Chapter Text
Jennie knocks on the door, taking a deep breath.
“Yes?” Jisoo's voice answers.
Jennie opens the door, entering the room of her friend for the first time.
“Jennie?!” Jisoo exclaims surprised as soon as her eyes see her friend.
“What are you doing here? How were you able to get past my mother?” Jisoo continues.
Jennie waited for the door to close before returning her attention to her friend and answering the questions that were thrown at her. She doesn't want Jisoo's mother to hear her answer them.
“Lisa told me what happened two days ago and that your parents found out about you and Rose, she told me that she wasn't able to talk to you. So as your mother doesn't know me, I thought that maybe I could give it a try,”
“That doesn't explain how my mother agreed to let you inside, I mean you are Lisa's girlfriend after all,” Jisoo says and it somehow sounds like she has to remind Jennie of this fact as her mother wouldn't be able to accept this.
“Yes, I know so I had to keep this a secret from your mother and made her believe that I have the same point of view on this matter and she believed me,” Jennie explains.
“Just like that? Without proof? And Lisa? She was fine with you lying to my mother?”
“I showed her an old picture of Sean and me and made your mother believe that we are still together. By the way, this is the only time that I actually lied to your mother. The other times, I was careful to watch my words because I didn't want to deny my relationship with Lisa. I denied my sexuality enough in the past and I don't want to go back to these ways,”
“Still, Lisa is okay with that?”
“I don't know, we didn't talk about this too much but I am sure that she will understand when I tell her my reasons for acting like that. After all, I had to find a way to get to talk to you. I wouldn't be here if I didn't act like that in front of your mother,”
“That is true,” Jisoo finally admits.
“Okay, enough talking about this. How are you? What exactly happened? One day, Rose and you were fine and the next, she was standing in front of our door, crying because you broke up with her. Did your parents find out somehow?”
“No, I actually told them myself. Rose and I had a fight about coming out to our parents and officially introducing each other to our parents as girlfriends. I was against it like always because I was scared of my parents' reaction. But at the same time, I saw that this hiding made Rose sad and I could understand that she didn't want to hide anymore. I was feeling the same and I was tired of fighting with Rose about this matter again and again. So when I came home and my parents were talking about me looking for a good man to get married, I just couldn't take it anymore. I told them during dinner. They thought that I was joking at first and started laughing but when I didn't join them, they realized that I must be serious. Then all hell broke loose with my dad shouting at me and my mom crying. They told me that I should break up with Rose but I told them that we'd been together for such a long time and that I love her and that I would never do this. I tried to explain to them that there wasn't a huge difference between our relationship and one of the others, a relationship between a man and a woman, but they didn't listen. They told me that I would break up with Rose no matter what. I told them once again that I wouldn't tell them, that they can't force me to do it. It went on like that for some time and it only got worse when my mother stopped crying. She told me that she would get a pastor to talk to me and that she wouldn't let someone as filthy as Rose ruin my life. At this point, I was ready to jump her because nobody is allowed to talk like that about my Rosie but before I was able to do so, she told me that she would find a way to ruin her life. She started coming up with plans to hurt Rose, to threaten her, and I was getting scared. My mother looked like a mad woman, I was starting to believe that she would actually do something to Rose if I didn't break up with her. She even gets me to believe that she wouldn't stop from seriously hurting Rose which could leave her at a hospital for a long time. She looked so calm at that moment and was even smiling at me. It really scared the shit out of me. So I gave up, I told them that I would break up with Rose and that I wouldn't see her anymore. I also agreed to talk to the pastor which I can tell you was really exhausting. He wanted to talk about my “sins” and how it doesn't have to end with my soul ending up in hellfire. I stopped listening to him at one point and just nodded to whatever he was talking about. I broke up with Rose, telling her that I was tired of fighting with her and that I stopped loving her. You can't imagine how hard this was. I saw her shocked face, looking at me in disbelief. How it slowly turned into one of total sadness. Then she started crying and I just wanted to take her in my arms but of course, I couldn't because then she would have known right away that I was lying and that I didn't mean a single word. When I came home that day, my parents must have seen how broken I was because they didn't ask for proof that I really broke up with Rose. They just told me that this was the right thing to do and that I would soon realize that I was wrong. They told me that they were also looking for some guys that I could meet with and that maybe one of them would be the one for me. They told me that I would soon forget about Rose. Then they told me that I was not allowed to see Lisa and you anymore. I was shocked and asked if they were serious and they told me that I wouldn't be leaving the house either and wouldn't attend university. They wanted to check first if any other people were like Rose that could corrupt me once again. Until now, they are still checking if it is safe for me to still attend this university. Though I have no idea how exactly they are trying to find this out... Tomorrow I have two dates with guys that my parents think could be right for me. They told me nothing about them and told me that I should meet them with an open mind. Can you believe it? They are telling me that I should have an open mind when they are acting like I murdered someone just because I was in a relationship with another girl?” Jisoo says, breathing hard after finally letting everything out that she was holding back for the past few days.
“Wow, seriously, I thought that I come from a fucked-up family. Turns out that I am not alone with that,” Jennie can't stop herself from letting out this comment but it doesn't seem like Jisoo takes it personally as the corners of her lips turn up a bit.
“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said this. It isn't appropriate in this situation,” Jennie still apologizes.
“You don't have to apologize, you are right and at least, it made me smile a bit. I can't remember the last time, I smiled. It also helps me that you are here. I really needed someone to talk about this, someone who would understand me and would stay by my side. I needed this to know that I am not alone and that I didn't just lose Rose but also Lisa and you,”
“You don't need to worry about this. You didn't lose us, not Lisa, not me, and especially not Rose. I will tell you, again and again, Rose just wants to be with you again,”
“Really? After what I did? After I left her without an explanation after I made this decision without telling her, asking her first if she is okay with it?”
“Yes, she will understand once she knows the whole truth. Now, do you have any idea how we get you out of here?”
“Not really, I already thought about every possible way to get out of here but nothing worked out. My mother doesn't leave the house anymore and I am not allowed outside. Even our garden is taboo for me. It seems like she is afraid that Rose or someone else is hiding in one of the bushes. It could be really ridiculous if this situation wouldn't be so serious,”
“So what about these two dates that you mentioned? Are you going to meet them here?”
“No, my mother wants to drive me to an ice cream parlor a few minutes from here but before you think about me running away from there, it won't work out. She will stay there, it was like that during my first two meetings with guys. It was really creepy, my mother was following us everywhere and people were looking at us, probably wondering what the hell was going on,”
“But these parlors have restrooms, right?”
“Yes?”
“You could excuse yourself to one and then run away, they must have a backdoor and if luck is on our side, it is somewhere near the restrooms,”
“Are you serious?”
“Totally, I will tell the others about your meetings and the plan,”
“And you think that they will agree with this plan?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Because it sounds totally ridiculous, did you listen to yourself? This sounds like a plot straight out of some weird movie and not like my life at all. Weeks ago, I was still in the closet, but I was happy. I had my girlfriend, amazing friends, and a normal family. But now... How did everything end like that? I can't believe it,”
“I get it, it is overwhelming but this is how it is right now,”
“I know but you have to understand me, I want to get back to how it was before this whole mess started,” Jisoo says in tears.
“I know, it is scary. But we are here for you, you don't have to go through this all alone,” Jennie says, pulling Jisoo into a hug.
She knows how it is when your life suddenly changes. One day, you wake up with a boyfriend that you don't love and a dysfunctional family and the next both things aren't there anymore. Luckily, she had her friends helping her through it so no matter how ridiculous, how stupid their plan sounded, she wanted to help Jisoo.
“Thanks, you really are great friends. I don't know what I would do without you,”
“You would do the same for me,” Jennie replies, Jisoo doesn't answer her but she doesn't have to for Jennie to know that she agrees with her.
Jennie takes out her phone and texts Lisa about their conversation and the plan. She knows that she will tell Rose right away.
A few seconds after she sent the message, there is already a reply from Lisa telling her, that she agrees with the plan, that she will tell Rose about the plan that she knows the parlor and that luck is finally on their side as the backdoor is right next to the restrooms.
“Okay, Lisa just told me that the plan will work out. Don't worry, everything will be fine. I will be at the parlor to help you if someone goes wrong and Lisa and Rose will wait for you behind the backdoor. Have some faith in us,”
“I think I repeat myself but seriously, thank you so much for everything. I don't think that I would be able to survive this without your help,”
“Don't thank us now, you are not out of here yet,”
“But I will be soon, right?”
“I promise you that,”