Despite her only experience was through Julia. Nora still decides that dating apps were the worst and should be removed from her phone, and it’s what she did after coming back to her boarding house. Lily tagged along, walking from her behind and stayed silent throughout the commute.

Nora appreciates the quiet, feeling a hand rubbing her back as she was shaky with the experience. Her lips quiver and tears unshed, the inhale she takes were deep, heavy – each were in a slow pace to regulate her feelings.

 As she finally enters the room, she undresses.

She hears a gasp but it didn’t matter. Her comfort was what she seeks and all she wanted was a short bath.

“Um, should I stay outside?” Lily offers, hand wrapped around the doorknob and eyes shut closed. Her nose scrunches along and brows furrowed.

Nora just shrugs then answers, “if you’re uncomfortable then yeah. I’m going take wash myself from her scent and hopefully wake up as a new woman.”

Lily chuckles, quick and light. It barely leaves its own trace in the air and Nora wonders if the noise was in her head. But she didn’t question, concentrating in wearing her indoor slippers and enters the bathroom with a sigh.

She stares in the mirror and wasn’t even shock on the lipstick mark still intact. Well, it was losing color but its form was visible under the bathroom light. Nora lightly treads her finger on it before whipping her head away from the mirror, content in erasing everything with the cold water and facial cleanser.

Her teeth brushed; her body scrubbed. Nora was enlightened by the scent of her own soap on her skin, her hair was slightly damp but nothing worrying. The pail was refilled with more water and Nora puts the water dipper back inside. She got rid of the excess water in her soap case and her empty sachet of toothbrush have been thrown away.

Nora wraps her towel around her body and steps out of the bathroom.

Lily must’ve turned on the air conditioning and the breeze causes her to shiver. Nora welcomes the cold, however, and immediately hasten to the drawer where she plucks the first clothes stacked on top.

With only her pajamas and shirt, Nora sat down on Lily’s bed.

Her phone was on her desk. She used to hesitate in the idea of handing out her number, reluctantly deciding to wait until she finally meets Julia in person and now, she’s thankful for it. Who knows if Julia would bombard her with calls and texts in various apologies and threats.

Maybe Julia has enough pride to leave her alone and vents to her friends about how awful Nora is. And honestly, she’d rather her image tarnished than having someone clinging to her after an awful time.

Lily finally enters the room and hands her a coupon from the café they usually go to.

Nora chuckles.

“They’re going to celebrate their second-year anniversary and were handing out coupons if you order their milk tea,” Lily explains, “and Janice has a lot so she gave me some.”

In Lily’s hands were more coupons with different meals having certain discounts and benefits. Nora just laughs, knowing their neighbors would definitely hear it through the thin walls. But she couldn’t give a damn at this point.

She took Lily by the wrist, pulling her down to the bed and pats her on the back. The grunts were heard, even the glare was observed as Nora looks down to face her best friend.

“I’ll only give you one if you continue to dislocate my spine,” Lily threatens and hides the coupons inside her shirt.

“Like it matters to me, I’m going to give it to you anyways,” Nora responds with shrug, showing off her coupon with a picture of a milk tea. Then, Lily took it from her grasp and replaces it with hamburger and fries, there’s even free iced tea.

“Thanks,” Nora says, almost like a whisper. Her stomach fluttering with things she can’t understand, and for now she doesn’t want to.

Her gaze never leaves the smile on Lily’s face. The scent of her friend’s perfume was less of a strain to her nose than Julia’s. The touch she leans against differs, it’s soft and welcoming and cooperative to her request for some space between them.

When she felt her friend’s lips on her cheeks. Nora can’t help but compare it to Julia’s – it’s how she realizes the bullshit she had to go through just to have something Julia couldn’t give to her.

Anyone would lucky to have Lily as their partner.

“Oh, by the way,” Nora brought up as she realizes something, “It’s a good thing you and Janice were there in the boulevard. I don’t know what I’d do if I was alone.”

Lily blushes, lips thinned all of a sudden. She turns her back on Nora, stuttering an excuse that only manages to get it right after the second time. “O-oh, Janice called and she said she was craving for some kikiam and wanted me to come along since… we’re both on our period.”

“Cool, cool,” Nora comments, liking the friendship Lily was engaging with another person.

Lily wasn’t exactly a loner in high school but she always has a line where people aren’t supposed to walk beyond it. For Nora, it was different.

And Nora likes that she’s different.