Raising The Bets

012: Secrets

JENNIE

The week passed by so quickly, there was this distance between me and Lisa. But, I was grateful for it or else I would've been stuck in that loop of attraction. Because I do feel attracted. Yes, I'm admitting this to myself. But, the fact that I don't know what's going through her head, has been torturing me. Did her view of me change overnight?

Instead of feeling drained by work, I was more engrossed in it than thinking about her, but now that the weekend is here—I have nothing to do but think about her, and what happened lately between us. Almost like the roles have been reversed and she's stuck in my head for some unknown reason.

The darkness.

The mystery.

Not knowing even the normal things that come with a connection—but a connection? Do we even have that, to begin with? All we do is fight, bicker, make up, and go back to being professional. Deep down, I assumed her opening up to me would make me different, but seems like I'm just like any other girl she knows.

I was cussing her out inside my head.

She's arrogant and thinks the whole world will be down on its knees for her attention, but not me.

I took a deep breath and was about to head out to the kitchen but my phone started ringing, it was Aaron, "Hello?".

"J-Jennie? Are you home? I'm outside". He sounded drunk.

Oh god.

"Aaron, what's wrong?".

"I'm drunk and alone, j-just come out, please". He begged over the phone. It was strange seeing him this way, but he sounded so vulnerable and scared.

I hung up and rushed to the door.

Didn't take me long to get down and see him, there he was, drunk and out of his mind, crying.

"Aaron?". I softly called.

He looked up, "Jennie, I'm tired. And, I.. I'm losing hope over seeing her again".

I kneeled down, and placed a hand on his back, "Hey, hey. Look at me". When he did, he calmed down a bit, "Please, breathe first".

He obeyed.

"Don't give up just yet". I patted his back, "You're capable of finding her if you believe you can trust me".

"But, it's hard". He sadly admitted.

"I know how hard it is, but you can do this. Have some faith and give yourself credit for trying—The universe is probably preparing you for reconciliation if you show it that, in fact, that's what you truly desire. Once a good heart chases for the good, for the truth, it will always find it, yeah?".

He nodded and looked like a lost child.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, Jennie".

I gave him a reassuring smile and told him not to mention it, but the timing with everything came disastrous.

"As your friend, it's my job—".

Because, as I try to reassure the drunk human in front of me, he pulled me by the back of my head and kissed me. A clumsy unexpected kiss that I had nothing to do with, this time, my heart lecturing me as I hear that deep voice call, "Jennie?".

Lisa.

My eyes widened as I pushed him away.

She stands there, in shock, and confusion. Her dark eyes burn with emotions, as she glanced at us two. I opened my mouth to speak but she nodded slowly and started to walk back to her parked car. "Lisa?". I called for her but she didn't stop and neither did she want to hear me.