Wherever that may be

Arc V (2) - 1909

But the thing is, all interactions had had place in the safety of the library, the sanctuary Jenine knew almost the palm of her hand, where she felt comfortable, somehow still clutched at some sense of control.

Now, they are going meet outside where people can see them and where there is a wider range of unforgivable mistakes she can commit. I mean, she could trip on her own feet and fell face-flat on to the floor, or step on chewing gum, or stain Lily's outfit with black tea. Everything could go wrong.

Jenine winces. She tries desperately to make her mind drift to happier thoughts, to the soft words of her favorite novels.

Her mom moves around her but she doesn't even realize, lost in her own inner battle of fear and joy.

"Are you going on a date?" Jenine hears suddenly, and rises her eyes to see her mother standing in front of the couch, her eyes filled with surprise and a slight teasing edge.

The brunette flushes profusely.

"No! I'm going out with a friend".

Jenine's mother smiles big and slow.

"A boy-friend?"

"No", the brunette answers, her cat-like eyes narrowed, "A girl-friend".

The expression of the woman's features falters or a second, but then returns to its original position.

"A girlfriend. Not ideal, but honestly, at this point-"

"Mom!"

A soft knock interrupts their discussion and prompts the brunette to stand up abruptly. She flattens her dress, unconsciously, and her mother looks at her amusedly.

"Is she pretty?" the woman whispers and Jenine grasps the doorknob of her front door. She turns around and shoots her mom a warning gaze, but she merely shrugs, her teasing smile still in place.

Jenine swallows as imperceptibly as she can before opening the door to reveal a waiting Lily. She stands there, in all her stunning self, a pale hanbok hugging her small waist and her long, light brown hair moving with the wind in an almost magical manner. She smiles as she spots the shorter girl, big and toothy, and Jenine feels a smile tugging at her mouth as well.

"Hi", she murmurs, and the tallest girl chuckles softly.

"Hi, Jen", Lily answers.

Jenine is pulled out of her quite dreamy reality by her mother.

"Oh my, Jenine, where are your manners? Let your friend in".

If Lily notices the almost ironic way in which the shortest girl's mother lets out the word friends, she doesn't show it. Jenine notices, for sure. She glances at her mother again, annoyed.

Once the tallest girl finds her way to the household, she bows deeply at the woman, still smiling.

"Good afternoon, Miss Kim. I'm Lily".

Jenine's mom looks somewhat impressed.

"Good afternoon, Lily. You are as beautiful as my daughter told me you were".

The tallest girl smiles softly at her friend, her eyebrows raised.

Jenine can only blush and stare at her mother with an even more deadly expression.

"Oh, thank you miss Kim".

"Cool. Can we go now?" Jenine urges. Her feet move towards the door as she looks at her friend quite pleadingly.

Lily follows her, still grinning, as the woman sits in the sofa.

As Jenine opens the door, her mother shoots her last strike.