Catch The Stars

Chapter 37

If you start to like someone else, if i get used to not being with you:

She's so tired.

Her shirt is sticking to her chest, her back, her neck feeling too cold because of the aircon inside the car blowing air against her sweaty skin.

Lisa has her phone plugged in on the AUX chord, playing one of her indie rap songs that make Jennie think the artists are constantly high when they write and record their songs.

The window is rolled down on Lisa's side, letting in the noises of the city. A lot of angry honking, distant sirens of ambulances, shouting, laughing, chatting on phones as pedestrians rush through the mass of people to get home.

They're stuck in traffic, even at this hour. And it's so hot.

It's sweltering, and breathing is hard.

Jennie rests her head on the cool window and pretends not to notice her best friend's concerned looks she keeps shooting her.

"Are you hungry?" Lisa asks softly. "We can grab some take-out, if you want."

"No," Jennie croaks. She clears her throat and blinks her eyes open, staring out at the scenery of the city and from where the car is standing right now, she can't see a single tree.

And suddenly all of this feels so wrong. Jennie shouldn't be here. She should be back in the village, up in the mountains, in the unpolluted air, the organic food, the fresh breeze, the silence and nature-

But not here.

Jennie glances at Lisa and her chest aches when she sees the mildly hurt look on the older's face.

She can't take this out on her, so she offers a small smile that definitely doesn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you, Lis."

Lisa sighs, her eyes sad. "Jen..."

"Please," Jennie says and shakes her head, her smile fading. "Not-Not now."

Lisa looks like she wants to argue, but she closes her mouth and nods. "Okay. Okay, Jen."

So they don't talk.

Jennie can't remember the last time in her life she felt so utterly hopeless and miserable.

-

After dumping her whole suitcase in the laundry bin, Jennie jumps in the shower, and stays under the cold spray of water for way longer than appropriate.

Her limbs feel numb by the end of it, but the ice cold water helps her clear her mind, and she's not feeling like she's going to choke on air every time she breathes once she gets out.

She's drying her hair in front of the mirror when she notices the glint of metal around her neck, the gentle weight of crystals cool against her warming skin.

Jennie sighs heavily, a lump already forming in her throat just from thinking how happy she was two days ago when Y/n gave her the present. When she put it on for Jennie, her fingers soft and gentle on her skin.

She gulps and reaches behind her neck until she's touching the clasp, fumbling with it for a moment until she manages to open it.

It's actually a really pretty necklace. Jennie didn't expect Y/n to have a nice taste in these things.

But maybe there are just a lot of things Jennie doesn't know about the older girl.

And she will never find out, now, will she?

Jennie quickly disregards the thought and closes her fist around the necklace. She doesn't want to throw it away, but she doesn't want to wear it either.