Jennie
"You called out of work? You won't get in trouble, will you?" Jisoo is concerned for my welfare, never-mind the fact that she is sneaking around to call me while she's at work.
It's nearly noon, and I'm just getting out of bed. I kicked Louis out of the room hours ago. He howled at my door for what seemed like a good four hours straight, probably hungry again, but the noise went mostly unheard. Everything unrelated to Lisa seemed to be automatically tuned out from my mind.
I methodically fix Louis something to eat.
"It's the first time I've called out in two years," I say.
"Jesus. Seriously? What about your sick days?"
"I always save them."
"You're lucky. If we don't use ours we lose them by the end of the year. Everyone always seems to come down with some mysterious funk by December."
I don't really feel like talking about sick days - or anything, for that matter - but it's a much needed distraction.
"Well I guess I'd use mine too, then," I say. My voice sounds lifeless even to my own ears. Jisoo sighs heavily.
"Are you sure you're okay? I could take off early, you know. Got to use these sick days sometime."
"No, I'm fine. I think I'm going to go run or something. Got to get my game face on." I try to sound positive but fail miserably.
Jisoo gasps. "You haven't ran in months."
"Shut up. You know it probably won't happen," I say petulantly, and Jisoo chuckles as she agrees. "You know, Jennie, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," she says kindly. I snort into the phone.
"Trying to talk me out of it?" I ask. "Since when are you 'Team Lisa'?"
"I'm not 'Team Lisa'," she says haughtily. "You just seem really down in the dumps. I'm honestly not so sure this will make you feel better."
"Of course it will. She's had it coming to her for a while," I assure Jisoo. I walk around the kitchen - around Louis' massive body, which is currently bowed over his food bowl - and pull out cereal and milk. I pour myself a small bowl and eat at the counter while standing.
"We can always think of something that's not quite so-harsh."
"It's not that bad," I argue. I'm irrationally annoyed; I'm already dreading my plan, and having Jisoo show anything less than her full support is unsettling. "It's not like I'll be hurting her feelings," I go on. Not that she has any. "She'll lose the bet and be forced to hear me out. It's pretty genius."
"I guess," she says warily. I roll my eyes.
"It was your idea!"
"I know! And you're right, it's genius," she says with an air of confidence. "I just want to make sure it's something you want to do."
"I wouldn't do it if it wasn't," I say. I hear a rustle in the background and Jisoo briefly speaks to someone else. She returns to our conversation.
"Look, Jennie, I got to go. Will you call me before you go over there? Maybe I can give you a little pep talk before you go," she says.
"Sure," I agree.
When she hangs up, I linger in the kitchen, not wanting to sit on my shredded couch and intent on avoiding my bed. The last thing I need to do is sleep the entire day. I'll never get in the right mind-set that way.
I scroll through my phone, searching the numbers, until it falls upon her name. I stare at it a moment, wondering how something that caused those little tingles of pleasure just days ago has suddenly become a thing of dread and regret. I miss those tingles.
I hit send, figuring she must be close to her lunch break, and I'm simultaneously relieved and fearful when her smooth voice answers the phone.
"Hello?"
I release the breath I'd been holding.
"Hey, Lisa. It's Jennie."
