the 1 | chaennie

53. Don't Blame Me

Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right
Lord, save me, my drug is my baby
I'd be usin' for the rest of my life

I've been breakin' hearts a long time, and
Toyin' with them older guys
Just playthings for me to use
Something happened for the first time, in
The darkest little paradise

Shakin, pacin', I just need you
For you, I would cross the line
I would waste my time
I would lose my mind
They say she's gone too far this time

-

"Hey."

"Hi," Rosie murmured, voice weary and small, "I'm in Nashville."

There was a pause on the other end as Jennie was struck speechless for a moment. "Wha- I- I
thought you said you weren't coming?"

"I wasn't," Rosie quickly agreed, a nervous tension brimming beneath her skin as she paced the carpeted floor of her hotel suite. "But then I decided to stop for the night on my way back."

"Oh, well ... okay."

"So, can I see you?"

"Yeah," Jennie softly replied, "yeah, of course. I'll text you the details."

Nerves squashed by the approval, Rosie slowly exhaled as she hung up and waited for the phone to buzz with the address Jennie was staying at. She was already dressed from her flight so it only took her a few minutes to gather her bag and put her shoes on, calling downstairs for a cab to be called for her. The hour was late enough that the lobby was empty as she stepped outside, just the night manager at the front desk who gave her a polite nod as she walked towards the door.

A valet opened the door to the cab as she handed over a few folded bills before sliding into the back, and, giving the cab driver Jennie's address, she slunk into the shadows and turned her head to the side, letting her dark hair obscure part of her face as she looked out the window. Nashville was awash with colours, even this late at night, and Rosie watched with blank disinterest, as if outside of herself.

The street was empty when the cab deposited her on the dark sidewalk, a muffled silence as the rest of the city faded into the background and Rosie peered through the darkness to identify the building. The night had an edge of cold to it and she burrowed into her sweater and fixed her glasses as she strode towards the apartment Jennie had been put up in for the duration of her stay. Ringing the buzzer, she waited, something tightening unbearably in her chest as the lock disengaged and she was let in without a word.

Seized with the urge to see Jennie that had been building or days now, it was all Rosie could do to calmly ride the elevator up to her floor without restlessly pacing, hands curling and flexing and curling again as she tried to quash the itching need beneath her skin. Walking slowly as the elevator doors opened, Rosie paused outside the plain wooden door for a moment, giving herself time to pull herself together before knocking.

She heard footsteps inside and felt her stomach clench with nerves, something about flying all the way there just to see Jennie making her feel a little shy, before the door opened and the tension bled out of her. Deflating as relief washed over her, Rosie gave Jennie a small smile as she looked at her, backlit by yellow lights inside, dressed down in sweats and a cardigan, hair loose and ruffled. There were dark circles beneath her eyes from a long day, matching Rosie's from a long flight, and they both stood in silence for a moment, taking each other in, before Jennie reached out and pulled her in by the hand.

"Hi," Jennie whispered, pulling her into a hug as she pushed the door shut, her arms strong and wiry around Rosie's body, her clothes smelling faintly of perfume and laundry detergent as Rosie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.