After that night at the bookstore, everything shifted.
Something had cracked open between them - something raw and electric and real. But instead of letting it bloom, Molly slammed the door shut.
For two whole days, she avoided Jessica like she was contagious.
No texts. No calls. No cryptic memes or late-night "you up?" messages. And definitely no tutoring sessions. It was like the kiss had never happened - like it had been erased with a wave of shame and denial.
Jessica tried to stay cool. She buried herself in her homework, threw herself into her shifts, pretended she didn't care. But pretending only worked until the moment she saw Molly in the hallway between third and fourth period - and Molly actually turned around and walked the other way.
Like Jessica was a fire she couldn't risk getting close to.
That did it.
By Friday afternoon, Jessica was done playing polite. She waited outside the gym, arms crossed, heart pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. When Molly stepped out, hair damp from practice, laughing at something Ben said - Jessica stepped right into her path.
Molly froze mid-step.
"What the hell is your problem?" Jessica snapped, voice louder than she intended.
Ben raised an eyebrow and quickly disappeared, muttering something about not wanting to be caught in crossfire.
Molly shifted her bag on her shoulder and looked everywhere but at Jessica. "There's no problem."
Jessica laughed, bitter and incredulous. "Are you serious right now? You showed up at my job, kissed me like it meant something, like you meant it - and now you're acting like I have the plague?"
Molly's jaw tightened. "You kissed me."
Jessica blinked. "What?"
Molly crossed her arms, her tone turning sharp. Cold. "You kissed me. Not the other way around."
Jessica took a shaky breath. "So that's what this is? Denial? You're embarrassed?"
"It was a mistake," Molly said flatly.
The words landed like a punch. Jessica's heart stuttered in her chest, then dropped.
"Oh. Right." Her voice turned steel. "Of course. Molly Hastings doesn't make mistakes - unless it's letting the bookstore freak get too close."
Molly's mask faltered. "That's not what I - "
But Jessica was already backing away, blinking fast, her chest tight.
"No," she said, voice trembling under the surface. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to crawl into my world, kiss me like you mean it, and then pretend like it never happened. Like I never happened."
Molly took a step forward. "Jess - "
"Don't." Jessica held up a hand, her voice quieter now, heavier. "Don't say anything unless it's real."
She turned and walked away, her boots echoing on the hallway floor, leaving Molly standing there, frozen in place, regret blooming too late behind her ribs.