In Your Orbit (1st Book) Completed.

Part 3: Piled-Up Worries

The week was dragging, and Jennie was barely holding it together. Her desk in the student council office was a battlefield of documents, each stack representing a different task her teachers had conveniently dumped on her. It wasn't that she wasn't capable—Jennie was known for her efficiency and leadership—but the sheer volume of work was enough to make anyone crumble under the weight of responsibility.

The career fair was already stressful to manage, but the knowledge that Irene and her student council would visit again soon gnawed at Jennie's peace of mind. Their last visit had been cordial enough, but it was clear there was tension in the air—tension Jennie didn't want to explore.

She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes for a brief moment of reprieve. Her mind wandered to Lisa, as it often did when she felt overwhelmed. Lisa, with her nonchalant attitude and easygoing smile, had a way of making Jennie feel like everything was going to be okay.

Jennie smiled to herself, imagining how Lisa would react if she vented her frustrations. "You're overthinking it again, babe," Lisa would say, probably with a lazy grin. "Just tell them you're too busy to entertain their nonsense." Then, in classic Lisa fashion, she'd bring her favorite coffee or sneak a kiss on Jennie's temple to cheer her up.

The thought alone eased some of Jennie's tension, but not all of it. Her mind flickered to the moment Irene and Mikaela had entered the office last time. Jennie had caught Mikaela stealing glances at Lisa, and while she trusted Lisa with her whole heart, it still irked her. Why can't she find someone else to admire? Jennie thought with a frown.

Shaking her head, Jennie pushed the thought away and reached for another stack of papers. She had to focus. Lisa had her own life—practices, career plans, and her volleyball scholarship search. Jennie didn't want to drag Lisa into her sea of stress.

Still, she knew Lisa would listen if she asked. Lisa always listened. It was one of the things Jennie loved most about her. She just had a way of putting her problems into words that made Jennie feel lighter, even if the problems themselves hadn't gone anywhere.

But Jennie also couldn't shake the nagging worry that perhaps she was leaning on Lisa too much. The visits from Irene's council would only complicate things further, and Jennie had to be prepared to handle it all without breaking down.

For now, though, she could only let out a deep sigh and continue working. "I can do this," she whispered to herself, although the doubt lingered at the edges of her mind.

The sleek black car sped down the highway as Mikaela, Seulgi, and Irene sat in the backseat, the hum of the engine filling the silence between their words. It was a quiet morning, the kind where the air seemed heavy with unsaid things. Irene, ever observant, glanced at Mikaela, who was staring out the window with her chin resting on her hand.

"Hey," Irene began, breaking the silence. "Are you ready to talk to Lisa again?"

Mikaela let out a soft sigh, turning her gaze from the passing trees to Irene. "I don't know," she admitted. "I mean, she avoids me like the plague. I don't blame her, though. If I were Jennie, I'd probably tell Lisa to avoid all the girls too."

Seulgi snorted, her lips curling into a smirk. "True. Can't say I wouldn't do the same. Jennie has it all—smart, pretty, and, let's face it, scary when it comes to Lisa."

Mikaela chuckled lightly but didn't respond immediately. Instead, she looked back out the window, her fingers tracing idle patterns on her thigh. "What am I even supposed to do?" she murmured. "I guess I'll just go with the flow. Not like there's much else I can do."