KICK IT | JENLISA

55

Jennie

More embarrassing than my emotional instability in front of Lisa was when I had a dirty dream about her on Friday night. Not a made-up fantasy. A memory recall. Real vagina tingler too. I woke up from the would've, could've situation with an extreme case of the whore in church sweat-soaks. Rapid heartbeats throbbed my entire mound, clit to entrance. I palmed the sheets and gasped.

The trail of rough, warm fingers down the back of my arm tickled my skin. Lisa in a crisp, custom black suit demanded as much attention as her palm cupped around my elbow. I shuddered to a stop, fluttering the edge of my dress over my thighs. Her midnight black hair was gelled to model perfection. I would have assumed they were airbrushed, except they brushed over my ear.

"Hi." she slurred a rush of hot breath. It puffed down the side of my neck and rolled over the curve of my shoulder. A shiver snaked through me in sharp contrast to the disgust raising bile in my throat. My tongue felt heavy in my mouth, and I grounded my heels. She never noticed me, not like this. Not like she wanted to eat me inside out.

Her eyelids were swollen around her lashes, which blinked in slow movements. The lighter brown highlights burned fire hot as they trailed down my low-cut, suffocating corset top. My heart thudded, and I swallowed. "Li... s..."

"Lisa." She palmed the wall near my head, bracketing my shoulders with her elbows. The heat from her body cocooned mine. Was this happening? My body lit up with aches and throbs. She was so tall, so big. I couldn't breathe without tasting her tannic breath. The hardness she pushed into my stomach promised I wouldn't be disappointed.

This was a terrible idea, but every red flag faded out like flares. The goose bumps that rose where her lips made contact behind my ear fought back, along with the pulse that thrummed electricity under my skin. A heat rash spread through my body, nestling between my...

"Jennie?"

Irene's gentle voice, coupled with her warm palm on my forearm, drew me out of that lusty clusterfuck. "You look a million miles away."

"I wish I was." I sighed, pretending my crab cake was Lisa's ego and stabbing it to bits. The plop of potato salad was a close resemblance to Lisa's brain size.

She did nothing to mask the glimmer of amusement in her dark brown eyes. "I'd ask how Lisa's doing, but you get that murderous look in your eyes whenever her name comes up."

"She's driving me nuttier than a porta potty at a peanut festival!" I dropped my fork with a clatter and cupped my forehead. "Stupid me challenged her to prove that she was serious. She's so stubborn. Do you know what she did?"

Her pale lips flinched into a smile. "Challenged you back?"

"Yes!" I balled my fists and shook them over my shoulders. "She's coming to every class. Eight times a week outside of our Wednesday sessions! And why does Lisa freaking Manoban have to be so fucking flirty with everyone? That fucking oestrogen-zapper light is frying my brain cells. I'm going crazy, Irene!"

"Maybe she likes you."

She was... huh? What did Irene say? A raspy squeak passed between my lips. My brain internally combusted at her suggestion. How could she say that with a warm smile and a straight face? Had she ignored what I said? A strangulation sound gurgled in my throat as it choked itself. "Aah... Irene..." I stuttered. "My classes are now like a dating app-sponsored event."

Her lips smiled around her straw. "I think you're the one making the situation difficult. Are you sure you're upset about other girls being the distraction, or Lisa being your distraction?"

I sucked in the entire restaurant's air. My remnant crab cake bits lodged behind my tonsils. My tongue swelled as I gagged. Tension squeezed my throat and brought tears to my eyes. Good crab cakes were ruined as I spat them into a napkin. Sputters shook my voice, "Wuh... what?"

Irene's eyes dropped to where I pounded my chest in a one-handed ape pump. "She might've misfired on the truck repairs, but she didn't know. Look at her actions. I think she's trying to be kind."

"Impossible." Wiping crab bits off my lips, I grunted and threw my napkin on my plate. "Nice try but no cigar, Irene."

"Jennie." Her teasing tones died, and she squeezed my hand. "I know how it feels. Part of yourself is lost but moving forward didn't mean I left Mino behind. I didn't close my heart off..."

"It swelled bigger, yadda yadda, happy for you."

How happy Irene and Jackson were spilled over to my second-hand happiness. She was a living example of a broken heart that expanded. But mine couldn't. Not without being shackled by guilt. It wasn't a competition between us, but our circumstances were different.