and there it is, a mark of the divine | JENLISA

Chapter 3

January (1)

The first time Jennie texts Lisa, she's drunk.

In the end, it's probably for the best, because she doesn't know how to break the ice without a little bit of help. It takes several days (and several shots) after leaving Suncliff for her to be able to work up the courage. She's not entirely sure what she's expecting — a part of her distantly wonders if maybe the dynamic between them will change now that she's gone. If, somehow, she's screwed it all up by leaving.

She really, really, really doesn't want that. Would do just about anything to avoid it. But, in the end, Lisa's life will continue with or without her presence.

Now, they're in the city, and since there are no gorgeous, untouched beaches around with very attractive surf instructors, Jennie allows Manuel to splurge on an actual hotel. It's extravagant, and their adjacent rooms are on a floor with double digits, and it's far more than Jennie will ever need. Still, it's nice to stretch out on a bed that would comfortably sleep four of her.

The first night, she sits at the hotel bar with Manuel beside her, who's sipping on his signature drink: iced water. (Sometimes, if he's feeling rambunctious, he'll go without the ice.) They'd spent the last couple of days driving, taking their time to stop at other coastal towns along the way. None of them were nearly as spectacular as Suncliff, in terms of both scenery and community.

And every kilometre she travels, she thinks about how she's further from Lisa. She thinks about the tether between them that will surely become taut at some point. That surely she can't just keep going without something snapping.

But right now, she's drunk. She's several shots in and flagging the bartender for more, so she's going to do exactly what drunk Jennie does best: make questionable choices.

Manuel eyes her as she pulls out her phone, and she swears she sees a hint of amusement as she finds Lisa's name in her contacts and opens the message app.

[Jennie] lisa?????

Jennie checks the time. It's not too late in the evening, and she hopes Lisa isn't asleep, because she really thinks this drunk texting thing is the way to go. Definitely.

[Lisa] Jennie?

[Jennie] lisa!!!!!

[Lisa] Jennie...?

[Jennie] hi :)

[Lisa] Hi. Are you okay?

[Jennie] i have SHOTS

It takes a long moment for Lisa to respond, and Jennie briefly wonders if she's scared her away with just the mention of her intoxication. Of course, she's under the influence, so naturally, she hasn't thought this through at all. The last time Jennie spoke to her while drunk, she'd made a fool of herself, and she's still not sure if Lisa had remained unbothered by the whole ordeal or was simply being polite.

[Lisa] Are you only able to text me when you're drunk? That's bad form, Jennie. Red flags are unbecoming.

Jennie pouts at her phone. When she reads these back tomorrow morning, she's going to be endlessly proud of the roasting, but for now—

[Jennie] you can't tease me right now, no fair

[Lisa] No?

[Jennie] no cause i read your note and i'm drunk and trying to be sappy about it

[Lisa] Where are you?

[Jennie] at the hotel bar...
you gonna ask what i'm wearing next?