There used to be a time when Jennie could never get shy when someone was trying to court her. Maybe once or twice someone would make her head turn, but she never managed to find anything close to love when it came to the people in the crowd. Their faces blended together, each confession sounding as pathetic as the next, Valentine’s Day ending with her hands full of chocolate and her heart a couple degrees colder. And love just didn't feel real—not when no one managed to ever make her forget her own name with a kiss.

Jennie was known for her cool persona back in high school. Her popularity was due to her being both intimidatingly beautiful and ually frustrating. She didn't often date, but it never lasted longer than a week or two when she did. Her feelings would quickly subside into boredom and soon enough she’d feel like reading a book is more interesting than a date.

Despite having some experience, Jennie couldn't relate with all those oh so relatable posts about romance. It was either the most beautiful thing in the world or a tragedy crafted in the depths of hell. It either brought happiness or pain. And a big part of a relationship was fear. Fear that it’ll be over as soon as it started, fearing heartbreak, fearing that if you let go today then they’ll be someone else’s tomorrow. There was just something about relationships that made people feel vulnerable.

There used to be a time when Jennie felt frustrated over never experiencing this development that, apparently, everyone else in high school was experiencing. Her frustrations led to an overall annoyance over anything that had to do with romance. If love was such a happy feeling, why were people so scared of it? What was there to be so afraid about?

Then she found someone she didn't want to lose.

Lalisa Manoban, hair dyed in soft blue tones that resembled some magical creature in fantasy stories. She leaned awkwardly on one leg, eyes skirting over everything in unease, everything but Jennie. Her lips parted with hesitation, almost like she’s been debating all day about whether or not she should speak. She sighs before she continues. “You left it at the library yesterday.”

Lisa was holding up a red notebook, a little label in the corner saying it’s from Chemistry. Jennie knew for a fact that she had never written her name on the notebook, but she couldn't help but feel relieved at seeing that she hadn't lost her notes two days before midterms thanks to Lisa.

“Thank you so much!” Jennie answers with more happiness than she has had all day, a fact that doesn't go unnoticed by her friends. “Um, not to be rude or anything, but how’d you know it was mine?”

“I was volunteering,” Lisa says a little too fast, like she was worried that Jennie would take her as a creep. “I saw you studying. When we were closing up, I noticed you left it.” Light pink decorates Lisa’s face as she looks away. “Anyway—see you around.”

Then Lisa leaves, probably to get to her next class, leaving Jennie confused about the encounter. The underclassman had acted just as shy as someone who had just confessed, down to stereotypically running away from her. Jennie wasn't sure where—or why—she knew Lisa’s name but all she could do now was stare at the space where Lisa had been and make a mental note to properly thank her the next time she saw her.

When the years passed, Jennie still didn't really like Chemistry but she had gained an appreciation for the subject. When the years passed, Jennie learned just how scary love could be.

Now Jennie recalls their first meeting and marvels over how destiny works.

She holds Lisa in her arms, sleeping peacefully between the thin bedsheets covering their bodies, their fingers loosely intertwined. Moonlight carefully filters through the curtains, painting Lisa’s face with lazy flickers of white. Some of Lisa’s hair, now brown, had fallen over her face and Jennie’s never known someone who can look so messy yet be so beautiful.

Jennie tucks Lisa’s hair back into place with a smile on her face.

Admittedly, Jennie does feel a bit vulnerable. She’s given so much of her love to the girl laying in her arms that she can’t even begin to imagine how much it would hurt if Lisa ended up breaking her heart.

Yet there’s just something that makes her so giddy when she wakes up next to Lisa. Jennie’s starting to feel like she can’t bring herself to care about the future anymore. Maybe, just maybe, the world will allow them to have their own happy ending. Waking up next to Lisa feels like an everlasting peace, like a promise.

“I love you too, Lisa,” Jennie whispers softly, closing her eyes again to sleep a little longer. She’s not sure why she says it, but the words feel right.

“W-wuh?” However, Jennie’s confession instantly wakes a groggy Lisa up. “Wah you say, Jen?”

“Sleep a little longer,” Jennie replies, burying her face in the crook of Lisa’s neck to hide her smile. “It’s not even morning yet.”

Lisa stays quiet for a moment, long enough for Jennie to think that the younger girl really did just fall back asleep, but then she’s shifting her body a little closer to the older girl.

“I don’t think you’ve ever said that to me before.” Lisa curls her arm over Jennie, somehow cuddling even closer. “The sun’s rising soon, Jennie,” the younger girl says into Jennie’s chest.

“Yeah,” Jennie acknowledges. “If we get up now, we might be able to see it.”

Lisa hugs Jennie, sighing happily. “Won’t be as beautiful as you,” Lisa confesses cutely, pressing her smile into Jennie’s skin.

“Okay then.”

“...I still wanna see it, though…”

“Then get up?”

“You first...”

“But I’m too comfy,” Jennie complains, “and you’re too cute when you’re all sleepy.”

“I can be more than cute, though,” Lisa pouts, stretching and sitting up. She hesitates then, suddenly too preoccupied with looking at Jennie that she forgets what she was going to say.

“W-what?” Jennie asks shakily, feeling suddenly self-conscious about probably looking terrible in the morning with bed hair and no makeup on.

“Nothing,” Lisa replies simply, falling back on top of Jennie. “You just look y in the morning.”

Jennie coughs in surprise, choking on air, causing Lisa’s face to change into worry. “M-maybe we should go see that sunrise, ya? Sunrise, sunrise…” Jennie sings awkwardly, causing Lisa to suddenly burst into laughter.

“I love teasing you but I don’t even need to try and that just makes it better!”

Slightly annoyed at Lisa’s demeanor, Jennie decides that she can play this game too. “Well, I love you.”

And with those simple words, Lisa's eyes are wide and staring at Jennie with something akin to insecurity. She looks like she doesn't believe her, like soon enough Jennie will take it back and laugh at Lisa for believing her. It's happened before, more than once, with other girls Lisa used to kiss, so much so that an "I love you" just sounds like something you're supposed to say so the other person doesn't feel bad. And Lisa's in love with her, so much so that she can't imagine being loved back with the very same honest intensity.

So she waits, waits for Jennie to take it back, waits for the inevitable breaking of hearts. She waits for Jennie to give the same reasons she's heard countless times before, that this relationship wasn't meant to last because there's no happy ending in sight. Lisa waits for Jennie to be another person telling her that this isn't love, that it'll never be love, that the world will never allow it. But Jennie doesn't, doesn't even give the impression that she’s being dishonest.

Jennie, instead, continues. “You’re the most beautiful girl I've ever had the pleasure to know." Sometimes I just wanna stare at you and wonder how the hell someone can be so perfect.”

Lisa’s eyes soften, looking away shyly.

“I still don’t even know why you decided to date me, but it doesn't matter. I've never loved someone as much as I love you.” Jennie sits up, making Lisa look at her. “And it’s scary. It’s scary knowing how much I love you. It’s scary not knowing whether the future will always be this happy. But I’m happy with you, and I’m so happy to be in love with you." Jennie chuckles, a bit embarrassed. "I’m so happy that you even said yes when I asked you to come with me on this whole vacation thing.”

Then Jennie takes Lisa’s face in her hands and pulls her in for a kiss. “I’m so happy that I get to be in love with you.”

“I love you too,” Lisa answers, throwing her arms around the girl in front of her and hugging her closer.

And, yeah, Jennie just really feels like she’s managed to get a fairy tale’s happy ending when she’s with Lisa so she kisses her with a little more passion and a lot of unrestricted love.

(A/N: When I was editing I noticed that I coded Jennie as being aro-spec/aual and while I didn't originally intend it, I felt like the story was better because of it so I wrote it in more. Any feedback about the depiction of auality is greatly appreciated so I can write it better in the future!)