READY FOR LOVE | JENLISA

Chapter 20

Lisa

I walk into the anatomy lecture hall to find everyone either anxiously talking amongst themselves or frantically flipping through their notes, trying to soak in every last second to study. Four weeks into the semester and it's our first test. Around this time, almost every class is handing out tests, and it fucking sucks.

You know what else fucking sucks? Rat boy is in my damn seat. For the past four weeks, the little twerp has been trying to steal it from me to be closer to Jennie, but I always try to get to class early to claim it. Only twice has he beaten me to class to steal the seat.

Jennie, rat boy, and Rosé are all in their seats looking over their notes. I walk up to our row and resist the urge to smack rat boy right in the back of his head as I pass. Walking pass Jennie, I glide my fingertips across the back of her upper arm, across her back, and to her other arm, catching a strand of her long, silky caramel hair. I twirl it around my finger and let it naturally unravel itself. Jennie twists around in her seat, smiling when she realises that it's me.

"Hey, Finch." I greet her, placing my hand on the back of her chair.

"Hey." she greets me softly, trying not to disturb those around us. "Ready?" she asks, her tone and her face portraying her nerves.

"Ready to get it over with." I admit.

She gives me an understanding smile.

"Take your seats and put away all study materials." our professor announces, walking into the room with a stack of tests.

"Good luck." Jennie mouths.

"You too." I mouth back, even though I'm sure she doesn't need it, and take the seat on the other side of Rosé.

Our professor rattles off instructions before passing out the multiple choice tests. As soon as the test gets in front of me and I read the first few questions, I know I'm fucked.

Is it A or C? It has to be C, right? I question myself. Or could it be D? Fuck. You have C for four questions in a row! That can't be right, there can't be that many in a row, I realise, scolding myself for being such a fucking idiot and not studying as much as I should have.

Not even thirty minutes in, the legs of the chair next to me scrape against the floor, and Rosé stands confidently with her test in her hands, turning it in to our professor before exiting the classroom. How the hell can she be done so fast?

Five minutes later, rat boy stands and turns his in, just as confident as Rosé and even a bit cocky. Jennie is still in her seat, randomly flipping through pages to double check her answers, but eventually she stands ten minutes after rat boy leaves to turn in her test. I catch her eyes just before she leaves and she flashes me a soft, reassuring smile. If only that smile could help me get a better grade on this test than I'm sure I'm going to get.

When the professor announces that there's only five minutes left, I throw in the towel, giving up. If I don't know it now, I won't know it five minutes from now, either. Defeated, I get up and reluctantly hand my test in to the professor and walk out, only a few kids left in the classroom struggling. Less than confident, I step out into the hallway to find Jennie siting on one of the benches, reading over a textbook. She looks up at the sound to the door shutting behind me and gives me an anxious smile. "How did it go?" she asks.

I stop in my tracks, not expecting her to be waiting for me out in the hallway. I know she means well with her intentions, but now I feel like even more of an idiot by having her know I ate up all the time to take the test while her and her friends didn't spend nearly as much time, even walking out with confidence. I'm not usually one to feel embarrassed by not doing well on a test, but this one is different. Having her know I spent so much time is humiliating.

Playing off my bruised ego, I let out an over dramatic groan in response, plopping down onto the bench next to her. She lets out a giggle and surprisingly pats my thigh that's brushed up against hers in sympathy. "Yeah, some of them were a little tricky." she says genuinely, although I'm convinced she's just trying to spare my feelings.

"You waited for me, Finch?" I ask, my voice slightly teasing, although deep down I can't deny the fact that she waited for me actually makes me feel a bit giddy.

Her cheeks heat up. "Not necessarily. I have some time before my next class starts, and the study lounges are usually packed this time of day."

"Mhmm. Just admit you're obsessed with me, Finch." I tease, bumping my thigh with hers.

She rolls her eyes, closing her textbook and stuffing it into her powder blue backpack. She stands, slinging on her backpack before looking down at me expectantly.

I stand. "How long do you have until your next class starts?"

She looks down at the dainty silver watch on her wrist. "About forty minutes."

"Have you eaten lunch yet?"

She shakes her head. "No, I was too nervous to eat before the test."

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes at her. "Finch, you're a genius. You have nothing to worry about." I assure her, slinging my arm over her shoulders and guiding her towards the cafeteria.

She gives me a side-eye, scoffing humbly. "I am not a genius."

"Whatever you say, Einstein Jr." I taunt teasingly. "Just add a moustache and..."

She gasps, offended, lightly swatting me in the chest. I laugh, catching her hand and holding the back of it to my chest for a few seconds longer. "I'm just teasing, Finch. You're way too pretty to be compared to Einstein. Physically at least."

She blushes, shyly darting her gaze away from mine as we walk the rest of the way to the cafeteria.