MEANT TO BE | JENLISA

Chapter 2: Unintended Alliances

Jennie and Lisa found themselves seated side by side in the airplane, a shared armrest between them. The cabin was filled with a soft hum as passengers settled into their seats, and the anticipation of the flight ahead lingered in the air.

During the flight, Jennie's stomach grumbled. She might not be able to wait for the pre-ordered meals, so she chose to get a snack from the in-flight menu. She selected a pack of her favorite peanuts, eager to satisfy her hunger.

As the stewardess handed the pack of peanuts to Jennie, she opened it excitedly, her eyes lighting up with anticipation. At the same time, Lisa recognized the familiar smell filling the air.

Lisa felt uneasy and squeezed herself towards the window, away from Jennie.

Jennie noticed Lisa's movements and felt a bit hurt and annoyed. She thought Lisa was purposely keeping her distance.

Growing increasingly irritated, Jennie decided to confront Lisa about it. She turned towards her seatmate, her frustration evident in her tone. "Is there something wrong? Did I do something to offend you?"

Caught off guard by Jennie's directness, Lisa, her eyes concealed behind sunglasses, responded hesitantly, "Oh, no, it's not that."

Jennie, her annoyance palpable, pressed further, "Then why are you acting like you don't want to sit next to me? I can actually go back to my seat now." Jennie starts to remove her seatbelt.

"I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to. I have a severe peanut allergy. I was just being cautious, trying to avoid inhaling the scent because it makes me anxious about the possibility of an allergic reaction." Lisa's voice carried a hint of apology.

Jennie's annoyance instantly dissolved, replaced by concern. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I had no idea. Are you okay?"

Lisa nodded, grateful for Jennie's understanding. "I'm fine as long as I don't eat it. Thank you for asking."

Relieved that the situation had been resolved, Jennie let out a small chuckle and put back her seatbelt on. "Well, that was a bit awkward, wasn't it?" She carefully closed the packaging and hid the peanuts in her bag.

Lisa smiled in agreement, appreciating Jennie's lighthearted response. "Yes, it was. But at least we got it sorted out." Lisa eyes Jennie's bag with the peanut inside, "And since you've hidden your snack away, please feel free to choose anything from the menu, it'll be my treat."

"Oh! Free food! I will not let this chance slip away." Jennie excitedly grabbed the in-flight menu card and carefully eyed every meal.

"Go ahead and choose anything you want. But please, no peanuts." Lisa joked and Jennie giggled, finding Lisa's sense of humor endearing.

Their conversation had shifted into a more relaxed and humorous tone, with Lisa feeling increasingly comfortable around Jennie. She decided to lighten the mood more with some funny anecdotes about her peanut allergy.

She leaned in and whispered with a mischievous grin, "Okay, so one time, I was at a party, and they served this amazing-looking chocolate cake. I mean, it was irresistible. It's not the time to blow the cake and I couldn't resist the cake. So, I decided to dip my finger in and take a small portion to taste, thinking, 'How bad could it be?'"

Jennie leaned in closer, curious to hear the rest of the story.

"Well," Lisa continued, "Turns out, it was a peanut butter chocolate cake. As soon as I took that first bite, my face started swelling up like a balloon. I looked like a chipmunk with its cheeks full of nuts! Everyone at the party was in shock."