Lisa ran across the Korean school campus in tears, people stared at her, the Thai had become the subject of a lot of gossip recently. However it wasn't merely whispering students that had spotted her, Rosé and Yeri also saw their distraught friend as they returned from shopping.
"Lisa! Wait!" they both called as they ran after the brunette. Lisa stopped running when she heard their voices, she needed comfort. "Chaeng" she whimpered as she through her arms around the Australian, crying her eyes out. "Lis, babe what's wrong?" Rosé asked with concern, softly stroking Lisa's hair. "It's Jennie" the Thai's voice was muffled due to her face being pressed against her friend's shoulder. The eldest of the girls looked over at the youngest, "Yeri, do you mind giving us a second?". "Yeah of course, I'll just wait by the fountain" Yeri replied, though she was lying. Yeri walked around the corner of the wall the three girls were near but she didn't keep walking, she stayed and eavesdropped on the conversation. Not something Yeri would normally do, she respected her friends' privacy but considering how worried everyone was about Lisa, she needed to know what was going on.
"Calm down, breathe and tell me what happened" Chaeyoung said as she tried to comfort her friend by rubbing her back. Lisa wiped her tears away, inhaling and exhaling to steady her breathing, "she kissed me Rosie, I was going to tell her I was leaving and she just kissed me".
Yeri listened closely to the conversation and decided to record it with her phone, what she was hearing was insane so she wanted evidence.
"You can't leave it like that Lis, you need to settle things properly before you move on" Rosé said compassionately, sympathising with both Lisa and Jennie. Lisa nodded "it's school there when it's night here so I'll go and explain things in a way that won't hurt either of us too much".
"Stop grabbing my ass in public!" Jeongyeon squealed as Nayeon kept touching her inappropriately. "Oh my God would you guys knock it off I'm trying to read this, I need to get this book finished before exams next week" Irene groaned, staring intensely at her work books.
"Guys! GUYS!" Yeri yelled as she ran towards the group of friends, crashing into several people on the way.
"Shall we pretend we haven't seen her?" Momo joked. Irene smirked, "best not to, she'll just shout louder". "GUYS!" the young yelled again as she reached their table, "I just kinda, sorta, maybe spied on Lisa and Rosé's conversation and you are not going to believe this!". "Did you find out what's going on with Lisa?!" Jisoo asked with concern. Yeri nodded frantically, out of breath from running so much. Nayeon finally stopped groping her girlfriend, "well? what is it?". The whole group stopped what they were doing to listen to Yeri who looked panicked.
"Lisa is nuts" Yeri began, "like she is seriously unwell in the head". "What?! Why?" several girls all asked at once. Yeri inhaled deeply, "she needs to see a doctor and either Rosie unnie is sick too or she's just playing along but Lisa thinks she can travel in time, she thinks that is where she goes when we can't find her".
Everyone burst out laughing.
"They were messing with you idiot" Joy laughed as she covered her mouth with her hand. Momo shook her head while smirking, "and the prize for the most gullible person on the planet goes to...". Yeri folded her arms and rolled her eyes, waiting for everyone to stop taunting and mocking her, "are you guys finished?" she huffed, "I recorded their conversation and I'm telling you they didn't know I was there, it didn't sound like they were joking to me. Lisa was really crying".
Yeri handed her phone over to the girls, Jisoo kept playing it repeatedly so everyone could be sure of what they were hearing. "Oh my God" Irene gasped, "her mind has snapped. I told you it isn't natural to be that tall". "Hey!" Joy yelled as she slapped Irene's arm. Jisoo stood up and frowned, "I need to go and talk to them, Lisa seriously needs help". "Don't get me wrong I am worried about Lis but we are all missing the bright side here" Jeongyeon announced suddenly. "Which is?" Momo asked. Jeongyeon smiled, "Lisa is in love with a girl, imaginary or not it's still a girl. I've been saying for ages that we need more gay energy around this place".
Nayeon stood up and walked next to Jisoo, "I think we should all go and speak to Lisa, let her know we are here for her and make sure she gets the support she needs". The girls all agreed and made their way to Lisa and Chaeyoung's dorm.
"Oh hey guys" Rosé said sweetly as she opened the front door to the group of friends, "come in". "HI" Lisa said excitedly with a big grin that soon faded when she saw the look of concern on their faces, "...is everything ok?" she asked. "We need to talk" Jisoo replied anxiously but calmly as they entered the dorm room and approached the worried Thai. Jisoo breathed in deeply, "Yerim overheard your conversation with Rosé earlier...". "By overheard she means eavesdropped and recorded" Joy added from the background. Irene elbowed her in the stomach, "remember that conversation we had about not just blurting out whatever is on your mind?". Joy hung her head as Yeri slowly started to hide behind a potted tree. "We think you need to see a doctor Lis, we know you think you can travel in time and it isn't healthy to stay like that" Jisoo continued. Lisa froze, totally unable to even form words. Rosé stepped beside Lisa and put her arm around her shoulder in support, "guys come on you don't understand, we can explain". "Do not tell me you believe her Rosie" Nayeon said in disbelief. "Actually, yes I do" the Australian responded, moving her body closer to Lisa so she was practically side hugging her.
Momo scoffed, "I take back what I said earlier", she then pointed at Rosé, "THAT is the most gullible person on that planet". Rosé rolled her eyes, "look just ask Lisa, she can tell you any details about this school. I saw her myself just appear out of nowhere when she walked back into our time!". Irene held her hands over both her cheeks in distress, "oh my God what is even happening right now". "Um what are you doing babe?" Nayeon asked as she saw Jeongyeon unscrewing the lids on all the bottled water and sniffing it. "Checking for funny smells, this has gotta be drugs or something" she replied. Lisa huffed, "look we aren't on drugs and I'm not crazy either, this is why I didn't tell anyone, I knew you guys would react like this". Jisoo paced back and forth with her hand on her head trying to negotiate in her mind the best way to make Lisa see reason while Irene sat down in the corner on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"Ok Lis, tell us about this school of yours" Nayeon asked. The Thai sighed but ultimately gave in and proceeded to tell the girls every detail she could that she thought might help them believe her. She told them the name of the school, various names of students and teachers, the songs that were out at the time and other obscure details, she also told them about Jennie.
The girls were far from convinced, half of them believed Lisa was crazy and the other half thought she was playing a big prank on everyone. "How is it even possible to go through time and what the hell is a Time Door?" Jisoo asked with frustration. "I don't know Chu, I'm not a physicist, I don't understand the science behind any of this it just...happens" Lisa responded, beginning to get overwhelmed with the intervention sprang on her by her friends. Jeongyeon leaned in next to Joy, "drugs" she whispered loudly.
Noticing the increased despair in her best friend's body language, Rosé decided it was best to make the group leave, except for Jisoo.
As the group left the apartment to return to their own dorms as it was getting dark, Nayeon had an idea, "guys, I'm going to research into this school Lisa was talking about and see if it's even real. Anyone wanna help?". Irene draped her arms over Nayeon's shoulder's from behind, "definitely".
"Don't you think you should get some sleep?" Rosé asked worriedly as she watched Lisa rushing around trying to find appropriate clothes for the 1960s. The Thai shook her head while throwing the contents of her wardrobe all over her bed, "can't, I need to sort things out with Jennie". Lisa found a red turtle neck shirt and a patterned wrap around skirt, "I'll see you later Rosie" she said as she hugged her concerned best friend. The Australian stood blankly staring at the door as she watched her closest friend go on another adventure without her, she couldn't help but worry the Thai may eventually choose that world and Jennie over her.
As winter approached in both worlds the days were getting colder and Lisa figured she should probably start shopping at the stores here for warmer clothing but that would require old American dollars which she had very little of, -how do people get money?- she thought to herself as she walked across the high school campus to the main building, het thoughts wondering all over the place so much so that she didn't notice the two blonde girls heading right for her, Karen and Donna two of the popular girls in the school. "Lisa hi!" Donna practically yelled in an over enthusiastic tone of voice. The Thai glanced suspiciously at both girls her were grinning at her like they knew something she didn't, -oh god what do they want, they never talk to anyone outside their little popular circle-. Karen twirled her long blonde hair around her finger, "we heard you were hanging out with Johnny the other day? You should have told us you are friends with him" she said in an odd tone, almost as though that isn't really what she wanted to talk about. Lisa raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "is there something I can help you with?". "Did you do any gymnastics or anything at your old school?" Karen asked in a much more sincere tone this time. "Gymnastics? No I didn't" the Thai replied. The two blondes huffed in disappointment and were about to walk away until Lisa spoke again..."but I was part of a dance crew". The girls looked back at Lisa then looked at each other and smiled. "Come with us!" they said in unison as they both linked arms with the confused brunette and pulled her with them.
"I really should get to class I don't want Mr Yates on my ass again" Lisa muttered hopelessly as the girls dragged her onto the football field, not listening to her protest. "Um why are you presenting random students to me?" the red haired Elizabeth said in a bitchy tone. Elizabeth was the most popular girl in school and the head cheerleader, rich, beautiful and intimidating as hell. "She's a dancer!" Donna said excitedly. Elizabeth looked Lisa up and down, "really? Donna, Karen get out of here, let me speak to Lisa alone". The two blonde subordinates nodded and skipped away. -Elizabeth Dustin knows my name...wow-.
"I am sorry about those two meat heads, they sometimes forget that this is a school of real people and not a big doll house for them to play in" the cheerleader joked with a friendly smile. Lisa chuckled lightly, "it's ok but I'm a little confused as to why I'm here and why you want to talk to me...they didn't really explain". Elizabeth picked up a water bottle and took a sip from it, "basically we need a new cheerleader to stand in for Kelly, she is our front base so we can't just replace her with anyone, we need someone with strength in their legs, good presence and who works well in a performing team, someone like you. We are pretty desperate the big game is in a few days and Kelly has already been gone for two weeks now without any word to anyone, we have no idea when or if she's even going to be back so we can't just wait". Lisa's eyes widened, "wait, you want me to be a cheerleader?!". The redhead smiled, "yep! and best part is we get special practice privileges like the sports teams do so if you say yes, you get out of math class this morning". The Thai quickly grabbed a pompom from the ground and began to shake it "gimme a B!" she yelled playfully as the other girl laughed. "Great" Elizabeth smiled, "we'll get you a uniform".
Nayeon and Irene stared intensely at the computer screen as they researched the information Lisa had told them. "Well at least we know the school is real" Irene said as she sipped her coffee in the dark bedroom, shadows on the wall cast by the light from the screen. Nayeon shrugged, "she could of easily googled it, it has only taken us two minutes to find the school". "True" Irene conceded, "but what about this Jennie person? Can we find her?".
-I really need to sleep- Lisa whined inside her own head as she lay on the grass out of breath and exhausted. "You did good Manoban, you're a natural" Elizabeth said impressed while extending her hand to help the Thai up off of the floor. "Thanks" she replied while wiping bits of grass from her red and yellow cheerleading outfit, "the shirt is a bit snug but Kelly's uniform fits pretty well". The head cheerleader nodded, "it's your uniform now, even if she does come back you're better than her and I have no time for people who screw me around". There was that intimidating side of Elizabeth, mostly she was a very intelligent and friendly person but she was driven and ambitious, she could flick on a cold switch whenever she felt someone was getting in her way, Lisa was determined not to be that someone. "Where did Kelly go anyway, you really have no idea?" the brunette asked. "Nope" Elizabeth responded casually, "stupid bitch probably ran off with that loser boyfriend of hers and his weirdo hippy friends". Lisa walked with the cheerleader towards the locker rooms, "you sound mad at her". The red head sighed, "I guess I am. She is one of my best friends and she just skipped town without telling me. I thought I meant more to her than that. I'm being dramatic I know, she'll probably be back soon with some awesome story to tell me but I don't know, some girls just leave this town and never come back and Kelly always used to talk about how much she wanted to move to LA and be a movie star". The Thai cautiously linked arms with her new acquaintance, not entirely sure if their friendship had reached this stage yet but the redhead did not protest, "I don't want to over step my bounds but I detect a little jealously in your voice, seems to me like you want to leave too?". Elizabeth laughed, "I'm that transparent huh? I know everyone thinks I am happy here, my family give me everything I want, I will work for a wealthy company when I leave college and eventually inherit and own the company too, I have everything. But this place is too small for me Lisa, I don't want to die in this town. I want to be somebody, you know?".
Elizabeth sighed again before suddenly switching her mood and changing the subject, "anyway, enough about me. Patty Mason said Holly Willis was told by Jeannie Preston that you were seen watching Rocco racing his car AND getting out of his car near the school. Spill. Now". Lisa stumbled, being totally taken by surprise -gossip travels really quickly around this school sheesh, who the heck is Jeannie Preston- "I..uh" she stuttered as she nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "Are you dating him?" Elizabeth asked excitedly, a big lover of gossip. "No we're jus-" Lisa began to explain until in the corner of her eye she saw Jennie making out with Johnny and laughing with him while they cuddled underneath the bleachers as though last night never happened, Jennie was in a pink sweater and black skirt with her boyfriend's letterman jacket draped over her shoulders. Lisa's heart shattered, "actually yeah, we have a thing but we are taking things slow" she said in protest of Jennie even though she knew the older girl couldn't hear her. The head cheerleader grinned widely as the two girls headed inside the locker rooms, she really did love knowing everyone's business.
Lisa sat down at her desk in biology class which was next to Jennie. "Hey Lis" the black haired girl said in a cheerful tone like she usually has. "Uh hi..." the Thai responded in confusion as she put her bag underneath the desk, "about last night" she began but was interrupted. "What about it?" Jennie laughed, "we were just drunk and horsing around. You don't need to freak out I'm not a lesbian or something. It was just a drunken joke" she laughed again as she brushed it off like nothing. Of course the older girl was merely saving face and her pride but her performance combined with playing tonsil tennis with Johnny earlier was enough to convince Lisa that she was being genuine. "Oh...ok then" the Thai responded. "Don't worry, I won't tell your boyfriend" Jennie quipped playfully with a slight tone of bitterness. The brunette tilted her head in confusion, "my boyfriend?". Jennie brushed her hair to the one side and began to write the date inside her workbook, "apparently you told Elizabeth Dustin that you are going steady with Rocco now". "How did you hear about that?!" Lisa questioned with surprise. The older girl looked at the younger with an expression that suggested Lisa was somehow stupid or something, "Jeannie Preston".
-Who the heck is Jeannie Preston??-
Rocco walked over casually to Lisa's desk, "hey Lis, you left this in my car the other night" he said as he handed a pale pink lipstick over to the girl.
"Could you please find your way to your seat please when you have finished flirting" the science teacher called out irritably from the front of the class. "Sorry sir" Rocco replied as he walked across the classroom.
"So it's true" Jennie said suddenly. Lisa knew she should probably tell the truth that she wasn't really dating Rocco but she was so hurt and pissed off that she chose to keep up the lie in a petty attempt to make the older girl jealous, "yep, it is" she replied in a blasé tone. Jennie tapped her pen against the desk in irritation, "great...cool".
Jennie grew more and more irritated throughout biology class at the sight of Lisa and Rocco flirting across the classroom, winking and blowing kisses at each other, "I'm gonna be sick". "Oh come on it's only a preserved pig heart, cutting up the frog was way grosser than this" Lisa replied. Jennie rolled her eyes, "I wasn't talking about the pig heart" she mumbled under her breath in a bitchy tone.
The two girls left school and proceeded to the diner for burgers as they always did, though there was far less conversation today. "Jen are we ok? You aren't really talking to me much, I get the impression you're angry with me" Lisa asked with concern. "Of course I'm not" Jennie laughed again, "why would I be angry?". The Thai shrugged, "I don't know I thought maybe you were bothered by Rocco or something". Jennie let out another laugh, a completely fake one, in fact just the mention of Rocco's name was enough to make her want to fight someone, "I am not bothered by Rocco Lis, I'm glad you have a boyfriend now we can double date if Johnny doesn't mind. Everything is fine ok?" Jennie's tone of voice was much more cheery this time, she smiled and it seemed genuine. Lisa smiled back and nodded, "are you excited for The Rolling Stones concert? I told my friend about it and she is going to be so freaking jealous seriously". "I MEAN YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE HIM!" Jennie suddenly blurted out. "W-what..." the startled Thai whimpered. Jennie kicked a stone on the floor in annoyance, "Rocco! You don't like him so why are you magically dating him now". "You said you weren't bothered!" Lisa yelled in response, "you literally just said you weren't bothered". Jennie flicked her hair as she turned around, hitting the distressed younger girl in the face in the process, "I'm not bothered" she said calmly before storming off ahead. Lisa was beyond confused at this point as she trailed behind the baffling older girl.
Their meal was tense to say the least, neither girl saying a great deal as sat opposite each other in their regular window side cubicle. Lisa plucked up the courage to break the silence and say something, "Jen...about Rocco". Jennie huffed, "oh my God can you not go 10 seconds without talking about Rocco this and Rocco that. Jesus Christ". The Thai froze holding the straw in her milkshake as she was about to drink from it before Jennie's outburst, "Jennie, neither have us have said anything in like 20 minutes". The older girls just rolled her eyes and angrily ate her food. "You seem jealous Nini" the younger uttered while secretly hoping it was true. Jennie choked on her food for a second at Lisa's suggestion, "jealous? Me jealous that you have a boyfriend? Oh please. I told you last night didn't mean anything we were just drunk" she calmly took a sip of her drink to help her throat stop hurting, "besides, you aren't even that great of a kisser". Lisa dropped her knife in shock, "excuse me?" she protested, "I am great kisser...wait no I am a FANTASTIC kisser. You just aren't remembering it well because you were drunk and you took me by surprise anyway so I might not have been at my best but I am a very good kisser, hell I'll prove it. I'll kiss you right now!".
Both girls froze still, the tension suddenly building back up again as they stared at each other blankly, Lisa was only joking but both girls were thinking about it and both knew the other was thinking about it too. The air felt cold but the Thai's body heat was raising in temperature as she remembered what happened last night, how Jennie's lips felt, how she smelled, how her body felt pressed up against the younger girl's. Lisa wanted to kiss her again, and Jennie wanted it too, if this hadn't been a busy public spot, they probably would have. "You have milkshake in the corner of your mouth" Jennie softly uttered. "Huh?" the brunette replied in an equally gentle tone. The black haired girl reached her hand out, slowly grazing her thumb against Lisa's bottom lip to wipe away the milkshake, her hand lingered on the Thai's cheek for a few seconds before eventually pulling away. "Thank you" Lisa said in breathy voice as she gulped lightly, her mind beginning to travel to places it shouldn't.
Nayeon and Irene had been researching the school for several hours, staying up way later than they should. "I cannot find this Jennie chick anywhere, I have checked yearbook photos from 1964-1965 and this girl does not exist I'm telling you. Lisa has imagined her" Nayeon huffed. Irene smirked, "if I didn't know better I'd think you wanted Lisa's little mental episode to be real". Nayeon playfully slapped the older girl before becoming startled by what she found online, "oh my God, look! I've found her, I have found Jennie...but wait, check this out". Irene looked at the page and her eyes bulged a little, "oh god...what do we do? I mean, we should tell the guys about this right?". Nayeon slowly dragged her hands down her face, "I...you better call Jisoo and Chaeyoung, tell them they need to see this".