Jennie

I stare at the sun streaming through the kitchen window in surprise. How long have I been sitting here? I didn't even realize the sun had risen already.

I bite down on my lip and try to pull myself together, but I'm feeling out of it. Mino took the next available flight back home, and I drove him to the airport knowing I'd probably never see him again. How did we go from wanting to move in together to parting ways?

It feels surreal, but I don't feel the way I did when Lisa and I broke up. I feel like I might be in shock, but I'm not heartbroken. Shouldn't I be? Mino and I might have only dated for a year or so, but we've known each other for years. I haven't just lost him as my boyfriend, but as my friend too. I should be mourning the loss of that relationship, but instead I'm just… numb.

"Jennie?"

I tense when I hear Lisa's voice. She's standing in the doorway in her swim shorts, and I blink distractedly.

"Lisa," I whisper.

She frowns and walks towards me, a frown on her face. She looks worried, and I can't help but wonder what I must look like, sitting here in the same clothes I wore last night.

Lisa grabs my coffee cup and raises her brows when she realizes that my coffee is cold. I can't even remember when I made that.

"How long have you been sitting here?"

I blink and shake my head. "Not long," I whisper.

Lisa takes a step closer to me and places her hands on my shoulders. Her hands feel warm on my skin, and her eyes widen when she realizes how cold my body is. "Minx, you're freezing," she murmurs. She moves her hands over my arms, rubbing them in an effort to warm me up.

I look up into her eyes, my heart stirring. I've been so focused on keeping a barrier between us, that it's like I haven't really seen her in forever. The only time I caved was when I burst into tears in the treehouse yesterday. Strangely enough, I've missed those stunning hazel eyes of her. Even after all these years, I want to be the only one she sees. The idea of her with Layla hurts more than breaking up with Mino does, and that should've told me the truth about my feelings. I should've realized sooner that what I felt for Mino was a sense of duty and gratefulness for the time we spent together, the time she spent on me. It was never love. It wasn't anything like what I still feel for Lisa.

"Lisa," I whisper, and she raises her brow in question. "Mino left. I drove him to the airport last night. We… we broke up."

She stares at me in shock, her hands stiffening on my shoulders. "You what?"

I look away and rise to my feet, taking a step away from her. "We broke up," I repeat. "He got on the first available flight."

She looks at me like she can't comprehend what I'm saying. I see concern flash through her eyes, but there's also relief.

"Are you okay?" she asks, sounding worried.

I nod. I'm a bit too okay, I think. I should be in tears and I should be hurting, but I'm fine. "I'm all right. I'll be fine. It's just strange, that's all."

Lisa hesitates as though she doesn't know what to say, and then she nods. She grabs my coffee cup and empties it, making me a fresh cup instead. I lean back and watch her. She looks amazing in the sunlight that's streaming through the window, her upper body on display. Would it be easier to remain in control of the way she makes me feel if she'd gotten fat and obnoxious? Somehow, I doubt it would. I doubt her heart will ever change.

I take the coffee cup from her and stare at it, lost in thought. "Why do you still have this?" I ask, my voice so soft that she almost misses the words.

Lisa glances at the cup and bites down on her lip. "Because it's a memory I could never let go of. Having that cup made, showing you the writing inside it… whenever I see this, those memories come with it, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face."

My heart skips a beat. If I'm honest with myself, that's probably the very same reason I've been using this cup, when there are so many others to choose from. It's a reminder of better times.

Lisa freezes and looks towards the doorway, and I follow her gaze to find Dad standing there in his pajamas, a long robe keeping him warm. Dad is usually never up this early, and I can't help but worry. Is he not feeling well?

"Daddy," I murmur, trying my best to smile at him.

He walks into the kitchen, a conflicted expression on his face. "So, he left, huh? Did you guys argue?"

I glance at Lisa, and she smiles at me before slipping out quietly, probably wanting to give me some privacy. I nod at Dad. "Yes, I guess so."

Dad sits down next to me and sighs. "I'm sorry, Princess. How are you feeling?"

I look at Dad and think back to what Mino told me. While Dad hasn't been pushing me towards Lisa in any obvious ways, I do wonder if he might have been doing it subconsciously. Or maybe even very consciously. I always did think it was strange that he'd move in with Lisa — and that he'd ask it of me too.

"Did you even like him, Dad?"

He looks startled, as though he didn't expect the question, and smiles tightly. "He's a nice man, Jennie. It was clear that he adored you, and he really seemed to have his life together. He had a good career plan, and he'd be able to provide you with a good life."

I look at him through narrowed eyes. "That doesn't answer my question, Dad."

He smiles at me and shakes his head bashfully. "I'm not sure, Jennie. Mino is very nice and I like him as a person, but you didn't look all that happy with him. He enabled you to just let life pass you by, while still ticking off all the things you thought you needed to do to be happy. You know, like dating and moving in with someone, and maybe even getting married someday. You looked very content with him, but you didn't look happy."

I frown and look away. I want to refute his words, but I can't. Was it obvious to everyone but me? In the end even Mino seemed to realize that I wasn't quite myself with him, so how did I not realize it?

Dad ruffles my hair and smiles at me. "No matter," he says. "Life goes on, Princess. I'm sure you'll find your happiness. I don't want you to settle, Jennie. You deserve the world."

I nod and wipe away a tear that I hadn't even realized had fallen down my cheek. I drop my head to my dad's shoulder, feeling lost. It feels like everything in my life has changed and I'm struggling to keep up.