Arcade Lover

Chapter 15

The brunette recalls two days ago when she was on a call with Rosé. She tries hard to link whatever's been bugging her brain ever since that dinner with Lisa a day before, but nothing was clicking.

[Jennie Wifey, we have matters to discuss.] Rosé says royally the first thing Jennie picks up her call.

"You sound serious, what's up?"

[Ever since you got a girlfriend, you've been missing my calls. Like, hello??? Who was the one that told who not to date because we won't have time for sleepovers?! It was you, remember?!]

"Rosie, I'm sorry! You know how we're busy with school and stuff these days... I see you everyday in school but I don't get to see her much because she's busy with her school too so I had to cancel last weekend's sleepover to go on our postponed date! I'm sorry!"

[Your apologies aren't accepted! This wasn't what you promised when you told me you got into a relationship!]

"Please, Rosie, it was just last weekend. I'll make it up to you, okay? I'll pack kimchi fried rice for you tomorrow for lunch? Am I forgiven?"

[Ugh, fine! My weak spot will always be the kimchi fried rice you cook and you'll always use that against me! How exciting!] She yells over the phone sarcastically.

"Love you lots, Hubby."

[Now's not the time for love confessions, Wifey!]

For a moment Jennie chuckles at Rosé's burst of emotions, the girl was just so expressive when she gets angered it was cute to a certain extent.

"Oh, right! You haven't updated me about bookstore hottie recently, are you guys doing okay?"

[If your definition of doing okay is getting on the friendly stage then we are. She's been opening up, but she's mysteriously quiet at times.]

"Is that not progression?"

[I guess it is, but whatever that's between us is definitely not as easy or sweet as what you and your girlfriend have.]

"So I'm assuming you haven't gotten her name yet? It's been like presumably a month since you met her. I don't understand how-"

[I told you she's that closed off. I don't get it either.]

"There's no way she isn't into you, Rosie you're the cutest fluffiest thing ever."

[Thank you, Wifey.]

"You're welcome."

Jennie hears a sigh, [I think one good thing though is that recently she's been coming a lot during the afternoons, basically around the time I'm at the store. Which is great, I guess because I get to see her more. But she then leaves pretty quickly.]

"That's okay, I can tell how infatuated you are. Just look at you, you haven't had a single crush in years and this thing you have going on for bookstore hottie already hit a solid month."

[You're so right, Wifey.] She hears shuffling of books and paper before Rosé smashes the phone to her ears in a hurry, [Oh, flippin' hell. She's here, I'll see you tomorrow in school!]

Then she hangs up.

It's been two days since that call, and a day since dinner with Lisa. Jennie convinces herself there was no way bookstore hottie could be Lisa. Nothing except for a few has connections, nothing except for a few actually falls in place.

But where was Lisa two days ago during the afternoon? Jennie recalls her saying she had to stay back in school for a professor consult. It was suspicious how long that consult took. The entire afternoon and night?

And now, just discovering about Lisa's long time hobby of reading, the brunette could not sit still for one minute. How would one forget to share their favourite hobby to their own girlfriend? Jennie was her girlfriend, and the least she should've known was that. Aside from the fact that the blonde liked watching movies. She should've known.

Jennie's overthinking resurfaces after weeks. This is bad. She thinks. Very bad. Her insecurities start to fill in.

She flips through her text messages with Lisa. Every single one of them, noting how every time the latter wasn't free to meet her, it was always 'i'm staying back in school' and never 'i'm going to the bookstore'. True enough, if Lisa was truly busy, why would she say that?

But what if 'i'm staying back in school' had not always been the truth? What if Lisa lied?

Jennie stresses herself out. There's no way Lisa would lie to me. She trusted Lisa with her whole life. Lisa wouldn't lie to me. Jennie convinces herself repeatedly. Even if she was bookstore hottie and Rosie flirts with her, Lisa wouldn't cheat on me. She wouldn't.

Then it was as if her chanting had cast a spell. She receives a text from her girlfriend.

L: "hey Darling, wyd?"

J: "Going to bed soon, hbu?"

L: "same i suppose, i miss you. </3"

Her message puts a smile on Jennie's face despite her internal conflict, her overwhelming emotions, all her doubts. The brunette reminisces Lisa walking her to her school at dawn today and her heart feels contented.

J: "Me too."

Jennie's message gets through, and she settles on her bed in silence again. Maybe she'll feel better tomorrow, less worries, less to think about. The brunette takes her chance, and falls asleep in the process.

She instinctively wakes up at 4am.

L: "i have a crazy idea."

L: "i can't exactly fall asleep right now, and if you aren't tired, how about we go stargazing?"

L: "i know a spot!"

L: "we can play some soft music and i'll bring a blanket for us. we can also get drinks if you'd like."

L: "what do you think?"

...

L: "oh, did you fall asleep already?"

L: ":("

L: "we can do that another day then. see you tomorrow :)"

L: "sweet dreams babe :>"

- delivered: 11.48pm

Jennie frowns at the idea of falling asleep before she got the chance to see these texts.

Yeah, Lisa mustn't be bookstore hottie.