[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zbmYIyI.png[/img][/center] [hr] [i]“... Yeah mum, I understand. I’ll send you pictures of my results,”[/i] Maya pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried her best to keep the agitation out of her voice. She was glad that her mother didn’t call her often but it was painful every time she did. Still she put up with it because she needed the money her parents sent her for rent and food. [i]“Good. Have you looked at the picture I sent you?” [/i] [i]“Yes.” [/i] [i]“He’s a businessman who lives in Florida at the moment. He’s from a very good family over here that your father is friendly with and he makes an awful lot, you know. They’ve already been in contact with him and he’s interested in meeting you, I just need to know when you’re free to set it up.”[/i] [i]“I’m not going on a blind date, mum.” [/i] [i]“Myeong-Suk,”[/i] her mother’s tone held a warning that had Maya wincing. [i]“You will meet him.”[/i] [i]“I’m busy.”[/i] [i]“I know that you’re not. If you don’t meet any of the men I recommend how are you going to get married to someone suitable? You’re not getting any younger! This is why I didn’t want you to go to university over there.”[/i] [i]This was exactly why she’d wanted to leave.[/i] [i]“I’m not meeting him.”[/i] [i]“Don’t get snappy with me. You will meet him and that’s final, Myeong-Suk.” [/i] Maya let out a frustrated hiss, knowing from experience that arguing with her mother wasn’t going to work. But she [i]had[/i] to get out of it somehow. There was absolutely no way she was going to meet some random man who looked ten years older than him just because her family and his were close. She was only twenty-one for fucks sake. Still, it was something that could be solved with a little lie. [i]“I have a boyfriend.”[/i] [i]“Excuse me? Why am I only hearing about this now?” [/i] [i]“We just got together a week ago,”[/i] Maya lied. She’d never thought to do this before because she knew her mother would see right through her if she wasn’t able to answer all her questions. But since she had someone in mind it made things just a little bit easier. [i]“What’s his name, what’s his date of birth and what time was he born at?”[/i] “Trevor,” Maya sighed, completely unsurprised by the barrage of questions. [i]“Are you going to check our compatibility? We’ve been together for a week.” [/i] [i]“Are you not dating with the plan to get married?”[/i] [i]“Of course not, that’s not how it works anymore. Especially not in America.”[/i] Though getting hooked with an American was pretty tempting for that sweet citizenship. [i]“Well you better convince him to marry you. How tall is he? Send me pictures of him and pictures of you two together.”[/i] [i]“I don’t have any photos… we haven’t taken any together.”[/i] [i]“You haven’t? I thought you were very into, what was it called, taking selfies and uploading them online?”[/i] [i]“Only of myself. I don’t have any of the two of us… or of him.”[/i] [i]“Well you’ll just have to take some to send me,” [/i]her mother hummed, absolutely refusing to take no for an answer. Maya was incredibly tempted to hang up but she knew that would only get her in trouble before the questioning was over. [i]“More importantly, what’s his job?”[/i] [i]“He works for the government.” [/i] [i]“How well does it pay? How high up is he?”[/i] [i]“I don’t know and it doesn’t matter,” [/i]Maya hesitated for a second as she removed her phone from her ear to check the time. She’d been talking to her mum for over half an hour. She had to end this now. [i]“I need to go.”[/i] [i]“Why?”[/i] [i]“I have a study group,”[/i] Maya said easily even though she’d handed in all her due assignments the day before and didn’t even talk to anyone in her course. [i]“For the upcoming exams.”[/i] She could hear her mother thinking before she agreed. [i]“I’ll call you again. Remember to send me pictures.”[/i] [i]“Bye,”[/i] Maya hung up with a frustrated groan, collapsing onto her bed and throwing her phone next to her. She let out a torrent of Korean expletives as she threw an arm over her face. How the fuck was she meant to get a picture with Trevor? Sure, she’d been slowly working things up through the past five or so days of probation meetings. He was cute and easy to flirt with… but that was all it was at the moment. Flirting. What was she supposed to do, turn up to the meeting tomorrow and ask him for a photo? That would be ridiculous. It wasn’t even like she could use someone from the Coven as a stand in. She shook her head and sat back up. Her mother’s intense interest in her dating life wasn’t her main concern right now. She hadn’t even managed to get [i]any[/i] information out of Trevor. Absolutely nothing. Lyss had managed to get something on the first day (the text of which Maya had screenshotted and backed up, just in case). But Maya had nothing. Maybe she’d been concentrating a little too much on other things… Her phone buzzed and she groaned again as she picked it up. She was relieved to see it was a message from the Coven’s Snapchat group (a platform she’d argued against using) rather than her mother. [quote][code]Alright sloots I have important business so let's meet up at the amusement part right now like ASAP it involves big $$$ from Mr Schmidt like i said get to the place ASAP like right fucking now [/code][/quote] It took her a moment to adjust back to English, especially written as shoddily as Emily had. She rolled her eyes but texted back that she’d be there as much as she didn’t want to. She’d already had her classes and “probation” meeting… she’d hoped to spend the rest of the day relaxing in her air conditioned apartment. She’d even taken her makeup off! She’d to put the full thing back on… Normally she’d be alright with a little bit, but she still had two rather obvious bruises from last weekend. At least now they were slowly fading to a less noticeable green than the dark purple they’d been. Still, it required a full face of foundation and concealer to cover at least a bit. Shaking her head, Maya forced herself off her bed to get read. [hr] It was sunny outside, and Maya regretted not wearing sunglasses as she walked into Fantasy land while sucking on a popsicle. She was enjoying the warm weather otherwise - she was much more used to than when it was cold. She wore a [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/34/46/a9/3446a9a71c62844179c9ef6a3d53d12a.jpg]short sleeved, white linen top and a high waisted, navy checked skirt,[/url] with some white sneakers for practicalities sake. Normally she’d dress a little bit more practically (but no less nicely) for the Coven meetings, shorts and the likes, just in case but she really hadn’t had the energy to pick out a new outfit after putting back on all her makeup. She was surprised to find that she was one of the first ones there as she approached the meeting shop. Only Claudette was sitting there along with her favourite alligator. She nodded to the girl. “Hey, Claudette.” Then she squatted down beside Chompy, reaching over to scratch him under the jaw with a wide smile. “And hello Chompy!” If she was honest, Maya really wasn’t the type of girl to like animals. [i]But[/i] Chompy had very quickly made himself an exception in that way. She utterly adored him. Maybe it was partly down to the fact he wasn’t really a normal pet. She continued to lavish him with affection before looking up at Claudette. The two of them hadn’t really talked in all their time in the coven but she figured that maybe today… Well, today was a day for her to be nice for once. Well, try. To one whole person. No guarantees she’d keep it up past that when the more dislikeable members showed up. “How are you doing?” she asked, before realising how awkward that was to ask when they barely talked in the first place. “I wonder what kind of business Emily has? I’m not just saying this out of spite, but I don’t have high hopes for it being anything good. Big money from someone so famous? Sounds dodgy to me… How does he even know about us?” Also, it was Emily. Maya didn’t trust [i]anything[/i] that came from her.