YOU & ME | JENLISA

Chapter 5

Jennie

We rode out the storm dancing to 'Like a Prayer' by Madonna for seven hours. Relief washed over me when I spotted my dad in the crowd of concerned parents.

"Hey chicken legs, sorry I couldn't come any sooner. The town has been crazy tonight - as I'm sure you can imagine." I gave him the tightest squeeze, with sandalwood and spice tickling my nose and his wet sheriff's jacket brushed up against my cheek. "Let's go home, yeah?"

I said goodbye to my friends and walked out linked under my dad's arm.

Home was small but comforting. It was just my dad and I, so the decor was a little masculine and outdated for my taste but I still loved it.

He popped the lid off a beer with his strong thumb and sat down on our hideous decrepit red-tartan sofa, ready to watch some old serial killer documentaries. I sat under the warm glow of a desk lamp, studying for my physics test.

I looked over to my dad, his focus was fervent and devoted, it made me smile. His eyes had a pinch of kindness to them, surrounded by wrinkles from years of smiling. His nose was straight and a little on the large size, his hands were also big and aged but strong. He was a hard-working, selfless man who I deemed as my hero.

"It's rude to stare." My dad commented, cracking a walnut with a handheld tool. "What are you after?" He turned to me, with a face full of suspicion. He knows me well.

"Kai is having a small get-together on Friday, and I was wondering... can I go?" His eyes floated my way for a split second and then they narrowed at me.

There was no point hiding it from him, he's the sheriff of a small town, here everybody knows everything there is to know about everybody. Which is both a blessing and a curse all the same.

"By any chance would this be as 'small' as Nayeon's 'get together' last week?" I smiled sheepishly at his air quotes. Nayeon threw a rave party and it was nothing short of amazing. "Fine you can go but I'm breaking it up at eleven."

"One."

"Eleven-thirty."

"Twelve-thirty."

"Twelve, final answer Jen." I smiled, totally satisfied.

"Fine, but not you, because that would be so embarrassing. Send one of your deputies and don't arrest anyone, just send them home." He nodded his head and went back to his pile of walnuts.

"Three drinks is your limit and you take pepper spray in your purse. Even if you're not sure, just start spraying. In fact, you want to take my gun?" I laughed and leaned in to kiss his forehead.

"I'm going to bed. Good night, dad."

"Night chicken legs, love you."