My Chemistry Tutor

CHAPTER 35

JENNIE'S POV

After Lisa and I are done having fun all afternoon, we lay entangled in each other, completely naked on the bed. Lisa gently caresses my cheek, and I can't help but feel so happy.

This moment is absolutely perfect.

"I love you so much," Lisa mumbles, making me smile widely.

"I love you too," I reply, scooting even closer to her. She wraps her arm around me, holding me against her chest.

I feel so warm, so comfortable, that I can't help but drift into a peaceful sleep.

I guess Lisa must have fallen asleep too, because neither of us was prepared for what happened next.

"AHHHHHH! MY EYES!!" Dad suddenly yells from the doorway, refusing to even look in our direction.

Lisa and I jump in fright, and I immediately grab the blanket, wrapping it tightly around us to cover our bodies.

"What are you doing home early? You guys said you wouldn't be back until later!" I stammer nervously.

"It is later! It's 8 p.m.!" Dad shouts back.

"Shit, we napped too long," Lisa whispers under her breath.

"JENNIE! EXPLAIN THIS NOW!" Dad yells again, clearly flustered.

"Wait—never mind. I don't want any details at all! AHHHHHH!" he adds, yelling even louder this time.

"What is going on up there?!" Mom shouts from downstairs.

Dad, still facing the wall, says, "Jennie and Lisa, please put on clothes right now. And Jennie, I'll get your mom up here to discuss this with you." He bolts out of the room and runs downstairs.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I repeat over and over, scrambling to pull on my clothes as quickly as possible.

Lisa does the same, both of us blushing furiously from the sheer humiliation of being caught.

I hear Mom coming up the stairs, and I look at Lisa in pure panic.

"What the fuck do we do?" I whisper harshly.

"I don't know! I don't have parents who care about what I do. This is new territory for me. Plus I've never been caught before," she replies innocently, almost helplessly.

There's a knock on the door.

"Are you two decent now? You know you almost gave your father a heart attack," Mom says.

A moment later, she steps into the room. Her eyes shift from me and Lisa, who are sitting awkwardly, to the corner of my room where Lisa's bags are still sitting out in plain sight.

Shit! Lisa forgot to put her stuff back in my closet!

"Why are there so many bags that don't belong to you, Jennie?" she asks suspiciously.

"Umm... shouldn't we talk about the fact that I almost gave Dad a heart attack first?" I suggest weakly, trying to distract her.

Mom rolls her eyes, unimpressed, and focuses her attention directly on me.

"I know you're a teenager with a lot of hormones, and I know you're smart, so you understand all about the birds and the bees. Also honestly, I'm kind of glad you're gay, because at least I don't have to worry about pregnancy."

My jaw drops, and my face burns bright red. I can't believe she just said that while Lisa is sitting right there.

"However, for the love of God, do not have sex when you know we'll be home. Your poor father looks like he's seen a ghost," Mom adds, shaking her head.

"I'm so sorry... we fell asleep afterward..." I start to explain, but Mom cuts me off.

"I don't need to know any details. I just wanted to make that clear. Now onto the elephant in the room. Those bags probably belong to Lisa, don't they?"

"No! Those aren't hers! I... recently bought those?" I say, unconvincingly.

Mom sighs heavily. "Jennie, you're a bad liar."

"What on earth do you mean?" I ask, feigning innocence.

"Your father and I already concluded that we never bought you a hydro flask. So, if you lied about that, then you're lying now. And that noise we heard the other day, it was probably Lisa, wasn't it?"

"What? No!" I say, trying to look shocked.

"Okay, it was me! I made those noises! Those are my bags!" Lisa suddenly squeaks out.

My mom turns to her, then back to me, and says coldly, "Would you like to explain why you tried to lie? And why Lisa is staying here?"

I give a nervous laugh, which only makes her glare at me harder. Quickly, I blurt out, "See, it's a long story..."

"I have all the time in the world," Mom replies flatly.

"Okay, it's my fault. Don't blame Jennie. She only wanted to help because she felt bad that I ran away from home. That was way before we even got together," Lisa explains, her voice soft but steady.

Both my mom and I stare at her in shock.

"See, I don't live with my mom or her drunken boyfriends anymore. We had an altercation, and I had to leave. I didn't have anywhere else to go. I'm so incredibly sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Lisa adds, speaking way too fast, almost tripping over her words.

Mom's expression softens, and she steps forward, unexpectedly wrapping Lisa in a hug. The sudden gesture makes Lisa fall silent.

"Calm down, Lisa. Why don't we head downstairs so you can get a glass of water and slowly explain everything to me?" Mom says gently.

Lisa nods, and Mom leaves the room first.

Lisa and I glance at each other, then follow her out.

"What the hell happened back there? You just spilled the whole truth in like two minutes," I whisper to Lisa as we walk.

"I don't know! I panicked and just started blurting stuff out," she says adorably.

"I slightly blame you," she adds, pouting.

"Me? Why me? You just gave us away!" I whisper back, still flustered.

"Your honesty and good-two-shoes self rubbed off on me," she says with a small grin. "I felt bad. I didn't know what else to do except tell the truth."

"Wow, I really am rubbing off on you," I mutter, half chuckling.

"Hey! You're rubbing off on me too. I lie more now," I whisper back.

"I know, but like your mom said you're a really bad liar. Anyone could see through you," she teases with a giggle.

I narrow my eyes at her, but she only laughs harder as we make it downstairs, where both my parents are waiting to hear the full explanation behind this entire mess.