JENNIE
I woke up the next morning far earlier than I'd intended to. A small flutter of nerves in my stomach told me that I was doing something potentially embarrassing today. I pushed the feeling back as I sat up. Unlike the dream I'd just awoken from, I wouldn't be tripping in front of the class today. No, the only sort of embarrassment I'd feel was walking the halls with a rock star. I was pretty sure Lisa would feel the need to walk with me to my first class, like I was a Kindergartener going to school for the first time, but that was okay. Having her beside me drew all of the attention to her, and she didn't mind being everyone's focal point.
Looking around her empty bedroom, I wondered where the rock star was. Standing, I slipped on my underwear and grabbed one of her t-shirts from her drawer. It smelled amazing as I slipped it over my head and I briefly considered wearing it to school with me. My first class today was British Literature with a focus on turn of the century feminism, but surely those long-deceased, forward thinking writers would understand the allure of Lisa Manoban's clothing?
Knowing I was up way too early, hours before I had to get ready, I headed downstairs to where my girlfriend most likely was. Not surprisingly, I found her in the kitchen, perfect and causal, dressed in worn jeans and a light shirt. She was leaning against the counter as the coffee brewed. With the coffee scent mixing with the wondrous scent of her, I smiled and walked over to where she was watching me.
Before I could say anything, she spoke one of my favorite words. "Mornin'."
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I snuggled into her chest. "Good morning." It still being an indecent hour, I yawned after my greeting.
Chuckling, she rubbed my back. "You don't have to wake up with me. You can sleep in until your school starts."
Resting my chin on her chest, I peeked up at her; her dark brown eyes seemed completely rested, intense and alive with a passion waiting to be stoked, just under the surface. "If you're up, I want to be up." Scrunching my brows, I added, "Why do you get up so early, when you've got nowhere to be?"
Sighing softly, she looked away from me. "Well, let's just say that my childhood trained me to wake up at the crack of dawn." Looking back to me, she shrugged. "Waking up on my own was preferable to being woken up." Shaking her head, she softly added, "I guess the habit stuck, now I can't seem to stop waking up early."
I bit my lip, hating what had been done to her at such an early age, hating that it still affected her, even years later, even with the abusers dead and gone. Feeling a remembered melancholy seep into her eyes, I shook my head and forced myself to smile brightly. "Well, I'm glad you do. Quiet mornings with you are some of the best memories that I have."
Her sad smile widened into a peaceful one as she ran some fingers back through my hair. "Me too," she whispered. "I always looked forward to you coming down to see me." She shrugged. "Even if it was just for a little while, it still made me feel like we were…together."
Her smile started to fade and I reached up to cup her face. "We were, Lisa. We were together…even if it was just for a little while."
Memories of all of our stolen moments together swept over me as I touched her face—laughing with her, quiet conversations, holding her, being held by her, being angry with her, being insanely jealous over some harlot she'd been with the night before, even though I'd had no right to be. Falling in love with her… Most of it had started right here in her kitchen, waiting for the coffee pot on the counter to finish brewing.
Lost in the memories, lost in the dark brown depth of her eyes studying mine, I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang. Lisa smiled and chuckled at me as my heart raced about a million miles per hour. I smacked her on the chest as she gently pushed me back and walked over to the obtrusive thing. The shrill sound stopped when she picked up the corded handle.
"Hello?" Leaning back, Lisa smiled at me as I took some deep, calming breaths. Then her eyes shifted over to stare out the window as she listened to the voice on the other line. "Hey, Taehyung, long time, no hear."
My eyes widened as I listened to my girlfriend greet my ex-boyfriend. It was…odd. I knew they still talked, I still talked with Taehyung too, it just rarely happened when I was in the room. Tilting my head, I considered leaving Lisa to have a private conversation with the man that I knew she still considered family, despite everything.
Just as my body turned away, Lisa's voice stopped me. "Yeah…she's right here…hold on."
I twisted back to Lisa holding the receiver of the clunky, green phone out to me. Shrugging a little, she whispered, "He called here for you."
Her face and voice were smooth as she said it, but I thought I saw a slight crease in her brow, and I wondered how she really felt about me still talking to Taehyung. Knowing she had nothing to worry about there, since Taehyung and I were completely over, not to mention distanced by thousands of miles since Taehyung was back home in Australia, I smiled comfortingly and grabbed the phone from her. Lisa remained where she was against the counter, making no attempt to leave me to my privacy. I could understand why.
The butterflies in my stomach flared up again as I brought the receiver to my ear. It had been a while since I'd talked with Taehyung last, a couple of months actually. The time apart was making me nervous to talk to him again. Well, that and Lisa standing a foot away from me. Remembering that Taehyung was still a good friend to both of us, I relaxed as I greeted him. "Good morning, Taehyung."
He laughed, the sound instantly taking me back to the countless lazy afternoons we'd spent together in Ohio. It tightened my heart a little bit. Over or not, I still missed him. "Actually, it's evening here. Did I wake you?"
His accent was thicker now that he was back at home. It was delicious to the ear and I smiled and laughed at his comment, remembering the massive time change between us. "No, Lisa and I are up."
I bit my lip, also remembering that he'd called me here, and had asked if I was awake, which meant he figured I'd spent the night, which meant he probably also assumed I'd slept with Lisa, in the figurative sense. And he'd be right, if he thought that. I hated him thinking about it, much like I still hated to think about him with his current girlfriend, a sweet woman named Abby that he'd been with for a while now, longer than Lisa and I had officially been together.
He didn't react to me lumping myself together with the person who'd stolen me away from him, though. Lisa, however, smiled devilishly. "Ah, good. Did I miss it?" Taehyung asked anxiously.
I furrowed my brow and shook my head. "Miss what?" Lisa repeated my gesture and I shrugged at her.
Taehyung quickly filled in the blanks for me. "Your first day back to school. Is it today, or did I miss it?"
My mouth dropped open as I understood why he was calling. "Did you call just to wish me good luck on my first day of school?" Tears stung my eyes that he would still be so sweet to me. He shouldn't, not after everything I'd done to him. He should curse my name and vow eternal vengeance on me. But that…just wasn't Taehyung.
I heard him clear his throat and pictured him running a hand through his piecey, dark hair, a goofy smile on his beautiful face. "Well, yeah, I know how nervous you get about stuff like that." He paused and my throat dried up, amazed and stunned by his level of forgiveness. Lisa narrowed her eyes at my reaction, but didn't say anything. In the silence, Taehyung asked, "Should I not have called, Jennie? Is this…weird?"
Swallowing repeatedly, I shook my head. "No, no, I'm sorry. Yes, of course you should call me. And no, you didn't miss it, and yes, I'm a little nervous." Not liking the tension that had built up, I said all of that really fast.
Lisa crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head, but Taehyung laughed. "Oh, okay, good. Well, I just wanted to wish you well, and let you know that I was…thinking about you today."
He cleared his throat again while I blinked back the tears again. God, he was just too good of a person. Sometimes I thought I was an idiot for ever hurting him. Okay, all the time I thought I was an idiot for hurting him.
"Thank you, Taehyung…for remembering. That was incredibly sweet of you." I felt a flush creep over my face as I peeked up at Lisa. She sniffed and quickly looked away. I felt that age-old guilt wash over me. And just when I thought I'd never have to feel guilty again too.
Softly, Taehyung responded with, "No problem, Jennie. I know that Lisa," he swallowed after saying her name, "is probably doing a lot to help you out today, so you probably don't need to hear it from me, but, good luck."
Not knowing how else to respond, I only whispered, "Thank you, Taehyung." Lisa, still not looking at me, took a step away. I immediately grabbed her arm. She paused, but still wouldn't look back at me.
Taehyung laughed a little into the receiver. "Uh, and tell your sister sorry for me. I called there first and I'm pretty sure I woke her up."
Smiling, I laughed. Jisoo did not like being woken up early in the morning. "Yeah, I'll be certain to do that." Lisa's arm under my fingers turned rigid, but she stayed where she was, staring at the coffee pot like it was the most important thing in the universe. I hated that this was bothering her, but it shouldn't. Taehyung and I were nothing anymore, and she knew that.
I soothingly stroked her arm with my thumb as Taehyung laughed and said, "Well, Abby and I are at a party for work, so I should get going. She'll fillet me if I stay on the phone all night."
Laughing lightly, I told him, "Alright. Tell Abby hi for me, and have fun." After he responded that he would, I turned from Lisa, angling my head away from her. "Hey, thank you so much for remembering, Taehyung…that means a lot to me." Before he could respond, I added, "I'm so sorry, Taehyung, about everything."
He sniffed and was quiet a moment, then, "Yeah, I know, Jennie. Have a great day at school. I'll talk to you later, goodbye."
Closing my eyes for a second, I exhaled, "Bye."
Hanging up the phone, I kept my eyes closed as I twisted back to Lisa. When I opened them, she was still staring at the dark coffee resting in the full pot. Although her face was blank, a myriad of emotions were shifting through her eyes. She took another long second, then finally looked back at me.
Smiling encouragingly, I brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. "Hey, you okay?"
She nodded, a smile seamlessly brightening her face, if not her eyes. "Of course, I'm fine. Taehyung called to wish you luck, that was nice of him." There wasn't a trace of jealousy or sarcasm in her voice, but I heard it anyway.
Sighing, I laced my arms around her neck. "You know that doesn't mean anything, right? You know that I love you, and Taehyung is nothing more than a friend now, don't you?" I searched her eyes as her smile faltered. "Don't you?"
She started to look towards the pot again and I caught her cheek, making her look at me. Her smile returned, perfectly natural. "Yes, I know, Jennie." In a softer voice she added, "I know exactly what you and Taehyung are."
Not entirely sure what she meant by that, I decided to just take it at face value. Leaning up, I gave her a soft kiss. "Good. Because, although he's important to me, you're more important, and I don't want me talking with him to hurt you."
Her eyes widened as she stared down at me, like she really was surprised to hear me say that. It hurt my heart a little that she still didn't understand—I'd chosen her, I loved her. Kissing her again, I whispered, "I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong. You're not second. I could have fled to him, but I went to you. I couldn't live without you. I chose you. I love you."
Swallowing, her eyes searching mine moistened. "It still feels…unreal…I guess. I'm not used to being…loved by someone. I keep waiting to wake up."
Biting my lip, I shook my head. "Well get used to it. I'm not going anywhere, Lisa."
After a leisurely breakfast, Lisa helped me get ready for school. Well, okay, Lisa laid out on her bed and stared while I got dressed. I'd already had to tell her that she couldn't help me in the shower. Firmly pointing at her to stay put on her pillows, I proceeded to slip my bra on under my towel. Lisa shook her head at me, rolling her eyes. "I've seen you naked, you know?"
Flushing as I turned around, I muttered, "I know, but you just staring at me like that is…different."
She snorted and I peeked over my shoulder at her as I slipped on some clean underwear, also under my towel.
Grinning crookedly, she raised an eyebrow. "It's just skin, Jennie." Sitting up and scooting to the edge of the bed, where she could just reach me, she grabbed my knee. Her hand started to slide up my leg. "And it's far too beautiful to keep covered up."
Loving the shivers she was sending up my body, but knowing that I couldn't lounge in a bed with her today, unfortunately, I stepped away and again pointed to her pillows. "I don't need to get you any more riled up than you constantly are, by giving you a peep show."
Expertly slipping on my jeans while still having the towel firmly around my chest, I watched her chuckle and relax back down on her mattress. "Fine," she muttered sullenly. "I'll just remember that the next time you're staring at my body."
I paused in pulling my blouse out of my bag and met her eye. Knowing that I actually did stare at her quite a bit, I sighed and let the towel drop to the floor. her smile was glorious as she took in my plain, cream-colored bra and I looked away, embarrassed and a little turned on by her attention.
Quickly counting to five, figuring that was long enough for her to have a decent mental picture for the day, I tossed on my fitted, button-up shirt. Pulling my long hair out of the back, the bulk of it still damp, I rolled my eyes at the heat in her expression while she continued to stare at my covered-up chest.
Clearing my throat finally brought her eyesight up. Locking gazes with me, she smiled devilishly. "Well now I'm turned on and you can't go. You're just going to have to stay here with me today."
Laughing, I leaned over the bed to kiss her. She seemed to think that was a green light and grabbed my body, pulling me on top of her. Giggling in her mouth while we softly moved against the other, I was grateful that her mood had improved from the conversation earlier this morning. I really didn't like her down about Taehyung, especially since she had no reason to be. I understood though. I'd hurt her so many times while I'd been with Taehyung. Both of them really. I had no desire to ever hurt soemone again.
As our kiss got more intense, Lisa's body started telling me that she really hadn't been kidding about being in the mood. I reluctantly pulled away from her mouth. "I wish I could stay with you." Frowning, I sulked. "I'm not really looking forward to today."
Sighing, she cupped my cheeks and searched my eyes. "Someday, I'll get you to feel like the confident woman who was prancing around in her underwear last night, all of the time." Running her hand back through my hair, she added. "You are a beautiful, intelligent woman with a girlfriend who adores you. You have nothing to fear…ever."
Smiling, I blushed and looked away. "Easy for you to say, rock star."
Pulling back, I stood and found my comb. Running it through my locks, I watched her laugh and sit up. "I get nervous."
I gave her a very wry smile as I stopped mid-stroke. Yeah, right. Lisa Manoban was never nervous. Not around people. Not about her body or her looks. She oozed confidence in nearly everything she did.
Tilting her head, she shrugged. "No, it's true. In the beginning, I used to get nervous on stage."
Scrunching my brow, I finished unsnarling my hair. "Let me guess, you picture the crowd naked now?"
Chuckling, she stood up. "Nah, I had to stop doing that…turned me on."
Pushing her chest back as she came up to me, I laughed unintentionally. "You're impossible."
Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes; she only grinned and shrugged. "We all have our weaknesses," she muttered playfully, sneaking around behind me and holding me tight. "You will be great and I'll drive you every day if you want." Chuckling, she added, "Maybe I'll sit in on a class or two."
I laughed at the image of her bored beside me during lectures. "I doubt the professor would like you snoring during class." Chuckling more, she kissed my neck.
Sighing, I rested my wet head on her shoulder and closed my eyes, letting her peaceful scent wash over me. I'd decided to forgo wearing her t-shirt to school, but maybe I could get her scent to leech into my clothes. Keep her with me olfactorily. God, what was I saying about not being consumed by her? I couldn't help it. she was…consuming.
Much sooner than I would have liked, the time was up for me to go to class. As promised, Lisa drove me to school. Her smile was peaceful as she leaned back in her seat, one hand draped across my thigh, the other casually holding the wheel straight. She seemed like someone returning to a favorite activity after a long absence. It made me smile that driving me around was such a pleasant experience for her. I'd think most people would get tired of it after a couple of weeks. Not Lisa though, she never complained about all of the various places that I needed to go. It was just one of the many ways she showed her affection. For never having been a girlfriend before, I was constantly surprised at how good she was at it. Then again, Lisa was good at most things she tried…except pool…and, as I'd found out last night, poker.
Smiling at the image of her in black, silky boxers, pizza in hand as she twirled me around the kitchen, I didn't even notice when we finally stopped. I blinked and looked around when she shut off the car.
The University of Washington. Located on the other side of Lake Union from the heart of downtown Seattle, it was a massive campus, more like a small city. Several of the local businesses surrounding it survived solely on the influx of college kids coming into and out of this school every year.
I'd gotten to know this area pretty well after my time here. I wasn't really that nervous about knowing where everything was, although my ethics class was in a building that I'd never had to go into last year, it was more walking into a room full of strangers that tangled my nerves. I was not a big fan of being the focus of people's attention. Which made walking beside Lisa both a blessing and a curse.
It was a blessing, one, because I loved having her around, but mainly because when she was beside me, people tended to look at her. She just had that aura. The face, the hair, the body, the swagger—everything about her made you take notice. And for girls, the notice was usually a long one.
It was a curse because, now that we were together, she was a fountain of affection. Our light hand holds last year were arms around each other's waists now. As she laughed along to some comment my parents had made last week about her needing to earn a real living, since being in a band was not a viable career for the one their daughter was dating, a lot of eyes flicked from her to settle on me. Much like at the bar, I got the feeling that I was being judged as I walked along, judged if I was worthy to belong to the rock-god. And because Lisa was right about my general lack of confidence, I couldn't help but think that I came up short in their eyes.
Lifting my chin, I forced it from my mind. What did it matter if a bunch of random people didn't think I was worthy of Lisa? Lisa did, and really, what other opinion did I need?
Laughing along with her, I nearly ran right into a small swarm stopped in the hallway.
Lisa pulled me back right before I collided with a man that seemed about seven feet tall. He hovered over Lisa, who was at least a couple of inches over six feet. The dark-haired boy had a huge smile on his face as he pointed at Lisa.
"Hey, aren't you that guy? The singer of that band? The D-Bags?"
Lisa's face relaxed from a cautious expression into a natural smile, and I couldn't help but wonder if she'd thought the guy was going to start a fight with her. There was a time when Lisa didn't care too much about other people's relationships. "Lisa, yeah….I'm a D-Bag." she laughed a little after her comment, amused by her own band's name.
I shook my head at her, but the man and his small group of similarly tall friends crowded around, eager to talk to the semi-famous person they'd stumbled upon. Reaching out, the imposing fan grabbed Lisa's hand and shook it. "You were great at Bumbershoot, man!" Then the group started in on the compliments and questions.
They went on and on until I was afraid I was going to be late if we stayed any longer. Lisa answered all of their questions, and said polite thanks to all of their praises, then expertly released herself from the conversation, waving goodbye as she turned us to walk around the group. By the time she'd successfully disengaged herself, Lisa had been invited to at least three different parties.
Shaking my head as we approached my classroom, I laughed. Looking over at me, she bumped my shoulder with hers. "What?"
Tilting my head, I gave her a crooked grin. "Look at you, finally getting some male fans."
Laughing as she opened the door for me, she shook her head. "We've always had male fans, Jennie." Raising an eyebrow, she added, "You just choose to fixate on the female ones."
Brushing past her body as I walked by her, I paused and leaned into her face. "Well, that's because they fixate on you," I whispered, letting my mouth almost touch hers.
Biting her lip, I heard her groan a little. "Look at you…becoming a seductress," she whispered.
I blushed and immediately stepped away from her.
I heard her laughter behind me, but didn't turn to look. Soft lips greeted my cheek as her hands rested on my hips. "Have fun," she whispered in my ear.
I wanted to sigh and lean into her again, but female giggling reminded me that I wasn't alone with her in her bedroom. No, I was in front of a classroom, sort of being inappropriate with my girlfriend. Oh well, at least she'd managed to not make me nervous about my entrance.
With my cheeks flaming red from the embarrassment of our private moment being watched, I gave her a soft peck and told her that I would. Then I made a beeline to a seat in the middle, away from the chuckling women watching my girl's backside as she waved and left the room.
After a rousing debate on the influence of sexism in early feminist literature, I was feeling right as rain with school again. I knew that would happen. Once I was settled, things were always fine. It was just the process of getting there that frazzled my nerves. After lit was my ethics class. Now that I was comfortable, I was looking forward to this one, although, I had a feeling I'd be doing a lot a soul searching in it. Ethics and I had crossed paths recently, and I'm not sure that I fell on the right side of the morality line. No, no I'm pretty sure I'd failed miserably. Lisa and I both. Maybe I could do a paper about it? It would probably be cathartic.
Walking into the brick-and-mortar building, just as much a piece of art as a functional structure, my eyes swung across someone I hadn't seen in a while, someone I really wasn't all that interested in seeing again. Hovering by the front doors, I watched a familiar redhead with tight, bouncy curls talking to a couple of her friends. I recognized all three—Candy, and her two chatty spy-friends. They'd each bugged me about Lisa before. Candy the most, since she was the one that found sleeping with her an enjoyable pastime.
Well, that diversion was shut to her now, and she'd just have to get her kicks somewhere else. A small smile on my face, I watched as they laughingly trailed down the hall a few paces in front of me. I sighed when they all walked into the classroom that I also needed to walk into. I'd had a class with Candy before, last spring actually, when Lisa and I had finally gotten together for good. Guess I had another class with her. And, of course, this would be the class I had every day. And an ethics class to boot. Joy. I bet the universe was laughing its head off at the irony.
Shaking my head and rolling my eyes, I walked into the room amidst a small flurry of butterflies in my belly. They settled quickly once the people already seated looked up, then looked back down. Well, all but three looked back down. Candy and her friends continued to stare as I made my way to a section nowhere near them. I felt the eyes on my back as I sat down and grabbed a notebook, doodling like a mad woman.
I waited to feel the presence of Candy moving to sit beside me. When I finally felt a body approaching, I cringed and peeked up. It was only some strait-laced guy, though. He gave me a look that said, Good, she doesn't seem like a talker, maybe I'll be able to hear if I sit next to her, then sat down beside me. I resumed my drawing, glad that at least Lisa's ex-fling wasn't going to disrupt my learning.
No, she left me completely alone…all the way until after class.
Mentally going over the teacher's explanation on the difference between ethics and morals, I didn't notice her approaching at first. I didn't notice her until she and her friends had me sort of surrounded. Looking between the three walking out of the class beside me, I sighed softly and prayed that Lisa was waiting for me by her car, and not right outside the front doors.
Sidling up close to my side, Candy tilted her head at me. "So, rumor has it that you and Lisa Manoban are a thing now. Like, a real thing."
Peeking over at her, I considered stopping and extending my hand in a formal introduction, since we'd never, ever had one. I didn't though, only shrugged and muttered, "Yep."
She scoffed, her clone-like friends around her giggling. "So it doesn't bother you that she's a whore."
Stopping in my tracks, I glared over at her and wondered if I could slap a girl in the middle of school and not get in trouble. This was college, right? Wasn't it all about the freedom of expression? "She is not a whore. Don't ever call her that again." I felt the heat in my tone and was a little proud of myself that my voice wasn't shaking at all.
She put her hands on her hips, her friends moving to stand behind her, like backup singers or something. "Huh, I guess you're right." She leaned in, an eyebrow raised. "Whores get paid. She does it for the fun of it."
I literally had to grab my jeans to not deck her. Seriously? Deciding getting arrested for assault wasn't a good way to start the school year, I stormed off down the hall. She, of course, followed me.
"What? Can't handle the truth? I just wanted you to be aware that she still gets it on with every girl she can." She laughed, dryly. "It's not like being with you has miraculously turned her into a good one now. They are what they are, and Lisa is a sex addict."
Tears of anger stinging my eyes, I twisted to face her. "You don't know anything about her. You don't know anything she's been through." Leaning into her, I raised my own eyebrow. "I know you've slept with her, but don't confuse sex for intimacy." Irritated that I'd let her get to me, knowing full well that she was just trying to rile me up, I jerked open the front doors. Luckily, Lisa was not there.
Right on my heels, she snapped back, "Hey, I'm doing you a favor. You think she's changed, you think she's suddenly a faithful, one-woman now? A tiger doesn't change his spots!"
Groaning as I dashed down the steps, I tossed over my shoulder, "A tiger doesn't even have spots. Get your metaphors straight."
Prissily she marched beside me. "Whatever, my point is, Tina here," she jerked her thumb at the blonde striding next to her, "saw her after a show on the Square just last week." Smirking, she yanked on my elbow to hold me in place. "She was shirtless and about get it on with some skank."
Tina nodded her agreement, adding, "And in a storage closet too…how romantic."
Glaring between the two of them, I felt ice pour through my body. she had several shows during the week that weren't at Pete's bar. She got home really late after those shows, because she had to help clean up their stuff. She could have… I shook my head. No, not after everything…she wouldn't do that to me. A nagging voice in my head added, "Right, just like you wouldn't do that to Taehyung?"
Ignoring that voice, I narrowed my eyes at the gossipers. "You didn't see what you think you saw. I trust her." With that, I jerked my arm away and sauntered off.
Light laughter followed me, along with, "You know, her having your name across her heart doesn't mean she's not loaning out other parts of her body!"
My mouth dropped open as I looked back at her. Not many people knew about Lisa's tattoo. She was much more reluctant to strip off her shirt at shows now, like she didn't want the world to see her hidden art. It meant a lot to me that she felt that way. It was private, between the two of us. How did this group of girls know about it? Had Tina really seen her half naked? I didn't want to believe it, but my mind vividly pictured her undressed, panting with desire, with some harlot fan attached to her mouth. Then I pictured her closing the storage room door and doing all sorts of unseemly things to her.
I felt my stomach rising as I gaped at them. They only chuckled at me, Tina giving me a fake, apologetic smile while Candy shrugged. "Dogs are dogs, Jennie," she said, smiling sweetly.
I bit my lip and forced myself to walk away from them, and not run. They were lying…they had to be.
When I got out to the parking lot, I spotted Lisa's shiny black Chevelle right away. I also spotted her and instantly understood why she hadn't greeted me outside of class on my first day of school. She was surrounded by a group of about five girls. She was casually leaning against her car as she talked to them. They giggled, tittering like thirteen-year-olds as she spoke. Even from the distance between us, I could see the small, amused smile on her face. After my meeting with Candy, it boiled my blood.
My hands in permanent fists, I strutted over to her. I tried to calm myself down, but instead I seemed to get angrier with each step. Where had they seen that damn tattoo? Where was she exposing herself? Was I being naïve in thinking that what we have is so monumental that she'd never stray from it? Was she still being a whore?
Laughing at something one of the hussies said, Lisa turned her head and spotted me. Her small smile brightened at seeing me approach, then dimmed when she noticed the scowl on my face. The tittering girls didn't back off at all, and I had to elbow my way through them to get to her.
"Let's go," I bit out, not really in the mood to be around her fans for another second longer.
She nodded, her brow furrowed as she opened the passenger's door. After shutting it behind me, I heard her say to her adoring entourage, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. It was nice meeting you all." There were whines and groans of disappointment as she walked over to her side of the car. I rolled my eyes.
Lisa watched me curiously as she started the car, the roar of the engine matching my foul mood. Cocking an eyebrow, she put the car in reverse. One eye on me, the other carefully tracked the girls, so she didn't run them over as they watched us pull away. "You want to tell me what happened that's got you all ticked off?"
Gritting my jaw, I glared at the floosies staring after her. Most turned away from my eye line, a couple glared back. "Not really," I muttered under my breath.
Sighing, she put her hand on my thigh. I instantly wondered where else that hand had been recently. "Will you anyway?" I looked back at her, trying to keep my expression and my mood even. She frowned before turning onto the road. "You're the one that said we should talk things out…and you look like you need to talk something out."
Grunting, and wishing I'd never said that to her, I crossed my arms over my chest. "I have another class with Candy this year. She made sure to say hello afterwards."
I watched her carefully as she studied the road she was driving along. she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head; it was an adorable expression of confusion. "Candy…?"
I rolled my eyes that her name didn't immediately register with her. Well, when your little black book was as about as thick as the local yellow pages, I suppose it took a while to mentally filter through it.
A second later, as I was sighing, recognition flared in her eyes and she peeked over at me. "Oh, right…Candy." Twisting her lips, she shrugged. "What…did she say?"
Full on glaring at her, I tightened my hands across my chest. If I didn't, I was sure I'd smack her. "She just mentioned a show that you had last week. You played in Pioneer Square, right?"
She looked up, accessing her memory, or was she accessing the creative part of the brain that made up rapid-fire lies. Looking up and to the left meant one, looking up and to the right meant the other. I could just never remember which one was which. "Yeah, yeah we did." she tilted her head to me. "Was she there? She didn't say hello." She added that last part quickly, as if she was reassuring me that she hadn't seen her.
I narrowed my eyes even more as I studied her. Had I just had sex last night with someone that was having sex with a bunch of other people too? God, it made me sick just to think about it. "No, a friend of hers saw you there…in the back."
I said that suspiciously and she looked at me funny before shifting her attention back to driving. Shrugging, she said, "Huh, well, okay." Peeking over at me, she raised an eyebrow. "Why is one of her friends seeing me making you look like you sucked on a lemon?"
Exhaling in a tightly controlled way, I resisted the urge to smack the crap out of her. "Because she says she saw you doing things…with someone who was not me."
Her eyes widened as she stared at me, then she jerked the car over to the side of the road. I had to hold onto the door she moved over so fast. With the car slightly on the curb, she slammed it into park, and shifted to face me.
Her expression deadly serious, she held my eye; I could feel mine stinging as my fears bubbled up to the surface. "I am not doing anything with anyone who is not you. Whatever she said was a lie, Jennie."
I lifted my chin, but I could feel the tear building, swelling until it rolled down my cheek. "She knew about the tattoo, Lisa."
She cupped my cheek, brushing the moisture off my skin. "Then she saw it somewhere else or someone told her about it, because I'm not fooling around with anyone." Unbuckling her seatbelt and scooting closer to me, she rested her head against mine. "I'm only fooling around with you. I'm only getting naked with you. I'm only having sex with you, Jennie." Pulling back, she met my eye. "I chose you. I love you. I'm not interested in anyone else, okay?"
I nodded, feeling more tears slide down my cheeks. I felt the truth in her words, words that were similar to the words of comfort and reassurance that I often gave to her. I hated that one conniving, jealous bitch had made me doubt her. If she hadn't had such a good point I wouldn't have, but Lisa had a long, sordid history of poor decisions when it came to women. I didn't always feel special enough to stop that cycle of behavior.
She leaned in to tenderly kiss me and I felt myself relaxing as she poured her heart into her soft touch. Tasting the salt of my tears between us, I tried to let the doubt go. We'd gone through so much. I'd seen a side of her, a vulnerability, that I was positive no other girl had seen before. I was certain that I had her heart, and surely she wouldn't risk losing her heart over some stupid ache her body might be feeling. Not when she could satisfy that ache with me. Not when I would take her into my bed every night, and the brand new bed that she'd just purchased for me the other day, too.
As our kiss picked up heat, our bodies inching closer as our breaths increased, I wanted to remind her what I could be to her, and I wanted her to remind me exactly what we had together—a bond that no eager fan could break. Knowing that I had a couple of hours before work, and an empty apartment, I dragged my lips up to her ear. "Show me that you want me, Lisa. Take me home."
She had the car back in drive and flying down the road a microsecond later.