A truly terrible idea
JENNIE
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In the morning, I wake to snoring. Lots of really loud, really obnoxious snoring. Always with the fucking snoring.
I throw the pillow over Lisa's head and hold it there. Not enough to harm her, just enough to suffocate her a little. She snorts and rolls over, and I'm greeted by her glorious morning erection. Nayeon's initial assessment of Lisa was correct—she does look like Thor. The walking embodiment. And Lisa was right, too. She does have a magical hammer. A long thick shaft, silky soft skin, and a rosy tip. I swallow hard and resist the urge to touch it. Though I want to—I really, really want to—I'm sore after last night's love-making. And I think I have sand where there just shouldn't be sand. Why the hell did I let her talk me into sex in the ocean?
I sigh, and ignore my protesting muscles, the way my entire body aches from misuse. Lisa wasn't kidding about having stamina enough to last all night. I'm pretty sure we saw the sun come up.
I throw the sheet off me and slide across the bed, but a thick arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back toward her. "I have to get up."
"No, you don't."
"I need to pee, and then we need to get ready for brunch."
"Fine, go pee but no brunch. Fuck brunch. I just want to stay here and eat you."
"Lisa," I say, turning in her arms.
"Oh no. I know that tone of voice."
"I'm just ... you and I are ... well, we're a terrible idea."
"We weren't a terrible idea last night." She slides her hand over the curve of my hip, down my thigh, and back up again, then she trails it over my lower abdomen and between my legs. All bets are off, all conversation ceases, and Lisa and I find new ground. One where our bodies do all the talking and our mouths are oddly quiet.
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When we do eventually make it out of my bungalow, we're a good twenty-five minutes late for brunch. Lisa can't keep her hands to herself. I suppose it's a little late to worry that everyone will know because ... hello, embarrassing sexcapade in front of the whole wedding. We both grab a plate and hit the line for the buffet, which of course means it's open season where our mothers are concerned.
"Good morning," Mrs. Manoban says.
"Morning." Lisa kisses her mom on the cheek. I cringe a little when I think about where that mouth was a half an hour ago.
"Good morning, Mrs. Manoban," I say, almost asphyxiating when she squeezes me too tightly. I then hug my own mother, because it would be awkward not to. "Mom."
"Jennie, you're looking positively radiant this morning." Mrs. Manoban gives me the kind of smile I reserve for Magnolia cupcakes.
"Alright, ease up, Mother," Lisa says, snaking an arm around my waist. "Yes, Jennie and I had sex all night, and twice this morning."
I groan, my mother chuckles, and Mrs. Manoban slaps her daughter's forearm playfully. "That's quite enough, young girl."
"Well, it was what you wanted to know, wasn't it?"
"Perhaps in much less specific detail," she says.
"Come now, Mother. You know you love to hear all the juicy details. Then you can tell your friends about it. I know how you ladies behave at high tea."
Mrs. Manoban laughs, and even my own mother seems to find Lisa hilarious. I shake my head and concentrate on the buffet. I take several pieces of fresh fruit, a muffin, and a slice of toast, then I head toward the bridal party table and set my plate down opposite Chaeng.
She smirks at me. "Morning."
I fight my smile as I stare down at my plate. "Morning, Mrs. Lee."
"Oh no, you're not getting off that easily," she says.
Lisa sets her plate beside mine and flops down in the chair next to me. "That's what I said this morning, but she came in thirty seconds flat anyway."
Chaeng practically squeals. "Oh my God, this is so exciting. You have to tell me everything now."
June chooses that moment to sit beside Lisa. He gives his sister a wry grin. "You dog. You know I'm broken-hearted that the prettiest woman I danced with last night wound up in your bed."
"Actually, she was in mine," I say, stabbing a forkful of cantaloupe and popping it in my mouth.
"And your couch, your bathroom, your back deck, the pool, the ocean—"
"Eww, remind me not to go swimming today," Chaeng says.
"So, looks like June will be joining us in making an honest living from now on." Chan, who's been awfully quiet since we sat down, throws his napkin on his empty plate. "How's it feel to be going to work for dear old dad, huh?"
June cringes. "Like I just sold my soul to the devil."
"So, what was this? Some kind of revenge fuck for you?" Chan says, and his glare is directed right at me.
Lisa stills. I take a deep breath and smile at my ex.
"No, Chan," I say. "Though it may be hard for you to believe, not everything is about you."
"Right, well I know it's not the case for Lisa. I mean, her apartment was at stake."
"Dude, shut the fuck up," Lisa says, punching Chan in the arm.
I glance at Chan and then Lisa, and finally to June. They share the same guilty expression. I narrow my eyes and a strangled laugh escapes me. "Why would you go to work for your father, and what do you mean Lisa gets to keep her apartment?" I glance at Lisa. "Were you moving?"
"No, I'm not moving."
"Only because she nailed you." Chan leans back in his chair and wraps an arm around Chaeng.
"What?" I glare at them both.
"Chan, shut the fuck up," Lisa sneers.
"Not cool, man," June says.
I turn to Lisa, demanding answers I know she has no intention to give. My stomach roils, and a wave of nausea rolls over me. "You bet on whether or not I was a sure thing?"
She grabs my hand. "Jennie, it wasn't—"
"I was a bet to you?" I yank free from her grasp and stand, tears pricking my eyes, I swallow around the lump in my throat.
"Pop Tart, come on. It wasn't like that."
"Then why don't you tell me what it was like?"
"I ..." she says and peters off, and that's all the explanation I'm going to get, it seems.
"What was it like?" I demand. Several eyes turn toward us. I glance at Chaeng, Chan, June, and Lisa. "Did you know? Did everyone know? Was I just a joke to all of you?"
"I didn't know," Chaeng insists. "I would never be privy to this. I would never let Chan get away with this."
Chan turns to his wife with a raised brow and scoffs. "Let me get away with it?"
"Come on, Pop Tart. Sit down. You're reading too much into this."
June chimes in, "Jennie, it wasn't—"
"I should have known." I stare down at Lisa, all cool, calm, and collected, and I laugh without humor. "I should have known better than to sleep with you. This is my fault. You fuck a whore, you only have yourself to blame when you feel like trash afterward. Guess I shouldn't have expected anything less, right?"
"Jennie—"
"Don't," I say, holding up my hands to ward her away.
"Jennie, it's not what you think," June says, and I shake my head and turn from all of them. I don't mean to run away like a little girl, but I do because I refuse to let that jackass see me cry. I run back to my bungalow and slam the door. Then I kick it, several times. God, I am such an idiot. How could I let myself get swept up in Manoban the Ass? And as if ruining Chaeng's cake, and having very public sex with Lisa wasn't enough, I've now become the woman who steals the bride's thunder at her fucking post-wedding brunch.
From the other side, Lisa says, "Let me in."
"No."
"Just let me explain. It's not as bad as you think."
"Not as bad as I think?" I turn and yank the door open, because yelling at her face-to-face is so much more satisfying. "You bet your apartment that you could get me to sleep with you."
"Actually, I bet my apartment I'd have you naked beneath me before the weekend was out, but sleeping works too."
"Not helping."
"It wasn't real. It's just something June and I do."
"So what you said to me last night before the fireworks—that was all just so you could win some stupid bet?" Her guilty expression is all the answer I need. "You make me sick."
I cover the sob that escapes my throat. How could I have been so fucking stupid? How could I have trusted her, trusted that she actually felt something for me? I should have known better. I should have never allowed this to happen. "I'm just a joke to you, is that it? One big fucking joke to all of you. Poor Jennie—she's so pathetic."
Lisa flinches. I don't know what it means, but it doesn't look good.
I shove her hard. She stumbles back a few paces. "Get out."
"Jennie—"
"No, shut your mouth. I don't want to hear any more of your lies." I lower my voice and imitate the Lisa who was inside me this morning, "Oh baby, you feel so fucking good. God, I love the way you feel in my arms." I choke back tears. "Do you have any idea how humiliated I am? This was all a game to you, but you hurt me."
"God damn it, woman." She rakes a hand through her hair as if she's the one who has a right to be agitated. "It's not what you think."
"Oh, really? Then what's it like?"
"I ... I don't ..." she peters off and I just shake my head.
"God, you can't even lie to me properly. Rot in hell, Lisa." I slam the door in her face and lock the deadbolt, then I throw all of my belongings into my suitcase. I can't stay here, not with everyone around. I can't have all of the guests knowing that I was a pity fuck, or worse—I was a bet, a dare. Nothing she said to me over this weekend can be trusted because Lisa Manoban can't be trusted.
When I'm all packed, I stare at the bed we made love on. No, the bed she lied to me on. Because why would a woman like Lisa Manoban ever want someone like me? The crazy lady. The control freak.
I wish I'd never agreed to come to this wedding. I wish I'd never laid eyes on Lisa Manoban.
With my suitcases in tow, I head to the hotel to check out but the woman on the front desk tells me that there will be no more planes leaving today on account of the weather, and since they're charging me for my room regardless, I slink back to my bungalow with my tail between my legs.
Later, when the heat is stifling, and the air is still, I open the shutters and step out onto the deck as the rain begins to pour. It's probably not the smartest move, but I lie on the wet sunbed and let the water wash me clean.
As my tears dry up, I forgive myself for being idiot enough to fall for Lisa Manoban.
I will never fall prey to someone like her again.
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