“You know her?” Allen asked me.

“I’ve worked with her and the team a couple of times,” I told him just as the waiter arrived with our food, excluding Allen’s. “God, I’m starving,” I said to no one in particular.

“Didn’t you eat breakfast?” Chuck asked as he helped Marsha and me with our food.

“Didn’t,” well, wrong answer, I thought and a flick landed on my forehead for the answer I blurted out without thinking. “Ow!” Well, it didn’t really hurt because I think I was already used to him doing that. And he does that a lot. “I don’t have… time?” I told both Marsha and Chuck carefully to not get flicked again.

“Why didn’t you call me or Sha? We would’ve brought you something,” Chuck said, clearly displeased.

“Sorry,” I grinned apologetically at my two best friends who, may I remind you, treated me like their love child. I turned to Marsha who had a stern expression plastered on her face. Somehow, I knew a scold was coming.

“You always do that,” Marsha said and started her scolding. I flinched a little. It was embarrassing to be scolded by your best friend who was of the same age though definitely looked much more mature. She was talking without looking at me because she was busy placing her side dishes on my plate. “If Chuck hadn’t called you, would you eat lunch?” she asked, already knowing the answer, perhaps.

Well, me and Quin were chatting and we usually chat for hours, so, no. I didn’t think I’d manage to have lunch.

But I was not going to say that. I was thinking of a more save answer to give to her so she’d stop scolding me, in front of Allen, moreover. Marsha then continued before I could answer.

“You won’t,” Marsha said, staring at me. I pouted while Allen chuckled, then I shot him deadly glares.

“Sorry,” he apologized though the chuckle was still there at the back of his throat, waiting to come out some more.

“Keep doing that, and I’ll stop you from getting any more jobs,” Marsha threatened.

“I won’t,” I reassured her.

“I’ll make sure of that,” She said as Chuck ruffled my hair.

“Or me,” he added.

Allen laughed again. It was a very pleasant laugh, although he was basically laughing at me. But I could get used to that sound.

“How long have you known each other?” he asked. The three of us looked at each other, calculating in our heads.

“How long ago was elementary?” Chuck asked, somehow dumbfounded.

“11, 12 years ago, give or take,” I shrugged while Marsha nodded.

“Wow…” Allen said in amazement. “That’s basically all of your lives. No wonder you guys are so close,” He said with a tid bit of envy.

“Try having two best friends that treat you like their love child,” I snorted at him. Though jokingly.

“You’re not a love child, babe. You’re our husband,” Chuck grinned while Marsha giggled. I rolled my eyes at them. “A high-maintenance one at that,” he added with a bigger grin.

That was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard anyone say. And they had been saying that a lot. 

Like, a lot.

“Whatever,” I said and turned to Allen, trying to stop myself from getting any more embarrassed. “Sure you don’t want anything?” I asked him.

“What? You want to treat him?” Chuck teased.

“I got lotsa vouchers,” I grinned shamelessly at him as I fished my pocket for the vouchers. Chuck stuck his tongue out at me and I returned it.

“Nah, I’m good,” Allen answered. “But thanks anyway.”

“Sure,” I smiled back at him.

“Hey, by the way. Can I ask you something?” Chuck asked Allen and the man turned to Chuck. “Do you live in that huge mansion just outside the city? I’ve seen that a few times on TV. That’s some badass place you got,” he said.

“Well, yeah. That’s my home. My parents’ place,” he said rather embarrassedly. He scratched his nose when he was embarrassed, or so it seemed. “But I’m currently living in the dorm actually,” he told us.

“Really? Which building?” I asked, suddenly curious and feeling so very nosy.

“F Building room 12B,” he said and I squealed.

“Hey! That’s just two doors away from me!” I exclaimed, suddenly feeling very excited.

No idea why.

“Really?” he asked back, looking slightly relieved.

Also no idea why.

“Uh-huh,” I nodded. “But we never even once bumped into each other though I’ve been living there for almost three years now.”

“I’ve been there longer,” he said, chuckling. Right, he was a 3rd year student. A year older. “I guess we just have very different schedules.”

“Maybe,” I said to him. “I’m always busy and go out very early and get back very late.”

“We should hang out more,” was his response.

I smiled at that and nodded my agreement. It should be fun. He looked proper, unlike Chuck.

“You want to hang out with this guy?” Chuck asked Allen who looked at him confused. Chuck had his mischievous smile on. “He’s cheap, man. Just look at us. All we get is a treat in the campus’ cafeteria using vouchers,” he snorted as Marsha giggled and I pouted.

“Hard-earned ones!” I smacked his head. “If you have a problem with it, pay for your own damn food,” I put the vouchers back into my pocket.

“See, cheap,” Chuck grinned as he put his hand around my neck and pulled me closer to him so he could mess more with my hair.

Allen was only laughing at our antics and I could feel my face heating up from embarrassment. 

“Oops, I think I got to go,” Allen said when his phone started to ring.

Must be his girlfriend, I thought.

Allen then got up, grabbed his bag and waves, “I’ll see you guys later,” he said before answering his phone and walked away.

“He seems okay,” Chuck said.

Here we go again.

I sighed almost automatically.

Marsha was giggling, though. I rolled my eyes at Chuck. He was always like this. Ever so conscious with other people that tried to get close to us. Mostly because he was so damn overprotective of me and Marsha.

“He’s okay,” I said without much thinking. I was a pretty bad judge of character, so I basically had no voice in this matter.

“He’s fine, Chuck,” Marsha said to him, a little too sternly.

But, just my imagination? 

Well, she knew Allen longer than us, since she was friends with his girlfriend so she reassured Chuck who was staring at her in return, a little too fiery.

Yep, just my imagination, I decided.

“The most suspicious one here is you,” I said jokingly at Chuck and earned a slap to the back of my head from that.

“We’ll have to see,” he said, sticking his tongue out to me while I rolled my eyes at his unreasonable demeanor.

Unreasonable at that time.