Chapter 15

Jennie

I had so much fun last night.

I ate Sorn's disgusting pizza and then she told me all about how she and Bobby started dating. That only solidified my opinion of their weirdness. Then we watched Justice League and fast forwarded through all the parts Jason Momoa wasn't in.

I don't remember much after that because we were several bottles of wine in. My sleep and my fun were both cut abruptly short today when Sorn shook me awake and shoved Irene's Instagram post in my face.

I'm more hurt than angry. I'm sure Lisa will have an excuse. She always does. But what's Irene's excuse? I know, in a sense, I'm the other woman who came between them. I was the Krystal in that situation. But I honestly thought we were all beyond that. From the way Bobby and Lisa made it sound, she took it well and was even mature about it. But this feels so…petty. Gross, even.

I couldn't stand being in Lisa's apartment after seeing her post. The way I felt reminded me of the stark and pitiful misery I went through while I lived there. And the entire place smelled like pepperoni and anchovies. I told Sorn I was going back to my place, and she went to her room to grab her stuff and told me she was going with me.

I think she might be just as upset as I am, because she brought another bottle of wine with her, and now we're drinking again and it's barely two o'clock in the afternoon. But I don't mind that she's here. I actually prefer it, because I really don't want to be alone right now or I'll over-analyze this entire situation and come up with far-fetched reasons for her being on that bed before she can even explain herself.

Sorn is sitting cross-legged on my bed. She reaches to the floor and grabs her purse, pulling her phone out of it. "That's it. I can't take it. I'm commenting on her Instagram post."

I try to pull her phone away. "Don't. I don't even want her to know I saw it. It'll serve her purpose."

Sorn rolls onto her stomach to protect her phone from me. "That's why I said I'll comment. I'll say something to make her feel as insecure as she's trying to make you feel. I'll tell her she looks healthy. Everyone knows when you tell someone they look healthy, it really means fat."

"You can't say that to someone who is actually sick. And really skinny."

Sorn groans and then rolls onto her back, tossing her phone aside. "She deleted it! Dammit!"

Thank God. I appreciate Sorn's support, but I really don't need her wedging herself into mine and Lisa's—and Irene's—issues.

"You want me to call Bobby and ask him what happened?" Sorn almost sounds giddy. She would be one to thrive on drama.

And I'm not gonna lie. I've thought about calling Bobby myself because I have so many questions. I know they're driving back right now and Lisa will probably come over and try to explain herself, but it would be nice to be a little enlightened beforehand so I know exactly how much and how loud I should yell at her when she arrives. Not that the decibel of my voice will matter in our argument, but it might make me feel better to scream at her.

Sorn calls Bobby and puts the phone on speaker.

"Hey, Babe," he says as he answers.

"So, what the fuck happened last night?" Sorn says.

Yeah, she doesn't know how to do anything with tact. Bobby clears his throat, but before he starts speaking, I interrupt him.

"Are you signing this conversation for Lisa? I really don't want to talk to her right now."

"I'm driving," Bobby says. "Kind of hard for me to drive, hold my phone, eat this cheeseburger and sign everything I'm saying. Besides, she's staring out the passenger window, brooding."

Sorn leans toward the phone. "Jennie and Lisa's relationship is in jeopardy, yet you guys had time to stop for burgers?"

"I stopped for a burger. Lisa won't eat until all is right in the world of Ridney."

I roll my eyes. "Well, then, she's gonna be really hungry by tonight."

"She didn't do anything wrong, Jennie," Bobby says. "I swear. That was all Irene."

"She was asleep on her bed!" Sorn says.

"Yeah, because she spent two hours repairing the generator to her vest and then had to hold the cord so Irene could use it. She didn't sleep all night and when she finally did get a few hours of sleep, Irene took a picture of her and went and pulled some really shady shit. I'm telling you, it was all Irene. I've never seen her like this."

I glance up at Sorn. I don't know if I can trust Bobby. As if she can sense what I'm thinking, she says, "We're not stupid, Bobby. Bros before hos. You would defend Lisa even if she murdered you."

"Hold on," Bobby says. "I need to take a drink."

Sorn and I wait and listen as he slurps down a drink. I fall back onto my bed, frustrated with Bobby. With Lisa. With Irene. But for once, I'm not at all frustrated with Sorn.

"Okay," Bobby says. "Here's what happened. After we left the hospital and got back to Irene's house last night, it was an entire hour of them screaming at each other. It's like they both released years of aggression all at once, and there were so many insults coming from both sides. All of the—"

"Wait," Sorn says. "Now I know for a fact you're lying."

"I'm not lying!" Bobby says defensively.

"You said they were screaming at each other. Lisa can't scream, you idiot."

I press my hand to my forehead. "It's sort of a figure of speech in this situation, Sorn. She was angry and she was signing. Bobby refers to it as screaming." Sorn shoots me a look of suspicion, like she still doesn't trust what Bobby is saying. I give my attention back to the phone. "Why were they fighting?"

"Why weren't they fighting? Lisa was mad because she was there and Irene wasn't even that sick. Lisa was mad Irene isn't taking her health seriously, and it's starting to inconvenience those around her. Iren was mad because Lisa brought up the fact that Irene was inconveniencing you and was putting a strain on your relationship with Lisa. I'm telling you, I've never seen them like this. And it wasn't the kind of fighting that me and Sorn do, where we're just trying to get under each other's skin. This was legit—I'm fucking angry at you—fighting."

I close my eyes, hating the entire situation. I'm not pleased that they're fighting. That's helping no one. But it does explain why Irene posted that picture. It wasn't to get back at me. She was pissed at Lisa, and her best form of revenge on her is to involve me.

"And then they both got mad at me," he says. "All the yelling caused her to start vomiting, and then Lisa made her wear her vest, and she fell asleep on Irene's bed during one of her treatments. As soon as she woke up, she went to the couch and slept for four hours until I woke her up and InstaGate happened. And that's the whole story."

I kick my legs on the mattress. "Ugh! I don't know who to be mad at! I just need to be mad at someone!"

Sorn points to the phone and whispers, "Be mad at Bobby. It's a great stress reliever." She raises her voice so he can hear her. "Why did they get mad at you?"

"Not important," Bobby says. "We're pulling up to your apartment right now, Jennie. Let us in."

He ends the call, and I don't even know if I feel any better. I never thought Lisa was in Irene's bed because she was cheating on me. I knew she probably had a valid excuse related to her health. But why couldn't they have been on the couch together, instead? Or the floor? Why did she have to fall asleep in a place where they've probably been intimate with each other for years?

I stand up. "I need more wine."

"Yep, yep. Wine," Sorn says, following me to my kitchen.

When Lisa and Bobby finally make it inside, I've just downed my second glass for the day. Bobby walks in first, and then Lisa walks in. I hate how Lisa frantically searches for me and then looks relieved when she sees me. I just want to stay mad at her, but she makes it so hard with those kissable lips and apologetic eyes.

I know what I'll do. I just won't look at her. That way I won't succumb so easily to my forgiveness. I spin around so that I can't see Lisa or the door. I can only see Bobby as he tries to hug Sorn, but she pushes against his forehead.

Turning my back on Lisa doesn't do me any good, because she walks up behind me and wraps her arms around me, tucking her face into the space between my neck and shoulder. She kisses me softly on the neck and keeps her arms wrapped around me, apologizing without words.

I don't accept this apology. I'm still mad, so I remain stiff and don't react to her touch. Externally, anyway. Internally, I just combusted.

Sorn downs the rest of her wine, then gives her attention to Bobby. "Why were Lisa and Irene mad at you?"

I want to hear Bobby's answer, but Lisa releases me, turning me so that I'm face to face with her. She slides her hands to my cheeks and looks at me very seriously. "I'm sorry."

I shrug. "Still hurts."

Bobby ignores Sorn's question and walks toward me and Lisa. I glance over Lisa's shoulder as Bobby touches his chest, looking somewhat guilty. "It was mostly my fault, Jennie. I'm really sorry."

"Figures," Sorn says, walking to the kitchen for more wine. She walks right between Lisa and me, separating us completely. "Just spill it, Bobby."

Bobby squeezes the back of his neck with his hand as he winces. "Well. Funny story…"

"I bet it's a riot," Sorn deadpans.

Bobby ignores her and continues. "I might have exaggerated about the phone call with Irene. She wasn't crying, and she technically didn't beg us to come. I just knew if I didn't stretch the truth a little, Lisa wouldn't have gone."

Sorn's mouth drops open. She makes a shocked sound and then looks at me, then back at Bobby. "You wanted a sleepover with your ex-girlfriend so you lied to everyone?"

"You're such an asshole, Bobby," I say. Why would he lie and put Lisa in that situation yesterday? God, I am so angry at him. It feels good to finally have a solid target for my anger.

"Look," Bobby says, throwing his hands up in the air. "Lisa and Irene were way overdue for a conversation about this. I wasn't doing it to be malicious. I was trying to be helpful!"

"Yeah, sounds like the entire trip was a success," I say.

Bobby shrugs, placing his hands on his hips. "There may not be a resolution yet, but Irene needed to hear everything Lisa had to say. In fact, I think you'd be proud of her. After last night and everything she said to defend you, there isn't a doubt in my mind that she's one hundred percent aboard the Jennie train."

I fold my arms over my chest. "You mean you had doubts before last night?"

Bobby looks up at the ceiling. "Not what I meant." He looks at Sorn, and I can tell he's done with this day already. "Let's go. They need privacy. So do we."

Sorn pulls out a chair at the bar and takes a seat. "No. I'm not finished with my wine."

Bobby walks to the counter and grabs the bottle of wine. Then he takes her glass out of her hands and walks out the front door with it. Sorn looks at the door and then at me. Then at the door and then at me again. Her eyes are full of panic. She points helplessly at the door. "Wine."

"Go," I say, walking around Lisa, toward the door.

She rushes to the door and I shut it behind her. When I turn back around, Lisa is leaning her head against the refrigerator, staring at me. I sigh and stare back at her, hating how tired she looks. As irritated as I am at Bobby, I'm relieved she explained everything. I'm not as angry at Lisa.

Lisa pulls her phone out and starts to text me. I go to my room and get my phone and then head back to the kitchen as I read her text.

Lisa: I have no idea what's been happening for the last ten minutes. No one signed a single word of any of that and it's really hard to read lips when people are angry and moving around.

My shoulders drop when I read her text. I feel bad that we all just excluded her while we argued around her.

Jennie: To sum it up, Bobby said you were innocent and he was guilty and Irene was bitter and it was just a huge cluster-fuck of a slumber party.

Lisa reads the texts and then shrugs a shoulder.

Lisa: No matter the reason, I shouldn't have been on Irene's bed without thinking about how that would make you feel. But for the record, I fell asleep during her treatment and then moved to the couch as soon as I woke up.

Jennie: Well, it wasn't soon enough. Because it bit you right in the ass.

Lisa: Whoever said Karma is a bitch must have never met her. Because Karma is very friendly and she follows me around everywhere I go. Everywhere. All the time.

I smile, but Lisa just looks so sad. I hate that we're in the position to have to make up after another argument, and we haven't even been together a week. I hope this isn't any indication of how the rest of our relationship is going to go. Of course, the first argument was all her fault and she was being a tool. But this one…

I don't know. From what I gathered through Bobby's explanation, Lisa really is making a huge attempt at putting me first. It's just hard when there are so many obstacles. Oh, man. Did I just refer to Irene as an obstacle? She's not an obstacle. Her recent behavior is the obstacle.

Lisa: Can I please kiss you? I need to. So bad.

I smile a little as I read her text. She must see it because she doesn't even wait for me to look up and answer her. She just rushes toward me and lifts my face and then presses her mouth firmly to mine. She kisses me like she's starved for me. It's my favorite kind of kiss from her. It's so desperate and mostly one-sided from her that the strength behind her kiss ends up forcing me backward. She continues kissing me until my back is against the living room wall. But as desperate as it is, it's not a sensual kiss. It's just full of need. A need to feel me and know I'm not upset. A need for reassurance. A need for forgiveness.

After a good minute of her kissing me, she presses her forehead to mine. Still, even after I've let her kiss me, she seems distraught. I slide my hand up to her cheek and brush my thumb across it, bringing her eyes to mine.

"Are you okay?"

She inhales and then slowly exhales. She nods unconvincingly and then pulls me against her. I barely have time to wrap my arms around her when she bends down and slides an arm behind my knees and lifts me up. She carries me to the bedroom and lowers me to the bed.

Whatever is still bothering her can wait, because her mouth is on mine again. But this time her kiss isn't a need for my reassurance. It's just a need for me. She pulls her shirt over her head and then stands up and slides off my pajama bottoms. Then she's over me again, her tongue in my mouth, her hand sliding up my thigh, lifting my leg.

I want to hear her. Since the moment I described how hot her noises were last night, I've been craving them all. I unzip her jeans and slip my hand inside, pulling her out and guiding her inside of me.

Her mouth is against my neck when I get her groan. It rumbles up her chest as she pushes into me, and then she sighs, softly, as she pulls out. She repeats the rhythm and I close my eyes. The entire time she makes love to me, I remain quiet and listen to the sensual sounds of Lisa.