Lisa
"Jennie, rest your hand up a bit higher on Taehyung's shoulder!" Barbara barks out more instructions over my shoulder. "Get a little more life back into your eyes, you look distracted!"
Nini takes in a deep breath, while straightening her spine and standing up taller. She adjusts her hand on Taehyung's broad shoulder, with her engagement ring hitting the light just right, taunting me.
I have to admit, she's a vision in her white lacy summer dress, with her long brunette hair shiny and her fair skin glowing in the sun's rays. Nini has always been a beauty, with her mama entering her in numerous pageants growing up. And Taehyung, her fiancée, isn't a bad looking guy. He's got dark hair that's gelled back and a nice, expensive watch on his wrist. His fit frame fills out his suit well, but I wouldn't call him GQ's next upcoming model.
"Don't move." I mutter, taking a few steps closer and snapping multiple photos at different angles.
Every time I move closer it's like Nini and I are both holding our breaths. It's been a long time since we last saw each other, and the air is thick with awkward tension because the last time we were around each other, things didn't go well. At all.
Snapping away, I hear a faint vibrating sound every now and then. After a while, I spot Taehyung through the view finder reaching into his pocket, while taking his phone out and glancing at the screen not so discreetly.
His mother lets out an annoyed huff behind me and Nini detangles herself from him, looking just as annoyed as Barbara.
"I have to take this." Taehyung mutters unapologetically, while answering his phone and walking away further into the backyard.
"I'm so sorry." Barbara apologises, looking embarrassed and distressed while massaging her temples. "He's been really busy with work lately."
"No worries." I say, trying to be polite, despite wanting to finish up this photoshoot and get the hell out of here.
With another sigh and shake of the head, seemingly clearing her thoughts, Barbara goes into reset mode, turning back into the prim and proper housewife, plastering a smile on her face. "Can I get you anything? Tea, water?" she asks, already heading for the house.
"Oh no, I'm fine, ma'am." I assure her, prying for her to stay, and to not leave me alone with Nini.
"Nonsense." she tsks, dismissively flicking her hand. "It's a scorcher out today. Is tea alright?"
"Tea is fine, ma'am." I sigh, watching her scurry into the house.
Shoving my hands deep into my pockets, I sneak a quick look at Nini who seems to have found quite the interest in the lush grass at her feet, refusing to look at me.
Tension crackles between us the longer Barbara and Taehyung are gone, and I imagine having my teeth pulled would be more comfortable than this. Finally the silence becomes so unbearable, so unsettling, like out on the battlefield at night, that I break.
"Uh..." I clear my throat, deciding that saying something may be better than being eaten alive by the silence. "How have you been, Nini?"
As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I regret them. I've never sounded more lame or pathetic in my life. How much more awkward and desperate can I sound?
Those baby blue eyes shift up from the grass to my face, with shock apparent on her beautiful face that I actually spoke. She wraps her arms around her middle, as if to protect herself from whatever is about to be said next.
"Good." she replies, with her voice strained. A few moments pass and I honestly think that's going to be the end of it. "You?" she ask cautiously, almost disinterested.
"I've been alright." I reply.
She nods. "Daddy says you stop by the house every now and then." she says, looking at me curiously.
"Yeah, if I see him out whenever I pass by."
She nods, her eyes shifting away, finding interest in the grass again.
"So, you're getting married." I say, with a swarm of emotions bubbling up in my chest. I know I probably shouldn't have said it, but I did.
She scowls. "Don't be like that, Lisa."
"I'm not being like anything, Nini."
That's a lie, maybe I am a bit bitter. Hurt.
Nini and I go way back. We'd been best friends ever since she moved into the old house down the road. We were inseparable.
I remember the first time I saw her. I was riding my bike up and down the road, and I saw her sitting out on the steps of her front porch. Her head was hung low, the only thing I could see was the top of her brunette head as she picked at a daisy in her hands, pulling off the petals. No one had been to that house in years, and I was excited to finally see someone my age possibly live there, so close. I tried to wave at her, but she never looked up. She looked so sad, and I didn't want to disturb her. I didn't know at the time how long she would be staying anyway, so I let it go.
Every day, I passed by on my bike. Some days she would be outside on the porch, looking just as sad as the first time I saw her. Other days I wouldn't see her at all. When summer was coming to a close and the school year was starting to creep up, I finally got the nerve to approach her. I figured at that point she was probably staying for a while, and I figured that she could use at least one friend before she started at a new school. Hell, I'd been going to the same school all my life, and I knew I certainly could use more friends, one other than Bambam.
So I rode my bike up her driveway and introduced myself. She was very standoffish at first, but eventually she warmed up to me after a few days of stopping by. I had come to learn that her family only moved here because her mum was real sick, and it was the closest, most affordable thing they could get near the city. They had to leave their old town behind, pack up everything, and start over afresh, on top of struggling to handle and digest the news of her mum's cancer.
