Between Shades of Gray

XXVII

JENNIE's POV

Finally, this is the day Lisa came back home, in our apartment. After nearly 4 months of her staying in the hospital, we were all excited to come home so that things could go back to normal, hopefully. Well, this was supposed to be normal BUT...

"Nini... Are you okay?" She asks me as soon as we enter our apartment.

I didn't answer her.

I was nervous.

I feel giddy.

The butterflies in my stomach kept swirling around and around within me. I felt like a teenager finally alone with her first girlfriend and I really don't know why I feel like this. I know I'm being silly, I mean we were alone in her hospital suite for two weeks from the time she woke up and we slept in the same bed. We kissed and cuddled but this is different. Well for me, it's different. We are not friends sharing a bed or an apartment anymore. We are LOVERS sharing this place and my nervousness towards that fact kept me off charts.

I. Am. Nervous.

I mean, if we had those moments of sexual tension back then, it's not totally impossible to feel that way this time. I mean, making love to her is a thin thread away. My confidence wavers. What if she realizes that we are not compatible in bed? What if-

What the hell?! I'm really being silly, am I?

"Hey..." she coos. I felt her arms around me as she hugs me from behind. My body stiffened right away. She must have felt it because she pulls away immediately.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-" she said softly, her voice shivers.

"No no no... It's not-" I countered immediately and turn to face her.

She turns to look away from me. Her eyes settle on her reflection at the full size mirror at the corner of our apartment. She sighs with disappointment.

"I look awful, aren't I? Is that why you're pulling away from me now? Is it because of the bruises on my face, arms, body—"

My eyes widen at her words, I didn't expect her to pick it up in the wrong way so I went towards her to pull her immediately against me. I hug her tightly from behind and it's this time, it's her body that stiffens.

"Don't say those things, Lisa. Please don't." I said breathlessly.

"You are perfect, gorgeous, lovely, beautiful-"

"Then why?" She cuts me off.

Silence envelopes us for a moment while we look at each other through the mirror and the longer her eyes linger on mine, I started seeing my cheeks reddened.

"Please don't laugh." I said feeling embarrassed.

She furrows her eyebrows at me.

I lower my eyes.

"I'm kinda uhmm... nervous... Being with you... here... in our apartment, alone and... I feel giddy and excited and nervous at the same time. It feels like my heart is going to explode." I said in a soft voice.

"Oh!"

"I know I'm being silly. But it's just that I can't help it." I said as I tighten my arms on her.

"We stayed here as best friends before and now everything will change. I'm just... really... REALLY... nervous... God, I love you. You make me feel all sort of-"

She cuts me off by encircling my nape with her right hand; her head turn sideways to meet my lips. She kisses me softly and my whole body suddenly relaxes. When I open my mouth and her tongue slithers into mine, I moan. And just a couple of seconds, she pulls away and I immediately miss the contact of her lips against mine.