Jen stirs her coffee cup a couple of times before taking a sip, but it must’ve been a little too hot because she immediately puts it down again.

“You know, just because I’m probably the only friend she has, doesn’t mean that she tells me everything. Or that I know everything.” She says, cutting a piece of her cake with a fork.

“And just because I tell you about her, doesn’t mean you’ll learn anything” she adds before stuffing it into her mouth and a delighted expression spreads on her face when it reaches her taste buds.

“I know. I don’t even know why I’m here talking to you about her” I tell her honestly.

“Well, we’re here now and you already bought me cake and everything, so… Might as well ask your questions” she says taking another bite.

I guess she’s right. I take a moment to consider what I want to ask her while watching her stuffing her face with cake. It’s quite an amusing sight and it makes me chuckle a little bit.

“Doesn’t she… seem lonely?” I suddenly blurt out.

Jen looks at me surprised and cake almost spills out of her open mouth.

“Nail on the head, huh?” she says after she’s swallowed, “didn’t you guys only sleep together once?”

“Twice” I correct her, though it seems like a petty detail.

I guess Mona has told Jen about me. I don’t know if that should make me happy or embarrassed.

“Still, that’s quite perceptive. Most of guys don’t really bother talking to me – figure they don’t have to when she’s like that– “

“Like what?” I interrupt her.

“Oh, you know. She sleeps with a lot of guys, doesn’t really care much about it” she says, but suddenly covers her mouth like she just accidentally spilled some big secret.

Well, I guess that information was a little personal.

“Don’t worry, I’ve heard the rumors… And from the way she behaved, I figured it was something like that. It doesn’t bother me” I tell her calmingly.

“Oh, okay” she shrugs.

“But sorry, you were saying” I urge her to continue.

“Right. Most guys don’t really talk to me and the few that have, usually just want to know about her interests or places she goes to so they can accidentally bump into her” she says while gesturing quotation marks when she says ‘accidentally’.

“Well, I would be interested in learning those things too…” I say a little embarrassed, “but that doesn’t really tell me much about her. I guess I’m more interested in learning about why she lives like she does; why she sleeps around and won’t let anyone get close…”

She nods.

“Right…” she draws out the word a little like she doesn’t know what to say.

“You’re her only friend, right?” I ask, to continue the conversation.

“Uh, yeah. Think so” she says and finally seems content with the temperature off her coffee.

“What about family?”

“I don’t really know much about her family, never met ‘em. If I remember correctly, her mom is some big, fancy lawyer while her father is an independent contractor. Don’t think they were around much when she was a kid, so it was mostly just her and her older brother”

“She has an older brother?”

“Yeah… Think his name was Dan or Dean, or something? Something like that, he’s quite a few years older than her but that’s about all I know. She doesn’t like to talk about him much.”

“Why not?” I ask, wondering what’s up about the brother.

She shrugs

“I don’t know. I haven’t tried to press the issue”

Her cake is about finished and she stares at her empty plate, looking a little disappointed.

“Uh, you want another?” I ask her and her face lights up.

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure. Which do you want?” I ask and get ready to move to the counter.

“Uh, the strawberry looked good” she replies with a smile.

“All right, just a moment then”

I go up and order another piece of cake, and while I wait, I contemplate a little what Jen has told me:

Mona’s parents weren’t home much when she was younger, which could lead to some abandonment issues. That could explain the way she behaves around other people – guys in peticular. The way she treats them coldly and keep them at a distance. Though, she had an older brother and if he was a lot older than her, he could’ve been someone who took care of her… but she doesn’t like talking about him, did something happen?

I receive my order and return to our table.

We talk a little further while Jen continues stuffing her face.

“So, what are you going to do?” she suddenly asks me.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how are you going to win her over?”

I consider her question, and honestly? I have no idea.

“I don’t think gifts are going to work, and I’ve seen guys try their best to follow her whims only to be tossed away later” she says.

So, I guess that means it probably wouldn’t have helped me to accept her deal anyway. Well, that’s a relief but it also poses the question: What the hell would even work?

“All right, how about this: Next week there are some guys from chemistry hosting a private party. I know one of the guys have a thing for Mona, so I can get us in also ask them to let you tag along. Then you could talk to her there. Maybe alcohol will make her a little easier to talk to?” she says.

It sounds like that could either be a really great or really terrible idea, but I have no suggestions myself, so I accept her offer.

After that the we engage in a little light conversation. At first it’s mainly about Mona, but then we start talking a little about me and herself and when we broach the subject about architecture and drawing the conversation completely derails. Jen gets really passionate when talking about the things she enjoys, but I don’t dislike that. I understand why Mona likes hanging out with her.

Afterwards I thank her for her time, and we part ways.

I thought I was done with Mona, but I guess I’m a more tenacious guy that I thought…