Despising you

Chapter 37

L i s a

"Another date? I'm starting to think you've replaced us with Jennie," Jimin says, shaking his head in mock disappointment. It's funny, considering for every single date he's been the one to beg me for details after.

"And the roses in her locker?" Jisoo mock gasps. "Who would have thought you were so sappy?"

"They're red gardenias," I correct and instantly feel embarrassed because they look at me as if I'm crazy. I just busy myself with taking my headphones out of my locker and stuffing them in my bag.

I still can't believe she went through all that effort to get me those headphones. The scary part is that I think I'm starting to prefer them over my old ones.

"Who are you and what have you done with Lisa Manobal?" Jisoo shakes her head stifling a laugh.

"Don't pretend like you guys aren't secretly ecstatic that I'm finally dating someone." They don't refute my statement but I blush nonetheless.

Before they can respond, my phone buzzes, I take it out and it's Jennie. I look up from my phone and she's standing by her locker, her eyes already on me as she plays with the petals of her gardenia bouquet.

Satan's spawn:

     Do you know what red gardenias symbolize?

     No.

Satan's spawn:

     Secret love.

I blush even redder—if that's even possible—and have to look away from my phone. I knew there was a reason I decided to go for red gardenias today instead of regular ones—I just had a gut feeling.

Secret love. That perfectly encapsulates us, especially since our first date a few weeks ago. It's been nonstop since then.

Although we don't speak in school, we still sneak around; kissing in the bathroom, in her house and mine, even Miss Choi's restaurant has become a safe haven for us, although she doesn't know I'm dating Jennie yet, because she isn't out yet and I don't want to put her in the same predicament like I did when I told my friends. Sneaking around is fairly easy anyway and exciting too. I never knew dating could feel so... comforting.

Even my friends have already warned Jennie—as it's their birth right at this point. I wasn't there for the conversation, but Jennie told me a lot of threatening was involved.

I message Jennie the exact address of our date and once the bell rings, I bid goodbye to my friends and make my way outside of school. Once I get onto my bike, I practically speed all the way to the local art museum and parking in the most random spot. Of course, Jennie is already here, leaning against her car and staring at me.

"Hey," I say, once I've walked up to her, making sure that no one else is around.

"Hey," she responds, seemingly doing the same thing.

I quickly fish my hands into my pockets and pull out two masks, handing her one. "Wear these before we go in, so we don't get recognized."

She takes the mask from my hand and slips it onto her face. I told her to get changed before she came too and wear the poorest clothes she owned, which I guess consists of a Ralph Lauren's white, polo sweatshirt and blue jeans. Sometimes, I forget she's a spoiled little bitch. My spoiled bitch though. I also got changed in the car before coming out, wearing a simple pair of jeans and white tank top with my black leather jacket.

She looks sad once the mask is on. "I'm so—"

"If you say you're sorry I will kill you," I mumble under my own mask.