Golden Girl | Chaelisa

5

They walk home in silence.

Lisa appreciates Roseanne's ability to stay quiet immensely. Most people would try to strike up a conversation halfway through or bring attention to the fact that Lisa screamed about sex in front of a lot of her classmates a few minutes ago, but Roseanne doesn't. Roseanne doesn't do much of anything, except walk and occasionally glance at Lisa.

"Thank you." Lisa says, at last. A street light flickers above them, their houses and faces bathed in dim orange. "For offering to walk me home. It was really nice of you."

"It's no big deal. I would've been worried if I let you walk off alone after..." Roseanne tucks a brown strand of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks turn a rosy red color. "I just would've been worried."

The admission must embarrass Roseanne somewhat, because she dips her head a moment later. She looks a little shy. Lisa only notices this because of how intently she is watching Roseanne, her eyes never straying from the other girl's face while Roseanne continues to glance up at her.

The words echo in Lisa's head, rendering her unable to speak.

Roseanne would've worried about her?

The thought of Roseanne thinking about her at all drives her close to madness. She always forgets that other people could be aware of her while she is aware of them. It's a simple detail of life and yet Lisa can't seem to wrap her head around it.

"Worried? You don't know me." Lisa points out, not rudely, just as an observation. She sounds more curious than anything.

"I know." Roseanne lifts her shoulders, shrugging. "But I feel like I should."

Lisa understands that more than anything. She has felt off-balance since they met, almost needy with her desperation to be close to Roseanne. She wonders if what she is feeling is the same thing that Roseanne is, if their emotions are matched in intensity or if Lisa is obsessive and Roseanne just wants an acquaintance.

The only thing keeping Lisa from asking is her pride. She can't figure out a way to ask without admitting how nervous and out of control Roseanne makes her feel.

So, instead of saying anything, Lisa stays silent.

It's Roseanne who speaks first. "Do you want to, maybe, come inside? I know you're probably not feeling great right now, but I'm really good at cheering people up, so..."

"Sure." Lisa nods readily, trying not to sound too eager.

It's been years since Lisa hanged out with a girl other than Jennie. She is used to swapping insults and playing music loudly, occasionally complaining about their classmates. Lisa knows that most girls do other things, but she can't guess if Roseanne plans to get them to braid each other's hair or do something else entirely.

Her mind is spinning with the possibilities, but she follows behind Roseanne without question.

Once Roseanne leads them into her house, Lisa notices that the Parks still haven't fully moved in yet. Boxes are strewn across the living room, some of them open but most of them shut tight and held together by packaging tape. A few of them catch Lisa's eye, mainly the ones that have Roseanne's name on them.

Neither of them say a word until they reach Roseanne's room. While Roseanne flips on a light and sits on the edge of her bed, Lisa awkwardly lingers in the doorway.

"You can come in, you know." Roseanne reminds her. It's impossible to miss the teasing glint in her eye.

"Right. Sorry." Lisa murmurs, silently cursing herself for being so weird and apologizing to her for the hundredth time.