Apartment 34 // Jenlisa

Chapter 4

Within all of Jennie's childhood there was nothing that's ever gotten her more excited than Christmas. Her mom had to calm her down several times a day in order for her kid to not have a heart-attack at a very young age. Jennie even had pictures of Santa plastered all over her bedroom wall – she was such a fan.

But the days right before Christmas were the really bad ones. Jennie remembers sleepless nights, racing heart and shaking hands. Not even her mom's famous hot choco could help.
Someday she grew out of it, of course, when she got older and learned how to deal with nervousness and excitement – but today Jennie feels like she's six again.

Her fingers are drumming rapidly against her jumpy leg and she probably looks like a junkie on rehab. The woman standing a few feet away from her in the subway already sending her a questioning look – but Jennie couldn't care less.
It was Friday and it felt like Christmas all over again.

Jennie knew that she was probably overreacting – no scratch that, she knew that she was most definitely overreacting, but she just couldn't help it.
All week she had been trying to calm down, to distract herself – busying her ass with work and even having lunch with Kai but it was a lost cause and Jennie knew that by now.
Lisa had put a spell on her to which she hadn't found an antidote yet. And she wasn't sure she wanted one anyway.

She's almost running on her way home and only slows down her steps when she reaches the 3rd floor – her breathing somewhat quick and it just hits her that Lisa's probably not as overwhelmingly thrilled or even expectant of her visit when she's already standing in front of apartment number 34.
That possibility never occurred to her in all her daydreams and it unsettles her enormously. Maybe she should just back off and let it be in spite of everything? Just go home, have a smoke and forget that she ever entered the door in front of her.
She almost wants to do so, but she doesn't even get around doing that.

"It's open, you can go in."

Lisa's voice startles her – like always, and Jennie's quick to turn around.
She's standing there in sweats and a way too large shirt – holding a laundry basket and looking absolutely fly.
There's a smile on her face – that smile – and Jennie almost faints. It's so much better in person that in her head.

Lisa shuffles closer and Jennie's aware that she's standing there pretty much motionless. When she reaches her, Jennie takes a step back because being too close to Lisa isn't something she can cope with right now. She feels stupid again because every time they've met now she's been more or less tongue-tied and Lisa probably thinks she's a weirdo.

"Can you maybe...", Lisa starts and gestures to her occupied hands and the door of her flat and at least Jennie's senses still work and she opens the door. Lisa walks in – but not without sending her a wink as she moves past her. Jennie remains in her spot until Lisa appears in the doorframe again after putting down the basket.

"You coming?", she asks, but it's not really a question. She slouches into her bedroom and it gives Jennie a second to breathe. Oh how she missed oxygen.

"I assume you got my note then?", Lisa calls as soon as Jennie closed the door behind her – now awkwardly standing in the entrance area, not really knowing what to do with herself. She feels a little bit sick to her stomach and she realizes that she hasn't eaten today yet.

Lisa's head pops up from inside her bedroom and she sends Jennie a questioning look.
"Are you just gonna stand there? Come on, you can help me with something."

Jennie's not sure how, but her legs start working on their own and she finds herself inside Lisa's bedroom an instant later. It still looks the same as it did a week ago but this time it's not in the middle of the night and Jennie can actually see something.
There are a ton of pictures on the wall behind the bedrest and when she moves a little to have a closer look, Lisa appears on her side with a proud expression on her face.