The Way She Loved Me

nineteen

"I thought you were going to date Rosé." She didn't stop pushing me with questions. I flinched my eyebrows. "I thought so too."

"No wonder why she's been so awkward. . ." Lisa tilted her head up with her thoughts were up in the air. I quickly looked at her direction, "What?"

"You don't know? Rosé's a member of our dance squad now." She declared like it's old news. "Your dance squad? Like the Sydney Uni Dance Crew?!" I was dumbstruck, Lisa excessively nodded, "Yeah, she auditioned like less than a month ago or so, and she's hella good."

"Why haven't you told me?" I sound irritated. "Hello? You keep hanging out with that Scott all the time, I can't even catch up with you at night." She rebutted. "You should've at least told me that Rosé's a dancer now." I exclaimed, "What's the difference? You're with Scott now!" She rebutted again, I stood with my mouth shutting at once, I see no point of winning that argument.

Timingly, Mom entered the kitchen area, dressed in her comfortable breezy ruffle dress in fading red, it was so not her. "What's up, mom? You look springy today." Lisa creeped a grin on her face to amuse mom. "Oh, stop it Manoban." Mom smiled in obvious amusement. Gosh, these two. I thought.

"Listen." Mom's change of tone dragged all the goofiness away, "We'll be having guests tonight. I've invited them over to join us for dinner. So better dress yourselves for the occasion." She announced. My sister and I both stared at each other with confusion and curiosity, "Family dinner? All of a sudden?" Lisa asked. "Do we know them?" I asked in continuation. Mom shot a familiar look at me, I started overthinking. "Seems like Jennie knows them very well." Mom replied, "You know the Park Family next door?" she added. F'ck no. I mentally cursed. And I just felt my eyes blustering wide open, along with a frantic gasp. Lisa did the same.

"I got the chance to get together with their parents, and they are actually a lovely couple, so I thought we should invite them to dinner since we never had the opportunity to officially welcome them to our neighborhood." She further explained, "But mom we never do welcome-to-the-neighborhood dinners in the first place!" I said in capital, which means I am freaking panicking. Rosé and I will be breathing the same air in a closed distance for a long time, and I'm not sure if I could handle that kind of torture just yet.

"That's why we're starting it." She replied with great composure. I wish I could relate but no, my system was so uneasy and tensed, I could not think straight. Clearly none of this is going well on my part, I don't know how to communicate with her again, I don't even know if I can survive long eye contacts with her. How can I save my sanity after this?!

ROSÉ.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" I gasped in shock as I placed my hands on my mouth. "Hey, watch your language young lady!" Mom warned me and I mentally scolded myself as I tilted my head down. I was still in panic inside. Dinner? With Jennie's family? Are you kidding me?!

"Go and be ready, there's still four hours until eight. The Manobans would be expecting us." She prompted at us, and all I could do is frown while Alice just triumphantly smirked as she watches me in pain from the situation. What a good sister. I sarcastically thought.

I just got home from dance practice, with my body all tired and sweaty, and this is the kind of news I receive after I've arrived. It literally just makes my armpits sweatier, and that's not even good. So I dragged myself upstairs to change and squealed so hard insid my room out of frustration and nervousness. It's been a month since I've last talked to Jennie, and don't get me wrong, I love to talk to her again but not in this kind of way. It's a joint family dinner for pete's sake! It's like throwing yourself into the flames of hell.