play - jenkai

1

I wanted to be anywhere else but here.

I played with the black cashmere scarf tied around my neck and stared at my reflection on the elevator panel.

I had two choices.

I could not make it to the 18th floor and tell Lisa there was an emergency at work which I know she will not believe and suffer the consequences of blowing her off. Or, I could make it to the 18th floor and sit through a dinner that I really...really do not want to sit through.

"It's fine." I shrug. "There's a chance he won't be there. He usually doesn't come to these small things. He's too busy with...work." I try to convince myself in the confinement of the moving contraption.

After finally signing their names to the beautiful apartment Lisa had her eyes on for two months, she figured the only way to celebrate would be to host a dinner party. It wasn't very surprising. It was actually very on par with Lalisa Manoban.

But..if she invited me that means Sehun invited his friends.

So there is a chance he'll be here tonight and though I've grown accustomed to playing the "Jennie" I want people to see, it still doesn't make it any easier. Faking smiles and portraying myself as someone that isn't totally still in love with the man I left. Ha.

The second I knock on the door, it doesn't take too long for a smiling Lisa to appear. Her once dark long hair was now cut into a cute bob sitting at the very top of her shoulders. With the way she was smiling and swaying, I figured she might be a little tipsy.

"I thought you'd bail."

"I almost did." I confess.

She takes two steps to the side to let me in. The beautiful two bedroom apartment was now fully furnished with a whole lot of Lisa's style and the smallest splash of Sehun.

"The place looks amazing." I say as I untie the scarf from around my neck.

Lisa grins. She takes pride in things like this. "Thank you. Sehun didn't really care about what I did with the place as long as I kept some of his outrageous pieces of artwork—but you know, I made it work."

"Of course you do."

"Seriously though...I'm very glad you didn't bail." Lisa slowly speaks as she takes my bag and coat for me. "I haven't seen you since you got back from Paris and every time I do try to see you...you're busy with work. Shit, one night I even started throwing a tantrum spewing all this nonsense that you might be avoiding me. Sehun had to stop me from taking a cab to your place around midnight," she rants for a few seconds.

"Why on earth would I be avoiding you?"

"I don't know." Lisa sighs, throwing her arms around. "You know I overreact."

"Let me ease your mind then. I am not avoiding you. I really just happen to be busy with work." I assure her and it's the truth. When I got back from Paris, my schedule was flooded with new clients and old ones.

"That does ease my mind." She smiles. "I missed you a lot."

"I missed you too."

"Alright, enough of that! You should go say hello to everyone while I find you a drink."

"Nothing too strong that I can't make it out of here on my own." I yell after her but I'm pretty sure she ignores me completely.

I'm hesitant with my steps the moment my ears pick up on chatter in the other room. I even try to heighten my ears to find if there's one voice in particular that sticks out from the rest but eventually I'm caught in the shadows of the hallway and all I could feel are two big arms engulfing me from behind.