Love X 4

14.

Isis' POV

I rush straight to Jameela's room but make sure to knock before I enter, I really don't wanna walk in on anything like what I saw on Friday again. I wouldn't be able to handle it.

Jameela opens the door. I expected her to slam it in my face because she's hot tempered like that. But instead she asks me if I'm gonna come in.

I get in and stand in the middle of nowhere.

"I... I have a lot of stuff to tell you Jameela." I say looking at the floor
"Oh so you've been cheating on me." She folds her arms
"Jameela, just let me talk." I sound desperate, she scoffs.
"Go on."

I start from the beginning. I told her about how I'm slightly attracted to Hyunjin and Chenle. I really don't know how to tell her about the incident at his dorm though. She looks relieved and I feel a pang of guilt shoot through my heart.

"Get to the Xiaojun part." She cut me off.
"Oh, him? He's the one who came onto me. He was just trying to prove a point. It was stupid." I say looking down yet again.

I feel terrible, especially because it's so difficult for me to go into all the details. It's hurts to lie to her, though.

"Huh?" She looks confused.
"I don't get it either, but that's what happened and that witch Aurelia was creeping around on her broom and took that picture at the exact moment." I reply.

Jameela sighs what sounds like a sigh of relief. She's cooler about this than I'd initially expected. I guess two days is her ideal cooling off period. I'm almost entirely ready to put all of this behind us.
But...

"What about you? Why'd you kiss Aurelia?" I asked. I mean, I kind of get it but why her?
"Well, I guess it's just cause she was here. Like you and Xiaojun, she kissed me first but I'm wrong for kissing her back without letting you explain first" she closes the space between us "I'm sorry Isis."

I don't like that she's apologizing because, well, I haven't exactly been entirely honest with her.

I sigh and apologize to her again and she tells me not to and I apologize for apologising.

She pulls me into an embrace and I relish in her warmth around me before returning her hug. I rest my head on her shoulder and smell her hair. Oranges, ginger and cinnamon.
Jameela smells like winter cookies.

I don't even realise I'm crying until we pull apart and I see the wet stain on her shoulder. She wipes my face with both of her hands and I giggle.

"Tomorrow you're missing choir practice." She says with a facial expression I cannot read. I was about to protest but- "don't worry, it has nothing to do with Xiaojun, we're going somewhere."

I just nod. I trust her.

Time Skip

Jameela's POV

It's after school so I'm here, waiting in the dining hall, exactly where I said I'd meet Isis. I'm nervous but at the same time, I think we're ready to ask her and I think she's ready to listen.

This is a very... odd position to put her in. She hasn't had much relationship experience, she hasn't even defined her sexuality yet. But she means so much to me -to all of us- and if not now, when?

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of feet on the floor. It's Isis skipping towards me. She's so cute, how her eyes become non-existant when she smiles.

I absentmindedly watch her boobs bounce up and down as she nears me. Doesn't that hurt? I really hate that part about having boobs. She engulfs me in a hug. I'm really happy that she's happy to see me. She feels like home.

Where are they? As if they heard me, my phone buzzes at that exact moment. It's a text saying that they'll meet us there.

I stretch out my hand for her to grab and we walk hand in hand out of the school premises. "Where are we going, Jams?" She asks. I squeeze her hand and tell her to be patient

We catch a taxi and I tell the driver to stop outside tiny cafe littered with plants inside and out. We get out of the taxi and Isis seems unsure. Like she wasn't expecting a place like this.

We walk inside and I see Hyunjin and Chenle sitting at a booth surrounded by Rosemary, Lavender and Lemongrass. There were also little purple, yellow and blue flowers adorning the area. It was more beautiful than I'd expected. This cafe is called The Greenhouse and it's no wonder why.

Isis visibly panics when she sees Hyunjin and Chenle at the table and I squeeze her hand again. She lags behind me as if it'll make her never reach the table. She doesn't know that I know.

"What a coincidence, they're here too." We're both anxious, but for different reasons. I lack the words to respond to her.

"Jameela, why are we walking towards them?" She tries to stop but I pull her. "They're our friends aren't they?" I rub her cheek and she calls down a bit. She takes a deep breath and we finally reach their table.

It feels like it's taken us forever to get here. We greet and then sit. I take a deep breath and relish in the fresh scent of lavender and lemongrass. "You guys are finally here." Hyunjin says. Way to reveal everything. Kind of.

"What do you mean finally?" Isis turns to look at me. Hyunjin and Chenle's faces widen with knowing. They realise that I didn't tell her why I brought her here.

But like, why tell her if it'll all be discussed here anyway?

I'm nervous and it's audible. "Well uh. This... Uh. We... I"
"We all have something to talk about" Chenle interjects "Don't we, Isis?" I have no idea why he said it like that, she's gonna think she's in trouble, I guess he likes to see her squirm.
I turn to look at her and she's practically on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry Jameela. I... haven't been faithful to you. I cheated." She says and starts crying. She lowers her head onto the table as if to hide from the mess she thinks she's made. She jumps when she feels my hand rubbing her back. "It's okay Isis, calm down. I know about everything. Everything." She looks at me with a pained expression.

"But-" she starts.
"I think it's better you let us speak first." Hyunjin says motioning between him, Chenle and I.