lessons in love || chaennie

chapter three

"She kissed me. Just for a second. Then she kind of panicked and ran off, but we talked again in Bio. We're lab partners. She thought I wasn't interested, so I set her straight. Um, so to speak. And she asked me on a date. Her parents are away so we're gonna study at her place tomorrow."

"Alone? Do we need to talk about safe-"

"Mom, it's only our first date. And you gave me the safe sex talk when I was fourteen."

Ms. Kim got up and pulled her daughter up into a hug.

"I'm so very happy for you, sweet pea."

"Thanks, Mom," Jennie said, wrapping her arms around her mother before pulling away with an alarmed look on her face, "What the hell am I gonna wear?!"

•••

"Hey guys," Chaeyoung greeted Jisoo, Lisa and Seulgi as she approached the bench they were all sitting on.

"Morning Rosie," Jisoo and Lisa said at the same time and Seulgi nodded cordially towards her.

"Everyone ready for a day of learning?" the blonde asked excitedly.

"Okay, what the what? Not even you're this happy about school," Lisa accused.

"Oh no, she's a lot more happy about what's going on after school," Jisoo replied, playfully punching Chaeyoung in the arm.

"What's happening after school? Are we getting doughnuts?" Lisa asked enthusiastically.

"She's got a date with her gym class hero."

"The band?"

"No, you goof," Jisoo said, hitting the girl on her upper arm, "Jennie. The girl she hasn't stopped going on about for over a month."

"You've got a date?" Seulgi interjected as Lisa rubbed her arm. She had breathed a huge sigh of relief when the blonde had come out, but she still had her insecurities. Chaeyoung and Lisa had known each other so long, it was hard not to be jealous of their bond.

"Um, yea?" Chaeyoung answered, blushing.

"So you won't be after Lisa?"

"Seulgi, for the last time, I don't want Lisa. I've known her since we were five. It's kinda hard to get the hots for someone when you've seen them with superman underwear on their head."

"Yea, come on, Seulgi. We've all been friends for so long we would never do that to you either," Jisoo pointed out.

"Could we maybe stop talking about how I don't wanna date Lisa? What if I screw up tonight? I'm so nervous."

"You need to relax, Rosie. Last time you got all nervous around her, you ran out of the room, remember?"

"Kind of hard to forget, Jisoo. How am I supposed to relax?"

"You could try masturbating," Seulgi said casually, genuinely trying to help. Having an orgasm always relaxed her.

"Okay, Seul, we should get to class," Lisa stood up, pulling her girlfriend along.

"What? I was just trying to help! I'm not even in your first class!"

Her voice faded as the couple moved further away, Lisa turning to give a small wave before they turned a corner.

"Is your room tidy?" Jisoo asked when Chaeyoung plopped down onto the bench beside her.

"My room is always tidy, Chu."

"No embarrassing photos on display?"

"All banished to the conservatory."

"Delicious snacks available?"

"Popcorn and drinks for study breaks."

"Rosie, Rosie, Rosie. It's a study date. You don't actually study. You open the book and pretend to be really smart and know all the answers, then you start making out."

"That's...but..." Chaeyoung spluttered as she learned of this new etiquette. Normally she would trust Jisoo on all matters dating, but she sensed that on this occasion, that when she'd organized a study date with Jennie, that both of them expected study. If it happened to be littered with intermittent smooches, well then she was more than happy to let it happen, but she genuinely wanted to help the brunette with her math as well, "I think maybe we're gonna study a little. I mean, as fun as it would be, I'm not just gonna jump her bones. I just wanna get to know her, y'know? Where she's from, what her favourite colour is. And I wanna make her smile. I feel all warm inside when she smiles."

"You really like her, huh?"

"I do, Chu. I really do."

"Well I'm happy for you, Chaeyoung," Jisoo said with a smile, then pouted, "When you two get all couply, I'm gonna be a fifth wheel."

Chaeyoung looked off dreamily for a second at the thought of Jennie being her actual girlfriend. Shaking it off, deciding is was too soon for that train of thought, she put a reassuring hand on Jisoo's arm.

"We'll find you a guy, Chu. Or a girl. Whatever happened to Jinyoung?"

"That loser? He was more boring than mud."

Chaeyoung was stopped from saying anything as the bell rang. Jisoo stood up and dragged Chaeyoung up with her.

"C'mon, we gotta get to History. I need to copy your homework before class starts."

Chaeyoung chuckled and let herself be led down the hall, looking forward for classes to start so they could end and she could see Jennie.

•••

Jennie walked nervously across the quad. She hadn't had much time to think about the afternoon, she'd been busy with class and was doing a make-up test during lunch. She arrived at the set of lockers she knew housed Chaeyoung's and looked around.

"Hi!"

She jumped, startled at sound of a voice off to her side.

"Um, sorry," Chaeyoung said when she saw the brunette jump, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," Jennie replied, grinning broadly at being able to see the blonde.

"I'm just gonna grab my books and we can head off, is that okay?"

Jennie nodded and followed as Chaeyoung went towards her locker. A couple of minutes later the taller girl was zipping up her book bag and closing the door of the locker. She turned to the brunette.

"Shall we?"

Jennie smiled sweetly and fell into step with other girl, towards the school gate.

"We shall."