The Tiger King (Chaelisa)

18| Neighbour

"Yes Granny."

"Why you—"

"Do you have cash for the bus? And extra cash in case you need to call me?" Jennie went on, unperturbed by Irene's indignation, "are there those telephone boxes even around anymore?"

"Not sure," Somi frowned. She circled around Lisa, looking her up from head to toe with a critical eye.

"I don't think either of you have ever scrutinised me so closely before," Lisa noted, basking in the attention. "Please beware my goddess-tier visuals do not accidentally blind you, I can't have my subjects go blind, it would be a real shame. You wouldn't be able to appreciate this hot piece of—"

"Maybe I should give her my phone, in case she runs into some muggers..." Jennie muttered absently as she chewed on her lip.

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" Lisa scoffed and struck a pose. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"It's not you I'm worried about, idiot, it's your victims," Jennie said with a faint smile, "it wouldn't be nice to leave your victims with a potential concussion out on the street in some back alley now, would it?"

"Ah, you have a point," Lisa said thoughtfully. "But then again, they shouldn't have messed with me in the first place."

"Naturally, but nevertheless, I don't want the police to consider you a public menace, you get me?"

"I get you."

 Somi and Irene glanced from one sister to the other, mouth agape.

"What is wrong with you people?"

"Confidence," Lisa said confidently. "And fake crack," she added as an afterthought.

"Figures," Somi dead-panned. "Now listen, Rosé won't stand for any of your half-assed buggery—"

"Ooohhhh Rosé huh," Lisa wiggled her eyebrows, "we're on first name basis huh—"

"Shut up idiot! It's just an abbreviation of her name, everyone calls her that, she uses it herself! Now she's really quiet and nice so don't you dare harass her. And oh please, don't you dare associate me with you in anyway, got it?"

"Awww, am I that shameful to be associated with?" Lisa pouted, batting her eyelashes. "I'm innocent, look at me."

"Stop blinking!" Irene said exasperatedly.

"It would ruin my image with her, and we have it going good so far," Somi retorted. "Just...don't flirt. And don't open your mouth. At all. Well maybe just to breathe and say hi. But that's it!"

"Why?" Lisa asked curiously.

"Because you'll be cursed," Somi said seriously. She burst into peals of laughter. "Okay okay, it's because your version of polite isn't everyone's version of polite."

"Hey, I can be a real gentlewoman you know!" Lisa protested.

"Suuuuuuure."

"Bet I'll make friends and win her over faster than you did!"  Lisa challenged.

"Bet!" Somi said determinedly.

"Pinky promise on it?"

"You're such a kid Lisa," Irene chuckled as Lisa and Somi locked pinkies and swore on their bet.

"Okay l'il mamas, am I done? Can I go? I still gotta catch the bus," Lisa reminded, hopping from one foot to the other impatiently.

"You sure you're gonna wear that old thing?" Irene said doubtfully, indicating the black oversized leather jacket enveloping Lisa's frame. She thumbed the jacket's material, pursing her lip in concern. "It' not very...presentable. Don't you have anything better than this vintage reject?"