possibility days | JENLISA

cracks between where we lie

It turns out to be work hours disguised as party hours; they walk through the carpet smiling for pictures and doing interviews.  

Jennie carries the conversation most of the time, and often, Lisa's job is to just look on and seem absolutely smitten for the cameras, a hand casual on the small of Jennie's back.

The fact is, Lisa doesn't even have to try, at all – it comes to them so easily, and at one point an interviewer even has to call them out on it: "You are so into each other," says the interviewer, teasing slightly, and Lisa hopes her nervous laugh merely comes off as a piece of intelligent acting.

They sit side-by-side at dinner – actors from the same shows have to share the same table, and perhaps it is Carlos' way of ensuring that, had they not arrived together, they would definitely be seen together, at one point or another. Jennie takes a ton of photos at the table with their other co-stars – she's an absolute darling, and really, how is it at all possible to not be charmed?

Not possible, Lisa thinks, watching Jennie just go.

*

It is by no means an exclusive, network-only event; Carlos likes inviting his other friends, too – media and advertisers, the whole lot of them, and so this is how Lisa comes across Zack for the first time. Jennie disappears for what feels like a moment too long, and when Lisa goes around the party to come looking, she finds her at the advertisers table, laughing.

"Oh, speak of the devil," says Jennie, turning to her, bottle of wine in her hand. "Look Lis – they've got better wine at the sponsors' table."

"Jennie," says the taller, throat tight. She's all-too-conscious now about all these strangers looking at her and smiling.

"So you're the one," comes a voice from the table, as a man Carlos' age stands and extends a hand. "Zee Leo."

Lisa receives the hand graciously, if a bit confusedly. What was Jennie doing at the PP CEO's table, anyway? "Pleased to meet you sir," she says, surveying the table carefully before rounding back to Jennie -- now talking with Zack.

Zack is a Zee. Lisa tries not to look so surprised when Jennie turns to her to introduce him. "You know Zack?"

Damn right, I do. "I believe we haven't met," she says instead, smiling sweetly at him. "Hello."

When he smiles back, Lisa feels herself somewhat warming to him. Is this what he does? "Finally, Ms Manoban," he says. "Jennie can't stop talking about you."

"Stop flustering the girl, Zack," says the brunette, smiling in kind. "She just got here."

Talk is easy and pleasant and Lisa is surprised to be at ease so quickly. Zack is soft-spoken and attentive, and when Lisa speaks he actually turns his head to listen, eye on hers. It is quiet and unnerving, but only because she can tell this isn't the wine, at all.

Fine, so Zack is a magnificent piece of a man, he's practically business royalty, and he's known Jennie since they were children, because her father and his father and Carlos were once schoolboys together.

Lisa doesn't quite know what to do with this information.

Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, she excuses herself to answer her ringing phone. As soon as Rosé's name flashes on her screen, she mumbles an apology and steps away from the table, already halfway into a hello.

"Look who's hitting it with the bigwigs tonight," comes Rosé's voice, her voice teasing.

"Where are you?"