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

Chapter 6

February (2)

"Don't go."

Jennie flashes Jules a slight smile, because she doesn't take it seriously. Not initially. And she does care what Jules thinks. She will miss the three of them. She'll miss Elio's ridiculous jokes and Lou trying to hit on every single woman they come across at a bar. It's not Jennie's desire to leave anyone behind, but there's no longer any point in staying. In truth, she's stayed far longer than Manuel had expected her to, and he's already told her as much.

"I'm sorry, Jules. I can't turn away from this. I do care about all of you, but I have... unfinished business." To say the least. "I'll keep in contact, you know I will."

"I thought..." Jules murmurs, averting her gaze. "There was something here. Between us."

Jennie stops for a moment. Maybe in a parallel universe where she and Lisa never met, maybe she would give Jules a chance. Because Jules is funny and understanding and they get along so easily, the way she and Lisa initially had. And Jules is also tall and tanned and has kind eyes, so yeah, there's definitely appeal.

Except, for Jennie, romantic feelings never surfaced. Before she met Lisa, she probably would've slept with Jules without preamble, maybe even dated her. Now, she simply has no desire to.

"I'm sorry if it seemed that way," Jennie says, and she's genuinely apologetic. The last thing she wants to do is hurt her. "But there's someone else and I'm not going to pretend there isn't."

"Lisa."

It makes Jennie uneasy, Jules' cadence as she speaks her name. "Yeah, Lisa."

"You barely know her," Jules insists, like she somehow knows more than Jennie does, which irritates her.

Jennie sighs. "Yeah, okay, if you say so." She doesn't owe her an explanation, and she doesn't want to argue. All she wants is to see Lisa. None of this will matter once she's standing in front of her again.

Jennie begins to turn away, back to what she was doing, but Jules is too quick. She manoeuvres slightly until she's standing directly in front of her. "You could be happy here. With me and Lou and Elio. We could continue travelling, see the world!"

"Jules..."

Jennie's seen the world. Relatively speaking. She's seen mountains and oceans and deserts. She's travelled by boat, by plane, by train. She's been in snowstorms and blistering heat waves and torrential downpours. She's witnessed people from all walks of life, seen natural and manmade wonders, partied with strangers, walked home at sunrise, stayed in the most breathtaking locations. She's met friends she keeps in touch with and ones she'll never speak to again. She would love to see more. She would love to revisit most of those places again.

But Lisa has made a home in her mind, infecting her every thought; her every choice. Manuel had been right: Jennie can't leave until she knows for certain. She won't be able to move on unless she knows for sure Lisa doesn't feel the same way.

And all of those places, those moments — as much as she loves Manuel and his company, she would much rather experience them with someone she loves by her side.

"Just..." Jules begins, eyebrows furrowing in an attempt to understand. "What can she give you that I can't? You'll be stuck in that tiny town if you go back to her. With me, you will always be free."

"That's not really your business."

"You can't give me anything?"

"I'm in love with her, Jules," Jennie responds simply, but the feeling isn't simple at all. It's terrifying, but she won't allow that to show on her face. Not in front of Jules, who is already looking for the slightest cracks in her veneer. She's looking for any reason to discredit what she and Lisa have. What Jennie thinks they have.