"... that line just won't work on me."

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Barney asks the sniffling brunette.
She glares at him.

If looks could kill, Mitch thinks to himself, Barney would be dead right now.

"No." she said, clearly wishing that she could just get her ice cream & pay for it.
"Well, then. How about we meet up tomorrow?" Barney asked.

The brunette let out a laugh & shook her head. "Sorry. That line just won't work on me. & I think my cookie dough is melting."
She took her ice cream & walked out of the door, humming to herself.

"Ouch!" he yells at her, placing a hand on his heart - or where it's supposed to be, anyway.
Barney turns to Mitch & says, "That's my Dream Girl. She's going to come back, I'm sure."
"Whatever you say, Barney," Mitch says sympathetically while patting him on the back but Barney shrugs it off.

"What about you? Where's your Dream Girl?" Barney asks.
Mitch raises an eyebrow, causing Barney to say, "Hey, man! Don't be cynical on love."
"Please don't touch me." Mitch says.
"Hey, don't you wanna pick up your phone?"

Mitch shrugs & says, "Please. I bet it's my sister trying to boss me around for a ride or something."
"You sure? It keeps ringing nearly every five minutes."
"That's my sis."

The guys keep silent for a while until the brunette returns.
Mitch is very sure that Barney would have a coronary right there & then.

"I told you she'd be back!" Barney whispers excitedly as he reaches for the chocolate mint flavor.
"Mitch? Why are you still here?" the brunette asks.

Barney looks back & forth from the brunette & Mitch.

MItch looks at her & says amusedly, "Because my shift doesn't end till 3pm?"
She shoots him her Death Glance & he laughs. "Relax, Anna! Geez. Can't take a joke?"

"You know each other?" Barney blurts out.
"Well, yea. Through James. Have you visited him yet?" She turns & faces Mitch. "I'm on my way right now."
"Why are you visiting him? In case you're oblivious through the chemistry between Shanice & my uncle..."
"James, this isn't funny! How can you joke about your uncle?"

Wait.

"We are talking about James, aren't we?"
"Who's comatose, Mitch! Didn't your parents call you or anything?"

& suddenly it seems that Mitch's world fall apart.
James... Comatose...?
He rushes to his phone & sees his sister's name on the top of the list, his parents' name following below.

"Tell the Boss I'm off." Mitch says over his shoulder.
"Hey!" Barney says but Mitch didn't have time.

He runs out the door, dragging Anna, ignoring her muttering ("Serves you right for not picking up the phone calls.").

"Her social skills were just as good as her fish"

"&-& the minute I-I got to his house, h-his maid tells me..." Shanice lets out a loud sob.
"Tells you what, Shan?" Anna asks.
"That James is in a coma!" she wails.

Anna squirms in her seat. If choosing between taming a wild bull while wearing a red shirt or comforting someone, she'd choose the bull.
Her social skills were just as good as her fish - no, her fish are better.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He's young. Comatose patients his age usually gets better," Anna says lamely.
"R-really?" Shanice sniffs.
"Really," Anna assures her.
"Thanks, Anna. You're the best."
"Har." she says.
"No, really. You always think so badly of yourself. But you're really better than that."
"Wish Mr & Mrs Bom my regards," Anna says.
"Bye,"
"Bye."

Anna hangs up the phone & finds a tear in her eye herself.
Shanice is one of her closest friends & so is James. Shanice is practically an older sister to her!

Meaning James is her brother-in-law.

"What's wrong?" a deep voice asks.
She looks up. Way up.

"H-Hi, Colin," she stammers.
Anyone would stammer. By sitting down just makes Colin Turner possible the KL tower!

Being a six foot two is an impressive feat at the mere age of fifteen.

"I have a friend," he says. "Who keeps repeating the question how are you until the person tells the truth. So. What's up?"
Anna smiles again then heaves a sigh.

"It's just my friend. He's in a coma."
Colin keeps silent & puts his hand on Anna's.

She looks up questioningly & sees something - something - in his green eyes.
So, really, who could blame her for kissing him?

But not a real kiss. Just a quick kiss on the lips.

Before Colin could say/do anything, Anna gets up & says, "I'm sorry." before running off, leaving Colin hopelessly behind.

Anna couldn't think of one place to go.
But what other option could there be for a miserable experience than ice cream?

"OK, ice cream parlor, here we come," she said to herself.