•Following Friday•
-Cross Country Meet-

I standing up straight and I stretch my arm across my chest. "Is this fine?" She asks. "Yes, maybe push a little harder." She carefully pushes my arm a little more, I feel my muscles stretching. She stops and I toss my arm down, it feels great. "Is it normal to feel this nervous?" I ask her. She smiles and stretches down the middle.

"You'll do great Jungkook, just keep a open mind." She tells me. "Lalisaaaaa, you've done this before." I tell her. She stands up straight and sets her hands on her hips, "Jungkook, you're faster than our whole team." She says. "Doesn't mean I'm faster than everyone else." She raises an eyebrow. "Just take it easy, like its practice." She nods. "You'll keep up with me, right?" I ask. She nods. "I've been able to after my conditioning." She adds.

"Good, I don't want to run alone." I confess. "And even if I can't keep up, just continue on without me." She smiles. Run without her? Seems bazar to me. I shake my head, "Yes Jungkook, you better or I won't buy you ice cream." I chuckle, "I can buy my own ice cream." She laughs. "Just do it!" She smacks my arm. I'd still feel weird continuing without her.

"Runners, please get in position!" The announcer announces. I look at Lalisa, the nerves are taking over me. "It'll be fine, come on." She says. She grabs my wrist and pulls me to the swarm of people who are also running. They have us lined up by schools, so that it's not unfair if schools are ahead of others. Lalisa and I are in the back of our line.

She looks back at me, "Don't be nervous, that's when you mess up." She tells me. I nod and shake it off. "Ready! Set! Go!" And a shot is fired and many people take off, Lalisa and I start with a slow jog like we always do during practice. The problem is, people take off too fast and lose their energy too early.

In seconds I envision myself in practice. Lalisa and I jog side by side. People cheering on both of our sides. We jog about two miles before passing up all the people who took off fast in the beginning, they all look tired. Lalisa and I look at each other and we take off at our speed we usually run for practice. We run pass several more people.

"Come on Lalisa." I say quickly before going back to focusing on my breathing. She's keeping up with me, but I think because my legs are longer, I have a bit of a lead on her. We almost see the finish line. "I'm not finishing without you." I tell her. She nods. "Let's finish strong." She says out of breath.

We start to sprint towards the finish, I make sure she's right next to me and not trailing behind. She stays next to me as we run for our lives. We pass the finish line and many cheers fill our ears. We run up to the end where we're supposed to stop. We both pick our arms up over our heads to open our lungs.

I instantly see my mother and Jennie's mother as well, they're both holding up signs that say "Go Jungkook! Go Lalisa!" I smile, I had made sure that my mother would put her name too because her parents couldn't come and see her run. They seem too busy all the time to ever see her do anything. Lalisa smiles to the sight.

"So you're Lalisa!" My mother exclaims, oh gosh.. here it comes. "Wow! You are pretty, I've been dying to see what you look like since Jungkook talked about you at dinner." My face heats up. Jennie's mother stares at Lalisa's face, her face heats up. "Oh, haha thank you." She says fixing her pony tail. "You must be really fast to keep up with my Kookie." My mother explains.

"Kookie??" Lalisa chuckles and looks at me. Oh, I'm so embarrassed. "Here, here. Get together, I want to take a picture!" My mother directs us. She hands Lalisa the poster, she holds one side of it as I hold the other. "Arm around Jungkook." Jennie's mother says. "Oh yes! Yes! Put your arm around her!" My mother now is happy, I'm surprised she hadn't thought about it earlier.

I put my arm around her and she wraps her right arm around me. "Smile big, one, two, three." And my mother and Jennie's mother take several pictures. "You two are so adorable!" My mother screams. Lalisa and I let go of each other. "Lalisa, would you like to have dinner with us? To celebrate?" My mother asks.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude." She says handing my mother the poster. "Oh, it would be no trouble honestly. And you wouldn't intrude, I asked if you'd join us. Jungkook would like it very much." My eyes widen, why is she putting this on me?! I mean, it would be nice for her to eat with us, I wouldn't mind at all. "I'll have to ask my parents." She grins.

"Jungkook! Lalisa! You two won first place!" Coach Jung exclaims. We turn and look at him. "Both of you have the highest time in the league, ever!" He smiles. We were pulled away from the crowd and we were presented metals for our achievements. Of course Lalisa is the fasted girl out of everyone, I knew she would. We all take a team photo and also congratulate the other winners.

We all head back to the school bus, I wave off to my mother and Jennie's mother. I know they're going to go home and begin to make dinner. I sit next to the window and Lalisa sits next to me. "So you're going to have dinner with us, right?" I ask. She bites her lip, "I don't know.. I have to see what my parents will say." I nod. I stare at her face for a while, "Are you okay?" I ask.

She slowly nods and lays back, "I'm just a little tired." She confesses. "It's okay to sleep, it's an hour drive." I say. She nods and unexpectedly leans into me, laying her head on my shoulder, I stiffen up. "This is okay... right?" She asks. "Yes.." I say some how. She wraps her arms around my bicep and closes her eyes. I become a bit tired myself, and soon the the school bus was quiet because everyone had fallen asleep.

**
•Thirty minutes later•

I slowly open my eyes, when I open my eyes there are some of the girls that are on the team... staring at me. "You guys are such a cute couple." One of them says, I hadn't noticed that I was leaning against the window and Lalisa was now laying on my chest. My heart starts to pound like crazy, what do I do? Wake her up? "W-We're not together." I find the guts to say.

"Oh? I thought you were." Another girl says. Wow, longest conversation I've ever had with other girls. I get into my shook state and stare out the window. When we're almost at the school I tap Lalisa's shoulder. She buries her face in my chest, my heart is going to burst.. I swear. "Lalisa, we're almost at the school." I say with a shaky voice.

She sits up rubbing her eyes and I take the chance to sit up straight. She finally opens her eyes and fixes her hair. "Oh, I'm sorry." She says. I shake my head, "It's okay, That's what friends are for." I tell her. She slowly closes her eyes and grins. "You're such a good friend." She whispers.

"I really cherish your friendship Jungkook." She looks at me, her eyes slowly becoming more lively. I fine myself smiling. "Really?" I ask. She grins and nods, "Yes, you're the only real friend I've made here." She tells me. Wow, not even Jennie has ever said that to me. "I haven't had a great friend in a long time." She adds.

"I think I've been in need of a friend like you." I say. She returns a smile. The bus stops and we're back on school grounds, we all exit the bus and head into the gymnasium. The coach gave us a speech before we all go to our gym lockers and gather our belongings to leave. When I wait outside for Lalisa I see a sad expression on her face.

I stand up from the bench and she walks pass me, "Lalisa?" I call her. She stops. "Thanks for the invitation for dinner, but I can't tonight. Please don't hate me." She says, not even looking at me. I stare at the back of her head, confused. She was fine a couple minutes ago. "Do you want me to walk you home?" I ask and she shakes her head before walking away without a word.

I then remember how she'd treat me when I was sad, I fix my bag before following her. "Stop Jungkook." She heard me following her. "Lalisa, you shouldn't-", "Just don't worry about it. I'm fine." She says continuing to walk away and I walk after her. Out of no where she starts to run away and I stop in my tracks, staring at her.

I'm so confused, beyond.

**

"I won my meet today." I explain over the phone as I pull on my sweater. "Are you almost done talking? I have to go back to work." I stare into my locker, "I won first place, I'm the fastest in the girl league.." I add. "You done now?" My father asks. "Mm, I actually wanted to ask you. My friend Jungkook, his mother invited me to dinner for a celebration on our win. And I wanted to know if I can go?"

I hear a heavy breath, "Why? No, just go home and don't go anywhere else. I'd think you'd be worried about your grades than some stupid dinner. Go home, and I better not find out that you went to that dinner." He hangs up the call. I drop my arm from my face and throw my phone in my bag.

I wipe my eyes and shut my locker. He doesn't understand, but I can't ask my mother because I can only listen to my father. I walk out of campus and start to walk home. "Lalisa?" I hear his voice. I bite my lip. "Thanks for the invitation for dinner, but I can't tonight. Please don't hate me." I say, I don't look at him.

I don't want to look weak. I feel his stare on the back of her head. "Do you want me to walk you home?" He asks and I shake my head before walking away without a word. I then hope that he'll just let things be and let me walk home alone.

"Stop Jungkook." She could feel him following me. "Lalisa, you shouldn't-", "Just don't worry about it. I'm fine." I reassured him as I continue to walk away and I hear him come after me again. Though my legs are aching, I force myself to run away, and I don't hear footsteps anymore. Tears stream from my eyes and down my cheeks.

All I wanted was to have dinner with a normal family, and my father had to ruin everything. I finally make it to my house and I then hear fast footsteps. "Jungkook, stop!" I open the gate to my house and I'm about to close it when a heavy hand stops it. I drop my head and don't look at him. I turn around and walk to the front door of my house.

A hand grips my wrist, "You don't have to tell me what's wrong. Just let me comfort you." I hear his voice. I try to pull my wrist away. "Stop, Lalisa." He says pulling back and turning me around, I see him drop his bag on the floor. I keep my head down, he wraps his arms around me and I try to push him away.

His grip tightens and I instantly break down, my hands gripping his sweater. I wrap my arms around him, "It's okay to cry Lalisa." He whispers. "I hate him.." I whisper. "What?" He asks. I push away from him and rush up to my front door. I look down at my keys, my tears blurring my vision. I can't see the right key.

Why do I have so many keys!? I feel a force pull off my bag and I freeze. "Don't push me away, Lalisa." He whispers. I finally look up at him, "Why does it matter?" I ask, my voice shaking and he stares into my puffy eyes. "Because you're my friend." He says simply. "And I care about you." He adds. "Don't cry." He slowly pulls me back into his arms, I become extremely confused.

What is this feeling in my chest? Why does being this close to him, make me feel so much better? But I can't let these feelings grow, he loves Jennie. I don't belong anywhere. Just like I don't belong in this town.

I just shut my eyes tight letting my tears fall, his warmth making the chilly air a little more bearable.

What are you doing to me Jungkook?

**

I stare in the distance. I let in a breath, shaking my head. Why does he care about her so much? What is so amazing about her, that he's fighting for her like this? I see him pull her into another hug, "Baby, I got you your favorite." I hear him. I quickly snap out of it and turn to him. I smile. "Thank you." I say.

He returns the smile and grabs ahold of my hand, pulling me away from the stupid sight.

It's not like I care anyways.

**

I slowly nod, "That's a shame baby, I'm sure it's for a good reason then." My mother says. "Yeah." I answer as I play with my noodles. "Why don't you take her over some food." She suggests. My eyes light up. "Okay, I think that's a great idea." I say. She smiles. "Well, eat first and then you can take her some food in a plastic container."

She laughs at me, I become confused. "Ah, Jungkook. Look at you, caring for another girl who isn't Jennie." My eyebrows knit. Jennie. I hadn't even thought about her all day, I've been so concentrated on other things. "I still care about Jennie." I whisper. "No, I know. I just think it's cute.", "Lalisa is my friend." I say. She nods. "Okay." But she still has that smile on her face.

I raise an eyebrow and look down at my food, stuffing all I can in my food. When I look up my mother is already getting the food ready for Lalisa. "Don't stuff your mouth too much Jungkook." I nod and chew slowly. When I finish my food I get up and my mother hands me the nicely wrapped food.

She kisses my cheek and pats my head. "Thank you eomma." I say, I walk up to the door and when I open it my heart stops. "Hi, Kookie. My mother told me you won first place." She smiles. I slowly nod. "Yes, I-I did." She smiles wide. "I wish I could have seen, I'll hopefully see you the next time." She sees the food in my hand. "Who is that for?" She asks. I look down at it, and when I look up at her the smile that was once there, is gone.

She raises an eyebrow, "For my friend Lalisa, because she won first place too." I explain. "Oh, that's cool.. I guess." She let's out a breath. She looks away from me, how come the mention of Lalisa has made her act this way? "I actually have to go, I have a date with Taehyung." My lips part and I stare at her with a sad expression.

"Bye." She says coldly as she walks down the step and to her house. I stand there staring at the space she once stood in. I blink a couple times before closing the door of my house and head towards Lalisa's house. It only takes me a few minutes to get there and I knock on her front door.

I seek at my clock seeing that it's only 5:30, she should be eating dinner. I look at the drive way and there's no cars, she's still home alone. I knock on the door again and this time I hear foot steps. "Oh, Jungkook." She says, she looks much better than she did before. "I brought you dinner, we both won after all. My mother insisted that I bring you some." I grin, showing her the food.

She smiles, "Oh, thank you Jungkook. That's so nice of you." She takes it from my hand. "Are you feeling better?" I ask. She slowly nods. "I am.." she frowns and leans against the door frame. "I'm sorry that I pushed you away so much today.. my father just gets me so mad sometimes." She says looking down at the wrapped food.

"Don't apologize." I say. She doesn't say another thing, instead she leans forward and hugs me. Since she's standing on the top step, she's a bit taller than me. Her arms around my neck, I become frozen. "Thank you, for everything." she whispers before pulling away. She steps into her house. "Good night Jungkook." She smiles. "Good night." I some how say.

And she closes the door, I don't really know what to think of today. I don't think of Jennie at all and I'm with Lalisa basically the whole day. Then when my mother thinks of something nice to do for Lalisa, I take her food and Jennie shows up out of no where. What is this?

Today has showed me how amazing it is having Lalisa as a friend, and that it's okay that she has worries in life.. everyone does. The thing I'm happy about is that we were able to fight through it all and I was able to comfort her like friends do.

Today also showed me how much I need to get back on the ball with my feelings for Jennie, just the thought of her at this moment has my heart racing. From the several sessions with Lalisa on the confessions, I think I'd be ready soon. Jennie needs to know that I'm head over heals in love with her.

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