Jennie
Lisa grabs my hand and pulls me closer with a huge smile on her face. I grin up at her and rise to my tiptoes to kiss her. Shouts and hoots erupt around us and I pull away shyly, reminded that we're standing in the kitchen at someone's house party.
Lisa has been so over the top with our relationship — she's always introducing me as her girlfriend to every single person we come across, and she's always touching me one way or another. If she isn't holding my hand, then she's got her arm wrapped around my waist. She's doing it even more since the new term started, and I secretly love it. I've waited years to call her mine publicly, and I'm glad she's as excited about it as I am.
The last couple of weeks have been amazing. It's just been us and a mostly empty campus. I've taken the time to explore LA properly while Lisa was at football training, and we've had dinner together every single night, though she always brought home her own food on strict orders from her coach. It's almost felt like a much-needed holiday. Some days it's hard to believe that this is our life now. I thought for sure that we'd struggle to adjust to living together, but that hasn't been the case at all. It's been amazing seeing each other at night after a long day, especially now that classes have started again. If anything, both of us are a little disappointed Jaehyun is back now, and the apartment isn't just ours anymore.
"Can't believe it took you two this long to admit that you're dating officially. We all totally knew."
I turn around to find Mason walking toward us with Sana in tow, huge grins on both of their faces. Mason walks up to me and pulls me away from Lisa. "Man, can't believe I lost my chance," he says jokingly. Lisa looks at him through narrowed eyes and Sana slaps her arm.
I chuckle and move back toward Lisa. She pulls me flush against her, my back against her chest and her arms wrapped around me. "You never stood a chance," Lisa says, and I nod in agreement.
Sana shakes her head and smiles at me. "I can't believe she's that cheesy and clingy," she tells me. I blush and look away. I'm relieved to find that she genuinely looks happy to see us together. Part of me still had some doubts that I struggled to put to rest.
"You should see them at home. They're so irritatingly cute together," Jaehyun says. "More often than not they just forget I'm there, and they do this weird thing where they communicate without talking, or something, it's just half sentences. I can't figure out how they understand each other at all. So weird. It's a good thing Jennie is so nice to me, or I'd have so many more complaints. Feels like I have this weird mixture of a mother and sister now."
Mason laughs and claps Jaehyun on the back sympathetically. Jaehyun glances at us and shakes his head, but I know he's really happy for us.
Lisa tenses behind me and I turn to look at her, only to come eye to eye with Rosé. We haven't run into each other since classes started and neither Lisa nor I have tried to get in touch with her for a while. We both thought it'd be best if we gave her some time, but it's been weeks now. She glances at us, huffs, and then turns to leave. I straighten and move to follow her, but Lisa grabs my hand and shakes her head.
"Let me just talk to her," I say. "It's been a couple of weeks, maybe she's calmed down a little." I can tell from Lisa's expression that she doesn't believe she has at all.
"Baby, I don't want you to get hurt any further," she murmurs, her voice soft. I rise to my tiptoes and press a kiss to her cheek before rushing after Rosé.
"Rosé!"
She stops and turns to look at me as I try to squeeze through the crowd. She looks away as though she doesn't even know me and continues walking.
"Rosé," I shout, grabbing her hand as soon as I'm within reach. She shakes me off with force and looks at her hand in disgust, as though I'm some vile insect.
She sighs and looks at me emotionlessly. Her eyes are red and I can't help but wonder if maybe she's as heartbroken as I am.
"What the hell do you want? I told you I want nothing to do with you, which part of that did you not get?"
I inhale deeply and look down at my feet before facing her again. "Rosé, please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for hurting you. Please, won't you give me a chance to make it up to you? You've always been like a sister to me. I love you, Rosé. You're my family."
She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest. "You should've thought of that before you seduced my sister."
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "I don't get it. You were seeing Jaehyun for such a long time. He's Lisa's best friend, just like I'm yours. Surely you understand how it feels? I never set out to hurt you or break my promise. I was in love with Lisa long before you ever even asked me to stay away from her, and I tried my best nonetheless. It was killing me inside, Rosé. I've loved Lisa for years. I don't expect you to like it, and I don't even expect you to forgive me so soon, but please… can't you try to be happy for me? Please, won't you give me a chance to earn your forgiveness? Please, Rosé, don't shut me out."
Her eyes flash with anger, and she looks at me with raised brows. "Just because I dated Jaehyun doesn't mean it's okay for you to date Lisa. Just because I made a mistake doesn't mean you should be making the same one. You definitely shouldn't be throwing things I told you in confidence in my face."
I inhale deeply and shake my head. I can't figure out whether she's misunderstanding on purpose or if I'm just not making myself clear. "That's not what I'm trying to do at all. I'm just trying to make you understand. Surely you understand how it feels? Wasn't it the same with Jaehyun — knowing better, but being unable to resist? This was never about you, Rosé. I'm not trying to hurt you and I'm not trying to take anything from you. I truly love her."
She grits her teeth and looks away. "That's bullshit, Jennie. You could've had anyone you wanted, but you chose to go after Lisa. Don't give me all this tortured bullshit. You knew full what you were doing and you did it, anyway. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you date Lisa, then we're done. Our friendship is over. Make your choice."
I stare at her in disbelief. "It's been over ten years, Rosé. You'd throw away our friendship because I fell in love with Lisa?"
She shrugs and turns to leave. I inhale deeply and make up my mind. "Fine," I say, stopping her in her tracks. "If that's truly what you want, then that's how things will be. I won't ever give up on my relationship with Lisa. I've chosen you over her before, and I have been doing that for years. I chose you over her even after you ditched me for Jisoo, and I regretted it for years. I won't do it again. I love you, Rosé… but this time I'm choosing my own happiness."
She laughs humorously and shakes her head. "Of course you do. You've always been a selfish bitch. I didn't even realize you've been going behind my back for years, you're just that good. I bet you thought you could have it all. That you could betray me and we'd all still be a happy family. Things won't work out for you, Jennie. You don't deserve happiness. Lisa can do a lot better than you, and it won't take her long to realize it. When she finally leaves you, where will you be? I'll be counting down the days, Jennie. I'll be waiting until you're finally out of our lives forever. I bet I won't have to wait very long at all. After all, not even your own family loves you. How could Lisa?"
She laughs and walks off while I try my best to keep from falling apart. Part of me knows she's right. I did betray her, I did lie to her, and Lisa can do better.
