THE LIGHT OF LOVE | JENLISA

Chapter 40.

"...and then we went skating, it was so much fun, I can't believe I've never tried it." Lisa finished telling her friends about the day before. Rosé and Jisoo listened to her with amused looks.

"It seems like you two went out on a nice date." Jisoo teased and Lisa rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't a date, we were just walking back from the meeting and I just had this random idea of trying skating-"

"Stop kidding yourself, it wasn't random, you asked her out!"

"I didn't! We were already out, I just-"

"So how did the date end?" Rosé savagely interrupted her.

"It wasn't a date-"

"I know, I know, but how did it end?"

"I..." Lisa hesitated for a moment. "I walked her home."

Jisoo chuckled. "Yeah, sure, it wasn't a date." she said ironically, looking at Rosé who had a mysterious smirk on her lips.

"Laugh all you want, I don't care. I'm happy because I feel like we really bonded that day. I mean she..."

"Yeah?" Rosé asked impatiently.

"Never mind." Lisa noticed Jennie coming over. The brunette looked drained, as if she couldn't sleep all night.

"Hey Jen, you don't look so well, everything alright?" Jisoo asked, worried.

"I just didn't sleep well last night." Jennie yawned.

"Sorry to hear that. Anything I can do?" Lisa's eyes lingered on brunette's tired face.

"No, thanks, I'll be fine." Jennie looked back at her and, for whatever reason, her cheeks visibly reddened.

The truth was that she woke up in the middle of the night, sweating, with a pounding heart and couldn't fall asleep since. Because for the first time in her life she experienced something which could be only described as a sex dream. And it wasn't just random, it was clearly based on events from the day before. It involved her and Lisa skating, falling down and starting to passionately make out in the middle of the arena, with other people circling around them. And kissing wasn't even the most shocking thing they did... It was all blurry, like dreams usually are, but Jennie was sure that in some parts of the dream they didn't even have any clothes on...

"Damn, I have to stop thinking about it." she scolded herself in her mind, as she felt a sudden wave of heat in her body.

"Jen, can I talk to you for a moment?" Lisa asked and Rosé and Jisoo immediately understood that it was a signal to leave them alone. But before they left, Rosé looked mockingly at Lisa and Jisoo even winked.

"Sure." Jennie replied but she couldn't even look at Lisa without blushing.

"Remember how we agreed that you would talk to me about your past? I think it's time we tried that, if you're ready of course."

"Yeah, maybe. Wait, you want to do it right now?"

"Why not?"

Lisa noticed that Jennie was hesitant, it definitely wasn't easy to open up about her most painful memories.

"Let's start with something small, something not that painful, just to begin." she suggested.

"Okay, I guess there's something I can share with you." Jennie took her arm and they went outside the school and sat next to each other on the grass.

"So when I was ten, maybe eleven, I found a homeless puppy just outside our home." Jennie began telling her story in a sad, but stable voice. "It was the cutest thing, it had brown fur and really smart and joyful eyes. I took it home of course and for three days I was somewhat happy... I named him Kuma... We played together, I took care of him, I pet him... I swear it had the softest fur, I can still remember it as if it was yesterday... I even let him sleep in my bed." Jennie paused, looking pensively in the distance. Her lips trembled as she went on: "But then one morning my foster parents told me that Kuma had run away... but I know they just took it to the shelter... because it chewed on some shoes..." Her voice broke a little. "And I never saw it again..."

"I'm so sorry... You know, sometimes it's good to cry." Lisa said, her eyes filled with compassion.

"I know."

"No, I mean, it's really okay to cry, I'm here for you." Lisa leaned forward and hugged her. A single tear rolled down Jennie's cheek, but she didn't cry, the warmth of Lisa's body next to her provided the comfort she so desperately needed.

"I'm so glad you opened up about it..."

"Me too, you were right, it felt good to share. Maybe one day I'll tell you my other memories too."

"Whenever you're ready, Jen, whenever you're ready." Lisa leaned back and delicately wiped out the tear from Jennie's cheek with the back of her hand. Their faces were so close that for a split second Jennie's gaze went to Lisa's lips and the thought of leaning forward and kissing her flashed through her mind. She stopped herself in the last moment, blinked rapidly, moved away a bit and changed the topic:

"So it seems we have everything prepared for the charity event this Saturday?"

"Yeah, I can't believe we actually pulled it off. The idea of inviting the children from the orphanage... it still amazes me how you came up with it. It's going to be great, I just know it."

"Well, I lived in the orphanage for awhile so I know what it's like... And I know it's going to be great too, just wait till you see the smiles on the kids' faces. It will melt you heart."

Lisa stared at her in admiration, not even bothering to turn her loving gaze away. "I love you so much." she wanted to say, but decided not to. No, she didn't want to put pressure on Jennie... "Just be patient, Lisa, be patient..." her mind reminded her.