Golden Girl | Chaelisa

4

By the time the sun sets, almost everyone is ready to get out of the pool.

They exit sluggishly, most of the girls tugging at their swimsuits uncomfortably while the boys collect any important belongings, before all of them head inside. Lisa has her shirt on almost as soon as she exits the pool. It hadn't been so cold when she first got in, but that had been hours ago, and now the air is chilly and unforgiving.

Key carries the speaker into the living room, along with Jackson, and they set it down somewhere behind the couch, then proceed to turn on Taehyung's television and XBox. Lisa would normally complain about them playing a video game at the end of every party, but it isn't her birthday, and Taehyung seems happy to join them.

"I'm going to use the bathroom." She announces, squeezing Taehyung's shoulder as the other girls get situated around the boys.

Taehyung, unexpectedly, sits up with her. "Want me to come with you?"

"No." Lisa pauses, thinking that answer sounds a little too harsh. He's just been exceptionally clingy today, his arms never straying from her waist while they swam. She smiles thinly. "I'll be fine, thanks."

Taehyung nods and settles back onto the couch, looking slightly embarrassed until Key hands him a controller. They knock their shoulders in a way that is somehow very boy-ish.

"Hoping for a birthday BJ, Tae?" Key asks, the music to whatever game they're playing floating into the room.

Lisa steps carefully over the girls on the floor, who mostly don't seem too interested in playing. She kicks Jennie purposefully on her way out and uses all of her focus not to accidentally trip over Roseanne as she goes.

"I'm more focused on kicking your ass in Mario Kart..." Taehyung's words begin to fade as she reaches the stairs.

It feels weird to have Key in the house again. The bad blood between him and Jackson is mostly gone, but Lisa hasn't spoken to him much since he left the band. Lisa saw no reason to contact him. Sure, they'd been friends, but Lisa admittedly isn't the best at socializing, especially one on one.

Actually, Lisa isn't good at socializing at all. There's a reason she only has a handful of friends. Honestly, she is already feeling a tiny bit put-out by how many people she'd spoken to today.

Lisa stands in the bathroom for far too long, staring at her own reflection. Her hair is still wet, two shades darker than usual, causing her eye color to seem more pronounced — the same startling green as her father's. She lowers them from the mirror, sighing heavily, her thoughts a million miles away from here.

Why can't she shake this? Lisa vows to make more of an effort when she returns downstairs. Maybe she'll participate in Mario Kart or strike up a conversation with Somi or... someone.

Not Roseanne.

No, it seems Lisa is unable to string a sentence together in front of Roseanne without stuttering like an idiot. She fell in the pool, earlier. Who even does that?

Lisa takes one more second to gather herself, then leaves the bathroom. As soon as she swings open the door, someone swears loudly, followed by an answering thump. Lisa peers around the wood and spots Roseanne on the floor, holding her forehead.

"Oh, shit." Lisa kneels by her. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you coming."

At seeing Roseanne's grimace, Lisa cups her jaw on instinct and inspects her face for any injuries. Her chest constricts oddly with concern and she fails to remove her hand when Roseanne's expression finally smoothes out. Thankfully, there are no signs of bumps or bruises and Roseanne seems relatively unharmed.