Exposure

Frozen Hands And Warm Hearts

Please for the love of God do not address me as author
Ana is fine

Jisoo was a little less than excited when it turned out Jennie had shown up to study, and that was all she was going to do. Any effort to branch the conversation further than what was in the book in front of them and Jennie steered it right back to Psychology. By the time they were done studying, she felt like they had never been friends to begin with. Whatever had happened between them that obviously had gone un talked about, had completely closed Jennie off again.

Thursday went the same way. Jennie came ready to dive right in to the exciting world of Psychology and the suggestion that contrary to the need-desire-fulfillment cycle of animal instincts, human motivations sometimes obey a "getting begets wanting" rule: the more you get a reward such as self-esteem, love, drugs, or money, the more you want it.

Jisoo understood the opposite. The more Jennie pulled away and gave her less of herself, the more desperate she was to have more. Someone should do a study on that.

"I read your article."

Jisoo looked up from the notes on the table in front of her slowly, "Really?"

"Mmhm." Jennie hummed, turning the page in her textbook.

Jisoo had been slouching in her seat, completely exhausted with studying and entirely frustrated in Jennie's lack of willingness to act like anything more than her tutor. This volunteered information, and topic that had nothing to do with Psychology was completely welcomed.

She sat up and fidgeted wither pencil, dragging the eraser along the top of the table. "What did you think?"

Jennie pursed her lips together thoughtfully, "I think... that there was nothing in it about the film developing process." She finally lifted her eyes to look at Jisoo, the corners of her lip twisting into a small smile.

Jisoo couldn't hold her smile at the teasing. She didn't even care that Jennie was basically calling her out for her lie about her article just to spend some time with her. She was just so happy to have back the Jennie she knew.

"Yeah." Jisoo laughed, "It didn't really... flow?"

Jennie laughed and shut her textbook, "Yeah I don't buy that for a second."

Jisoo laughed again and ducked her head slightly. When she looked up she was surprised to see Jennie packing up her things. "You're leaving?" Her growing happy attitude halting, as the little progress she felt they were making felt like it was coming to a sudden stop.

"Uh, yeah." Jennie kept her eyes on her bag as she put her things inside and closed it, "I think we've done enough for today. Don't you?"

"Sure. Yeah." Jisoo fumbled with her things slightly as she tried to pack up quickly so she could leave with Jennie. She slung her bag over her shoulder and hugged her book to her chest as she took a few large steps to fall in line next to Jennie as they headed for the library doors. "You uh, going to be sticking around for thanksgiving?"

Jennie looked over at Jisoo, studying her face for a second before pushing open the door and following her out into the cold air. It had dusted snow a few more times since their night in the Lustig, but not enough to stick to the ground. The air was just cold and biting, prickling inside their lungs with every breath.

Jennie knew she had been holding back, and she knew Jisoo had noticed. The nervousness on Jisoo's face at such a simple question made that fact clear. It was hurting her as much as it appeared to be hurting Jisoo. But since that night she had redrawn that line, deciding distance was the best thing for them both. Keeping her heart out of it was the only way for them to work.