Chapter Forty-three
By the time Jennie's shift finally ends, Lisa has definitely eaten far too much ice cream for her own good.
"I think I'm about to explode," she mutters as she and Jennie makes their way out onto the cold street.
"Well if you do explode, would you mind trying not to get blood over me," Jennie says teasingly.
"Only cause you'd rather I got something else – "
"Lisa!"
"Sorry, couldn't resist."
"You seem to have become a lot more suggestive recently."
"It's Lexi," Lisa explains, "she gives me the confidence to say things like that."
"You know Lexi's growing on me."
"Are you saying you don't like her?"
"No," Jennie hurries to say, "I'm saying that I was unsure about the whole idea at first."
"Lexi is bae."
"Please never use the word bae again."
"Why not?" Lisa asks. "I mean, you're my bae too, so there's no reason to get jealous."
"Are you accusing me of being jealous of a peacock?"
"Well even a pea sized cock is bigger than your....."
"Wanna bet?"
"Is that some kind of strange offer?"
"Well you know I do have a free house right now," Jennie says, "and I think you'd look pretty good in it."
"That was smooth bro."
As much as Lisa wants to take Jennie up on her offer, there's something tugging her back. Their relationship, if it can even be called that, has only just started and Lisa feels like they should be taking baby steps forward. Instead Jennie seems to be intent on giant strides, powering ahead so fast that Lisa is afraid that she won't be able to keep up.
"Add bro to that list too," Jennie says.
"What list?"
"The list of words you're not allowed to say anymore."
"You're not the boss of me."
"And here I was thinking you were into that," Jennie replies suggestively.
"You have no idea what I'm into."
"Then why don't you tell me."
"Jennie-."
Lisa isn't entirely sure how to tell Jennie that she doesn't exactly want that right now, that she wants to establish the foundations of their relationship before they can even start to build on them.
"Look you don't want to come round if you don't want to," Jennie says.
"I want to," Lisa tells Jennie quickly, "maybe just for kisses though."
Lisa pretends not to notice the flicker of disappointment that crosses Jennie's face, tries to pass if off as nothing more than a trick of the light.
"Well then back to mine I guess."
Jennie's voice has lost some of the enthusiasm it had before and Lisa is desperate for it to return. Tentatively she places her hand in Jennie's, making sure that their tangled fingers are hidden by their coats.
For a moment Lisa thinks Jennie is going to pull away. And then Jennie squeezes Lisa's hand lightly, a gesture so small that Lisa almost thinks she might have imagined it, before leading the pair of them on their way.
