“I am so tired!” Rainie exclaimed as she plopped down in a chair in front of the counter at the Lotus Café.
“Why are you so tired?” Ariel asked. She was busy drying mugs. Why won’t that speck disappear?
“I went shopping.”
“Again?”
“Hey, I needed stuff. Vancouver is extremely cold!”
“Vancouver is not cold. It snows 4 or 5 times a year and the rain wash it away the next day.”
“Well, Vancouver is much colder than Taiwan.” Rainie declared royally. “It does not snow in Taiwan, and I can’t get use to this humidity or this chilliness.”
“It’s much colder where I came from.”
“Aren’t you from Taiwan?”
“My parents were. I was born in Kitchener.”
“You were born in a Kitchen?”
Ariel bursted out laughing. “Not the kitchen. Kitchener Ontario. It’s about an hour drive south of Toronto. And believe me; the snow really piles up and it’s absolutely freezing.”
“Oh well,” Rainie shrugged. “I think Vancouver is cold. Besides, I’ll take any excuse to go shopping!”
Ariel grinned, “Point taken, so what did you buy?”
Before Rainie can reply, Joe and Mike barged into the café.
“Yo Ariel!” Joe called.
“Hey.” Ariel replied.
Joe dragged Mike over to the counter sat down in a chair beside Rainie so fast that he nearly shoved her off her chair. Luckily, he leaned over and caught her before she can fall. They stayed in that compromising position, with Rainie nearly falling and Joe leaning over and supporting her for a moment.
Mike coughed. Joe started and nearly dropped Rainie again.
“Sorry,” Joe grinned goofily.
“It’s ok.” Rainie replied in a rather unsteady voice. Why is my heart beating so fast and why am I blushing?
“Kindly refrain from molesting my friends in front of me Joe.” Ariel joked. Why is Rainie so red? Does she like Joe? She can’t like him, he’s-
“Jealous Ari?” Joe asked in a mock provocative tone.
“Oh yeah, totally.” Ariel replied sarcastically.
Mike coughed again.
“Mike!” Ariel exclaimed.
Joe looked confused, “do you know each other?”
“You could say so.” Mike started…
—————————-
==Flashback==
“Coffee with 2 creams and one sugar!” Ariel declared with fake brightness to mike.
Mike looked at the coffee uncertainly, “That looks like way more than 2 cream.”
“Sir, I assure you it is-“
“Watch out!” Someone shouted from the outside.
Everyone looked on as a football flew through the window of the Lotus Café, shattering the glass into a million pieces behind Mike.
Ariel pulled him. Hard.
Both of them fell on the floor with a dull thud.
Mike got up, saw the many shards of glass that was now scattered where he was sitting, and opened his eyes so large is was almost comical. “Wow. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Ariel Zhang! Did I not tell you the customer is always first?” Ariel’s manager, Jerry, came flying out the kitchen. He started apologizing to mike with gusto, “Sir, I’m sorry, she didn’t mean to pull you, I hope you’re not hurt,-“
Mike held up his hand, “Sir, it’s ok. It’s a good thing she pulled me.”
Jerry just seemed to notice the football and the glass shards behind Mike. “Oh.
“Excuse me.” Jerry said before marching outside.
“He’s going outside to yell at those guys.” Ariel supplied when she noticed Mike’s confused look. “Watch out for Jerry when he’s angry.”
“I will. Oh, I’m Mike, Mike He.”
“Ariel Zhang.”
==End of Flashback==
——————————–
“So that’s how you two know each other?” Rainie asked.
“Yup. I tell you Rainie, it’s dangerous to hang around these two, especially Joe.”
“Hey! That’s not true.”
“It’s extremely true.” Ariel emphasized. “First time we met, you hit me with your car. You nearly knock her to the floor the first time you met Rainie, and the first time I met Mike, I nearly got speared to death by a million shards of glass.”
“The glass thing was not my fault.” Mike protested. “And I haven’t hurt Rainie yet.”
“Oh, silly me. I haven’t introduced you guys to Rainie yet. Rainie, this is Mike and Joe. Both of them are studying commerce at VU.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rainie and I just moved here from Taiwan. I will be studying history at VU starting next term.”
“Can you help me with history?” Mike asked excitedly.
“Um… sure?” Rainie answered uncertainly.
“Mike, is there a subject that you don’t need help with? Ariel asked exasperatedly.
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“Basket weaving.” Mike said the first thing on his mind. Huh? Basket weaving???
Everyone bursted out laughing.
“There’s no such course as basket weaving.” Joe chortled.
Rainie fell off her chair laughing.
“What!” Mike insisted only half jokingly, “I’m serious!”
————-
See, this chapter is longer 
Thanks to everyone who has been reading this! I am extremely happy with the number of page views, and I hope you’re enjoying this story. Please leave a comment whether you do or not! I would love to hear from you!
Thanks again!
-Izumic
