THE HAPPIEST GIRL | JENLISA

Chapter 82

Lisa

Stop fucking touching me.

Kaia's hand squeezes mine while my mother's hands fidget with my tie and the stylist swipes a makeup brush across my face.

Stop smothering me!

Another body presses against mine, with hands moving to the lapels on my suit jacket while another pair of hands move to my hair to apply more styling gel.

Knock it off!

A kiss is pressed to my cheek, with a makeup wipe touching the spot a moment later, while another pair of hands now start fidgeting with my dress shirt cuffs.

"Stop!! Just stop! All of you stop!" I can't take it anymore, jerking away from them.

"Lisa!" my mother scolds, appalled by my sudden outburst.

"Baby." Kaia pouts, taking a step towards me, but I quickly retreat. She frowns, becoming exasperated by my behaviour.

"Just stop!" I reiterate. "You're all suffocating me!"

Kaia and my mother both look like I just slapped them across the face while the stylist casually packs up his things, finished getting me ready for the award show.

The biggest award show in music is tonight and I'm doing my first performance in years for live television, my nerves are already on overdrive after having my name tarnished by the media's speculations over the past few days due to of the paparazzi pictures of me, Jennie, and Hallie. And to top that off, I'm nominated for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year again. I won a couple of years ago, the last time I attended. The night I first told Jennie that I loved her...

My blood begins to boil again and I brush past everyone to get some space, walking over to the hotel room window. While pacing, I try to shake off the nerves and agitation.

"Someone needs to loosen up." my dad comments, while chuckling deeply.

I look over to where he's sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, sipping on some clear liquid that's definitely not water. He swirls the contents around in the tumbler, raises it, offering it to me. I scoff in disgust, while shaking my head in incredulity.

"Testy...." he presses, standing up and stalking towards me, extending his cup in offering, again. The strong stench of alcohol wafts through my nose as he slings his arm around my shoulders, and as much as I want to be repulsed by the liquid in his cup, I find myself itching to reach for it.

I push him off me and stride to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Shutting everything out for a moment. I place my palms on the counter and let my head hang over the sink, breathing deeply. When I look up into the mirror, I see a person that I barely recognise. Someone that's been through so much and aged in just a few short years, not necessarily physically, but in a way that if you look deep into their soul you can just tell.

Turning the faucet on, I let the cold water skim against my fingers. Bending down, I splash some of the water on my face, careful not to get it on my suit. I grab a towel after to blot my face, hardly taking off the light makeup the stylist put on my face. I hear them all murmuring on the other side of the door, commenting on my behaviour, until the front door opens and they all go quiet.

"Where is she?" I hear Hyun-suk's muffled voice on the other side of the door.

Before anyone can answer, I emerge from the bathroom, straightening out my suit jacket. Both Hyun-suk and my assistant, Daniel, are in the room now, dressed in tuxedos. Ever since Jennie, Hyun-suk has made sure my immediate team are all males. He's probably scared that I'll fall for another girl if he hires one to work closely with me.