Blanket Of Stars | jensoo

stars fall like dust

I smile brightly.

She picks up her purse from the floor next to her and puts it over her shoulder. "You need to, oh, how can I put this?" she asks dramatically.

I snap my fingers, the action telling her to hurry up.

"You need to stay away from me today."

I jut out my bottom lip jokingly. "Why?"

"Because."

"Because," I mock gently, walking in step with her to leave the park.

"I'm getting your Christmas gift today and I don't want you to see," she explains.

"Exciting," I drag the word out. "What is it?"

"You'll see in a couple of days."

"You're so mean to me. I hope you know that."

Her smile, though subtle, still catches my eye. "You won't think so when you see what it is."

I feel terrible. I can't buy Jennie anything because I don't have any money. I hope she will like my pathetic excuse of a gift tomorrow. I decided to give it her a day earlier because it's the perfect opportunity with everybody attending the Christmas party. I told her yesterday that I'd decided not to go. She begged, pouted, and then finally sulked.

The park is at the farthest part of town. It takes at least thirty five minutes to walk here, even when you're not walking particularly slow.

"Sit down," Jennie says, pointing to a bench.

"Lazy, thy name is Jennie."

She laughs and sits down also, her arm resting on the back of the bench. My neck is uncovered. It hurts. "Jennie, your hand."

I don't need to tell her twice. She removes it from behind my head instantly. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I nod my point, also.

Her eyes search mine for the truth, relenting when she knows I'm okay. "I like this." She points to herself and then me. "I like walking with you when it's cold. It actually feels like Christmas this year. When I was little, I used to wish for a white Christmas every year with my birthday wish."

"I like this, too." I look up toward the sky. "I think it's going to snow tonight, maybe tomorrow morning." When I look back down Jennie is just gazing at me in the way that makes me feel too warm wearing this thin t-shirt in this twenty-six degree weather. "What?" I ask with a small shrug and a slight turn of my head, feeling shy.

"Nothing," she replies softly.

"Don't be gone too long today," is all I say.

I don't know where Jennie's parents are this afternoon. They already started their work Christmas vacation, so perhaps they're shopping or out to lunch. My family always used to have lunch at a restaurant a few days prior to Christmas. They were good memories.

I watched the TV for a while, I did the dishes Jennie was supposed to do, I listened to music. I did everything I could think of until I decided to just wait in the bedroom. I loved Jennie's bed, I was even used to her pillows.

It's getting dark, so I lean over and switch the beside light on. When I move back I accidentally catch the scent of Jennie on her pillow and can't help breathing it in. It's comforting how somebody's scent can make you feel, how it can make you close your eyes and wrap around you like a warmth you didn't know you were missing.

"Jisoo!" I hear a voice yell from downstairs. It's Jennie.

"Up here!" I shout back and smile when I hear her shoes connecting with the floor in the hallway.