Lust For Life

Chapter 4: it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

Jennie has decided she needs a distraction from her own life, and that she should probably make it up to her friends for standing them up the day before. She wanders around backstage in the university's performance hall, scanning the area for signs of her friends. She spots two familiar silhouettes huddled in a corner. As she approaches, she overhears Jisoo fussing over Rose's makeup and Lisa diffusing the slowly escalating situation.

"If you don't stop blinking, you'll mess it up!" Jisoo says exasperatedly. She hands a tube of eyeliner over to the blonde next to her. "I told you this isn't my forte."

"That's okay," Lisa says, taking over the redhead. She puts a gentle hand under Rose's chin and lifts her face up. "Alright. You can blink if you need to, just let me know."

"My eyes are watering too much," Rose whines pitifully. "Am I crying or is it the eyeliner? I think I'm crying."

"Well... It's definitely not the eyeliner," Lisa says with a slight smile, and Rose gives her a watery giggle.

Jisoo sighs. "You get like this every time. Come on, pull it together."

"I'm just nervous."

"You know you'll do great, like always," Jisoo tells her. It comes out sounding stern, but anyone who knows Jisoo well knows that with her, things are handled with a tough love approach. "Don't cry or I swear I'll whoop your ass to Antarctica."

"Thank you," Rose mumbles, appearing genuinely touched. She finally takes notice of Jennie behind her confidantes and gasps loudly, causing Lisa's hand to jerk away reflexively. "You're actually here!"

"There you are," Jisoo says. "You disappeared on us yesterday."

Jennie laughs at the blonde's startled expression; Lisa was frozen in place, shock written all over her face.

"You guys," she sighs when the shock subsides, one hand coming up to her chest in relief. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," Rose giggles. "But Jennie's here to support us!"

At the mention of her name, Lisa looks at the brunette and their eyes meet. Lisa's expression softens, looking at Jennie with eyes full of concern. She opens her mouth to speak, no doubt to ask if she's okay, but Jennie cuts her off before she gets the chance.

"Well, I did say I would be," Jennie looks away with a tight smile. "Sorry I couldn't see you guys practice yesterday though."

"Yeah, this time you ditched me," Jisoo grumbles. "We're even now."

"Lisa, you're not ready yet," Rose says in trepidation, looking at the blonde still unprepared. "Oh no, I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine. Don't stress too much."

Jisoo's jaw drops as Lisa strips off her shirt on the spot, revealing a plain black crop top underneath.

"Lisa!" she scolds. "There are people here!"

Jennie laughs with the blonde, watching with amusement as Jisoo scrambles to hold a towel up in an attempt to cover Lisa while she changes out of her jeans.

"God, this girl," the redhead sighs. "You're all going to kill me someday."

"We're next," Rose says nervously.

"One more time: it'll be fine," Jisoo sighs yet again.

Jennie nods along. "I'm sure you'll do great."

Rose nods and takes a breath to steel herself. "Right."

"Yeah, it's no big deal," Lisa places a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "It'll be just like practice."