More Than You Know

43 : A Date but Not really

The townhouse hummed with quiet anticipation, that distinct rhythm of two people readying themselves for a night that promised to blur the line between ordinary and unforgettable.

Jennie stood in front of Lisa, fingers fussing with the lapels of her tailored blazer. She was meticulous, smoothing invisible creases, tugging the collar into place. Lisa, meanwhile, wasn’t watching her hands. She was watching her face.

“You’re staring,” Jennie murmured, cheeks tinged pink as her eyes flicked up, then quickly back down.

Lisa’s lips curved slowly, deliberately. “Can you blame me?”

Jennie’s mouth parted, caught off guard, before she rolled her eyes with mock severity. “Yes, actually. You could try being subtle for once.”

“Subtle?” Lisa tilted her head, gaze still burning, voice dropping softer. “Careful, Nini. If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll forget the date entirely.”

Jennie’s breath stuttered, though she tried to hide it with a tiny huff. “Then don’t. I put too much effort into my eyeliner tonight for you to ruin it.”

Lisa chuckled, low and amused, catching her wrist before she could fuss with her collar again. “Noted. I’ll behave.”

“Behaving isn’t your strong suit,” Jennie muttered under her breath, though her lips betrayed her with the faintest smile.

“Only with you,” Lisa returned easily, thumb brushing over her pulse before letting go.

Outside, Lisa was exactly the kind of attentive that had always come naturally to her. The kind that made Jennie’s heart ache in ways she didn’t want to name out loud.

She opened the car door first, offering her hand like a gentleman born from another era. Jennie slipped into the seat, the hem of her dress sliding against her thighs. Before she could even buckle up, as always, Lisa leaned in, fastening the belt across her with an ease that left no room for protest.

Jennie blinked at her, caught between amusement and exasperation. “You do realize I’m capable of buckling my own seatbelt, right?”

Lisa closed the click into place, glanced up at her with a grin. “Capable, yes. Pampered, no. I like spoiling you.”

Jennie’s chest tightened. She forced a scoff. “Hopeless. You've been consistent for years.”

“Count it for a lifetime, Nini,” Lisa said smoothly, shutting the door. “Because I'll be yours for a lifetime.” Lisa murmured the last part.

Jennie sat back, pressing her lips together to smother the ridiculous smile tugging at them.

The gallery was alive with chatter and soft clinks of glasses, guests weaving in elegant threads of fabric and cologne through the wide, white halls.

Lisa walked slightly behind Jennie, hand brushing occasionally at the small of her back, guiding her through the crowd. To anyone else, it looked casual, polite—an absentminded gesture of a best friend ensuring space. But Jennie felt every inch of it. The warmth of her palm, the steadiness of her touch.

People turned. Whispers rose. Phones angled discreetly. Some smiled knowingly, others squealed quietly to themselves. Jennie caught flashes of recognition in their eyes, the shimmer of phones catching light.

Lisa? Unbothered. Cool, steady, the kind of presence that seemed untouchable. She didn’t pull away, didn’t stiffen. Just leaned close enough that their shoulders brushed with every step.

“People are watching,” Jennie whispered, forcing her lips into a polite smile for the couple glancing their way.

“Let them,” Lisa murmured back, eyes steady forward.