Petals Between Us [JENLISA]

I. First Day

JENNIE'S POV.

I bolted upright.

Sunlight was already slicing through my curtains. My heart dropped.

“No. No, no, no—”

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. 7:43 AM.

My alarm. I missed my alarm.

“Leanne Jane!” I gasped, throwing the blanket off and nearly tripping over it as I rushed out of bed.

“Baby, wake up!”

It was her first day of first grade. Her first day. And I overslept. I stumbled into the hallway, hair a mess, shirt twisted, panic rising in my chest. I rushed to her room and opened the door. She was still asleep. Peaceful. Curled up with her stuffed bunny.

For a second, I just stood there. Because yes—I have a daughter.

Her name is Leanne Jane, but I call her LJ. She’s six years old. She has the softest cheeks, the brightest smile, and eyes that sometimes make my chest tighten for reasons I try not to think about too much.

“LJ, sweetheart.” I said gently, brushing her hair away from her forehead.

“Wake up. It’s your first day of school.”

Her little eyes fluttered open.

“Mommy?” She mumbled.

I smiled despite the chaos brewing in my head.

“Yes, baby. And we are very, very late.”

That did it. She shot up, suddenly excited, and I rushed toward the kitchen before time could run any faster than it already was. I tied my hair into a messy bun and started cooking breakfast— scrambled eggs, toasted bread, sliced strawberries. Simple. Fast. First-day-of-school worthy.

As I flipped the eggs, my mind drifted. It always does on mornings like this.

Six years ago, I didn’t imagine this life. Six years ago, I was just a girl celebrating a friend’s birthday at a crowded bar. Music loud. Lights flashing. Laughter echoing everywhere.

I remember drinking. Too much. Way too much. I remember telling myself I’d stop after one more glass. I didn’t.

The world started tilting. My vision blurred. My friends were still laughing somewhere behind me, but I needed to lie down. The bar had rooms upstairs for guests who needed to rest, and I paid for one before stumbling toward the hallway.

I barely remember walking straight. The floor felt uneven. My head was spinning. And then I almost fell. Strong arms caught me.

I remember blinking slowly, trying to focus. The person holding me was tall. Warm. Their steps weren’t exactly steady either—I could tell they’d been drinking too.

“Careful.” A low voice murmured.

We walked together down the corridor. Or maybe swayed would be more accurate. When we reached my door, I fumbled with the keycard and finally pushed it open.

The hallway light spilled inside. And that’s when I really looked. It was a woman. Sharp features. Dark hair. Eyes that seemed intense even through the blur of alcohol.

For a second, we just stared at each other. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was loneliness. Maybe it was the way she was looking at me like I was something fragile she didn’t want to break.

I don’t know what possessed me. But I leaned forward first. I kissed her. And she kissed me back. It was messy. Clumsy. Drunken. But it felt electric. Like the world had narrowed down to just that room.