To toe the line, make true the lies

 Yuki wasn't sure if anything was going right these days. Especially, at home with Emily. Evidently, she wasn't home enough, according to Emily. "I miss our Gilmore Girls nights," she said as if she really needed to stay home Friday night so they could catch up.

Yuki only gave her roommate a sigh. She'd have to think about that. Oh, she had been thinking a lot lately.  Yes, Axton was always texting Emily about something and of course, she always replied.

Yuki did get to spend a Sunday afternoon with Jen. It was mostly thrifting, old antique shops and a late lunch at some up-and-coming place within walking distance of where Jen lived. Naturally, she never got around there and was happy to have someone with her in all the old shops. They discussed what they liked when they were young. And how they wished they hadn't been so happy in fishnets and bangles. Still, Yuki was a little nervous. Unsure, of what to do or say. She felt as if she wasn't exactly of Jen's standard, but she did admire her. It was good to get to know her through shopping.

Then Yuki went to Melissa and Riley's dinner party. She felt safe there with Brandon and Declan. Zelli was an added bonus. She did have an appetite. And some of her jokes were over Yuki's head, but she was fun and she did make Yuki laugh.

"Well, what's so funny?" She wanted to know after a dinner of steak and potatoes. 

"I really wish I knew," Yuki felt giddy yet no fear of the unknown. Zelli could talk about so many things. Half the time, Yuki didn't know what she was talking about, but she was full of energy and always positive. She could be showing you how to throw an axe or some ti chi moves. Of course, it was silly, but she was just as serious. 

Really, Yuki was too full for ice cream pie, but Zelli wasn't. Of course, she'd been to the gym. She talked about the martial arts group she was in which wasn't anything like Yuki would think of as martial arts. It was more of a reenactment group that talked about how the normal person got through the middle ages and the weapons they used. Honestly, Yuki didn't want to burst her bubble, but that had nothing to do with Wuxia stories nor anything Chinese from the Ming Dynasty. 

"OK, so maybe it's a mid-west thing," Zelli finally admitted when it was just the two of them. For a moment, Yuki thought maybe Zelli was channeling that golden warrior woman from Game of Thrones. She did have a way of invading your space. But somebody had to take the bulls by the horns and of course, that was Zelli. Before Yuki knew it, she was riding on the back of Zelli's motorcycle into the night. And Yuki found herself laughing all the way home.

At first, Yuki felt bad about all of it. Wondering what Emily would say. Of course, Axton was there when she got home. But Yuki wasn't mad. No, she felt a certain freedom she never knew she had. And it felt like the perfect timing to start something spectacular with someone new.