You're My Lobster (JenLisa)

Chapter 6

He was good-looking. There was no doubt about that. With the way girls on campus looked his way and then whispered to each other, there was no misgivings that the guy in front of Jennie was a campus heartthrob. His name’s Vernon. She and Jennie enrolled at the same time. He was a Political Science graduate, recently finished his course last June. He wanted to be a lawyer, too.

Outside the registrar’s office, they chatted a little. When Jennie got hungry and decided to buy some snacks in the canteen, she met him again. She had a hunch he followed her there. He joined her at the table. The guy was talkative, but he was respectful and laughed easily. Jennie bid her goodbye when she finished her food.

Then her car wouldn’t start again.

Vernon fixed it for her. He said his family-owned an auto-mechanic shop, that’s why he knew a thing or two about fixing cars. He even suggested that Jennie bring her car to their shop.

“Maybe some other time. Thanks, again.” Jennie expressed her gratitude. Maybe, if she was still twenty-one, she’d consider dating someone like him. However, even if Vernon was a good-looking guy, he was still too young for her.

“I’d only get a thanks?” Vernon teased her good-naturedly. Other girls kept ogling him and sizing her up. Maybe they were wondering what Vernon must have seen on her. Or worse, these girls must have thought of Jennie as Vernon’s older sister.

Jennie let out a half-laugh. “What else is there?”

“Hmm, how about your cell phone number?”

Is this kid for real? She thought. Why would he ask for her number? Was she really his type? But if truth be told, she was flattered.

“Fine, since you were nice.” She recited her mobile number.

“Wow. That’s rare.” He commented after typing in her number on his phone.

“What’s rare?”

“You memorize your own number. I don’t really remember mine.”

Eh? “Well, I had this number for nearly a decade now.” She bid him another farewell.

Even if he got swathed from the smoke belching from her Toyota, Vernon still didn’t make a move. He extended his hand and kept on waving at Jennie’s retreating car.

She had to laugh. But really, what if she tried dating someone younger? Would she actually be okay getting categorized as a cougar? Also, based from her minimal experience, it would be such a headache dating someone that attractive.

She hasn’t been driving for long when her phone rang, it was Vernon calling. She put the phone on loudspeaker.

“Hi pretty. Are you home yet?” the guy asked.

Jennie couldn’t stop herself from cringing with how juvenile and a little clingy Vernon sounded.

“On the road. Still driving. Stop calling me, I might end up crashing my car or running over some poor deer that might turn into a weird Bambi-zombie.” I doubt he’d get the movie references, maybe the Train to Busan thing, not sure about Bambi.

He chuckled. “Sorry, I just can’t help it. I’m really so thrilled meeting you, Jennie.”

“Who am I, Shin Min-ah?”

A chuckle again. “You’re prettier than most actresses and you’re smart, sexy and—wow!”

She opened her mouth, astounded. She couldn’t think of a retort. “Wait a minute, kid, hold your horses. You’re going too fast and I am the one driving at 100kph.”