.

    Twisting her mouth, she tried out different expressions to use once she got downstairs. She didn't want to ignite anything within her parents if she could help it.

    "This is so fucked up." She said with a smile that was so large and strained her eyes began to water.

    "Well, you're not going to make him wait all night. Are you?" In the doorway, Tonya leaned against the wooden frame watching her daughter. She had truly wanted to run over, to hug her and apologize for the scene earlier, but didn't know how. She could already see the distance she had been placed at by her daughter, and wasn't sure on how to close it off.

       Tonya watched as Lisa swiftly grabbed her shawl and clutch from a nearby table. She was expecting-hoping-that Lisa would look at her for just a glance to see that she was sorry in her eyes. Holding her breath, she sighed as her daughter breezed past her.

    "Lisa!" she let out scathingly. "Damn it....Lisa!"

    "What?" Her voice wasn't raised or hard. It was at a neutral level, blurring the lines of her possible detonation. She was hard to read, and it sent chills down Tonya's spine. Tonya swore that she saw an insolent look on her daughter's face which only fueled her rage. That and the wide eyed stare that was directed her way.

   Pulling in her lips, Tonya clenched and unclenched her fists at her sides. Within two strides, she stood before Lisa with one shaky finger rose between them.

     "Do not try me.You ungrateful ..." Her words fell from the sight of eyes that had no depth. When Tonya looked into them, all she could see was her dark reflection staring back. Gathering herself, she smoothed down the front of her dress and closed her eyes.

    "I want you to have a good night, Lisa. This is for the best. This is all for you." Tonya's eyes opened with a deceiving softness to them and a smile on her lips.  The corners of her red mouth turned down immediately in response to the back of Lisa's head already walking halfway down the spiral staircase. Her eyes caught the older woman's with dismissal.

     "I swear. That damn girl. That damn attitude." Exasperated, Tonya too returned to the house guests.

oOo

       When Lisa descended the stairs, her eyes scanned the lower level of their immaculate home. On one side of the room, she spotted her father and his business partner admiring one of Charles's limited collection items. His loud and boisterous laugh had her grinding her teeth as she painted a semi decent smile on to her face. Hopefully it would last her long enough to stay on her father's good side until she was out of the house.

          It felt as if her hand could burn through the detailed railing, she was so hot. Her senses were on high alert, and she could feel the slight rise of her heart beat.

       "Tell me that isn't my girl Weedy." The all too familiar voice of Marcus echoed through the home. Glancing to her right, she couldn't help the relief and happiness that filled her upon seeing him. He held glass of water in his hand that he sipped from before placing it on a nearby table. Removing his hands from his pants pocket, he donned his trademark smile.

     She found herself hurrying down the steps to run into his open arms. Hugging and laughing with him, she was quickly reminded of why he was here.

     "Finally the woman of the hour has arrived. You've had your date sweating bullets down here, and might I say I can see why." Lisa tensed instantly at the words of Marcus's father. Pulling away from him abruptly, the happiness she had soon faded as she cleared her throat and took a step back, folding her arms before her.

    "Yes, David. You think looking this good is easy?" Tonya grazed her daughter's shoulders with her fingertips as she walked to her place beside her husband. Charles wrapped his large hand around her waist, drawing her in for a chaste kiss.

     "Oh, but being your daughter, she's already naturally stunning. What more would she need?" David's wheezy cackle jiggled his round stomach and the glass of wine he held to his lips. He was a stout man, standing at a mere 5'4. His wife was no taller. Marcus was their oldest child, and golden child. He was tall, athletic, studious, and very prosperous on his own at 28 years old. Most people stared in awe that he was born from the pair who were his complete opposite.

    With clasped hands beneath her chin, Marcus's mother scurried to her side to wrap her arms around the young girl.

       "Good Lord girl! Look at you now! Marcus isn't she beautiful?" Prodding her cheeks, Lisa tried not to cringe away from her usual manners.

     "Thank you Miss Juanita." She was used to the constant praise from her. It was something that used to comfort her as a child. Juanita had always been the mother figure Lisa fantasized about having. She smiled, said sweet things, always said how good of a job she was doing with any and everything. Whenever she would sneak her way over to Marcus's house during the summer, she could always find a slice of some sort of sweet waiting for her upon arrival. The nickname given to her was Weedy. In her early years, Lisa had shot straight up, and had everyone suspecting she would take on her mother's tall and slim figure. She didn't luck out on height, but she did have the body size of Tonya.

     "I see you're finally getting a body on you. Have you been eating more? Hmm, when I was your age I was that small. "

   "Oh, my." Tonya laughed uncontrollably to the side, clenching her stomach as she doubled over. Charles himself fought back the smile on his face, shaking his arm at his wife to gather herself.

     "Oh, goodness. I'm sorry. That was just, oh God. Ridiculous." With the last word coming out in a low breath, Tonya reached for a champagne glass and downed it over her receding laughter.

    Lisa felt a clench in her stomach as the embarrassment on Juanita's face reminded her of a young girl shying away from words she was used to being taunted by. Though her eyes looked misty, Juanita kept a smile on her face while she attempted to laugh along, to ease the sting.

     "Of course that was long ago." Nodding her head, she walked back over to her husband who held a loving and apologetic look for bringing her along to hear something like that.

     Looking to Marcus, Lisa began apologizing profusely for her mother's insult towards his own.

     "Weedy, you act like that's something new from her. Tonya is the same old Tonya. What's to be expected?" Shaking his head, he drew her in for another hug, rocking her back and forth. Taking in a deep breath, she could smell the scent of his cologne laced in his coat jacket.

     "How is school going? Are you still dancing?"

     Just before she began to answer, Charles piped in to the conversation." Now, don't you think you should be saving all of the small talk for your dinner? Which you two need to be on your to." Clapping Marcus on his back and kissing his daughter on her cheek, Charles's less than subtle kick out the door made Lisa sigh.

      "I guess we should be going." She said reluctantly. Marcus caught on to her expression as she fiddled with the clutch in her hands.

   The conversation he had with Charles days ago came to mind.

    "You and I, and everyone else know that she absolutely admires you. Going to dinner with you would be one of the best things for her. I know she's already told me how nervous she is."

   "Weedy? That doesn't sound like her at all." Marcus uncomfortably rubbed the back of his neck as Charles belted out a loud laugh."

    "Things change. One day she's a girl, and the next a woman. Trust me."

     Lisa was never known to be shy of any sort. She admires him? Well, of course he knew that, but the implication that Charles had made had sent Marcus for a loop. He had contemplated on the possibility of Lisa having developed feelings for him outside of the brother sister relationship they have always held. Of course she had her crush on him as a child, but that soon dissipated. He had never seen her that way, and hearing now that she may have seen more out of their friendship made it difficult to decide how to approach the situation.

        "You're right. Let's go get some grub. I've been wanting to go to Fatties to get a big, juicy, nasty burger for a long time." He tried to make her more comfortable and was glad to see her eyes brighten slightly.

       "I'm afraid you're going to be wanting that for an even longer time because tonight you two have reservations at La Reve. You're sure to have a good time there."

    "That's very thoughtful of you Mr. Dudley. I guess we should get going now?" Leading Lisa towards the front door, Anthony waved good bye to the remaining adults. "We'll see you later." Opening the door, he let Lisa step out first and then followed. Digging for his keys, he turned to the sound of Tonya from the doorstep. Both turned to hear her cry.

    "Have a beautiful night! Be Safe!" Waving her hand in the air, her hair and dress lightly moved against her body. She watched as Marcus held the passenger door open for Lisa,and then went to start the car. As they drove away, her eyes connected with anger lit brown ones beyond the car window.

     Once they were out of sight, her fake grin dropped. Reentering the house, she saw that the other couple was seated across the table from her husband, and went to join them.

    "Come on honey, we need to go through everything for the engagement plans."

    Pulling out the seat beside Charles, Tonya looked everyone in the eyes.

    "Whatever we do, we have to do well. Getting those two to understand what we need from them-especially Lisa-may be hard."

Walking into the restaurant, Lisa and Marcus stood at a set distance. During the drive there, his usual quips didn't seem to suffice as Lisa only laughed lightheartedly in response, and simply nodded her head every now and then. There was a figurative barrier pushing them apart.

     By glancing around the restaurant, it was obvious that the mood was romantic, dark, and sultry. There was low lighting and the light sounds of a live piano playing from the center of the room. As they were led to their booth, she saw some couples settled in each other's necks, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. A bad taste coated her mouth.

    Was her father serious?

     This was beyond an invasion of her privacy, of her right to her own life and who she loved and how she loved.

    Her mind left her, and her body moved through the motions. She sat down as Marcus thanked the waiter for the menus. She nodded at the suggestions he made. Soon she tuned out as he asked her opinions on certain dishes.

    Putting down his own menu, he watched her eyes scan the page, retaining nothing. Two complementary waters were placed on the table, and their waiter asked to start them off with one of their special wines.

     "Weedy?"

      Lisa didn't lift her head or respond to his call.

    Asking the waiter to give them a minute for privacy, he leaned closer, pulling the edge of the menu down to the table top.

    Finally her eyes met his.

   Studying her face closely, his mind quickly worked to find a way to fix the atmosphere. "How about we get out of here?" Looking around with a scrutinizing expression, Marcus scrunched up his face. "Fatties looks like a better deal than this place right about now. Don't you think so?"

     Raising his eyebrows, he waited for the childlike grin that took over the grim frown that had been on her face all night.

    "Can we get milkshakes too?"

     "Well, is there any other way?" Grabbing her hand, Marcus led her from the table, leaving her dragging her bag behind her as he moved quickly in between the other patrons of the restaurant. Her heels clacked loudly as she kept up with his long strides.

     "Sir? Sir, are you leaving?" The frazzled waiter spotted the couple he was paid under the table to watch throughout the night. Seeing the man and young woman leave laughing louder than any other sounds in the place, he worried if the man who had tipped him would ask for the money back...

     Sliding into the open door, Lisa felt an all familiar freeness that she had always felt with Marcus. She was worried of losing that specialty with the arrangements, thinking that he was in on it too. Looking now, she saw the same goofy smile that would be plastered on his face as a young boy as he led her on one of their random adventures. Hope set in; maybe if she could just talk to him, they could avoid a huge misunderstanding.

oOo

     With elbows on the table, Marcus and Lisa shared a heaping order of fries as each devoured their artery clogging hamburgers.

    "Oh. My. Gosh. This is even better than I last remembered." With a mouthful, Lisa rolled her eyes in delight.

      Marcus nodded in agreement as he loosened the tie around his neck. Lisa's sandwich was half the size of her head, and watching her trying to conquer it was nearly comical. He could tell by the ketchup and mustard stains on her mouth and dress that she had given up on her home training.

     Jabbing a fry in her direction, he chuckled," That's my girl. I've been wondering where you were Weedy."

      "You don't understand, with dance lately, I haven't been able to sneak in my cheat meals. This is just perfect right now."

    "I haven't seen you dance in a while. How is that going? You still wiping the floor with everyone?" He teased, picking up the large milkshake they were sharing; he took a long draw and then passed it on to Lisa's waiting hand.

     "Mm." Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she went on, "It's so much work Marcus."

      "But this is your dream. I can see it. You might say it's hard, but I know you love it." Lisa had always practiced dance moves around the neighborhood; it was what she was known for. In the church parking lot, walking down the street or on a basketball court you could see her improvising one of the greatest dance sequences of all time-of course in her own mind.

   "I just feel like this is going to be it for me." Lisa's face lit up as she gripped the paper napkin between her fists and scooted to the end of her seat. "If I tell you this, you'll be the only soul that knows..."

    "A secret? I gotta hear this."

    "My parents don't even have any idea about this, Marcus. This has to be between you and I. Promise?" Raising her pinky, she waited for him to confirm their ritual.

    Linking his with hers, he whispered, "Promise."

    "I'm going to audition for Alvin Ailey. In New York." She could barely contain her excitement as she let out a small squeal. She had decided on this many years ago, after the first time her mother took her to see one of their historic shows. She had been amazed and inspired.At that time, she had reached a point in her adolescence when her mind couldn't be made up on anything. She had wanted to be a dancer, a singer, a soccer player-her indecisiveness had driven her mother crazy.

    After that night, that one performance, everything was set in stone for her.

    "Lisa, do you think that's a smart idea."

    "It's the best idea I have ever had. Come on, Marcus. That's where I should be. That's what I have been aiming for!"

    "I don't think you should be jumping so fast." Marcus's earlier mood visibly disappeared, and Lisa's went with it as she saw the change.

   "Jumping too fast? What are you talking about?" She became defensive, tucking her arms beneath her breast as she watched him from across the table. His hand scratched the back of his neck before he went on.

    "You're 18 Lisa-"

    "I know how old I am."

   "-and that's too early to just drop everything to go off to New York on a hope and whim."

    A strong silence overtook the table. Lisa toyed with the napkin in her hand as she nodded her head.

    "Do you take me for a fool? This isn't just some silly dream or hope, Marcus. I am serious about this." Glaring at him with red rimmed eyes, she threw the napkin on the table and stood to leave.

    "Lisa-Lisa hold on a second." He kept his eyes on her back as she stormed away. Grabbing his wallet, he dug out twenty dollar bills and left them on the table as he rushed out behind her, making sure that he didn't lose sight of her.

    "Lisa!" He fought past crowds of the people of the night to keep up with her. She didn't turn around; instead she sped up her steps. When he saw her turn a corner, he broke off into a sprint. It was rather dark, and dressed the way she was, he didn't want to have to spill blood for someone disrespecting her.

    Rounding the corner, he looked to his left, and looked to his right. He heard the hoot and holler of men, and his eyes followed the sounds of their voices. There was Lisa, tugging down the hem of her dress as she crossed the street away from the loud group.

     Rolling past them, Marcus reached for her hand, but caught her wrist. This caused her to be jerked off balance violently, which he hadn't intended.

     "Let go of me! Let go now!" Her raised voice drew the attention of the others around them. Marcus could see their curious gazes, and their bodies tensed, ready to launch and save what seemed to be a damsel in distress. Pulling her to the side of a building, he calmly tried to quiet her down.

    "I can get home on my own. I'll tell my father I left you. Move, Marcus."

     "Lisa, will you let me finish what I was saying?"

    "What more is there to say? I know why you're doing this. You're with them, aren't you?" His brows drew together as he stood confused.

    "With who?"

    "My parents! You don't think I should go to New York so I can be here in all of your clutches. I can't believe this..." Scoffing, Lisa turned her head to the sky and closed her eyes. What had she expected? Marcus always played by the rules. He studied what his parents wanted him to. Worked the jobs they found for him. She had never known him to do what wasn't expected of him, but she also never thought he wouldn't be as happy as she was about her plan.

    "No one has you in their clutches-I don't have you in my clutches! Lisa, I'm not trying to deter you from your dream. I know how much you want to take your dancing to another level. Look at me." Pulling her face down by her chin, he grasped both sides of her face between his large hands.

    "I support you 110%. Okay?"

     Dropping his hands to his sides, he slipped them into his pants pockets and shrugged his shoulders.

     "If you don't go through with college, I can't say I'll be on your side with this." Once again, annoyance leaked out of Lisa's every move as she took this chance for an exit.

     This time, she walked at a pace that was easy to meet.

    "Throw away education if you want to Lisa."

     "Fuck you, Marcus."

     "You'll miss out on practicing, getting more experience and recognition."

      Crossing the street, Lisa went against the urge to turn and argue.

      "All because you think you can hop on a plane to New York, dance your ass off, and get praise and a position within their dance company. Right? That's you and a thousand other people Lisa."

     "And I am not one of those other people. What.You don't think I'm good enough." Whirling on the spot, Marcus almost collided with her.

   "I didn't say that."

    "You sure as hell sounded like you said that."

    "I'm trying to make you realize something Lisa. Everything doesn't go the way you want it to. The way it looks in your head. The way you plan. What happens if you get out there, all alone, and don't get that position? What if you're beat out by someone else? Then what will you do."

    "That won't happen. I've prepared for this my entire life. I have fought to the very bone, with my blood. With my sweat-my tears-for this."

   "Your body won't last forever. What if something happens to you? What if you have no back up plans-"

    "There are no back up plans. There is only one plan. Why would I have another when I know exactly what I will be doing?" Lisa was becoming testy as her eyes went wide with fury.

     Lowering his voice, Marcus took a step closer.

     "What if it all turns out to be a pipe dream? You can't run around following that."

  Lisa stilled before Marcus with biting word after word on the tip of her tongue.

    "What do you know about any of that. Following dreams. You've never had your own, have you? You're a grown man who still does what his parents tell him." Letting out a cynical laugh, Lisa shook her head, looking like the daughter of Charles and Tonya Dudley.

   "You're their little bitch, and you know it.You smile while the heels of their boots are pressing down on your neck. I'm not like that. I'm not like you, and I am not like any of them." Taking three steps closer to Marcus, she bored her eyes into his as they began shifting away. He clenched his jaw, placing his hands into his pockets.

    "If you want to go home, you better be in my car before I leave." The hoarse sound of his voice snapped Lisa out of her own world. Clearing his throat, he turned, shoulders slack, and made his way down the street and out of her vision.

   A slimy feeling settled in her stomach, making her feel nauseas.  She could feel the eyes of the few people standing around on her. Rubbing her arms, she walked quickly in the direction of the car, hoping that Marcus hadn't left yet. She picked up speed, lightly jogging in her heels.

     Lisa saw the headlights come on, and the sound of the engine running, through the windshield, she could see him pulling his seatbelt across his body roughly. His head was tilted as she approached, embarrassedly tucking her hair behind her ears.

His eyes remained forward as she climbed in, sitting down slowly and quietly in her seat. Before she even closed the passenger door, Marcus pulled off from the curb, sending her flying back into her seat. The hard jerk surprised her, and rendered her silent for the rest of the ride.

oOo

    With her head bent, Lisa waited in the car with Marcus as he adjusted his tie and jacket. They had arrived back to her house ten minutes ago, yet neither of them had made a move to leave the car or speak. Glancing over, she saw him fixing his cufflinks, and checking his face in the mirror.

    "Marcus..." A hand cut off her words as he held it in the air. He didn't want to hear anything she had to say. He wanted to be able to put a smile on his face, make it appear as if they had a decent night by the time he walked her to the door. Without acknowledging her, he climbed out of the car.

    Lisa sulked on the verge of tears thinking that he had left. Just as the first salty drop fell, her own door was pulled open. Looking up, she saw his hand reach out, an offering to her.

    "Come on." Taking it with her own shaky hand, she stood to her feet beside him. Deciding that walking ahead was the best option, she allowed her hand to slip from his grip. When all that was left was the feel of their fingertips, Marcus quickly grabbed her, and turned her around.

    Under his heavy stare, Lisa didn't dare make eye contact. She could feel the pads of his thumb glide across her cheeks, wiping away the residue of her crying.

    Lisa took this gesture as a sign that maybe she wouldn't evaporate on the spot if she looked at him.

   "Marcus. I didn't mean it-"

    "Let's go on up." A tight grin dismissed her words as he led her up the pathway with a hand on her shoulder. Lisa let out a heavy sigh as porch lights came on, and the front door was opened.

    There stood Tonya with a gleaming smile on her face. She had seen the tender touch Marcus gave her daughter, and had jumped for joy that Lisa was polite enough to receive such a touch. She had to admit, she was worried that the night would be ruined by Lisa's attitude, but from the looks of it everything turned out better than expected.

    Closing the door slightly, she called behind her to her husband." Charles, they're back."

    Lisa glanced back at Marcus as she took the stairs towards her mother.

   "Well, I see you've brought her back just in time Marcus. How was the restaurant? Did you get the chef's special?"

   With her hands clasped in front of her chin, Tonya was pulled back by her husband Charles.

   "Yes, was it everything you expected? I had put in a call for nothing but the best service. I am personal friends with the owner; I would only hope he would provide you with a quality experience."  Charles's eyes narrowed, focusing on Marcus who didn't cower under his gaze.

    "It was wonderful Daddy. We-"

     "To be honest sir, we decided to spend the evening somewhere else. Though I do thank you for your suggestion. It was an impressive restaurant."

    "Did you, now?"

     "I bugged him all night to leave. I just-"

    "We both couldn't get Fatties off of our minds. It was great, wasn't it Lisa?"

   "I-Yes, it was perfect." Lisa had given up trying to shoulder the blame as she saw Marcus wasn't going to let her. Plastering on a smile, she tried to seem as pleased as she could to convince both of her parents.

    "Fatties? That's no place for a date." Smacking her teeth, Tonya went on." Oh , well. I guess if you did have a good time..."  Her eyes remained on Lisa, ready to question what she had done as soon as she got the chance to.

    "If you will excuse me, I have an important event in the morning. Lisa, I enjoyed myself." Reaching in front of Tonya, Marcus gathered Lisa in a tight hug."Figure out something for us to do next time I see you." He said into her hair. As he released her, he missed the raised eyebrow of Tonya.

   Lisa?

    Marcus never referred to her by her first name. Weedy. It had always been Weedy.Hearing him drop the childish nickname, Tonya smirked .Maybe her daughter had done just the right thing tonight...

   "Of course Marcus, it's understood. Thank you for looking after Lisa tonight. " Touching him by the elbow, Tonya gave him a hug too. Out the corner of her eye, she could see her husband walk off with a drink in his hand, and her daughter climb the stairs to her bedroom.

   "Lisa, aren't you going to say good night?-" The click of her door separated Lisa from the sound of her mother's voice.

     "That girl, I swear."

    "It's okay Mrs. Dudley. I'll be going now."

     "Well here, let me walk you out."

   Lisa watched from the crack in her door as her mother followed behind Marcus. Running over to her window, she pulled back the curtain to watch him wave goodbye to Tonya, and then drive off.

    Dropping her head, she cursed.

   "I talk too damn much." Kicking off her shoes, Lisa collapsed onto her bed, grunting in the process.

    "Long night darling?" With a gasp, Lisa bent her head back at the sound of her mother's voice. She watched the older woman close the door and approach the bed with a devilish grin.

   "Do not spare me any details." She giggled quietly.

     "To put it simply, the entire night sucked. Is that good enough for you?" Lisa stood to her feet, whipping her hair into a ponytail as she began to undress. Walking into her closet, she searched for a hanger as she listened to her mother's exasperated groaning.

    "I didn't come up here for your smart ass mouth Lisa. My God, did you behave yourself or not?"

     "I'm sure I was everything you would have wanted to be" She called from the closet.

    "No, you're far from that...."Tonya said under her breath. Her daughter's head peaked out, and for a moment she went rigid thinking that her words had been heard.

    "What?"

   "I said if you did what I would have wanted you to do, you two would have returned with bigger smiles than you had."

    "Look, mom. I've already told you, it's not going to happen that way. Whatever it is you want from me, it's not happening. Okay? You're only setting yourself up to be disappointed, I promise you." Mumbling the latter part, Lisa slipped out of her dress and into her pajama bottoms and top. With a heavy sigh, she turned off the lights in the room and crawled beneath her covers. More than anything, she craved to be with Jae Hwa in that instant. To be wrapped in his arms with the feel of his chest rising and falling against her back.

   Blinding lights interrupted her silent wish as Tonya relit the room.

       "Lisa, there are going to be plenty more nights like this. This is your first endeavor into adult life, and I want to prepare you for it as much as I can. There will be some things you never thought you would do-things you will love-and I want to make sure that you enjoy them all to the fullest." The feel of her mother's hand on her shoulder set off alarms in Lisa's head.

   Things that she would love? No. No way her mother would go that far.

    "You expect me to sleep with him." Sitting straight up, her words left as a statement rather than a question as disbelief laced her features." Surely that isn't what you-my mother-are suggesting, is it?"

   Scooting back on the bed, Tonya cleared her throat ."Honestly, Lisa. You aren't that ignorant are you? "

    "No, but you must be."

    Clenching her fist together, Tonya resisted the urge to land a slap across Lisa's face.

    "Being intimate with a man isn't bad, it's something we all must do. Hell, your father and I-"

   "Please! Do not say another word." Bracing her back against her headboard, Lisa shook her head furiously as she counted backwards from ten.

    "Stop being childish! Marcus isn't a boy, he's going to expect that from you. Oh, but don't worry. I'm going to have you schooled on everything there is to know." Standing to her feet, Tonya pulled Lisa's comforter back over her body as she forcefully laid her down on the bed. As she leaned in to kiss her forehead, Lisa jerked violently from her, nostrils flaring as she glared at the wall opposite her mother.

    "I'm going to make an appointment for you within the week to see a gynecologist. It is about that time to get you set up with one before you...start." Rolling her eyes, Lisa found the strength to not shove away the offending woman as she whispered the last word as if it was  a joke amongst friends. She watched her shadow walk away towards the door, pivoting for one last say.

   "You'll do so much good for this family, darling. Trust me."

      When the door closed, Lisa felt as if she was trapped in the strangeness of her family. She wasn't sure how long it was that she lied awake on her bed. What she could remember was the distant sound of her parents retreating to their own room. Looking to her nightstand, she could see that it was late into the night. Biting her lip, she contemplated her next actions.

    Pulling herself up slowly, she made sure to not make too much noise with her mattress springs as she carefully swung her legs over the side. She could still hear the faint sounds of her mother's insistent conversation with her father. The clink of glasses could be heard, and she could only imagine Charles drowning another drink back as he nodded his head to Tonya's constant talking.

    Lisa crept across the bedroom floor to her closet, and closed the door behind her as she turned on the faint light inside. She didn't want to flood the room with the brightness, or alert her parents that she was still in fact up.

    "I feel like I'm 13." Quickly pulling a pair of jeans over her pajama bottoms, Lisa huffed as she searched for a dark inconspicuous hoodie to don. When she found the perfect fit, she pulled her hair back into a low bun as she guarded her face with the hood of the jacket.

    Footsteps outside of the four walls of her prison made a slow and steady approach up the stairs. Fumbling with the light switch, she waited with abated breath for the sounds to go away. Kneeling slowly, hands felt around for a pair of shoes, any would do, as long as they would give her a good enough grip to slide down the side of the house and run as far away as possible.

      " I'm just going to check in on her, Charles."

    "Tonya, I told you to bring your ass on. She's fine, but I'm not..." Lisa nearly gagged at the suckling noises that accompanied her mother's low moans just outside of her door.She could remember countless nights where she hummed loudly until she had fallen asleep as a child to block out her parents' vigorous display of a deformed kind of love.

      A violent shiver of repulsion coursed throughout her body. When the light outside her door hadn't yet disappeared, and a hard knock against the wall right outside her door rumbled the picture frames she had hanging up, Lisa knew that she wouldn't have the chance to escape through the front door seeing as how the hallway was now occupied.

    Checking to make sure everything was in place, she backed herself out of her bedroom window, as she had done so many times before, and lowered herself from the ledge. Her feet dangled and scrapped softly at the side of the house looking for the right grip. Cautiously, she felt around looking for grooves to place her fingers in.

    During one of her escape attempts, her mother had caught her in a similar position when Lisa had come so close to running away from another forced luncheon. She had a trusty tree that always extended a helpful limb for support, but after she was caught, it and others like it were completely removed from the surrounding property, leaving the yard bare to all eyes.

    As she panted from the rise of her heartbeat and adrenaline, she missed the tree now more than ever before.

    As she scaled the wall, she could feel her hands tremble as they began to cramp. Estimating that the fall was more than she would take the chance with under normal circumstances, Lisa sent a prayer up before she took a leap of faith down to the ground.

    She tumbled on the freshly cut grass, and kept her grunts to herself and eyes closed as she felt down the length of her pants to make sure that her legs were still intact. A dull pain could be felt in her left ankle, but gritting her teeth she ignored the feeling.

It was a pretty careless move for someone whose legs were their most prized possession, but desperate times called for desperate measures. As soon as she gave herself an all clear, she took off running as fast as she could.

      Jae Hwa lied on his bed, arms bent behind his head as he replayed the afternoon he had with Lisa. He could still feel the ghostly touch of her fingers on his shoulders, drawing him into her.

     Her smell.

    The quiet gasps of air she would take every so often....

  Shaking his head, he sat up in the dark dorm room. There were the faint snores of Thomas across from him, and the sounds of the animal nightlife just outside his window. Pulling at his short dark hairs, he decided that he would try and make a call back home, maybe that would divert his attention away from the simultaneous longing and pain he felt as he thought of Lisa with another guy.

       The room was cast in shadows of the night, giving him enough cover to move swiftly without disturbing Thomas as he shuffled out of the door. Without closing it completely, Jae Hwa scanned the halls to see if anyone else was up.

     He began walking towards the public phone, glad to see that he could take as long as he wanted to talk to his family. Whenever he called, he never failed to get an answer. Seeing as how his parents paid the extra fees to make the long distance call, they always wanted to make sure that whenever the phone rang, they were getting their money's worth by being able to talk to their son.

      "Hello?"

     "Mom, it's Jae Hwa."

    "My baby! I'm so glad you've called. Is everything okay? Isn't it late there?"

   "I just wanted to call in and see how you were. To see if things are going well."

     Jae Hwa listened earnestly to his mother give him story after story of everything that happened in his absence. She told him how his little sister missed him, and how she drew pictures to mail out. He asked for details of even the minute things, hoping that they would be enough to clear his mind of Lisa for the night. He told how he was thankful that his parents were healthy, that the restaurant was receiving good business. His mother told him how she had his picture nailed up beside his acceptance letter, and how often she would point it out to the new customers suggesting that by eating her food, their children too could become successful. The fact that he had become the face of his family's advertising put a humble spark into his heart.

     Bringing the phone down with him, Jae Hwa slid to the ground and drifted away comforted by his mother's voice.

oOo

   Lisa's journey had led her to a bus stop that dropped her off just within walking distance of her school. She had boarded the nearly empty transit with the few coins she had in her pockets. She shared her ride in silence with the city nomads. She could remember some encounters with the homeless and down and out of the city during late night excursions.

    Some had fallen victim to drug filled dazes that they called life, while others may have gambled away their homes and families to feed their addictions. Before, she had always felt a daring rush whenever she snuck out and waltzed around with the likes of the nightlife habitants, but now, she could only wish for the comfort of her small dorm room bed which was once an annoyance to her, yet seemed like a safe haven in that moment. She cursed to herself, wishing that she had a wider range of options when it came to running away to somewhere far away from her parents. God knows she would literally have just hours of relaxation before they discovered she was gone and came bombarding her dorm.

      "Last stop. Everybody off." The gruff voice of the heavyset driver guided her off of the bus. As she passed by him, she didn't miss his wink or the unashamed glance to her rear-end.

      Now she trudged along the sidewalk lit by neon lights. The time had never crossed her mind; all that she knew was that it was far into the wee hours of the morning. She rubbed her watch less wrists, looking into store windows hoping to find a clock. As she peered into a black shop, she heard the sound of heels and scuffling feet. It was a drunken business man and his chosen lady of the night leading him from a nightclub.

    She stared, debating whether or not she should ask the only sober one of the pair to check the nice and expensive watch hanging off of the man's arm for the time.

     "You want in, sweetie? He won't last but a minute, can't you see?" The woman popped her gum as she winked at Lisa. Quickly walking past them and ignoring her offer to "earn a few bucks he's got more than enough to spare." Lisa decided that it was in fact, late enough.

   At this rate, she knew that it would be pointless to even sleep. By the time she got up the stairs.....

      Lisa's hands unconsciously drifted to find her key to the building. Stopping in place, she frantically felt around her entire body hoping to come across the small ring which held her ticket to safety.

    "No..." Closing her eyes, she could see the key sitting inside her jewelry box at her parents' home.

    "Damn it!" There would be no way that someone would be coming or going when she would need them to the most. The security office was on the complete opposite side of campus, taking her way out of her way if she was even able to reach them before sunrise.

   Thinking quickly, she ran to a payphone with a plan. She thought that with a little coaxing, she could get one of the girls up to come downstairs and let her in. It shouldn't be that hard, it seemed like most of them could sacrifice a moment....

      "Uh uh. Nope. Not happening." Turning her pockets inside out, Lisa fumed with rage slapping the side of the phone box. She had used the little money she had for the ride here, and that left her with no change to make her lifeline call.

    Covering her face, she crouched in front of the blue box. Tears threatened behind her eyelids as she massaged her temples. Inwardly, she began blaming her parents for this. Her escape plan had blown up in her face, leaving her to wallow in self-pity.

    "You need some help baby?" Not even risking looking back at the creeping car in the street, Lisa sprung to her feet, feeling the slight pain in her ankle for the first time since she jumped from her bedroom window. Without breaking off into a jog that would give away her fear, she continued on towards campus, silently praying for a veil of protection the entire way.

oOo

    With her options running dry, Lisa soon found herself tucked away in a sticky booth of an all-night diner just outside of campus. When she had walked in, none of the waitresses were motivated enough to put out their cigarettes at the sound of the welcome bell.

   She too had no intention of being bothered by anyone, and made no moves to ask for anything from any of the waitresses.

    Sitting and recounting the events of the day, Lisa felt small tears of stress soon pool into streams running down her face.  Muffling her whimpers, she bit her bottom lip hoping she wasn't drawing any attention by looking insane.

 When an older worker finally sauntered over, Lisa was quick to decline any special she may have thrown her way. She was penniless, and wished to just stick around long enough to get back to school.

      A cup of coffee was placed in front of her instead.

    "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't order this." Looking up politely, she hoped that the woman would ignore her red rimmed eyes and catch on.

   "I know honey, this one is on me." Patting Lisa's shoulder kindly, she walked away, leaving the girl to grip the warm cup in her palms.

    Lifting the hot liquid to her lips, she took just a few sips to relieve her small thirst. Setting it off to the side, she pulled her hood over her head tightly. Looking to the clock that ticked endlessly on the wall, she rested her eyes behind shut lids.

    If she could only wait here for a little while longer, she could finally reach her destination soon.

oOo

    The clutter of dishes and the sound of chatter permeated Lisa's soundproof box of sleep. On her forehead, she could feel the rays of the sun reaching through the diner windows towards her. The brightness assaulted her eyes when she first opened them, leaving blinding spots behind for her to blink away.

   She rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of the slight irritation. Through her blurred vision, she spotted two figures standing over her. Her mind hadn't connected all of the dots, and she was almost ready to dismiss what she saw as her imagination and drift back off to sleep.

    "That's that chick right? I should hang out with her more often if she wakes up in diners after partying. That's hardcore." Whatever portion of the mind that controlled vocal recognition went into full force after hearing the sound of Thomas close by. Suddenly, what seemed to be a part of a dream made sense.

   She remembered jumping out of her window, getting propositioned by a hooker, crying, and ending up at a diner.

    Lisa's back began to protest against the hard booth seats, and she quickly sprang into a seated position. Thomas hopped back, missing the collision that would have been their foreheads by just an inch.

    "Good morning hot stuff. When are you going to invite me out on one of your little shindigs, huh?" Cringing from the rush of blood throbbing through her head, Lisa went to grasp the table to steady herself in order to get up to leave.

    "Hey, I'm sure you could use something to eat! Trust me; you will regret not eating something as soon as the urge to barf hits you." Thomas put his arm around her shoulder, preventing her from leaving. Cracking one eye, she could see Jae Hwa staring at her expressionlessly. His gaze was daunting, and besides the point of her not feeling like her usual self, she didn't plan to take Thomas up on his offer. She was still a bit embarrassed about the whole knocking down his door fiasco last time she saw him.

       "No, I-I need to go. Sorry."

      "I'll be insulted if you leave. Here, how about a free breakfast?"

       Shaking her head, Lisa gently removed his arm from her.

    "Come on..." He insisted.

    "Thomas, I-"

    "You are staying. I have decided." Pushing her softly into the booth, Thomas placed Jae Hwa right next to her. When he first sat, he had lightly brushed her side. When she saw him retract contact, it felt like a blow to her ego. She worried that he was still holding her sudden departure yesterday against her. Sinking in to her seat, Lisa prayed for herself conscious thoughts to subside.

Hello there,

 I just wanted to stop by and holla at you all.

Firstly, I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this story! You're going to have to bear with me on this.

Honestly, this story was meant to be short, then all of a sudden I had an idea which would make it a long one, hence why it may be moving a bit slow at the moment.

I may divide this into different parts at some point, giving a certain amount of chapters for each story, but still keeping the same characters which will probably put me at two stories for Jae Hwa and Lisa...

I have something in store for these two, so please stick around!