Lisa chewed on the last piece of her steak once she slid the metal fork out of . She set the utensil down on her empty plate – aside from the leftover parsley garnish – making a small clink sound, barely audible to the girl in front of her. Lisa rested her elbows on the table, balancing her head on top of her interlocked fingers.  Her eyes stayed on the girl as she spoke.

“Do you want dessert?”

“No, I’m okay,” she declined. “You can have some if you’d like. I don’t mind.”

The girl’s hands travelled down to her stomach, clad in a simple black dress, patting it lightly.

“No, I’ll pass too. The steak was enough for me.”

“Bill please,” she’d asked the waiter passing by their table. He gave a light nod and continued to walk.

“I’m paying this time,” Lisa asserted, ing her wallet.

“No way, it’s on me.” the latter told her a small grin playing on her lips. 

“You paid last time, Jennie,” Lisa argued.

Before Jennie had the opportunity to refute, the two of them looked up as the waiter arrived with the anticipated bill.

“Here’s your bill, ladies have a good day.”

With that he left the two girls to attend to another waiting customer.

Lisa did not waste any time and pulled out two notes from her wallet, confident they would be more than enough to cover the cost of their meals. She placed them next to the bill and stood up. Jennie did the same, grabbing her wallet and phone while she was doing so.

The two exited the restaurant without a word. Once they were outside, Jennie took a hold of Lisa’s hand, intertwining their fingers. Lisa almost sighed feeling the warmth of the brunette’s hand. Jennie led her to her car, unlocking it before they reached it. The car was scarily similar to Rosie’s. Same model and same colour. Lisa didn’t give it much thought and made her way around to the passenger’s seat. 

Shutting the door, she faced Jennie, who looked right back at her and was now in a leather jacket. The same leather jacket she’d worn at the get-together. Even their location had changed. From the parking lot of an extravagant restaurant in the heart of the city to the front of Lisa’s home in a small town neighbourhood. It was certainly strange. What was surprisingly stranger was the fact Lisa didn’t find it strange. In fact, she didn’t even question it.

Instead – as if it was working on its own – her hand made its way up to the Jennie’s face, cupping it. They stayed in that position, just staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity, until Lisa’s eyes glanced down at Jennie’s lips and back to her eyes again. Having the courage Lisa didn’t, Jennie leaned forward and locked their lips. Lisa closed her eyes, relishing the kiss as Jennie began moving her lips against the blonde’s.

The kiss lasted a good five seconds when the sound of constant knocking caused them to pull away. Lisa looked to the car window on the driver’s side and noticed it was her mom repeatedly hitting the glass with her knuckles.

“Lisa! Lisa! Lisa get up!” came her voice. It was muffled and echoic, almost faded in a sense.

The world around her blurs into pitch black, her mom’s voice still calling in the background. Only this time it was a lot clearer.

Lisa opens her eyes and immediately sits up straight. It was just a dream she thinks, her heart beating faster than normal. She almost felt as if she was out of breath.

“Time for church, honey,” Lisa’s mom tells her from outside her room.

I definitely need to go to church after that she thinks to herself, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes.

Lisa hears her mom shuffle away followed by the light creeks of the staircase. She sits there in silence for a while, thinking about what she’d just dreamt about. It was one of the weirdest dreams she’d had by far. It couldn’t possibly mean anything, right? she thought. Maybe the peck they shared last night had affected her more than she wanted it to. Lisa shook her head at the thought.

It was just a dream. Nothing more.

She left it at that, not wanting it to occupy her thoughts any longer.

***

“Get up, kiddo!” a woman said rather loudly. She shook Jennie until the girl cracked her eyes open.

Jennie sat up straight both confused and tired. She took a moment to look around and take in her surroundings. She was in her living room with her aunt staring at her.

Last night’s memories came rushing back to her. Coming home after dropping Rosie off, she had fallen asleep on the couch watching reruns of a show she had now forgotten the name of. She looked at the clock above the old television she’d been watching the night before.

“What the hell, auntie? It’s only 8:30. Why’d you wake me up so early?” Jennie asked irritated.

This pretty unusual for her. To add to the unusualness, she noticed her aunt was dressed quite formally compared to other weekends, where she’d be up in nothing but a t-shirt and sweatpants. The older woman was also sitting on the coffee table she’d just bought just a few weeks ago. She’d practically yelled at Jennie not to sit on it, but apparently the rules didn’t apply to her.

Her aunt took a sip of whatever was in the mug she was holding, before answering her question.

“Cause it’s Sunday,” she said simply, standing up.

Jennie furrowed her eyebrows, the response making her even more confused. “So?”

“So it’s church day.”

“Since when did we go to church?”

“Since today.”

Jennie frowned. “Why? You’re not even religious.”

“I’m trying it out. I want to add more meaning to my life. Be more spiritual, y’know?” the woman explained.

“Why do I have to go then? I don’t give a about being spiritual.”

“Language.” her aunt reprimanded

“Sorry,” Jennie apologized. “I don’t give a crap about being spiritual.”

Her aunt did not look impressed but didn’t comment any further on her niece’s foul language.

“I know, but who knows? Maybe you’ll like it.”

Jennie rolled her eyes. “I won’t.”

“You don’t know that for sure.” her aunt told her.

“I don’t wanna sit around and listen to a random guy talk bull.”

Her aunt glared at her, unamused by her choice of words.

“Sorry.”

“Look, I just want you to see what it’s like. It doesn’t hurt to try out new things. If you don’t like it you never have to go again.”

Jennie still had a strong urge to decline but she knew her aunt wasn’t going to stop until she got what she wanted. She was a persistent woman. Jennie sighed having no other choice.

“Fine.”

“Good, now go wash up and pick out something nice to wear.”

Jennie obeyed, reluctantly leaving the comfort of her couch to head upstairs.

***

Lisa watched from her pew as the townsfolk piled in through the church doors. She was always at the front, seated closest to the aisle.

Majority of the town was religious. Well the older generation at least. Most of the kids there would rather be sleeping.

It was always the same every week. She sat in the same spot beside her sister and mother and read the same book with the same people. Today, however, was a little different. Two new faces had made an appearance. One she’d never seen before and other she knew all too well.  

“Who are they?” Leslie asked pointing at the two new women who were taking their seats at the very back. She had folded her feet underneath her on the bench and turned her body completely around to get a better look. Her hands grasped the bench’s backrest as she waited for an answer. She had grown up at the church, she knew everyone that came in, and so it wasn’t odd that she was curious.

“It’s rude to point, honey, and sit down properly” her mother ordered, but also looked to see where her daughter was pointing to. Leslie did what she was told.

“Her name’s Jennie and I think that’s her mom.” Lisa answered turning around to face the altar. Looking at the brunette gave her flashbacks of the kisses they’d shared, especially the one in her dream. Church was the worst possible place to have those.

“She’s pretty,” Leslie said as the priest walked out indicating the beginning of the service.

***

After a long forty five minutes the service finally came to an end. Lisa stood up along with everyone else in the church. She looked around searching for her friends among the crowd of people – most of which were exiting. She caught a glimpse of Jennie talking with Nate. Her attention on them didn’t stay too long as Jisoo and Rosie approached her.

“Hey,” they’d both said in unison. Jisoo had smiled while Rosie looked disgruntled and massaged the side of her forehead with her index finger and thumb.

“Hang over?” Lisa asked, assuming the cause of the girl’s painful expression.

“Big time. Almost makes me wanna never drink again,” Rosie told her. “Who took us all home last night? I can’t remember anything.”

“Jennie offered.” Jisoo answered.

“And you let her?”

“Yeah, why?” Lisa questioned, curious as to why Rosie’s voice held surprise.

“She doesn’t have a license.”

The other girls’ eyes widened in shock.

“No way,” Jisoo said loudly. “We had no idea!”

Lisa crossed her arms and shook her head in disappointment.

“Well at least you guys got home safely,” Rosie said and looked to her side as a figure neared them. “Speak of the devil.”

“Woah, harsh.” Jennie said, putting a hand over her chest, faking offense.

“What are you doing here?” Rosie asked. “I thought you weren’t religious.”

“I am a woman of god, Rosie. How dare you?”

Rosie scoffed rolling her eyes. “Yeah, and I’m Oprah.”

Lisa and Jisoo stood quietly, amused at the friends’ banter.

“No seriously, why’re you here though?”

“My aunt forced me to come. She wants to experiment with religion.” Jennie answered pointing to her aunt who was busy chatting away with the priest. It was then that Jennie observed something familiar about the man.

“Is that your dad?” she asked, looking to Lisa.

 “Uhm yeah.”

“So… you’re the priest’s daughter?”