lessons in love || chaennie

chapter fifteen

Jennie rang the doorbell of the Park household and waited patiently on the porch. Normally when she collected her girlfriend for school, she just waited in the car and Chaeyoung kept a look out from her bedroom window for her, but she couldn't just do that today. In the three weeks since their Biology field trip, they'd gotten even closer, the important three little words that had been spoken during the time as well as progression about things physically had really cemented their relationship.

The door opened to reveal a surprised Chaeyoung, bookbag on her shoulder. Jennie looked at her sunken eyes and could see she had been crying.

"Baby, what's wrong?" she asked, then kicked herself for the term of endearment. She knew better than to give the Parks any reason to be suspicious.

Chaeyoung saw the apologetic look cross the brunette's features.

"Don't worry. You can call me Baby. You can call me Love; hell you could start feeling me up right now if you wanted 'cause my parents left an hour ago for another one of their stupid conferences," she said, spitting out the last bit venomously.

"Oh, love," Jennie said, going forward to embrace the blonde, angry with her girlfriend's parents for leaving on this day.

"I just thought they'd be here for my birthday, ya know? I mean its only once a year," Chaeyoung sobbed into the taller girl's shoulder.

Jennie didn't know what to say so she just stayed quiet, holding the taller girl to her.

Chaeyoung pulled away a few minutes later when she felt something hit against her head and looked to the side in wonder.

"Sorry," Jennie said, pulling on the string of the balloon that Chaeyoung hadn't noticed before, having been too distressed, "Um, Happy Birthday."

She handed the red balloon with '17' in big white writing on it to the other girl who looked at it again before bursting into a fresh set of tears.

"You are the best girlfriend in the world," she said through her tears.

"If I am its only 'cause you make me like that," Jennie replied.

Chaeyoung wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I am not letting them ruin my birthday. I have you and the gang and nothing could be better than that."

"Did you at least get a nice present?"

"Money in a card. Same as every year."

Jennie rubbed her arm comfortingly and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Well from this moment forward I promise the best birthday ever, okay?"

"Okay," Chaeyoung agreed with a small smile, "Lets get to school."

•••

Chaeyoung undid her seatbelt, then sat back in her seat, not ready to leave Alexis quite yet.

She'd had a wonderful day at school, the gang all making her feel special all day, she'd gotten a new CD from Lisa and blouse from Jisoo, even Seulgi had gotten her a cupcake with '17' in icing on it and had produced a little candle so they could all sing Happy Birthday to her in the quad.

Now she was going home to get ready before everyone was meeting at the diner later. She was grateful that her birthday happened to fall on a Friday so she could celebrate on the day without having to worry about school the next day.

"So I'll see you at seven, yea?" she asked her girlfriend.

"Yep. Um, Chaeng, I... your present is in the glove compartment."