Jennie comes out of the dining room and stops. There are quite a lot of people on the street. Even before dinner, this camp seemed empty, and now there are groups of teenagers in front of the dining room. Some of them have already had dinner, and some are just getting ready. The girl is a little surprised. Not everyone here is her age — after all, it's a high school camp, and there are both graduates, like her, and students who are graduating soon. She sees a group of counselors talking about something, and among them is the young man who accompanied her and her roommate to the building.
-Did you get what you wanted?
Jennie looks around. Eunchae is standing behind her and smiling. That's what she was afraid of. The brown-haired girl is not going to be rude to the girl, but she does not intend to enter into a dialogue either.
-They kind of found a way out of this situation. Do you always act like this?- Eunchae comes over and stands next to Jennie, but she looks away from her.- I mean, you specifically declare yourself. I wouldn't have the courage.
Kim smiles wryly and walks towards the path leading to her building.
-I'm used to solving problems when no one is looking.- Eunchae follows, as if completely unaware that she is being deliberately ignored.
-How's that?- Jennie doesn't hold back from asking, but immediately thinks that it would be better to keep silent.
-One-on-one.- Hong answers.
Jennie slows down a bit and looks at her new friend for a while. A strange statement. What can this girl decide one-on-one? Kim grins, but doesn't say anything.
-Hi.
Jennie turns her head. Two girls approach them, whom she also noticed when they were sitting in the dining room against the wall.
-Hi.- Kim smiles broadly, wanting to try to establish contact with them.- I'm Jennie.- She immediately holds out her hand to the brunette with pigtails.
-I'm Irene.- The girl shakes hands.
-I'm Seulgi.- Her friend also holds out her hand, and Jennie shakes it back.- She's with you?- Seulgi squints at Eunchae.
-She's already leaving.- Kim says, looking at the girl.
-Yes. - She briefly agrees and really leaves.
-I wouldn't talk to her if I were you.- Irene brushes her pigtails off her shoulder and walks forward, Jennie and her friend following her.
-Because...- Kim draws out, preparing to hear that Eunchae is a sucker, a loser, or something like that.
-She and I go to the same school. She's a jerk.- Seulgi says seriously and looks at Jennie, waiting for a reaction.
-What do you mean... Is she weird?- The brown-haired girl clarifies, because she herself was once called that, and here it is important to know what meaning girls with whom Jennie would like to get to know this word more closely attach to this word.
-She's mentally ill. She spent a year in a mental hospital, if I'm not mistaken.- Irene supports the conversation.
-No one knows if it was a mental hospital or something else.- Seulgi argues with her. - She's just weird. There was a rumor that her parents took her away for a year because she snuck into Yunjin's house with a knife and threatened her. Yunjin is a popular girl. A graduate. She was bullying Eunchae, and she[Eunchae] wanted to stab her. But these are rumors.
-Seulgi.- Irene laughs.- I think in the case of this nutcase, it's not just a rumor. Anyway, the guys said that she also threatened Riki by catching him in the school locker room.
-With a knife?- Jennie smiles skeptically.
-With a screwdriver, a knife, or something like that.- Ignoring the irony, Irene answers in all seriousness.
-I see.- Jennie raises an eyebrow.- Well, if she was bullied, then anything can happen. I was bullied in high school for the first two years, too. Maybe I would have attacked someone with a knife too.
-Really?- Irene stops, looking closely at her new friend.
-Yes. What is it?- Kim is also examining herself.- I looked different, but I wasn't a complete sucker either. It was because of... because of moving to a new place, I was withdrawn, or something like that. In general, I myself started the school year at a new school terribly. I mean, someone tolerates it, and someone struggles with it.
-And how did it go? Who won this fight?- Kang asks.
-Judging by what she did in the canteen, she is.- Irene laughs.- Fuck, did you see Sana's face? She blushed with indignation.
-Do you know her?
-We went to camp together last year. With her and her friends. The school where she studies is in the neighboring district, so we crossed paths at different parties.- Irene answers.
-I'm here without friends, so I had to improvise.- Jennie looks from one girl to the other for a long time, thinking about what she wants to say.- Hey. Would you like to smoke some weed?
-Do you have any weed with you?- Seulgi happily rounds her eyes, immediately tucking her long bangs hanging over her eyes behind her ear.- Last year, everyone in the camp was searched because someone smuggled booze with them. In general, the camp is creepy. The training is shitty, and they don't let us drink either. Last year, no one was noticed with suspicious things, but still we did not take anything with us.
-I have enough weed with me to "feed" the whole camp, but...- Kim raises an eyebrow.- I don't need the whole camp. Just you.
-You have good taste, baby.- Irene puts her arms around Jennie, putting her hands on her shoulders, and they walk forward again.
-You're too direct. That's why there are so many problems.
Kim looks at Seulgi, but doesn't answer her.
-I like it. I love it when people do what they want and say what they think. Really, you're too small for that. I'm not talking about age, if anything.- Irene clarifies.- By the way, are you graduating from high school?
-No, I graduated from school this year. I will turn eighteen in August. Small girls are very sexy.- Jennie arches an eyebrow, biting her lip and looking at Irene.- But they are not weak either. Take my word for it.
-Not everyone is sexy.- Irene smiles at her too, raising an eyebrow.- But you definitely are.
-Hey.- Seulgi says.- Calm down.
Jennie and Irene are laughing. The brown-haired girl thinks that Irene is straight, for some reason she is sure of it. But she liked how quickly she got her bearings. Kim feels that her choice was successful, and there is hope that the summer at this camp will not be boring.
***
Jennie is lying on the bed and looking through the Instagram feed. She had already told Jisoo about everything that had happened recently. The evening turned out to be eventful, but it wasn't even over. There's an event scheduled for eight o'clock. There's still time to lie down.
The return of the roommate makes the girl look up from the phone. She would like not to look at Rose, but she can't. Jennie feels annoyed, and something that looks like a premonition or intuition tells her that this girl will not even become an acquaintance for her in any way, with whom you can just say hello. It was as if there was something about Rose that determined only one side of the development of the relationship between them. And if this is not hostility, then total disregard to avoid conflicts.
Kim used to be able to figure out exactly what she didn't like about a person. In the end, she could always blame everything on arrogance or arrogance, but with Rose it's different. She has a different look. Usually, all the girls Jennie had problems with had a distinctive look. Arrogant. More eye rolling or other facial expressions. Unpleasant, repulsive. Jennie could look at a person like that herself. Speak in the same manner. But she never turned it against flawed peers, especially those who are younger. Kim sincerely believed that the fact that she does not offend the weak makes her better than those with whom she confronts. So, Rose: even in the dining room, she had no such look, no facial expressions, no intonation. She looked like a person who sincerely wanted to help Sana and her friends solve a problem. Maybe Park was being harsh when she was messing with the zipper...
So. Jennie couldn't take her eyes off the girl for two reasons. First of all, she was damn beautiful. (Although, this opinion was probably purely subjective, because Rose was not distinguished by her too cute or doll-like appearance. She was objectively pretty, objectively beautiful, but from Jennie's point of view, she was perfect). Secondly, Kim could not figure it out and understand what exactly repels her in this girl.
Actually, there was also a third reason, but, in view of what happened in the dining room, this is no longer relevant. Jennie does not intend to flirt or be nice. Anger, thanks to new acquaintances, has faded into the background, but not quite.
As soon as the girl looks away and goes to the Whatsapp, Rose quickly approaches her bed.
-Hey.- She begins, and, waiting for Jennie to look at her, continues - Let's put everything in its place at once. I'm not used to making speeches and I'm not sure that I need it at all, but considering that we live together, I think I'll make an exception.
Rose falls silent, waiting for something. Jennie is not going to say anything yet, she is ready to wait for the very speech for which her neighbor is apparently mentally preparing. The brown-haired girl pulls herself up on the bed, taking a sitting position.
-You're a beautiful girl.- Rose begins and immediately bites her lip, clearly thinking that she started from the wrong place. She rolls her eyes, pulling herself together, and continues.- I mean, you're cute, but I don't like you. I like you as a person. You're too harsh, and I don't like people like that. It's just that what you did in the dining room put everything in its place. You took your position, and I took mine. My point is that I don't need conflicts in the room, here, where I have to live, and I urge you to remain neutral.
-Fuck you. - Jennie answers shortly, looking into brown, immediately rounded eyes.
-Are you serious?- Rose is clearly surprised by such a refusal.
-Yes.- Kim quickly puts the phone aside and stands up.- Do you really think I'm going to let you set the rules here?- She takes a step forward, forcing Rose to step back.- You were successfully sucking up to these girls in the dining room, and I congratulate you on that, but come on, will you stick your idea that you can do shit to me there and come here pretending that nothing happened, up your ass? Because this will never happen.
-I offered you neutrality. It's better for you if we don't continue this here.
-What exactly?- Kim steps forward again, but this time Rose doesn't move. The blonde's face becomes serious and even belligerent, which is a little confusing for Jennie.
-I'm asking you. They're going to teach you a lesson, I live with you, and I'd rather forget this shit.
Kim examines the girl's face. Rose's eyes are brown, and the color is expressive.
-Oh...- Jennie nods, retreating to her bed.- That means... So when they pick on me, you'll be right next to them.... What's next?
-We will not communicate. Everything is simple.- Rose goes to her bed.
-God, it's worse than arrogant bitches, only their dumb friends.- Kim sits down on the bed.- I've been trying to figure out exactly what's wrong with you, but it turns out that you're just a sucker.
Jennie only has time to raise her head when a sharp tug on her arm forces her to stand up again.
Rose grabs the girl by the other forearm and squeezes hard, pushing her towards the bedside table. Kim does not have time to push off or find support, so she immediately crashes her feet into the bedside table, and only the fact that her roommate does not let her out keeps her from falling.
-Listen to me carefully.- Rose hisses, squeezing the girl's fingers even tighter.- If you say something like that to me again, you will regret that you were put in this room. You're going to beg to be moved to another room. I strongly recommend that you accept my offer while it is still valid.- Rose pushes her, releasing her hands, and Jennie falls back on the bedside table.