Jennie's POV
When Lisa finally breaks our kiss, she sits on my bed and I join her.
We're quiet for a few minutes, so I begin to feel nervous, like there is some way I should be behaving now that we are . . . more, but I have no clue what way that is.
"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" she asks. "Nothing, just studying," I say.
"Cool." She clicks her tongue onto the roof of her mouth. She seems nervous, too, and I am glad it isn't just me.
"Come here." Lisa beckons me and opens her arms.
The moment I sit on her lap, the door opens and she groans. Wendy, Bambam, and Jackson all pour in and then stare at us as I climb off Lisa and sit on the other side of the bed.
"So are you guys like fuck buddies now?" Jackson says plainly.
"No! We aren't!" I squeak. I don't know what I should tell them, so I just wait for Lisa to say something. She stays quiet as Bambam and Jackson begin to talk to her about the party last night.
"It seems I didn't miss much," Lisa says to them, and Jackson shrugs. "Until Nancy gave us a strip show; she got completely naked, you should have been there," Jackson replies. I cringe and look toward Wendy, who is staring at Bambam, probably hoping he isn't going to comment on Nancy being naked.
Lisa smiles. "Nothing I haven't seen before."
I gasp, then try to conceal it as a cough. She did not just say that. Her face falls, seeming to understand what she just did.
Maybe this was a terrible idea; it is already sort of awkward, and now that everyone is in the room it's magnified. Why didn't she tell them we were dating? Are we dating? I don't really understand, myself. I thought after her confession that we were, but we never actually said it. Maybe we don't need to? This uncertainty is already driving me crazy; the entire time I have been with Kai I have never had to worry about his feelings for me. I never had to deal with ex-friends with benefits—I am the only girl Kai has ever kissed in his life, and honestly I like it that way. I wish Lisa had never done anything with another girl, or at least had done things with fewer of them.
"We're going bowling after I change. Do you want to come?" Wendy asks and I shake my head.
"I have to catch up on my studying. I have barely gotten any done this weekend," I tell her and look away as the memories of this weekend flood through my mind.
"You should come, it will be fun," Lisa says, but I shake my head. I really need to stay in, and I was sort of hoping she would stay with me. Wendy steps into the closet and returns a few minutes later with different clothes on.
"Ready, guys? You're sure you don't want to come?" she asks me. I nod. "I'm sure."
They all get up to leave, and Lisa gives me a wave and a small smile before exiting the room. I'm disappointed with Lisa's goodbye, and hope that she'd made these plans before this weekend together and the drama today.
But what did I expect? For her to rush over and kiss me, tell me she would miss me? I laugh at the thought. I don't know if anything will even change between Lisa and me besides us actively trying to avoid one another. I am too used to how things are with Kai, so I have no idea how this is going to be, and I hate not having control over every situation.
After an hour of studying and attempting to take a nap, I grab my phone to text Lisa. Wait, I don't even have her number. I had never thought about it before; we have never talked on the phone or texted before. We never needed to; we couldn't stand each other. This is going to be more complicated than I thought.
I call my mother to catch up with her, and mostly to see if Kai has told her what happened yet. He would be arriving back home soon from the two-hour drive, and I am sure he won't waste any time telling her everything. She answers with a simple hello, so I know she has no clue yet.
I tell her about my failed attempt to get a car, and the possible internship with Vance. Of course, she reminds me that I have been at college over a month and I still haven't found a car. I roll my eyes and let her continue to ramble on about what she has been doing the last week. My phone lights up while I am listening to her. I place her on speakerphone and read the text.
You should have come with us, with me, the message reads. My heart swells; it's Lisa.
Pretending to listen to my mother, I mumble "Hmm . . . oh . . ." a few times while I text her back.
You should have stayed, I send. I stare at the screen, waiting for her to reply.
I am coming to pick you up, she replies after what seems like forever.
What? No, I don't want to go bowling, you're already there. Just stay.
I already left. Be ready. Boy, she's demanding, even through text messages.
My mother is still talking and I have no idea what about. I stopped listening once Lisa texted me. "Mom, I will call you back," I interrupt.
"Why?" she asks with surprise and disdain.
"I . . . um . . . well, I spilled coffee on my notes. I gotta go."
I hang up and hastily go into the closet, pulling Lisa's pajamas off and grabbing my new jeans and a plain purple top. I brush out my hair, which looks decent considering it hasn't been washed. I check the time and go down to the bathroom to brush my teeth, and when I return Lisa is waiting on my bed.
"Where were you?" she asks.
"Brushing my teeth," I tell her and put my toiletry bag away.
"Ready?" She stands up and walks toward me. I half expect her to hug me, but she doesn't. She just moves to the door.
I nod and grab my purse and phone.
When we get to her car, she keeps the radio down as she drives. I really don't want to go to the bowling alley. I hate bowling, but I want to spend time with her. I don't like how codependent I already feel.
"How long do you think we will be there?" I ask after a few minutes of silence.
"I don't know . . . why?" She looks sideways at me. "I don't know . . . I don't really care for bowling."
"It won't be too bad. Everyone's there," she assures me. I hope everyone doesn't include part-time ho Nancy.
"I guess," I mumble and look out the window. "You don't want to go?" Her voice is quiet.
"Not really, that's why I said no the first time." I laugh a little nonlaugh. "Let's go somewhere else, then?"
"Where?" I am irritated with her, but I'm not sure why.
"My house," she suggests and I smile and nod. Her smile grows, showing the dimples that I have grown so fond of. "My house it is, then." She reaches over and puts her hand on my thigh. My skin warms, and I put my hand over her.
Fifteen minutes later we are pulling up to the large fraternity house. I haven't been here since Lisa and I fought and I walked back to the dorms. As she leads me up the stairs, none of the guys bothers to look twice at us; they must be used to seeing Lisa bring a girl home. My stomach pings at the thought. I need to stop thinking this way, because it's going to drive me insane and there is nothing I can do to change it.
"Here we are," Lisa says and unlocks her door. I follow her inside and she turns the light on, kicking her boots off her feet and onto the floor. She moves over to her bed and pats the spot next to her.
As I walk toward her, my curiosity gets the best of me. "Was Nancy there? At the bowling alley?" I look out her window as I ask her.
"Yeah, of course she was," she answers casually. "Why?"
I sit down on the soft bed and Lisa pulls me by my ankles closer to her. I laugh and slide closer, my back flat against the bed, putting my knees up and my feet on the other side of her legs.
"I was just wondering . . ." I tell her and she grins.
"She is always going to be around; she's a part of our group."
I know it's silly of me to be this jealous of her, but she just bothers me. She acts like she likes me, when I know she doesn't, and I know she likes Lisa. Now that we are . . . whatever we are, I don't want her near her.
"You aren't like worried that I will fuck her, are you?"
I swat her arm at her use of words. I love the way dirty words sound coming off her lips, but not when she's involved.
"No, well, I . . . maybe. I just know you have before, and I don't want you to again," I say. I am sure she is going to mock my jealousy, so I turn my head sideways.
Her hand goes to my knee and she squeezes gently. "I wouldn't do that . . . not now. Don't worry about her, okay?" Her words are gentle, and I believe her.
"Why didn't you tell anyone about us?" I know I should just shut my mouth, but it has been bothering me.
"I don't know . . . I wasn't sure if you wanted me to. Besides, what we do is our business. Not theirs," she explains. Her answer is much better than what was going through my mind.
"I guess you're right. I thought maybe you were embarrassed or something?" I say and she laughs.
"Why would I possibly be embarrassed by you? Look at you." Her eyes darken and she moves her hand to my stomach. Her fingers tug up my shirt and she draws circles on my bare skin with her digits. Goose bumps raise my skin and she smiles.
"I love the way your body responds to me," she breathes. I know what is coming next, and I can't wait.