Echoes of Forgotten

Duwapulo Ket Walo

Jennie's POV

My heart was pounding as we pulled up in front of The Luxe. The building looked immaculate, as expected of a place like Lisa's, but that didn't do much to settle the nerves tightening in my chest. I couldn't stop wondering why she asked me to come here, and more importantly, why I felt the need to obey her so quickly.

The message on my phone buzzed in my head again. If you're not there in 30 minutes, I'll be angry.

Lisa didn't ask; she ordered. And here I am, standing in front of her apartment number, feeling like the ground beneath me might disappear.

I took a deep breath, my hand reaching up to knock on the door. Before my knuckles could make contact, the door swung open, revealing Lisa leaning against the doorframe, her eyes scanning me briefly. She glanced at her watch and then met my gaze.

"You're late by two minutes," she said, her voice stern but not as cold as I expected.

My mouth opened, but no words came out before she grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside. Her grip wasn't harsh, but there was no room for hesitation. Before I could even look around her apartment, she led me straight to the couch, gently but firmly making me sit down.

"Stay there," Lisa ordered, walking off toward the kitchen.

I was left on the couch, feeling the warmth of her hand still lingering on my wrist, as if she hadn't touched me in years, yet her touch was so familiar. My eyes wandered, scanning her apartment. It was sleek and modern, the kind of place I could easily imagine her living in. But it didn't feel like home. There was something cold about it, something distant, as if she hadn't settled into this space fully. The walls were bare, no personal photos, no memories decorating the place.

I hadn't even noticed she returned until she placed a tray in front of me—my favorite foods neatly arranged on a plate, with a glass of water and a pack of medicine next to it.

"Eat," Lisa said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I blinked, staring down at the plate, then back up at her. "Lisa... I'm not even that hungry—"

"I don't care," she interrupted, her eyes locking onto mine. "You've barely eaten, and you're not well. So eat. I'm not going to let you push yourself."

There was something in her voice that made my chest tighten. I couldn't tell if it was frustration, worry, or something else entirely. But I did as she said. I picked up the spoon and started eating, the taste of the food doing little to ease the tension between us.

Lisa sat down across from me, watching intently, like she was making sure I wasn't about to faint. It was a strange feeling, having her care for me like this again after all this time. It reminded me of the past, back when things were simpler, before everything fell apart.

I hesitated, biting my lip, before I finally spoke. "Won't Tzuyu be upset with you for... doing all this for me?"

Lisa's eyes flickered, and I saw a brief shadow of something—something I couldn't quite place—before she quickly masked it. "Tzuyu won't care," she said flatly, crossing her arms. "You don't need to worry about her."

My mind scrambled, trying to make sense of that. Why wouldn't she care? Unless... but I couldn't let myself hope. I couldn't allow myself to believe Lisa wasn't with her, not after everything that's happened.

Still, I pushed. "Are you sure? She's your girlfriend—"

"No," Lisa cut me off, her voice firmer this time. "She's not."

I froze, the words hitting me harder than I expected. Not her girlfriend? But then... why were they pretending? Why did they act like that? Why didn't she say anything sooner? Why did she introduce her to me as her girlfriend?