In Your Orbit (1st Book) Completed.

Chapter 8: Tension in the Rain

The sky darkened as Jennie walked through the quiet streets after leaving the basketball court, her thoughts circling back to her earlier conversation with Lisa. There was something lingering between them, but Jennie couldn't put her finger on it. She had asked Lisa directly, but Lisa had dodged the question, leaving Jennie confused and frustrated.

The first drops of rain began to fall, light at first but quickly turning into a steady downpour. Jennie hadn't thought to bring an umbrella, but she didn't care. The cool rain helped clear her mind, though the questions still loomed. Was Lisa hiding something? Did she mean it when she said Jennie was all hers?

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Jennie pulled it out, expecting another student council notification, but instead, it was a message from Lisa:

"Where are you?"

Jennie hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen. She wasn't sure if she wanted to answer, still feeling unsettled by Lisa's avoidance earlier. Before she could type a reply, another message came through:

"I'm coming to find you."

Jennie's breath hitched, her heart racing for reasons she couldn't quite explain. She quickly typed back:

"I'm fine, just taking a walk."

But she knew that Lisa wouldn't be satisfied with that. The sound of footsteps splashing through puddles reached her ears, and Jennie looked up just in time to see Lisa running towards her, soaked from the rain but determined as ever.

"Jennie!" Lisa called out, her voice cutting through the storm.

Jennie's heart skipped a beat as she stood frozen, watching Lisa approach. "What are you doing here?" she asked, though her voice was more surprised than annoyed.

Lisa slowed to a stop in front of her, her hair drenched, rain dripping from her clothes. "I  couldn't answer your question," Lisa said, her voice low, almost serious.

Jennie frowned, confused. "Which question?"

Lisa's eyes softened, and she took a step closer, close enough that Jennie could see the raindrops clinging to her eyelashes. "Earlier. You asked if I meant it... about you being mine." Lisa's voice was quieter now, more vulnerable than Jennie had ever heard her.

Jennie's breath caught in her throat. The air between them felt charged, heavy with something unsaid. "And did you?" she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.

Lisa's lips parted, as if she was about to answer, but then she hesitated. Her eyes darted to the side, breaking the intense moment between them. "I... I don't know," she finally said, though her voice wavered as if she didn't fully believe her own words.

Jennie felt a pang in her chest, frustration mixing with disappointment. She had been so close to hearing the truth, but once again, Lisa had pulled away. "Lisa, you can't just say things like that and then act like they don't mean anything," Jennie said, her voice edged with hurt.

Lisa ran a hand through her wet hair, looking torn. "I didn't mean to mess with your head, Jennie. I just... it's complicated."

Jennie stepped closer, her eyes searching Lisa's face. "What's so complicated about it? We're best friends. We've always been honest with each other."

At the mention of the word "best friends," Lisa flinched slightly, as if the words stung more than they should. She let out a sigh, the rain falling harder around them now, drenching them both completely. "It's just... not that simple for me," Lisa admitted, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.

Jennie's heart ached at the distance between them, not physically but emotionally. She wanted to reach out, to pull Lisa closer and demand to know what was really going on. But instead, she let out a frustrated sigh and turned away slightly, her arms wrapping around herself as the rain continued to pour.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them thick with unsaid feelings. Finally, Jennie broke the silence, her voice soft and resigned. "Let's just go, Lisa. We're both soaking wet, and this... this isn't going anywhere."

Lisa nodded, though she looked like she wanted to say more. "Yeah. Let's go."

Without another word, they walked side by side, neither of them saying anything, both lost in their own thoughts. The tension between them lingered, unresolved, but neither was ready to confront it head-on.

As they reached the bus stop, Jennie turned to Lisa, her voice quiet. "We can talk about this another time, okay? When we're both ready."

Lisa's eyes met Jennie's, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them before she nodded. "Yeah, another time."

And just like that, they parted ways, the rain still falling around them, the weight of their unspoken feelings hanging in the air between them.