Chained - Jenlisa

The Elephant in The Room

Lisa waits until night to put up the charms around the apartment. She hides one on every floor, and even one on the roof and one in the basement. As for our floor, she asks Sandara to keep it in her apartment. Apparently Lisa's internal alarm functions just fine close to home but she wants to be sure that Jisoo, Rosé, and Sandara are as safe as me. It's sweet, and the charm caught the attention of Jisoo, who's vehement belief in magic makes her take the charm willingly. She even starts an extremely long conversation with Lisa about magic and magical things, which is too long and complicated for me so I head home and let them have their fun. Ever since the mission overseas Lisa and Jisoo have been almost friendly. It's a relief and I don't have to worry about them fighting. Sandara seems glad for it, too.

Stretching, I make my way to the living room and flop down on the couch, then turn on the TV. I haven't told the General that Lisa can be put back in the field again, and I don't really want to. I don't want to see her get hurt again. But I know eventually the General will find out and make us do our jobs. I sigh and promise myself to call the General tomorrow as I flick through channels aimlessly. I'm not sure when Lisa will come back home, but I think it will be late, seeing as how her and Jisoo were talking intently with seemingly no end to the conversation. Even Rosé had gotten into it with gusto. They were more than happy to listen to Lisa's 'expertise' on the magical realm.

There's nothing familiar to me on TV right now, and I wonder if I should start getting back into a few shows. I used to be caught up with a few things before I moved down to the Facility and even made time to watch new episodes. But now everything I used to watch has either been canceled or I'm seasons behind. There's even a spin o of something I used to watch and it's already two seasons in. The world still turns even when you're looking away.

Leaving the channel on a game show, I go to the kitchen to find something to eat. Sometimes Lisa makes dinner but there's nothing left over and I'm not going to go fetch her just to make her cook for me. I'm an independent woman, though I've never been able to cook a ham like Lisa. That one is a four star chef. She never fails to surprise me with all the things she can do.

I decide for something simple and rummage through the pantry to see what I can find. There's a lot to pick from since we just went shopping but for some reason I decide on Lisa's mini donuts. But there's only one bag left, and when I look inside there's two lonely donuts inside. Wow. I expected Lisa to finish them quickly but not this quickly. When did she even eat them? I've been with her since we got home from the store and she was at Sandara and Jisoo's for half that time. Well, they're hers so I suppose she can devour them as fast as she wants. But next time I'm definitely buying more bags, or at least buying normal sized donuts.

Foregoing the mini donuts, I opt for a yogurt cup, mixed berry, and plop back down on the couch. It's times like these that I realize I essentially have no life. I work then come back home, work, come back home. It's monotonous. I don't even go out just to eat. Sure, I've gone out with Lisa before, but those occasions were few. Hell, Lisa has more of a social life than I do. She's made friends with Boonluang, and probably other neighbors, while I've avoided everyone in this building. I don't do it on purpose, and that's what stings more. I don't attract people the way Lisa does. She can find friends anywhere she goes. She can make enemies her friends, if Jisoo is anyone to go by.

Sucking on my spoon, I slump and kick up my feet. Maybe I could try making friends, too. Or I could contact old friends I lost touch with when I moved down to the Facility, if they remember me.

But who am I kidding? They probably won't want to talk to me. I cut them off without looking back in favor of a job. Granted, the job is great, but lonely sometimes.

As I'm already finishing my yogurt, the front door opens and I roll my head to look at Lisa, who looks back at me and immediately asks, "Are you okay?"