touched by stars -chaennie

Chapter 6: Look

“Have you ever watched Orphan Black?” You’d been working on your paper up until now, along with a few things for your other classes, while Jennie lounged on your bed. Jennie is lying face down on your bed, sunglasses off, face buried in your favorite yellow pillow. She looks pretty comfortable and relaxed to the point you’re not even sure she’s awake when you turn in your chair to face her.

“No.” Jennie eventually grunts, her response muffled with her mouth still pressed deep in your pillow. You’re not really sure why she’s attached herself to it. Every time she came to your dorm, she immediately kicked off her shoes and flopped into your bed, grabbing your pillow and sighing into it like it was her personal drug supply. You haven’t verbally questioned it, but you’ve taken note of the action. “Though I get the feeling I won’t be able to say that for much longer.”

“So, you’ll watch it with me?” You beam and Jennie turns her face from your pillow with a frown.

“Only if you promise not to be a dork about it.” Your grin turns into a pout.

“I am not a dork.” She snorts and your pout deepens. “Well… At least I don’t brood.” Jennie’s actually looks offended, her lips flapping uselessly for a few seconds. You have to mentally high five yourself for catching her off guard.

“I do not brood.” Jennie growls. A tone you only roll your eyes at now. You’re way past being intimidated by someone you’ve witnessed drooling while sleeping in your bed. “I—I contemplate with… With advanced pessimism.” And the stuttering didn’t help her either.

“That would be a little more believable if you weren’t stumbling over your words.” Jennie makes an offended sound while you turn back towards your desk to grab your laptop.

“Why don’t you come over here and do something about it then?” A shiver runs down your spine at the drop in Jennie's voice. You peek a glance at her and she’s smirking at you from where her cheek is still pressed into your pillow, a smirk like she knows exactly what she’s doing. You swallow slowly.

Get it together, Park.

That was another thing. As much time as you and Jennie have started spending in each other’s living spaces respectively, her flirting had also become a more constant thing. It wasn’t like Jennie had never flirted with you before you’d shared tragic backstories. But with you more aware of your… feelings, it was affecting you a lot more.

It’s not like you’ve admitted the crush to anyone, let alone Jennie. It was just getting harder to discern her flirtatious attitude from what it was, than trying to trick yourself into thinking she’d actually be interested in you romantically. Not that she was out of your league or anything but Jennie is your friend. You aren’t going to take advantage of that.

“Do you want to watch this show with me before we go have lunch with my friends or not?” You ask, verbally ignoring her initial response to you. Jennie’s lips press together just long enough for you to notice she’s doing it. She almost looks disappointed?

“Fine.” Jennie grumbles. The excitement that she’s going to give it a shot without trying to convince you to do something else for once shrouds your short attempt to place the look on her face.

You bounce gleefully to your feet, laptop held against your chest. Jennie sits up slowly, and moves over to make space for you on your bed. She keeps her fingers clutched on your pillow, holding it against her chest and burying her nose into it. And that makes it impossible to further bottle your curiosity. You have to ask.