Jennie
I freeze. I'm sure all the colour drains from my face, as Jisoo instantly becomes alarmed.
"What? What is it?" she hisses. She tries to take the phone from me and succeeds.
"Kai?" she growls. "That motherfucker."
"Maybe it's a different Kai."
"What the fuck? How many Kais would he know?"
"I don't know..."
The phone has stopped ringing on its own. Suddenly, it beeps, signalling an incoming text. Jisoo's eyes fly to meet mine.
"He sent a text."
I don't say anything.
"Read it!" She thrusts the phone at me.
"Jisoo! I can't!" I protest.
"Why not?"
"That's an invasion of privacy. And what if Lisa catches me?"
"She won't catch you. I'll go out front and distract them a bit."
"How?"
"Just trust me!" She's angry. Angry and annoyed. She shoves the phone back into my hand forcefully. "You like her. As much as you deny it, I can tell. So if you want to see how she really feels about you then you need to read the text. And see if there are any more that she may have sent to Kai." She whips her head around, looking for signs of Lisa or Hae-in, then turns her attention back to me. "I'll guarantee you five minutes at least," she says. "Now read it!"
She sweeps out of the restaurant and out of sight, a double agent suddenly on a mission.
I stare at the phone in my hand, my heart pounding against my chest, a nauseating dread weighing heavily in my stomach.
I don't think about it - I don't have the time - but I need to know. I need to know what Lisa tells Kai about me.
I log into her text messages.
Kai: Why do I get the feeling that you are avoiding my calls?
That's not so bad. Good, even. I frantically exit out of her most recent text and look for more. There are several from Kai.
Kai: I told you she's a pistol. Might as well be wearing a fucking chastity belt. Finding the key will be damn near impossible.
I feel nauseous. Does Lisa talk about me this way? Like I'm still nothing but a bet? Just another conquest?
I leave her inbox and look at her sent messages, zoning in on the ones to Kai. I can hear the blood pounding behind my ears. All other noise inside the restaurant seems to have ceased.
Lisa: Perhaps you should check back closer to the end of the 3 weeks.
I check another, and I freeze.
My breathing stops. My heart stops. I'm pretty sure the entire world stops.
Lisa: Like I said before, she's just a bet. It'll take till Saturday, tops. Then you can stop your fucking interference and get out of our lives for good.