She Still Does (AD) [Paper Planes book II]

Why Can't You?

"I've been noticing."

Dennise remained silent, she didn't know how she would react. She had been keeping everything by herself for the past months, since she was not prepared to see people's reaction like how unprepared she was with the feeling. Of course Jus would notice, the only place where she could burst her emotions was in her room and Jus was just a wall away from her room. She couldn't show Alyssa how she felt everytime they talked or just by looking at her especially when Alyssa had a crush with someone else. Now that she got cornered by her very own sister, who barely talked to her, she ran out of things to do. She couldn't even utter a word.

Am I that obvious?

Jus was just looking at her sister waiting for her to respond, but the room was silent for like 5 minutes already. Dennise looked guilty as hell. Jus confronted her sister about Alyssa because her sister obviously had something for Alyssa but didn't say anything.

"Okay let me tell this straight to you, I'm more open-minded for my age than what you think of me." Jus told her sister who still couldn't look at her in the eyes. "I have gay friends you know." Dennise eyes' grew wide then looked at her sister. Jus had been noticing how Dennise smile widely whenever she got home after going out with Alyssa and whenever she stared at her every time Alyssa was in their house. She hadn't smiled so sweetly like that to Ella, because they were just best friends, also to LA who was her ex.

"I'm straight!" She shouted but Jus didn't even flinch.

"I'll tell you ate, you were." Jus said like she was really sure. "I know we don't talk much but you still manage to make me tell you what's bothering me. And now I'll tell you that you can tell me what's bothering you too." Dennise felt Jus' sincerity and for a moment she was hesitant, a moment later she was bursting into tears. Jus immediately hugged her sister.

"I'm new to this." Dennise said while sobbing.

"Alyssa's quite popular so I know what her gender preference is. So it's not new if she makes girls fall for her." Jus said, making Dennise think and feel that what she was feeling was totally fine to her. It looked like Jus was the elder one. This was the second time her sister felt really weak after her mom died and Jus knew she really had to comfort her especially this seldom happened and she knew Ella still didn't talk to Dennise.

That's the problem, she didn't even do anything.

Dennise told Jus what she was feeling, how she tried to avoid it but failed. Jus let her cry for a while, when she was finally calm, she felt relieved. To finally tell someone about what she was feeling, she felt lighter than she had been. She never thought Jus would do such thing, and it was because of Alyssa. Dennise smiled.

Dennise was feeling nervous after Alyssa told her she was to be introduced to her friends. Although she already knew who they were because of months of 'following' Alyssa, they still hadn't met her personally. Alyssa told her her friends really wanted to meet her. Of course she was happy.

'Buti pa friends mo gusto 'kong makilala, samantalang ikaw, kinailangan ko pang ipanakot si Laura sa'yo at nakawin ID mo.

Forget about it Den, impress them atleast.

She fixed herself in front of the mirror then took a deep breath.

Alyssa will pick you up Dennise. Gosh do I look okay?

She kept on fixing herself.