Catch The Stars

Chapter 2

When Jennie joins her grandmother in the kitchen half an hour later after taking a shower, she's busy cooking dinner and gently singing along to the radio playing somewhere in the house.

"Can I help you with something?"

She says no, of course. "I'm sorry but dinner isn't ready yet. I had a lot of work to do on the field today and I-"

"Grandma, please. It's okay. I won't starve." Jennie smiles at her reassuringly.

"It will be ready in an hour. Why don't you go outside and explore a little?"

"Explore?" Jennie juts her lower lip out. "I don't think I remember my way around."

She gives her a long look before nodding her head. "Let me call Y/n, she can show you around," She says, drying her hands to pick up her phone.

Jennie squirms around a little, feeling uncomfortable. She's not that good with strangers, and so far she's been met with mixed reactions for being from the city, so she can only imagine that other girls of her age won't be welcoming her with open arms.

"Grandma, it's really okay-"

"Oh, nonsense." She shakes her head. "Y/n is a good kid. She's a bit closed off but she's been helping me out on the farm a lot since your grandfather passed away. I already told her you were going to visit-Oh, yes, Y/n!"

Jennie sighs and sags against the wall, looking out of the open window to see a truck driving through the village. The back is filled with people and it looks like they're coming back from work.

"Yes, Jennie just got here. Are you busy right now?" She asks and Jennie stops listening in order to go and use the toilet again. She just went but she tends to pee a lot when she's nervous or stressed, which is basically every hour of the day, anyway.

Jennie takes her sweet time washing her hands and freezes a little, wondering if she can be as wasteful with water as she is in the city. She decides not to take any chances and turns the faucet off quickly before leaving the bathroom.

"She's waiting downstairs for you," Her grandmother says, back at the stove. She hasn't sat down once ever since Jennie got here. "Be back for dinner, will you?"

"Yeah, okay," Jennie mumbles, nibbling on her lower lip. Should she go hug her? Who cares. She goes and hugs her, feeling her relax in her hold. "Bye, grandma."

She gives her a warm, loving smile, that makes some of Jennie's anxiety ebb away. She might feel a bit distant to her but every word from her is filled with so much love that Jennie can't help but feel at home already.

Jennie puts on her shoes and grabs her phone before walking down the stairs, opening the door and stepping outside into the setting sun to find a girl crouched down in front of Kuma, petting her.

She doesn't looks like any other girl from the back; a pair of dirty sneakers, worn out jeans, a brown plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her hair looks like a light brown, but not dyed, more like bleached by the sun.

Jennie clears her throat and the girl turns around and gets up to reveal her face, her eyes quickly scanning Jennie from head to toe.

She has a pretty face; full lips, sharp eyes, bronzed skin. Jennie can't help but notice those things about her, and a dark voice in the back of her head scolds her for it. It sounds a lot like her dad, but Jennie blanks it out before it can give her the jitters and chase away any chances of sleep tonight.

Kuma barks, making them both flinch and stop staring at each other.

"Uh," The girl awkwardly starts. "You're Jennie?" She asks, her face still mostly blank. Her voice is deep but warm and she doesn't sound too hostile.