JENNIE
I arrived late to the cafe where Jisoo suggested we meet up before hunting for the wedding dress. I was excited to get one and be done with it. I wanted to find the perfect one, put it away and pull it out on the day, not keep thinking about it.
It was a busy cafe, a lot of Saturday breakfasters lounging around, talking and enjoying themselves. Suddenly I felt jealous of them, I wanted to run out of the shop and run away, go on a holiday somewhere for a long, long time. It was an overwhelming feeling, it zoned me out from everything but when I saw Jisoo waving at me from the table I knew that however troubling the emotion was, I needed to put on a happy face.
I smiled and waved back, making my way past waitresses and people to get to them. Jisoo, Mum and Roseanne were waiting for me. I felt annoyed that Roseanne actually took Jisoo up on the offer, I felt like she did it just to annoy me and go against everything I wanted.
"Hello," I said to them, putting my handbag under the table and sitting down beside Jisoo, opposite Roseanne and Mum.
"Hi, darling," Mum greeted me, everyone had a coffee in front of them and Mum even had a muffin.
"Do I have time to get something?" I asked Jisoo, who consulted her watch.
"Yes, but hurry."
I nodded and headed to the display cabinet of food. Tens of sweet and savoury things glistened behind the glass, waiting to be purchased and devoured. Everything was catching my eye, I didn't know what I would settle for.
"Hey."
I turned around, it was Roseanne.
"Hi." I turned my attention back to the food, I was deciding between a sweet or savoury croissant.
Roseanne was staring at me, I wish she was awkward and not outstandingly confident because then she wouldn't stare and make me uncomfortable. I turned back to her and glared.
"What?"
She smiled. "Nothing."
"Then stop looking at me." I stepped forward to the counter. "The ham and cheese croissant, please." And stepped back, a few feet away from Roseanne, while they warmed it.
She moved up to the counter and handed over her card, she was making the waitress laugh, I was noticing Roseanne's smile. Stop. I couldn't think of her in any kind of way, let alone that. She stepped back beside me, she smelt nice, she looked good too. What was wrong with me today!?
"Why are you here?" I hissed.
"Do you want me to go?" she asked smugly, knowing I'd say no.
"No, they'll just ask questions." I turned to the front, watching as the girl took my croissant out of the oven.
"You're looking good, Jen."
"If you're going to be here you can't say those things."
"Your mum and Jisoo will be saying those exact things."
"You know it's different."
"Fine, what'd you want me to do?"
My name was called and I stepped forward to collect the paper bag with my croissant inside.
"Just... don't flirt," I demanded.
"With you?" She raised an eyebrow.
"With anyone." I headed back to the table knowing that I shouldn't have let my jealously get the best of me.
_
"I like this one," I said for the tenth time about the tenth dress.
It looked good on me, I was happy with it, but I was happy with the hundreds I'd already tried on. What was worse was the more dresses I tried on and the more I became drained with Mum and Jisoo's constant examining, the more I bonded with Roseanne. She would look at me from her place on a seat and smile and roll her eyes, she'd agree with whatever I'd say.
