The Lieutenant placed the bottle on the table, hanging her head low. She gulped, her mind hazy and everything was a blur.
But she kept drinking, another bottle placed on the table and soon it was just a mass of green bottles scattered on the table.
It happened so fast, the Lieutenant couldn't stop replaying it in her mind.
She was already choked up on it, but it didn't stop her from tasting the bitter drink running down her throat.
Her hand reached down at the cardboard box, feeling nothing but cardboard.
She got up, stumbling a bit her head already was bruised from tonight.
She had trouble blinking, the bruised skin around her injured area felt like it was tightening, making it painful.
She was too drunk, tripping over her shoes and coat that was taken off and carelessly thrown on the floor.
Maybe it was too much for the Lieutenant because she backed up and practically slammed her back into the granite corner.
The Lieutenant groaned, kneeling on the ground she rested her back against the wall before laying on the ground and curling up.
She blinked a couple of times, groaning out in pain. She clawed at the floor. Her head hurt and so did her heart. Everything hurt, and not a lick of alcohol could make it better.
I should know it doesn't make it better.
•••
"I told you to stay in your home, and you just had to disobey me didn't you?"
Jennie poked at her breakfast, keeping her head down.
"Why can't you just listen to me and do things I tell you to do? It's not like I'm asking you to give me a show in a week with 36 different designers. I'm not asking you to do anything ridiculous like give me a concept flushed from beginning to end in an hour. I'm asking you to stay out of the spotlight for your own safety. I asked you not to involve yourself with Jisoo—"
The younger designer took a breath in, listening to the lecture she was given.
In the morning Dara had barged in really upset with her. The woman saw how heartbroken Jennie was, evident of the red eyes and sniffling.
She quietly made her some breakfast and kept her cool down, but as soon as Jennie muttered an apology it set Dara off.
"I care about you, you know that. I want to give you all the opportunities in the world because I think you're fantastic, but you just have to realize everything under the scrutiny of the media is different now. I don't know whats happening with the security team, but it's not helping the situation. So I just asked you to stay away from Jisoo."
Jennie shook her head, placing her fork down haphazardly, making the loudest sound her small ears could fathom early in the morning.
"Did you not care that she was my lover for the last 6 years? I thought she was killed in action.. she's not just any celebrity, shes' my lover."
"I know, clearly if you're going to go out of your way to see her in the hospital and even scream at me that you'd give up your upcoming runway if I fired her then I know she means a lot to you."
"Then what's the problem? Why can't I be with her? Her being my bodyguard serves two purposes. One, it gives a reason for her to be by my side all the time because if she wasn't I swear on my mother's grave she would be out in the military and you know exactly how I feel about that after what happened with my brother. Second, y-you know, if she wasn't my bodyguard, I don't know what she would be doing. I don't know how she would be coping, I don't know if I could love anyone else other than her."
Dara watched with concerned eyes. She hadn't seem such passion from the younger designer in a while now.
"You love her?" She asked.
"I love her, a-and yesterday.. she left." Jennie croaked, tears stinging her eyes.
"Honey.. "
"It's so hard." Jennie whispered, rubbing her eyes, she looked up, trying to keep her tears at bay. "I love her so much, I want her back but I don't know how to bring myself to ask her to stay, I don't know what she's feeling, but every single day when I'm with her we start to grow closer."
"I've noticed. She's broken out of her professional shell very quickly with you, rather she got really comfortable with you."
"I'll confess, we've been growing a bit more intimate. It started off with small kisses here and there, and then each time she kissed me then it would be longer than the last. We almost went all the way last night." Jennie whispered, playing with her fork. "I was so fucking scared of losing her, and I almost did.. so I thought.. we could go all the way. I wanted to with her."
The younger designer gulped, unable to look at Dara in the eye.
"She's always been a bit on the edge, you know? With everything happening to her, she's been through a lot but she can always look so strong. I don't know if you telling her boss to inform her that she had been fired right after she thought she was going to die, and the fact that her best friend was also severely wounded.. was it the right choice?"
Dara nodded, sympathizing, she sighed. "It's coming from a place of love and care, not from hate."
"But do you realize what you've done? Not a single person can handle that all in one day." Jennie shakingly held onto Dara's waist, wanting warmth and comfort. "It kills a person's confidence, it kills their hope and morales."
"And to top it all off last night, I couldn't go all the way with her. I was so scared, I rejected her." Jennie started crying, hearing Dara get up from her seat she soon felt a pull and a hug. "The look on her face was terrifying. It was so sad, and I never want to hurt her. But she looked like she was blaming herself and then she left."
Dara shook her head, feeling for Jennie, she stroked the girl's arm, trying to comfort her. "It's not your fault, baby it's not your fault."
"I keep thinking of the time she cheated and.. and—"
"It's not your fault. It's not your fault." Dara murmured, hearing Jennie cry out in such pain.
