didn't know you were cold ('til you felt my fire) // JENLISA AU

Chapter 22

i'm not abandoning this story i promise 🤚🏻 just been having a lot of shiz on my plate so update will be extremely extremely slow. i'm soo sorry for that 😢🙏🏻 but please do enjoy this chapter, or maybe not? it's kinda angsty and sad lol but try to savour it anyway since idk when i have the time for next update

ps: a friendly reminder for everyone here including myself, to ship with cautious and be respectful and kind to one another always! BP forever 🖤💓

//

Jennie didn't go to school on Tuesday.

Jennie was responsible. She kept herself healthy, stayed home when required, and had otherwise perfect attendance. She'd never skipped, never lied, never missed a day unless it was medically required.

But despite being perfectly healthy, Jennie stayed in bed on Tuesday, staring at her ceiling until well in the morning when she couldn't take it anymore.

Heartbreak wasn't a medical condition but with her throat hoarse from crying, chest sore from the sobs, eyes red and head pounding and body so incredibly exhausted without being able to find sleep, she absolutely felt it should be considered one.

She'd come home on Monday drenched and cold from the rain, relieved that the conditions helped to hide how she was feeling. She maintained composure, smiled weakly at her parents and excused herself to bed, complaining of a headache and chill from the weather.

She'd called Lisa's house while on the bus, but only Lisa's father answered and very kindly told her Lisa hadn't come home yet and he'd pass the message along. By the time 9pm flashed on her clock she debated calling again, worried now that Lisa hadn't come home. But also worried that pressuring Lisa too much would scare her away. Surely Lisa's father would let her know if something happened. Wracked with indecision she'd cradled her phone curled on her side in her bed and stared out at the storm through her window as a hundred worst case scenarios played out in her mind.

She didn't receive a call that night; the only thing she got was little to no sleep.

When she finally pulled herself out of bed she debated calling Lisa again before remembering that it was still a school day and likely no one was home. She'd have to wait.

She decided to try a shower, hoping the heat and the water would relax her. The shower was always a place where Jennie did her best thinking.

But despite the difference in temperature, all the shower did was remind her of the rain pelting down on her as Lisa walked away and she spent most of it leaning against the wall, too exhausted to cry further.

*

When her parents came home she considered staying still up in her room, but the sound of extra voices echoed up from the foyer made her curious enough to try to listen as she lay there in the blankets. After a moment a gentle "Jennie?" from her mother sounded down the hallway and Jennie sat up, blearily blinking and rubbing at her eyes.

A soft knock sounded on her door just before her mother opened it, looking curious and a little stern. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You look dreadful."

Jennie sniffed and shook her head, pulling her knees up to her chest. Her mother tutted, closing the door behind her as she entered and walked swiftly over to Jennie's side.

"You're not coming down with something, are you dear?" She asked, holding a hand up to Jennie's forehead. Jennie shook her head again.

With a pause, almost a hesitation, her mother sat down at the edge of the bed and rested her hand on Jennie's back, watching her. "Would you like to talk about it?"