Jennie's POV
My alarm goes off too early and I roll over. I lift my hand, smacking at it to stop the hideous beeping assaulting my ears. My hand smacks against a soft, warm surface, and I blink my eyes open to find Lisa staring down at me. I reach for my pillow to cover my embarrassment but Lisa yanks it away.
"Good morning to you, too," she says with a smile, rubbing at her arm.
I stare back, working an apology in my mind. How long has she been watching me?
"You're cute when you're asleep," she teases and I sit up as quick as I can, sure I look fairly hideous, like usual in the morning.
She hands me my phone. "What's the alarm for?"
I switch it off and climb off the bed. "I'm going to look for a car today, so you can leave whenever," I tell her and she frowns.
"You're obviously not a morning person."
I pull my hair back into a tail, in an effort to keep it from looking like a bird's nest. "I am . . . I just don't want to keep you." I feel a little guilty for being rude, but I had expected her to be rude herself, to be honest.
"You're not. Can I come with you?"
I search around my room, wondering if I heard her correctly. Finally I turn to her with suspicion in my eyes. "To look at a car? Why would you want to do that?"
"Why do I have to have a reason? You act like I'm plotting to kill you or something." She laughs and stands up, ruffling her hair.
"Well, I'm just a little taken aback by your cheerful mood this morning . . . and you wanting to go somewhere with me . . . and you not insulting me," I admit.
I turn away from her and gather my clothes and bathroom kit. I need to take a shower before I go anywhere.
Unfazed by my honesty, Lisa presses some more. "It'll be fun, I promise. Just let me show you that we could . . . that I could be nice. It's just one day."
Her smile is beautiful and convincing. But Kai will surely break up with me and never speak to me again if she knows that Lisa stayed the night with me, in my bed, holding me as we slept. I don't know what it is that keeps me constantly afraid of losing Kai; maybe it's my fear of my mother's reaction if we broke up, or maybe that my old self is so tied to Kai. He has always been there for me, and I feel like I owe it to myself and him to continue our relationship. But I think the biggest reason is that I know Lisa can't and won't give me the type of relationship I need and honestly want from her.
While I am lost in my thoughts it finally seems okay for me to admit that listening to Lisa's steady breathing in my ear while she slept was worth never speaking to Kai again.
"Earth to Jennie!" Lisa calls from across the room and I snap to. I have been frozen standing here debating with myself and completely forgot Lisa was even in my room.
"Is something wrong?" she asks and steps toward me.
Oh, nothing, just that I am finally admitting to myself that I have feelings for you and want more from you, yet know you will never care about anyone, especially me.
"Just trying to figure out what to wear," I lie.
Her eyes move down to the clothes in my hands, and she tilts her head but only says, "So, can I come? It will be easier for you, anyway—so you don't have to take the bus."
Well, it might be fun. And it would be easier. "Yeah, okay," I say. "Just let me get ready." I walk toward the door and she follows me.
"What are you doing?" I ask her. "Coming with you."
"Um, I'm going to take a shower." I dangle my toiletry bag in front of her and she snatches it from me.
"What a coincidence—me, too!"
Damn coed bathrooms. She walks past me and opens the door without looking back. I rush to catch up with her and grab hold of her shirt.
"Nice of you to join me," she jokes and I roll my eyes.
"We haven't even begun the day and you're already annoying me," I tease back.
A group of girls walks by us and into the bathrooms; they don't even try to be subtle about staring at Lisa.
"Ladies," Lisa greets them, and they giggle like schoolgirls. Well, technically they are schoolgirls, but they are also adults, so they should act like it.