Midnight Angel [Jenlisa FF]

~'~'~ Chapter 16 ~'~'~

Eavesdropping had been wrong. Jennie knew it was. It had seemed impossible to do otherwise, though. She'd woken up alone in a strange, darkened room on the second floor of what she was guessing was Lisa's house. So, after some debate, she'd decided to find Lisa.

The previous few hours were little more than a blur in her mind. She remembered going home and then....well, she'd never forget what her father had said to her, told her. But after that, things were kind of hazy. She knew somehow, she had ended up back at Lisa's. And she had a vague memory of her calling her name. It wasn't clear, but she figured Lisa must have taken inside and put her in the bed she had woken up in.

Embarrassment had flushed her cheeks when she realized that. What must Lisa think of her? She would probably just think she was crazy like everyone else did. She had to talk to her, though. She'd told herself she would find Lisa and apologize for falling apart and imposing on her. And then...she didn't know what she would do after that. Going home was what she had to do. But she didn't want to. She didn't want to face her father, her house, and her third-floor prison. Maybe, just maybe, she could ask Lisa if she could stay here for a little while.

With that thought in mind, Jennie had wondered around the second floor in search of Lisa. It was late, and she figured Lisa would probably be asleep, but when she had searched every room, and come across what looked like her bedroom, she had yet to find her. Thinking that she must been on the first floor, she had descended the sturdy mahogany stairs intent on finding Lisa.

The moment she'd reached the last stair, she had heard the hushed voices coming from the direction of the living room. At least she had thought it was the living room. She had only been inside the house a few times though. Regardless, the sound of voices had been unmistakable.

Racked with indecision, Jennie had contemplated going back upstairs, or on second thought, leaving. The sudden worry had popped into her head that maybe Lisa had a girlfriend, and she was in the other room with her. Her hand had gripped the banister in a death clutch at the very idea of Lisa being with some woman. She hadn't wanted to think about that, or why it bothered her so.

Instead, she had crept toward to doorway through which the voices were coming. They grew louder, but still hard to hear. So, she had inched closer, pressing herself against the wall, all the while chastising herself for invading Lisa's privacy.

"...can't really be counted. Other than that, was Jennie ever violent?" she had suddenly heard clearly enough to make her jolt to a stop.

Jennie had known it was Lisa that had spoken, she recognized her voice. Just as she had recognized Jin's resounding 'no' that had followed. They were talking about her – Lisa, Jin...and possibly others. But why? Needing to know, to understand, Jennie had gotten as close to the doorway as possible, and had listened to each and every word they said.

Emotions had whirled inside her when she realized what they were talking about. A bone deep hurt had settled inside her at the memory of the deaths her mother, brother, and sister. And then confusion, fear, and anger when she thought about that night, what had happened afterwards, and what her father had told her just hours before.

Everyone thought she had killed her family. A murderer. They thought she was a murderer. But...but...she shook her head, forcing the thoughts away and focused back on the conversation going on in the other room. The conversation about her, about her family.

She'd had to fight back a gasp when it had become clear that discussion wasn't just about her family's deaths, but her role in it, or rather, the role Lisa seemed to be saying she couldn't have had. Tears welled in her eyes. Lisa thought she was innocent. She believed in her and she hardly knew her.