THE EXES

2

Jennie watches Lisa peruse the fancy menu over the top of her own hard-bound menu card which could pass for a coffee-table book. Jennie knows what she wants to drink already, so she doesn't need to go through the extensive list of options the bar has to offer.

Lisa frowns in concentration, diligently reading the name of every dish and drink listed. Jennie doesn't mean to—or want to—stare at her, but she can't help but take in the sight of her under the warm mood lighting. Lisa looks softer around the edges, glowing, almost. If she was drunk, she'd have wondered whether she was a figment of her imagination.

It feels strange to sit opposite Lisa at her usual semi-circular booth, with the backlit wall containing a multitude of devil's ivy in little glass bottles to her left, a blur of green in the periphery of her eye-line.

Jennie has only ever visited this bar alone, often late at night to grab a bite to eat, a beer to drink, and chat with the owner who also bartends on weekends. She is glad it's not the weekend, because the owner would not hesitate to grill her about Lisa. She never brought a date to the bar. Not even Kai who had to be the chillest person she had dated. Then again, their relationship had grown and fizzled out somewhere between clubbing, coffee dates, and their bed sheets.

"You're staring again." Lisa observes. "I know I'm gorgeous but thanks for the validation, anyway."

"Just wondering how much longer you'll take to select a drink." She retorts.

"Oh, I know my order already, I've been to this place a couple times." She says, steepling her fingers and resting her chin on them, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "I just thought I'd give you time to stare to your heart's content."

Her mind whirrs with the possibility of her owner-friend knowing Lisa. She expects annoyance to bubble in her chest for losing something she has come to see as hers, but it never happens. Nonetheless, she has no answer except a mild frown.

"What would you like to drink?" Jennie asks.

"Tequila," She states. "Two shots."

Huh. That's what she wants as well.

"And a basket of cheese fries." Lisa adds.

"You're hungry?" She asks.

"Not really." She says, looking at her nails. "It just feels like a cheese fries kind of night." She adds, looking up at her. "Don't you think so?"

Her expression is unreadable. As if she is looking at her but seeing someone else, or nobody at all.

"Sure." Jennie shrugs. "I'll go order, then. You want anything else?"

"Just answers." She says triumphantly, the light back in her eyes.

She rolls her eyes. "You better think up better questions to ask, then." Saying so, Jennie gets up and goes to place their order.

"Let's play truth or dare," Lisa says as Jennie comes back to her seat. She looks excited.

"What?" She scoffs. "How old are you?"

"Hey!" She takes offense. "Truth or dare is for everyone, what are you talking about?"

Jennie tries hard not to smile. Riling Lisa up is fun. Watching her narrow her eyes at her is fun. She just looks like an angry toddler and Jennie resists the urge to reach out and pat Lisa's fluffy hair.