"You look like a zombie" Chaeyoung said in a muffled voice while she stuffed toast into her mouth, leaning up against the kitchen counter as she waited for the coffee machine to finish boiling. Lisa groaned and rubbed her eyes, "I don't remember lending you that" she replied when noticing the long buttoned white shirt of hers that the Australian was using as pyjamas. Rosé smiled cheekily and took another bite out of the toast, "you should have some coffee too, you look like you need it". Lisa nodded, resting her sleepy head on her hands while sitting at the table, "I think I need at least 10 cups just to survive dance practice ugh". Rosé handed the Thai some coffee and sat at the table with her, "so where did you get to last night?". "Huh?" Lisa panicked. "Leo was meowing a lot so I checked on him and saw you weren't there, where did you go?". The younger girl took an extra big sip of coffee to give herself enough time to think of an excuse, "I uh couldn't sleep so took a walk". Chaeyoung was not convinced but decided not to press the subject, "you are going to be at the talent show this afternoon yeah? Like I'm so nervous I can't do it without you". Lisa hugged her roommate, patted her head and pinched her fluffy cheeks, "of course I'll be there and you can do it with or without me Chaengie, you're the most talented person I know".
Lisa was so tired that she didn't even have the energy to talk to anyone today, she wore all black, a light sweater and tight sweat pants for dance practice and a surgical mask when walking across the campus.
"Lisa you are out of sync with Momo" Minzy called from the front of the dance studio, raising her voice so she could be heard over the loud bass blasting from the speakers, "I know you can dance way better than this, sort yourself out". "I'm sorry sunbae" Lisa replied, yawning at the end of her sentence. Momo nudged Lisa softly, "are you sure you're not getting ill or something, this is two days in a row now" she asked concerned. Lisa shook her head, again yawning, "no, I'm fine honestly". "Bobby was looking for you this morning and BamBam too" Momo laughed, "you might want to avoid them". Lisa groaned, "how am I supposed to do that when we go to the same school?". Momo thought for a second before she had an idea, "oh I know! we could set up a big tracking system with the other girls, whoever sees either BamBam or Bobby can text you where they are so you know not to go there". "Good idea!" the Thai said cheerfully as she began patting her pockets to find her phone, "...oh. I must have left it back in the dorm ugh, I'll get it later after history class". Momo nodded, "it's Rosie's talent show performance today right?". Lisa grinned, "yep! she's so nervous bless her". The Japanese girl chuckled, "why though? she is so talented like...seriously". "I know but it's trying to convince her of that" Lisa replied.
Lisa arrived to her history class and picked the very back row, right in the corner in hope she wouldn't be seen, she already got in trouble last time she was here and didn't want to risk being caught sleeping but she was just so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open. "1960s America" the teacher called out as he began writing on the smartboard. The sleepy brunette suddenly sat up in a panic, she was trying to forget about this very subject. "Socially and politically an entirely different world to modern day South Korea..." he continued. -Yeah you're telling me...-
The petit brunette had intended to spend the duration of the class sleeping but she became increasingly enthralled with her teacher's lesson about 60s America, suddenly now she found the topic fascinating despite being totally uninterested in previous classes. Her change in attitude had not gone unnoticed by the teacher either, who was very pleased with the Thai's enthusiasm, regularly raising her hand to ask questions. As the teacher continued to talk about various historical figures from that era, many of whom were dead, it dawned on Lisa that somewhere out there right now, Jennie was living in the right time. -Would Jennie even still be alive?- she thought to herself as her mind wondered away from class and back onto the impossible girl, -she'd be about 70 years old now, she probably has grandchildren. I wonder if she remembers me-. Lisa slumped back down into her chair and sighed, -no, after one day that happened over 50 years ago I highly doubt she does. She forgot me long ago-.
These thoughts began to plague Lisa's mind for some reason, she figured it was because she still couldn't get her head around how she managed to go back in time and meet someone that's either really old or dead by now. -I'd love to know if she ever thought about me after that day, maybe she waited for me to come back and I just never did, she might have asked the school about me. I hope I at least became an old school memory of hers for a while, the day the hippy Thai came to school and never came back again-, Lisa began to feel a little sad, this whole experience was still overwhelming for her and the fact that the girl she hung out with only a few hours ago has lived their entire life already, -I hope she had a happy life- she sighed.
"Manoban"
The deep voice of her history teacher snapped Lisa out of her thoughts and onto the man standing right by her as the rest of the class were leaving, "yes sir?". The man smiled, "good work today, you really put a lot more effort in from last time. Keep it up".
Lisa left the class and made her way towards her dorm, she practically having to drag her legs a long at this point, she could barely keep focus on anything her body and brain felt like they were starting to shut down. The Thai had gone a long time without sleep before but not with this much physical activity and mental stress, it was more than she could cope with but she had to keep going, Chaeyoung's talent show performance was later and Lisa wasn't going to let her down.
"Did you miss mommy?" Lisa said softly in her cute voice as she nuzzled her cat, kissing his nose and stroking his ears, "I'm sorry Leo I can't stay, I only came to get my cell phone...uh where is it?". The brunette checked all over her bedroom for a phone and then the other rooms but she couldn't find it anywhere. -Maybe Rosie has it but I don't know why she would-. Lisa was about to check her flatmate's room when the realisation dawned on her, where she had actually left her phone.
Inside the locker of a 1960s school.
"Oh crap, you have to be kidding me" she whined. She contemplated just leaving it for a second but if anyone found a cell phone decades before they were even invented then it could literally fuck up the future of the entire world, even though everything seemed fine right now there was no way she could take the risk. She had to go back and get it. -I'll go now- she thought, -if I go now it will be night time through there so I won't have to see anyone, just go in, grab the phone then come home and never go back through that door ever again-. Lisa breathed heavily to prepare herself, "ok let's do this".
Lisa stood outside the door and checked her watch while she waited for the coast to be clear, -Chaeng's show is in a few minutes so I have about an hour in 60s time before I need to get back, should be long enough to grab my phone-. She looked around again to make sure nobody was watching then quickly stepped through the Time Door.
Night time. 60s America
"I'll never get used to how creepy yet amazing this is" she said as she took in the scenery, the high school at night had someone sinister about it that Lisa couldn't put her finger on, almost like she knew there was something wrong here but didn't know what. -Snap out of it Lisa, focus on the phone-.
Lisa walked across the dark campus the cool night air giving her chills all over her body, -my parents haven't even been born yet, does that mean I don't exist here?-. The Thai hit herself in the head in a desperate plea to make her brain shut up for at least five minutes while she tried to get into the main building where the lockers were.
"Crap it's locked!" she cursed under her breath as she shook the handles of the front doors in hope of loosening them. "Fantaaastic" Lisa grumbled sarcastically while trying to plan her next move. -I can't try to break in because it will take too much time and I have to be at Chaeng's show soon and I don't want to risk getting caught and being arrested here, I could end up being trapped-, the Thai started banging her head against the door and groaned in frustration, -I have no choice, I'll have to come back when it's daytime here to get my phone, which means going through another school day and not getting any sleep-.
The sound of a can or something metal being knocked over around the corner brought Lisa out of her mini tantrum, the noise was closely followed by a few startled footsteps. "Hello, is anyone there?" she called out as she slowly started to approach the corner, -did I really just say that? That's how people get killed in horror movies you genius- she yelled at herself in her mind as she quickly decided to back off and walk in the other direction back to the Time Door, this was too creepy.
Lisa headed back, looking over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure she wasn't being followed, she definitely heard a person hanging around, though she was aware that to anyone else observing her behaviour, she would seem suspicious and like she was up to no good too.
As the Thai approached the door, checking her watch again to ensure she wouldn't be late, she took a glance over to the football field, there was some rubbish laying around on the bleachers so they'd obviously had a game earlier that evening. She noticed that sitting by the edge of the field was a figure, a figure of a girl with her head down like she was upset. -No way, is that...-, "Jennie..." she gasped lightly.
Lisa quickly ran over to the field, finding a sudden burst of energy at the sight of her potential friend. "Jennie, is that you?" she called, out of breath when nearing the female figure. Jennie lifted her head up and wiped her eyes, she had been crying. "Lisa, hey" she replied with a force smile and fake cheeriness, "what are you doing here?". Lisa kneeled down in front of the crying older girl, "I forgot something earlier so tried to get it back but the building is locked. What's the matter, do you need help?" she asked with clear concern in her voice. Jennie shivered a little when the Thai softly grabbed her hands, intertwining their finger together and lightly stroking Jennie's left hand with her thumb. The black haired girl shook her head, "no, I'm ok honestly, just needed to be on my own for a while". "Oh I'm sorry do you want me to leave you alone?" Lisa asked, still concerned. Jennie tightened the grip on Lisa's hands, "please stay".
Little did either girl know that in the distance they were being watched by whoever it was that had knocked the can over near the main building. The unknown man hid within the shrubs and bushes to get a better look at the girls he had taken a strong interest in. But for what reason?
"Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?" Lisa asked as she sat down beside the older girl. Jennie sighed heavily, "I guess so but you're going to think I'm stupid getting so upset over something so unimportant". The Thai smiled as she gently wiped away one of Jennie's tears from her cheek, "if it is enough to make such a sweet girl upset then it's important". The elder of the two girls smiled shyly in return, "I told you earlier that my boyfriend was playing in the school football game tonight right?", Lisa nodded, "well I came to watch him play and I'm used to having to watch from distance and not be able to approach him after the game...he usually waits till everyone has gone home and spends time with my under the bleachers after he was done celebrating. Like I'm ok with that but the cheerleaders here are all in love with the Jocks as is everyone else in the school and this girl went up to him and she was all over him Lis, kissing his cheek and hugging him and he allowed it to happen".
Lisa put her arm around Jennie's shoulder in attempt to comfort her, leaning in close to the older girl who responded by resting her head against the Thai, they stayed like that in silence for a while.
Lisa checked the time on her watch, she really had to go now. "Uh Jen I have to-...Jen?", Lisa gently placed her hand under Jennie's chin to left her head up after noticing she was crying again. "You're really not ok are you?" she asked as she looked deeply into Jennie's watering eyes. Both girls made eye contact for a while, staring deeply into each other, both locked inside each others' gaze as though time had stopped around them. "..Lis" Jennie whimpered before throwing her arms around the younger girl's shoulders and burying her face into Lisa's neck as she began to sob heavily. Lisa pulled Jennie in close, gently rubbing circles on her back and whispering in her ear that everything would be ok. She couldn't leave the distraught girl alone, not now.
This felt weird for Lisa, she hated seeing anyone upset and would do anything to make them feel better and as much as she wished to see Jennie's adorable smile again, she couldn't deny that she got a strange sense of happiness from holding the older girl in her arms.
Both girls looked up when they saw headlights shining through the gates near the entrance, both of them wincing as the light swept across the field and into their eyes briefly.
"Jennie? Babe?" a guy's voice yelled as he closed the door to his car. The man hiding in the bushes in the distance decided this was the best time to leave as he saw the tall muscular figure at the gates. "Coming" Jennie called back. Lisa looked at Jennie with confusion, "you're going with him? But you're upset with him". Jennie looked at the floor, for some reason unable to look Lisa in the eye, she didn't know why but she felt a slight pang of guilt. "It's just the way things are Lis, I was being stupid anyway", the black haired girl got up off the floor, turning back only to stroke Lisa's face gently with the back of her two fingers, "thank you for tonight, it means a lot".
Lisa sat in disbelief as she watched Jennie walk away, run to her boyfriend and hug and kiss him like she wasn't just crying her eyes out because of him.
Her stomach started to turn and she almost felt sick as she watched Jennie making out with her boyfriend in the front seat of his car before they drove away. -Why am I so pissed off?- she quickly shrugged off the thought and told herself her annoyance was due to the fact that Jennie's boyfriend is clearly an asshole and she can do better.
"Oh no..." she gasped as she saw the time on her watch, she was late for the talent show...very late.
Lisa burst through the Time Door dramatically, almost tripping over as she ran into modern day Korea. The sun burned her unadjusted eyes but she didn't care, she had to get to the talent show.
"Nayeon unnie!" the Thai called as she ran towards her friend who was walking with her girlfriend Jeongyeon and Dahyun. "Has Chaeng performed yet?" she wheezed while trying to catch her breath. Jeongyeon and Dahyun both looked at each other, giving the other a look that said they better leave. Lisa watched the two girls walk away as she noticed Nayeon's rather hostile body language, folding her arms and not looking in the Thai's direction, "unnie?" she repeated. Nayeon shook her head in disappointment, "the show is over Lisa. She couldn't even finish her set, she kept messing up the chords on her guitar and forgetting the lyrics. She felt apart on stage because she really needed you there and you were no where! Nobody could even get hold of you, where the hell were you Lis?". The brunette's eyes crystallised as tear droplets slowly rolled down her cheek, "I...I'm sorry" she sniffled. Nayeon rolled her eyes, "don't tell me you're sorry I'm fine you didn't do anything to me" the older girl pointed at the crying Australian on the bench in the distance, who was being comforted by Jisoo, "apologise to her".
-Chaengie...no-