Absolution

Chapter 1: Covetousness.

She moves in on a Thursday.

The left side of the room has been empty for close to two weeks and Jisoo was starting to wonder if the Office of Student Affairs was ever going to send her a new roommate. Not that she would be terribly opposed to that. Having the room to herself has some certain...advantages.

She's in the middle of a lit assignment when the door swings open. She jumps and her head swivels. Standing in her doorway, doused completely in bright orange light from the weird hallway light show happening, is a girl just a few inches taller than herself. She's carrying a duffel bag across her shoulder, which she drops almost immediately after she crosses the threshold of the room. She's got a scowl on her face and her only greeting is a casual eyebrow raise in Jisoo's direction. She walks to the empty bed and sits. She bounces up and down a few times, a semi-satisfied look crossing her face. Jisoo stares. The girl is paying no attention to Jisoo. So she clears her throat and the girl's eyes finally meet hers. They're dark – like the rest of her. She's wearing all black. From her tied t-shirt down to her ridiculously impractical leather pants. Jisoo raises an eyebrow. "And you are?" It comes out harsher than she intends and the girls own eyebrows raise in surprise. Her arms are at her sides, palms face down on the bed. Her shoulders push together as she leans forward. She tilts her head toward Jisoo. She licks her lips, her eyes traveling the length of Jisoo's body. Jisoo shifts. She's wearing only a loose green tank top, her bra off after a long day and flung somewhere across the room, and short athletic shorts. Her hair is piled up on top of her head in a bun, leaving most of her skin exposed. Every inch of it feels the intense heat of the girls stare. Her eyes finally return to Jisoo's.

"Jennie. I'm your new roommate, sweetheart." Her mouth curls around the word sweetheart and the last syllable is dragged. It sounds filthy, like it's been dragged through dirt before landing on her tongue. Her voice is low and guttural, raspy in the best way. Jisoo gives her a tight smile and a nod, her curiosity satisfied for the time being, before turning back to her computer. Jennie makes a tsk noise with her teeth.

"Not going to introduce yourself cutie? Where's your manners?" She drawls and Jisoo clenches her teeth. This assignment is due in two hours and it's still not perfect. She doesn't have time for this. She sighs.

"I'm Jisoo." She responds shortly, once again returning her attention to the bright computer screen in front of her. Jennie eyes still don't leave her.

The stare is...unsettling to say the least. Jisoo feels like Jennie is attempting to burn holes through the back of her head with only the intensity of her gaze. She feels the piercing gaze for a few more moments before the girl stands. Jisoo watches her in the reflection of her computer screen. She leans down over her duffel bag. She digs something out of it which she proceeds to shove into her back pocket (and Jisoo is most certainly not watching the curve of her legs as she bends over) before walking out of the door without a second glance.

She forgets to shut the door.

-

The first few days of living with Jennie teach her quite a bit about her new roommate.

First, she has no concept of personal boundaries. Her things always end up on Jisoo's side of the room and Jisoo makes a show of kicking the dirty pants and flannels across the floor and back onto their proper side. Jennie, generally, sneers behind whatever book she's got covering her face whenever Jisoo makes that signature huff of annoyance.

Secondly, she has no sense of shame whatsoever. She walks around, completely topless, for much longer than necessary following her showers. She walks out of the bathroom, her hair still dripping wet, clad only in whatever pair of probably dirty pants she decided to recycle that day and a nearly see through black lace bra.