lessons in love || chaennie

chapter eight

Chaeyoung slid in the plush red leather seat across from Jennie in the newly-opened fifties style diner. She giggled as a waitress came to their table looking like she'd been transported straight from the set of Grease, short skirt, knee high socks and a rumpled shirt. She smiled at them and put some menus on the table and told them she'd be back to take their order.

"This place is boss," Chaeyoung remarked, trying to keep her tone casual.

"Boss?" Jennie asked, quirking an eyebrow over her menu.

"Yea, you know. Hip. Swinging."

"You looked up fifties terms to impress me, huh?"

"Are you impressed?"

"Very."

"Then yes, yes I did. You're also a Dolly and we're jacketed."

"Dolly I can guess...but jacketed?"

"Going steady," Chaeyoung explained.

"I think you might just about be the cutest thing I've ever seen. And I was in the same room as a box of puppies once."

Chaeyoung grinned in delight at the compliment and went back to scanning her menu. Their waitress came back a minute later, her cheesy smile never leaving her face.

"You guys ready to order?" she asked with a friendly tone.

Chaeyoung looked to Jennie who nodded slightly.

"Um, yea. I'll have the tuna melt please and a root beer float," Chaeyoung said, putting her menu down.

The waitress nodded and wrote down the order, then turned to Jennie.

"Grilled chicken salad and a coke, please."

The waitress scribbled again and took their menus with a smile.

"I'll be right back with your drinks."

She turned on her heels and left, returning a couple of minutes later with two tall glasses, putting each of them down on the table, trying not to interrupt the conversation going on between the two girls.

Chaeyoung smiled in thanks as the waitress put their drinks down and departed, not letting her attention leave Jennie for more than a second. The brunette was currently telling her about her life in New Zealand.

"Mom worked in the city, so we lived in an apartment block really close to the ferry. You literally walked out the main doors and turned to your right and there was the ferry stop, so it was good for Mom. Plus, you had the best view right on your doorstep. That was one of the weirdest things about moving out here, actually was getting used to living in a house. My place in Auckland had like a gym – uh, not that I ever used it, but it was nice to know it was available. And there was a Starbucks right there and a really nice supermarket right on your doorstep. But it's nice having a house too. Not having to squeeze into an elevator at the morning rush times or make sure the concierge knows the name of every single guest you might have."

Their food arrived just as Chaeyoung was about to say something. She held off speaking until they were alone again. Jennie speared a piece of lettuce and was chewing when she heard her girlfriend's voice pipe up.

"I always wanted to live in an apartment."

"Really?"

"Oh yea," Chaeyoung answered through bites, "Probably one of those 'grass is always greener' things."

They continued chatting as they ate, Chaeyoung filled the other girl in a bit more on her absent parental influence and how Lisa and Jisoo had been her real family. Jennie sympathized and once again felt thankful that she had such a good relationship with her own mother. They moved onto lighter topics, talking about music and television, what classes they liked. When it was time to leave, Chaeyoung insisted on paying with Jennie agreed to only on the proviso that she got to get the movie tickets.