A Moment Longer [Chaelisa] [COMPLETE]

1. The news

After leaving the attorney's office, I nearly got hit by a car as I floated across the street in a daze. After all these years, I'd tried so hard not to think about her. But now, she was all I could think about.

Lisa.
Oh god.

Flashes of her flooded my mind - her soft black hair, her excitement, the strum of her guitar, and the deep sadness and heartbreak in her beautiful big brown eyes the last time I saw her fifteen years ago.

I wasn't supposed to see her again. Living with Lalisa Manoban, even if only for the summer, was not an option. It was probably more like there was no way in hell Lalisa Manoban was going to agree to share a house with me. Whether we liked it or not, the beach house in Newport was now ours. It's not my mine. It's not hers. But ours. Fifty-fifty.

What the hell was my grandma thinking?

I'd always known she clearly cared about her, but nothing could have prepared me for the extent of her generosity. She wasn't even related to us, but she'd always thought of her as her granddaughter, and now-fuck off, I need to share a house with her.

I took up my phone and scrolled down until I found Jennie's name. I breathed a sigh of relief when she answered the phone.

"Where are you, Jen?"

"The East Side, why?"

"Are you free to meet up? I really need to talk with someone, Jen..."

"Are you okay?"

My mind went blank before gradually filling up with fragmented memories of Lisa. My chest constricted. She hated me. I'd avoided her for so long, but I was about to have to confront her.

Jennie's voice jolted me out of my reverie.

"Rosie? Are you still there?"

"Um..yeah, sorry. Everything is fine. Uh...where are you again?"

"Meet me on Thayer Street at the falafel shop. We'll eat early and talk about whatever is on your minds."

"Okay. I'll see you in ten."