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

Chapter 25

"Ella, what are you doing?" Lisa asked as soon as she caught up with her sister. She glanced back again at Jennie, what she could see of Jennie, in the crowd behind them as Ella half dragged her to the quiet spot in the back of the room.

It at least made more sense why Elle had been so annoying about Lisa's outfit and makeup. Lisa had thought her sister was just being in her typical little pushy mode by insisting that Lisa actually get a decent outfit and sit through Ella's little beauty parlour bit before coming here, but now. "Did you plan this?" She asked as they stopped by the fire exit doors.

"Uh, of course I did." Ella rolled her eyes. "And it's perfect? So shut up."

"What the hell do you think is going to happen?" Lisa stared back at her. Ella just scoffed again, crossing her arms.

"I've been hanging out with Jennie for like, weeks now." She admitted, looking unapologetic for the fact. "And every time you come up she gets this distant mooney look on her face. And honestly? It's really gross."

Lisa was about to protest, but Ella wasn't done talking, jabbing a finger into Lisa's chest. "But what's grosser is the fact that you guys haven't talked in ages and she's still acting like that. She fucking misses you, sis."

"She lied to me." Lisa said, though not as convicted as she usually was. She swallowed slightly nervously.

"Yeah, cause I told her to." Lisa was pretty sure Ella's eyes were going to fall out of her head if she kept rolling them. "And obviously it wasn't all lies if she's acting like this still, ages later."

Woon walked up just then, looking between the two sisters as he stood close to Ella with a slight supportive nod in her direction, while also effectively stopping Lisa from having a good exit. She was literally cornered right now, in the back of the room, while her sister talked.

"I thought she was faking too, but the last couple of weeks she just, she sighs so goddamn much." Ella groaned. "I mean, I was thinking of ways to get you guys to talk when she came up and suggested the prom thing, pro bono, and I was like shit yeah! Dad suggested some things too."

Lisa blinked. "Dad's in on this too?"

"Yeah, guess what, he thinks she's good for you." Ella's voice dropped into a mocking tone before shifting to a more scolding one. "Your grades got better, you quit smoking, you stopped getting into fights." She counted on her fingers as she rang off the reasonings.

Woon bent in and whispered something to Ella, who glanced up and over to the other side of the room. Lisa followed her gaze and saw Jennie standing there against the far wall, staring at her hands. Ella nodded to Woon and turned back to her sister.

"Just... hang out tonight." She said, voice dropping the usual annoyed Ella tone into something a bit gentler. "Spend time hating this until it's over, spend time being mad at me, spend time being grumpy useless idiots, just spend it together. Hang out, clean slate, no bets or deals or because she has to, but because she wants to." Ella nodded her head over Jennie, who Lisa noticed now was watching both of them. "And she knows you want to too."

Lisa looked back over to Jennie and then to her sister, unsure. She couldn't help smiling a little, at Ella with her arms crossed and a stern but concerned look on her face in the dim light of the prom.

"When'd you get so mature?" Lisa asked.

Ella laughed. "I've been trying to get you realize I'm not a kid anymore for ages." She smiled softly back at her sister. "I'm going to go talk to her now, you stay here. Woon, make her stay here." With a quick peck on his cheek, Ella turned and walked quickly over to where Jennie was standing. The boy gave a little awkward laugh and turned to Lisa.