Jennie's POV
I try to study when I get back to my room but can't seem to focus. After staring at my notes for a couple of hours but not having really read anything, I decide a shower might help. When they're crowded, the coed bathrooms still make me uncomfortable, but no one ever messes with me, so I'm getting used to them.
The hot water feels amazing and loosens up my tense muscles. I should be relieved and happy that Lisa and I have reached some sort of truce, but now anger and annoyance have been replaced by nervousness and confusion. I've agreed to spend time with Lisa tomorrow, doing something "fun," and I am terrified. I just hope it goes well; I don't expect to become best friends with her, but I need us to get to a place where we don't scream at each other every time we talk.
The shower feels so good I stay in there for a while, and when I get back to my room, Wendy's already come and left. I find a note from her saying Bambam is taking her off campus for dinner. I like Bambam; he seems really nice despite his overuse of eyeliner. If Wendy and Bambam continue to see each other then maybe when Kai comes to visit we could all go do something together. Who am I kidding? Kai wouldn't want to hang out with people like them, but I'm aware enough to admit that up until three weeks ago I never would have, either.
I end up calling Kai before bed; we haven't talked all day. He's so polite, he asks about my day as soon as he picks up. I tell him it was good; I should tell him that Lisa and I are going to hang out tomorrow, but I don't. He tells me that his soccer team beat Seattle High by a landslide, even though Seattle's really good. And I'm happy for him, because he seems really happy to have played so well.
THE NEXT DAY GOES BY way too fast. Jisoo and I walk into Literature class, and Lisa is already in her seat. "Are you ready for our date tonight?" she asks and my mouth falls open. Jisoo's does, too. I don't know what I feel more conflicted about: Lisa saying it like that, or how it will affect how Jisoo sees me. Day one of our quest to become friends is not going well so far.
"It's not a date," I say to her, then turn to Jisoo and roll my eyes and nonchalantly say, "We're hanging out as friends," while ignoring Lisa.
"Same thing," Lisa replies.
I avoid her for the rest of the class . . . which is easy since she doesn't really try to talk to me after that.
After class, as Jisoo starts putting her stuff into her backpack, she looks at Lisa, then quietly says to me, "Be careful tonight."
"Oh, we're just trying to get along since my roommate is her good friend," I reply, hoping Lisa doesn't hear me.
"I know, you're really a great friend. I'm just not sure Lisa deserves your kindness," she says, purposefully loud, and I look up at her.
"Don't you have something else to do besides bad-mouth me? Get lost, man," Lisa snaps from behind me.
Jisoo frowns and looks at me again. "Just remember what I said." She walks away, and I worry about how much I've maybe upset her.
"Hey, you don't have to be cruel to her—you guys are practically sisters," I say.
Lisa's eyes go wide. "What did you just say?" she growls.
"You know, your dad and his mom?" Was Jisoo lying? Or was I not supposed to mention this. Jisoo said not to bring up Lisa's relationship with her dad, but I didn't think she meant the whole thing.
"That is none of your business." Lisa looks angrily at the door where Jisoo disappeared. "I don't know why the asshole even told you that. I'm going to have to shut her up, it seems."
"You leave her alone, Lisa. She didn't even want to tell me, but I got it out of her." The idea of Lisa hurting Jisoo makes me sick. I need to change the subject. "So where are we going today?" I ask, and she glares at me.
"We aren't going anywhere; this was a bad idea," she snaps, turns on her heels, and walks away. I stand there for a minute, waiting to see if Lisa changes her mind and will come back.
What the hell? She really is bipolar, I'm sure of it.
BACK IN MY DORM ROOM, I find Rosé, Bambam, and Wendy sitting on her bed. Bambams eyes are focused on Wendy and Rosé s flicking her thumb across the trigger of a metal lighter. I would usually be annoyed with this many unexpected guests, but I really like Rosé and Bambam, and I need the distraction.
"Hey, Jennie! How were classes?" Wendy asks and gives me a big smile. I can't help but notice the way Bambam's face lights up when he looks at her.
"They were okay. You?" I put my books on my dresser and she tells me about her professor spilling hot coffee on himself, making them get out early.
"You look nice today, Jennie", Rosé tells me, and I say thanks and crowd on Wendy's bed with the three of them. The bed really is too small for all of us, but it works. After we've been talking about various weird professors for a few minutes, the door opens and we all turn to see who it is.
It's Lisa. Ugh.
"Geez, man, you could at least knock for once," Wendy scolds her and she shrugs. "I could have been naked or something." She laughs, obviously not angry at her lack of manners.
"Nothing I haven't seen before," she jokes, and Bambam's face falls while the other three chuckle. I can't find the humor, either; I hate thinking about Wendy and Lisa together.
"Oh, shut up," she says, still laughing, and grabs hold of Bambam's hand.
His smile returns and he moves a little closer to her.
"What are you guys up to?" Lisa asks and sits opposite us, on my bed. I want to tell her to get off but I keep quiet. I thought for a second she had come here to apologize, but now I can see she just came to hang out with her friends, and I am not one of them.
Rosé smiles. "We were actually going to go to the movies. Jennie, you should come."
Before I can answer, Lisa speaks up quickly. "Actually, Jennie and I have plans." There is a strange edge to her voice.
God, she's so moody.
"What?" Rosé and Wendy say in unison.
"Yeah, I was just coming to get her." Lisa stands up and puts her hands into her pockets, gesturing toward the door with her body. "You ready or what?"
My mind screams, No! but I nod and slip off Wendy's bed.
"Well, see you all later!" Lisa announces and practically pushes me out the door. Outside, she leads me to her car and, surprising me, opens the passenger door for me. I stand still with my arms crossed, looking at her.
"Well, I'll remember not to ever open a door for you again . . ."
I shake my head. "What the hell was that? I know full well you didn't come here to get me—you just got done telling me that you didn't want to hang out with me!" I yell.
And we are back to yelling at each other. She makes me crazy, literally. "Yes, I did. Now get in the car."
"No! If you don't admit that you didn't come here to see me, I will go back in there and go to the movies with Rosé," I say, which makes her clench her jaw.
I knew it. I don't know how to feel about this revelation, but somehow I knew Lisa didn't want me to go to the movies with Rosé and that's the only reason she's trying to hang out with me now.
"Admit it, Lisa, or I am gone."
"Okay, fine. I admit it. Now get in the damned car. I won't ask again," she says and walks around to the driver's side.
Against my better judgment, I get in, too.
Lisa still looks angry as she pulls out of the parking lot. She turns the screeching music up way too loud. I reach down and shut it off.
"Don't touch my radio," she scolds.
"If you're going to be a jerk the whole time, I don't want to hang out with you." And I mean it. If she's like this, I don't care where we are, I'll hitchhike back to the dorms or something.
"I'm not. Just don't touch my radio."
My thoughts go back to Lisa tossing my notes into the air, and in turn I want to yank hee radio out and throw it out the window. If I knew I could tear it from the dash, I would.
"Why do you care if I go to the movies with Rosé anyway? Wendy and Bambam were going, too."
"I just don't think Rosé has the best intentions," she says quietly, her eyes glued to the road.
I begin to laugh and she frowns. "Oh, and you do? At least Rosé is nice to me." I can't stop laughing. The idea of Lisa trying to protect me in some way is hilarious. Rosé is a friend, nothing more. Just like Lisa.
Lisa rolls her eyes but doesn't give me an answer. She turns the music back on and its guitars and bass literally hurt my ears.
"Can you please turn it down?" I beg.
To my surprise, she does, but leaves it on for background noise. "That music is terrible."
She laughs and taps the steering wheel. "No, it's not. Though I would love to know your opinion on what is good music." When she smiles like this, she looks so carefree, especially with her window down, the breeze blowing through her hair. She reaches one hand up and pushes her bangs back. I love the way it looks when it's back like that. I shake the thoughts from my head.
"Well, I like Bon Iver, and the Fray," I finally answer. "Of course you do," she says, and chuckles.
I defend my two favorite bands. "What is wrong with them? They are insanely talented, and their music is wonderful."
"Yeah . . . they are talented. Talented at putting people to sleep."
When I reach across and playfully swat her shoulder, she mock winces and laughs.
"Well, I love them," I say with a smile. If we could just stay in this playful state, I might actually have a good time. I look out the window for the first time, but I don't really know where we are. "Where are we going?"
"To one of my favorite places." "Which is where?"
"You really have to know everything that is going on in advance, don't you?"
"Yeah . . . I like to—" "Control everything?"
I stay quiet. I know she's right, but that's just the way I am.
"Well, I'm not telling you until we get there . . . which will be only about five minutes from now."
I lean back against the leather seat of her car and turn my head to glance at the backseat. A messy stack of textbooks and loose papers rest on one side and a thick black sweatshirt rests on the other.
"See something that you like back there?" Lisa catches me by embarrassed surprise.
"What kind of car is this?" I ask. I need a distraction from both not knowing where we are going and her calling me out for being nosy.
"Ford Capri—a classic," she boasts, obviously proud. She goes on to tell me all about it even though I have no idea what she is talking about. Still, I like to watch her lips as she talks, the way they move slowly as the words are even slower. After looking over at me a few times during the conversation, she pretty harshly says, "I don't like to be stared at," though she does smile a little after.