"On a scale from one to ten, how confident are you that you'll get the job?"

"I don't know. Maybe a six? Or a seven?" Lance sighed lightly and stared into their mug. "Kay said she thought I'd do good in a teaching position."

"That's what we've all been saying!" Lin smiled and grabbed one of Lance's hands. "We're all sure you'll get the job."

"Who is 'we'?"

"Me and Aiden," Lin replied, speaking a little hesitantly. "And I might have mentioned the interview to his mom. And dad. And maybe his sister."

"Lin."

"I'm sorry it just slipped out!" Lin buried their face in their hands. The barista set its muffin on the table and they looked up. "Thank you. It's hard not to talk about you - I care about you a lot."

"You have to start watching your words," Lance told them, trying not to sound upset. "I'm already a little uncomfortable with Aiden knowing - I certainly didn't want his whole family knowing."

"If it makes you feel better, Mrs. Sanchez is excited to meet you."

"What do you mean?"

"So, funny story - when I brought your interview up, she said I should bring you to the next family dinner to celebrate your interview. It's in three days."

"I don't know Aiden!" Lance's voice was strained. "I don't know him or his family!"

"You're bound to get to know him somehow."

"I-I know." Lance sighed, rubbing their hand over their face, "I-I just don't know how I feel about going over to a stranger's house for family dinner."

"Aiden isn't really a stranger."

"I don't know him," Lance repeated, "He is a stranger to me. I know of him and I talked to him once over the phone about school. We don't know each other."

"So get to know each other! He's excited about getting to know you."

Lance thought about it for a second. If they got the job, they'd be hanging around Aiden more often, and it'd be nice to actually know somebody before starting. And if they didn't get the job, Lance would have a new friend. There wasn't a loss situation they could see.

"Ok. I'll go to a family dinner. But only if you promise to stop talking about my unemployment so much."

"Deal!"

Lin spilled their mug of coffee as they tried to shake Lance's hand.