Lisa
"Knock, knock." I said when I opened the door to the Kim's apartment. Jennie was in the kitchen cooking breakfast; it smelled great. "Good morning."
"Morning." she said keeping her eyes on the pan. I walked into the kitchen and placed her coffee next to her.
"Thank you."
"Anything for you."
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Hungry?"
"If you're offering. What's on the menu today?"
"Breakfast burritos."
"My favourite."
We sat down at the counter and ate.
"I have to say, this whole fake dating thing has really brought us closer; our friendship is thriving now." I teased her.
"We're not friends."
"You keep saying that, but everything we are doing says otherwise."
"Is that so?"
"Totally. We hang out every day now."
"Because you bring me coffee."
"And suddenly you're cooking me breakfast."
Jennie narrowed her eyes but I smiled, unperturbed. "We're friends now. By the way, your favourite Christmas band is Pentatonix."
Jennie quirked her eyebrow in what was becoming her signature 'Lisa' look. "You're scared of spiders."
"Spiders are actually the creepiest thing in the entire world."
"So who kills the spiders in your relationships?"
"That is probably the only downfall of being gay: if both of us are scared of spiders then we just have to burn the building down. That's always a first date question for me though, because I can't marry someone who is scared of spiders; someone has to kill them for me."
Jennie laughed. "You're serious?"
"Yes I'm serious! I won't date a girl if she's scared of spiders."
"That's ridiculous."
I shrugged. "You're lucky: you'll always have a man to squish the spiders."
"I squish my own spiders."
"Of course you do. Why would I think otherwise?"
Jennie smirked and continued to eat.
"Is there any reason, ever, that you would need someone else for something?"
Jennie considered my question for a moment then shook her head. "Nope."
"Miss Independent." Jennie looked at me and I took this as encouragement to dive into a terrible rendition of 'What Happened to Miss Independent', singing very loudly and off-key. "Miss independent / Miss self-sufficient / Miss keep your distance / Miss unafraid / Miss out of my way / Miss don't let a man interfere, no / Miss on her own / Miss almost grown / Miss never let a man help her off her throne."
"Dear, God. Please stop."
I threw my head back in laughter. "You may not need anyone, but honestly: what would you do without me?"
"So many things."
I grinned at her and she held my gaze. Suddenly we found ourselves in a staring contest. I blinked first, because sometimes Jennie could look at a person like she was Medusa.
"You know, every time we reveal how much we know about each other, it just proves my point that we're friends." I said after a few more bites.
"Or that you hang out here way too much."
"You love having me around."
"I don't know if that's quite how I would phrase it, especially if you sing Kelly Clarkson again."
"Just wait until you hear my karaoke version of Kelly Clarkson's entire 'Wrapped In' album."
Jennie eyed me wearily. I leaned over and pulled her into a big side-hug. She groaned with protest and pushed me away. "You love my company. You can't fool me." I stood up and put my dish in the dishwasher. "Thanks for breakfast, Jennie dearest. Breakfast has definitely been the best perk of this whole thing."
Jennie hummed unenthusiastically, like she was suddenly regretting every decision that put her in the realm of possibility that I would sing again. I blew her a kiss from the door and left laughing. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but every day this week when I arrived at work I felt like I was in a much better mood than usual. It was probably all the Starbucks coffee that I was buying.
When I sat down at my desk, my phone buzzed with a text from Jin.
Jin: I hear that you're replacing me.
Me: Who would I replace you with?
Jin: My sister.
Me: Jennie could never replace you.
Jin: I hear you're hanging out with her in the mornings when you drop off your coffee and you're getting dinner together on Thursday?
Me: Thursday is a business meeting. We have to talk about our fake backstories which is vital to the success of our mission.
Jin: You have been fake dating for less than a week and you're already forgetting about me. What happens when you date her for real?
Me: Dude, she's your sister. I'm not going to date her for real.
Jin: I've seen you checking her out.
Me: One time! I'd let you check out my brother if I had one.
Jin: But you don't.
Me: I'm not going to date her.
Jin: Sure.
Me: Are you mad because you weren't invited to dinner on Thursday?
Jin: Yes I am!
Me: Do you want to come to dinner on Thursday?
Jin: And be a third wheel? No thank you.
Me: You can't be a third wheel; we're not even dating!
Jin: This is when you guys start forgetting about me, the person who brought you two together!
Me: You're so dramatic.
Jin: And you're forgetting me.
Me: Ugh. I'll come over after work today and we can hang out.
Jin: Thank youuuu :) You have to start finding this balance now.
Me: What balance?
Jin: Of being in a relationship! You can't forget about your friends once you have a girlfriend.
Me: I don't have a girlfriend.
Jin: Yet.
Me: Are you trying to get me to date your sister???
Jin: I'm not trying. It's just happening.
Me: I'm not going to fall for Jennie.
Jin: We'll see. Just so you know you have my blessing. Got to go. Recess is over.
Me: What does that mean??
I waited for Jin to reply but he was true to his word and disappeared. What was he playing at? I put my phone down and shook my head. Jin was being ridiculous.
"Hey." Jackson said, approaching my desk.
I pulled out my headphones. "Hey, what's up?"
"Just warning you that Nancy's on one today."
"Isn't she always?"
"This one is worse: she's on a power trip. Something about a party."
I groaned. Jackson gave me a helpless smile and returned to this desk. Not too long after Jackson left my desk, Nancy materialised. She stood there until I was forced to acknowledge her. I pulled out my headphones with as much attitude as I could muster in the small movement.
"Hi Nancy."
"Hi Lisa."
"Can I help you with something?"
"We're having an office party next Friday."
"Yeah, I'm aware. I already RSVPed."
Nancy laughed me off like I was a dumb child. "Not that one."
"There's more than one?"
"The party at the actual office on the 18th too. It's a potluck."
"I see. Isn't two parties in one day a bit much?"
Nancy look scandalised by my suggestion. "Absolutely not! We're about to be off for the holidays and this is the most important time of the year for moral, sales, and overall happiness of the employees. Everyone is stressed out from deadlines, traveling, money, and seeing their in-laws."
"And another party is going to fix that?"
"Of course it is!"
"I don't know..."
"So what are you going to bring to the potluck? I've already signed up most people."
"Gee... thanks for saving me for last."
"You were the last one here."
I felt my blood pressure rising. I truly wondered what will happen when Jennie met Nancy. Nancy was an unstoppable force. So was Jennie. Would this finally be the moment when an unstoppable force met an immovable object? I should sell tickets to this event.
"My girlfriend and I have started having breakfast together in the mornings; you know, to make sure we're spending enough time together."
"You've been together for three years and you don't live together?"
"Of course not! What kind of woman do you think I am? We are a good Christian couple and we will not cohabit until we are married."
Nancy was confused by my joke and didn't seem to know quite how to take it. "You can put me down for desserts."
Nancy recovered quickly when we ventured back into the realm of parties and planning. "We already have desserts covered."
"Drinks then."
"Covered."
"Why don't you tell me what we still need?"
Nancy looked over clipboard importantly. "We can use another side."
"Fine, I'll bring mac and cheese."
Nancy scribbled something on the clipboard the smiled sweetly at me. "Thanks, Lisa!" Before she left, she glanced at the picture of Jennie and I.
I looked at Jackson when Nancy turned around and threw him an exasperated look. He silently laughed.
"She totally has it out for me!" I hissed at Jackson when she was out of earshot.
He laughed. "Of course she does."
"Why 'of course'?"
Jackson shrugged. "You're the only person in this office who doesn't roll over for her."
"Why do you?"
"It's easier to tell her 'yes' than to argue."
"Good point. I can't do that though. She annoys me too much. It's also fun to mess with her."
Jackson laughed. "That was pretty funny. Did you see her face when you told her why you didn't live with your girlfriend?"
I grinned. "It's so worth it."
