Nerdgasm (JenLisa)

Chapter 16

Lisa

"Are you sure this is what you're s-supposed to wear to these kinds of parties?" I ask as I adjust the white strip of fabric draped over one shoulder and around my hips. Leave it to college students to throw a toga party in winter. "And are you sure I need to be there? I'd rather stay home."

"It's a toga party, so yes." Rosé looks over and must see the discomfort on my face. "Aw, don't be shy, Lisa. You look great. You're doing the ladies a disservice by hiding these abs away, you closet hottie," she jokes. She playfully smacks me against my stomach before leveling me with a thoughtful stare. "And yes, I'm sure you need to be there. You owe me one, and you need to stop moping around the house. I know things are weird with you and Jennie, but you're set to talk to her this weekend. Cut loose tonight and give me some moral support. It's been forever since a guy's been interested in me."

"Is that who you keep texting?" I eye her cell suspiciously. Who is this guy?

"None of your business." She clutches her phone to her chest, hiding the screen from me.

"I'm going to find out eventually, Rosé."

"Yeah, well, eventually isn't right now. How do I look?"

"Like a goddess," I answer honestly. Her wavy tresses are braided away from her face into a messy bun at the base of her neck, and the style perfectly suits the long toga she's wearing. I'm used to Rosé wearing glasses and covering up so that she's not showing a lot of skin, but she's different tonight. She's wearing the contacts she so rarely uses, and while her toga covers her skin, it hugs her figure more than her usual clothing. It's odd seeing her curves on display, and a feeling of protectiveness surges through me as I look at her. "This mystery guy better treat you like one."

"We'll see," she chirps. "And thank you, Lisa. You're so sweet."

She leans in to give me a hug and a friendly peck on the cheek, which I return.

"Ready to get this toga party over with?"

"I sure am. I think you'll be surprised by how much you enjoy it, Lisa."

Doubtful, but I'm willing to give it a shot. As we make the short drive over to the frat house hosting the party, I can't help but think of Jennie.

This week without her has been awful. Between my own classes and helping Hee-chul, finals week has kept me extremely busy, so much so that I barely had a moment to let myself think of other things. Outside of studying and working, the only bright spots in my day have come from my now doubled visits to the pool and Rosé distracting me.

Our week is just about up, and I plan on taking Rosé's advice. I'll support my best friend tonight, but I fully intend on visiting Jennie tomorrow and talking things out. The time apart has helped me realize she does have a point. I've come a long way to manage and accept my stutter, but there are still times where I get self-conscious about it. I don't know if that'll ever go away, but I'm grown up enough to admit how things are.

Rosé's voice breaks through the fog of my thoughts. "You ready?"

I shake my head to clear my girlfriend from the forefront of my mind and see that we're already parked on the street where the party is being held. "I guess."

We unbuckle and head up to the house, making our way around abandoned red cups while the bass from the music inside thumps into the night. Students wearing togas in various degrees of indecency mingle around the front door and in the entryway, the crush of bodies becoming more dense the farther we head in.

I lean down to speak in Rosé's ear so she can hear me. "Where's your guy?"

She fires off a text and glances around the crowded living room, clearly searching for him. "Who?"

"Um, your guy?"

"Oh, yeah. Him." Her gaze flickers around again. "He's around here somewhere. I'll be right back. If I don't see you before the night is over, I'll see you tomorrow!"

Before I can say anything or question why I wouldn't see her later on tonight, she darts off into the throng of people who are mingling, dancing, or chugging alcohol.

Discomfort and feelings of awkwardness start to creep in as I stand here alone, the toga and boxer briefs I'm wearing making me feel even more exposed. I look out over the sea of people around me, almost desperate to find Rosé or someone else I recognize, when I feel a gentle poke in my ribs.

Turning to look at what jabbed me, I find a pair of blondes who look vaguely familiar peering up at me. They're both wearing togas, except their variation is a lot more revealing than Rosé's.

"Lisa?" one titters, red-cheeked and smiling.

"Yes?" Why are they talking to me, and where do I know them from?

"Lisa Manoban?" the other asks, placing emphasis on my last name.

"That's me. Can I help you?" My brow furrows in confusion as I look at them.

"Oh, my God. I told you it was her!" The first girl ignores me as she glances at her friend triumphantly. She looks back to me and continues to clarify. "You're our TA in our class with Professor Kim. We were debating on whether or not you were, well, you."

They both giggle at that statement, and I look between the two, completely lost. "Um, why wouldn't I be me?"

More laughter. "Well, we didn't recognize you. You're so…" the second girl trails off as her eyes scan me from waist to chin, lingering over my exposed skin. I can see her friend doing the same out of the corner of my eye, and my face warms at their slow perusal of my body. "You don't seem the party type. Not to mention, you certainly don't dress like this in class."

I state the obvious. "Class isn't a toga party."

My unenthusiastic response doesn't deter them. "Clearly," they both say at the same time.

"I'm Sonya," the first girl says with a little wave. "This is Lydia." She gestures to her friend with a tilt of her head. "Imagine our surprise when the hottie we were checking out from across the room turned out to be the very same TA we see every Thursday. Except now, you look a lot less…buttoned up."

They both lock eyes and laugh.

"I'm s-sorry? W-what?" I'm caught off guard by the blatant admission to checking me out.

"How cute is that stutter?" Lydia asks Sonya.

I'm mentally taken aback by the realization that people other than Jennie find my stutter attractive, but I'm even more surprised that I don't give a s**t what they think. The only person who I care about liking my stutter is my girlfriend, and I feel my heart squeeze at the thought of her.

"Thanks." I need to extricate myself from this conversation.

"Of course," Sonya—or is it Lydia?—purrs. "If you're up for it, we'd love to show you a good time." She pauses, staring at me as I look down at the two of them. "Together," she emphasizes with a smirk and lift of a manicured eyebrow.

Embarrassment dawns on me as I realize what they're implying. "Thanks, but n-no thanks. I have a g-girlfriend."

How is this happening to me? I glance up, looking for an escape, when my eyes land on the last person I expected to see across the room.

"Jennie." Her name leaves my lips on a sigh, nearly silent but heavy with longing.

Thankfully, the blonde duo doesn't hear me, nor do they look overly put out. "Well, if you're ever single or change your mind, our offer still stands."

Manners escape me as I mutter a despondent "thanks" and step around them to move toward Jennie.

Outside of a brief glimpse of her on Thursday during finals, we haven't seen each other, and we definitely haven't spoken. It's only been a week, but with how we left things, it was a week too long.

I miss her. Desperately.

My eyes drink in her profile greedily, cataloguing every detail as I maneuver through the group of people on my way to her.

She's a vision in a short toga, the white fabric emphasizing her lithe figure and the golden tones of her skin.

My fingers itch to touch that hair cascading down her back, looking even more shiny because of the burnished laurel headband adorning her like a crown.

Her flat stomach is bare but for the twisted fabric of the dress crisscrossing her midsection, and pride and disbelief war within me that I'm the one she's dating.

She hasn't seen me yet, and I'm half the distance to her when she turns, affording me a clearer view of her face.

I falter, my steps halting when I see a scowl on her normally smiling face. The indignant expression she's wearing is at odds with the lively party going on around her, and when she opens her mouth to say something, a brawny arm reaches out to grip her arm and pull her close. My eyes immediately swivel to whoever just grabbed her, and ice runs through my veins when I realize who it is.

June.