They met when they were only five years old. Rosé with her orange hair up in pigtails, Jennie with her dark hair braided down her back, both innocent and clueless, neither realizing they were missing each other in their lives. It all started when Rosé saw Jennie sitting alone one day in school…

“Hi,” Rosé said, sitting down on the carpeted play area beside Jennie. The dark-haired girl looked up, startled by the voice at her side.

“Um, hi,” she replied. Rosé smiled toothily, holding out a cookie.

“Want some?” she asked. Jennie looked at the snack uncertainly.

“Why?” she wanted to know. Rosé shrugged.

“You looked sad. Cookies make me happy. Maybe it can make you happy too,” she answered, handing the cookie to the other girl. Jennie accepted it, looking at it thoughtfully. After a moment, she broke it in half, offering one of the pieces to Rosé.

“We can be happy together,” Jennie said. Rosé took the cookie, her smile widening. Together, the girls enjoyed their snack.

“I’m Rosé,” Rosé told Jennie, wiping crumbs off with the back of her hand.

“Jennie,” the other replied. And just like that, they became the best of friends and were practically inseparable.

Throughout elementary school, they stayed by each other's’ sides, spending more time together than they did apart. When Jennie’s parents sent her to New Zealand to study from fifth to seventh grade, the girls stayed in constant contact and spent every second of every break together. Even when Rosé’s family decided to spend three years in Australia, the two greeted each other in the mornings and talked through the nights through video chat. After spending so much time apart, it was only natural that their reunion in their senior year of high school would lead to changes in their friendship.

***

“Can’t this car go any faster?” Rosé whined from the back seat. Her mom looked at her from her place in the passenger seat.

“Rosé, calm down. We’re only five minutes away,” her mom said.

“Mom, I haven’t seen Jennie in person for three years. I am physically incapable of calming down,” Rosé answered, matter-of-fact.

“You saw her last spring during your break,” her dad offered.

“That hardly counts. It was only a week and she was still in school for half of it,” Rosé countered. Her parents chuckled at the desperation in her voice.

“You know, it’s so crazy you guys have stayed so close despite everything,” her mom commented.

“But see, the ‘close’ in this sentence is very much a figurative one. So, please, can we step on it?” Rosé pleaded. She received another chuckle in reply, but she noticed the slight increase in speed of the car. She could hardly contain the excitement she was feeling. She was finally going to be with her best friend again.

***

“Come in,” Jennie called in reply to a knock on the door. She looked up when she heard it open but had no time to process anything before she was tackled onto her bed.

“Jennie!” a familiar voice squealed as they fell onto the bed together.

“Rosé?!” Jennie exclaimed in surprise. She wrapped her arms around the slender body pressing against her, recognizing the familiar perfume. For a long moment, neither girl moved, not wanting to let go of each other. Eventually, however, Jennie pulled back, but only enough to be able to get a look at her best friend. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow.”

“I convinced my parents to get an earlier flight. I wanted to surprise you,” Rosé answered, her eyes roaming Jennie’s face. The dark-haired girl reached up and tentatively ran her hand through Rosé’s hair. She looked amazed, as if she couldn’t believe that the girl in front of her was really, tangibly there.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered, her hand moving to cup Rosé’s cheek.

“I’ve missed you too, but I don’t think I realized how much until now,” the younger girl replied, placing her hand over Jennie’s. There was a pause in conversation as both girl’s eyes roamed over each other’s features, as if memorizing one another. The girls seemed to forget where they were and what was happening, only aware of each other and the physical contact they were unwilling to break. There was almost no space in between them and, subconsciously, they were leaning forward and closing the distance further. However, before anything could happen, a voice brought them back to reality.

“Girls, come downstairs! Dinner’s ready!” Jennie’s mother yelled from downstairs. The two girls unwillingly pulled away from each other. Jennie got up from the bed, holding her hand out to Rosé, who took it happily and allowed herself to be pulled off of the bed. Jennie began to guide Rosé out of the room but paused for a moment, looking sideways at the girl.

“It’s good to have you back, Rosé,” Jennie whispered.

“Good to be back, Jennie,” Rosé answered. They shared a knowing smile before leaving the room hand in hand.

***

“I don’t know what it’s like in Australia, but high school here ,” Jennie said. She and Rosé were seated on the swing couch in Jennie’s backyard, staring up at the night sky.

“I think high school internationally,” Rosé laughed. “You know, especially when the most important person in your life is an ocean away.”

“Really? And who is this person, hm?” Jennie asked crossing her arms.

“Oh, she’s a really cool girl. Beautiful too. I think you’d like her,” Rosé played along.

“I don’t think I could like anyone who was more important to you than me,” Jennie admitted with a playful smirk.

“Guess it’s a good thing you are the most important person to me then, right?” Rosé replied, smiling up at the stars.

“Rosé, do you love me?” Jennie asked suddenly. Rosé looked over at her, but her eyes were downcast.

“Of course I do,” the younger girl answered without missing a beat. A second of silence. Then Jennie lifted her eyes. Rosé saw something there that she couldn’t name, but it made her heart speed up violently.

“How much?” Jennie demanded in a low voice.

“So much that I don’t think I could put it into words.”

“Then don’t tell me--show me.” Rosé swallowed.

“I don’t want things between us to change,” she whispered. She knew what she wanted but she didn’t want to risk their friendship. However, the other girl’s expression revealed that similar thoughts were crossing her mind.

“I promise nothing will change,” Jennie vowed, her voice barely more than a breath of air. That was all Rosé needed to hear before she closed the space between them. Her hands came up on either side of Jennie’s face as she captured the older girl’s lips with her own. Jennie immediately reacted, wrapping her arms around Rosé’s slim waist and pulling her close. For a moment, they let the world fall away as it had earlier. The only thing they were aware of was the feeling of their lips moving together and every point of contact between them. They could have stayed there forever, but lack of oxygen eventually forced them to pull apart--but only enough to breathe. Their heavy breaths mingled in the small gap between them, their chests heaving in unison. Slowly, Jennie lifted her eyes to lock on Rosé’s.

“I didn’t know you cared that much,” she whispered. Rosé smiled softly, gently running her thumb over Jennie’s bottom lip.

“It’s hard not to,” she admitted, prompting the other girl to blush and drop her gaze. Rosé shifted in Jennie’s arms, lowering her head to rest of Jennie’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither speaking or moving. Rosé didn’t want to ruin the moment, but she had to ask the question buzzing in her mind. “Jennie?”

“Yeah?”

“What… what does this make us?”

“What do you mean? We’re friends--best friends.” Rosé pulled away, forcing Jennie to drop her arms.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think friends kiss the way we just did--or at all, for that matter,” Rosé pointed out, arching an eyebrow.

“I want to promise that it’ll never happen again, but I don’t like making promises I can’t keep,” Jennie said suggestively, running her tongue over her bottom lip as emphasis. Rosé looked away, clearing as the heat rose in her cheeks.

“Jennie,” she warned, trying to keep her voice even.

“Look,” Jennie said, placing a finger under Rosé’s chin to force her to look up. “We’re still best friends. That hasn’t changed. Now, there are just a few… perks. For example--”

She leaned forward, closing around Rosé’s bottom lip. This time, the kiss lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to take Rosé’s breath away once more.

“--now I get to do that,” Jennie finished. “That okay with you?”

“Hm,” Rosé hummed, her eyes fluttering open. “I think it’s more than okay. But you might have to do it again, just to be sure.”

Jennie grinned before doing as she was told. And, under the star-studded sky, the two friends sealed their relationship with another kiss.

Sorry to anyone who saw this before I posted the full chapter. I'm still learning how to use this site. Anyway, hope you've enjoyed it thus far. I promise I'll try to update soon.

~unsungpoet <3