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"Kinsey, your father's home! Come down for dinner you two!"
The announcement pauses the girls' in-depth discussion on the project. Jade, somehow, was able to find a way to get Kinsey focused on the project since she was too concerned with anything else besides actual work. She even tried to get Jade to play a round of indoor basketball with the small plastic toy basketball hoop hanger on the back of her bedroom door. Jade's blunt threat to leave put Kinsey in her place real quick.
The girls lift their heads almost simultaneously, following the call from downstairs.
"'Kay, we're coming!" Kinsey yells back, reciprocating her mother's loud voice but also causing Jade to flinch as the sudden yelp rings through her sensitive eardrums.
The brunette looks down at the folded open notebook in her lap with several neatly-written notes woven throughout the college-ruled lines.
Kinsey's dad is here?
Jade realizes how her hands have gradually become palmier by the second as she becomes overwhelmed with the thought of having dinner with Kinsey's entire family. The reality actually hitting her upon realizing that she has no sort of personality. How is she gonna keep up with them in conversation?
As someone that often struggles with social anxiety, Jade's ability to converse has always been limited. The idea of talking with people, especially small talk, often has lead to mental panic attacks.
It shouldn't be that big of a deal, but for some reason, Jade doesn't want to fuck this up in any way. I want them to like me. Who wouldn't want someone's family to like them? It's normal.
"You good?" Kinsey asks, gently placing her hand on Jade's barely covered knee as the ragged rip in her jeans allows the skin-to-skin contact.
At the touch, Jade's head springs up to meet the concern in Kinsey's eyes. It's the same genuine expression that was etched into Jade's memory from the last time they were in this room together.
A pang of guilt tugs at her heartstrings at the image.
She doesn't want Kinsey to worry that much, or at all for that matter. Jade means nothing to her so it isn't her responsibility to feel sorry for her. No one should feel sorry for me.
Jade pulls her lips in tightly and smiles reassuringly, "I'm good."
She's lying. Kinsey has come to notice the way Jade's tongue suavely swipes across her bottom lip after she says something she is obviously unsure about. The action going by in milliseconds but Kinsey has been able to catch the quirk, especially whenever the brunette lies about the littlest of things. Usually, when faced with her feelings about certain things.
