my brothers girlfriend

baking

TWO - LISA

The following weekend comes around quicker than I had wanted. My mum catches me in my room early, something she didn't usually do. She reminds me Jennie is coming over today, as if I could have forgotten. I guessed that Kai had not only told me that he wanted me to be friends with his girlfriend, but he had also told my mum. And here she was, enforcing it, making sure I stayed true to my promise to Kai.

But when I had made that promise to Kai I hadn't known that Jennie exuded sex appeal. It comforts me to some degree that Jennie would be dressing more casually today; hopefully in clothes that didn't cling to her skin. I felt disgusting. My brother's girlfriend should have the right to dress how she wants without me perving on her. 

I had always been an inherently sexual person. I never really had to think about my sexuality, I had always loved girls. But as I grew older and discovered that my attraction to the same sex was taboo and strictly prohibited in my culture, my desires only grew, and so did my experiences as I went through high school. It wasn't that hard to find people like me, so long as you knew where to look.

I'm still hiding in my room when I hear a car pull up outside. I already know it's Kai. I hear my mum call me from downstairs and I heave a sigh. Having not already gotten dressed, I'm able to prolong coming face to face with Jennie for another ten minutes.

When I do get downstairs, she and my mum are in the kitchen. Jennie's back is to me, and I take a second to look over her body again before making my presence known. 

"I'm here," my bored tone catches Kai's attention who hadn't been in my line of sight before.

"Mum wants to take snacks to her next Church meeting." He grins at me.

"Great." My eye roll was for his annoyance, but it catches Jennie's eye and I can see it made her feel a little unsure and out of place, making me regret it in an instant. It wasn't my intention to offend her or make her feel unwelcome, but I find I don't have the words to tell her that.

"Be nice,' Kai says quietly before turning to Jennie and kissing her cheek. I don't turn my attention away, instead trying to read Jennie's body language but she's not letting much off. "I'll be upstairs," he tells her before walking past me.

"You're not staying?" I turn to ask him and he grins again. 

"Nope. Girls only apparently," he tells me before disappearing around the corner and out of sight.

I take a second to breathe before turning back around, opening my arms to greet Jennie properly with a hug. "Hey, Jennie. It's great to see you again."

She smiles as walks into my hug and greets me back. She radiates warmth and her smell is enticing but she pulls away before I get to take it in. Probably for the best.

We join my mum who's a little further into the kitchen, prepping the ingredients and equipment. This wasn't really my thing, but doing it with Jennie made it not seem as bad. It was a chance to get to know her more. With any luck, her personality would be so off-putting my attraction to her would cease altogether.

As the time passes and we work together making various dessert treats I find that's not the case at all. This is only our second meeting and my mum is doing most of the talking so she's still a little reserved, but I keep an eye and ear out for any time she gives an insight into her true personality.

When my mum leaves for a phone call, Jennie turns her attention to me, which is a lot more daunting than I would have thought. Another bad sign; being nervous around her.

She asks me about my plans for after school and I tell her I had intentions of continuing my education at University. More for the social life than anything else, but I leave that part out.

"The one Kai and I are at is probably the best one, but I guess it depends on your course too."

"Well, I want to keep dancing too, so if there are opportunities for that there, then it will be at the top of my list."

"Oh, you're a dancer?" She seems taken aback.

"Why the tone of surprise?" I ask her with a laugh.

"Nothing bad. I've just never met a dancer before," she explains.

"Ever?" She shakes her head. "Well, we're not a rare breed. I've been dancing since I was eight."

"What kind of dancing to you do?"

"I do all types of dancing."

"Ballet?" 

Her question makes me laugh. "No, not ballet. That takes a special type of training. I do contemporary dance, hip hop styles, break dance, street dance, jazz, ballroom dancing, things like that."

"Can you do the tango?"

I'm not sure what possesses me to not think about my next action, I just grab her waist and hand and begin to dance around the kitchen with her. I move my feet a lot faster than she can keep up with and then I hear her real laugh. It's full and hearty and her smile reaches her eyes. I bring us to a halt and return her smile, mesmerised by her beauty.

"I don't think that's the tango," she says, still recovering.

"No? I guess I still have to learn it then."

"I'd love to see you dance for real."

A tugging in my brain tells me that's not a good idea, but really, what is the worst that could happen?

"You should come to our next show."

"I'd love that."

We exchange numbers and I can't deny the excitement in my stomach at the prospect of seeing Jennie again. Even if I wasn't attracted to her, I didn't doubt I would get along with her well, despite Kai telling me that she wasn't like me. We would have been friends either way.

The oven dings and my mum comes back into the kitchen. It had been almost two hours since we had started backing and she tells us that we are free to leave now. My excitement doesn't cease until Jennie speaks again.

"Lisa, where's Kai's room?"

Of course she would want to spend time with her boyfriend over me, but that didn't make me feel better. 

"Oh. It's just across from my room. I'll show you." 

My chest tightens with each step I take upstairs, suddenly feeling sick at the thought of Jennie being alone with Kai. Another bad sign. I ignore it and point her to his door before she thanks me and disappears behind the door. 

I stand quietly for a few seconds, not entirely sure what I'm listening out for, before shaking my head and going into my own room.