Friday night. Ben's house. Packed.
The kind of party where the bass shakes the walls, red cups litter the floor, and half the people there are already three shots too deep.
Molly hadn't planned on going. She almost bailed.
But something in her snapped.
She couldn't keep doing this - hiding, deflecting, pretending like Jessica wasn't branded into her bloodstream.
So she pulled on a short black dress. Straightened her hair. Smoothed on gloss and eyeliner with hands that shook.
And when she walked in? She owned the room.
Or, at least, she tried to.
Until she saw Jessica.
Jessica was standing near the speakers, drink in hand, wearing high-waisted jeans and a red velvet crop top that barely contained her.
Selene had her hand on Jessica's waist.
They were laughing. Whispering. Faces close.
Jake caught Molly staring and leaned over from the couch.
"You okay?"
"Peachy," Molly muttered, dragging her eyes away.
She took a shot. Then another. The burn barely registered.
She didn't look back. She wouldn't look back.
Until the music shifted.
Something slower. Sexier.
And when she did look - Jessica was on the dance floor.
Back against Selene. Moving like sin. Head tilted back, lips parted.
Selene's hands were on her hips. Mouth at her neck.
Molly's stomach twisted violently.
Ben appeared at her side, eyebrows raised. "Want to get some air?"
She barely heard him. Her entire world narrowed to the two girls under the flickering party lights.
Selene leaned in. Whispered something against Jessica's ear.
And Jessica nodded.
Then took her hand.
And they disappeared down the hall.
Molly didn't mean to follow.
She really, really didn't.
But her feet moved on their own.
Down the hall. Past the bathroom. To the slightly cracked door of the guest bedroom.
The sound that slipped through stopped her cold.
A moan. Low. Breathless. Familiar.
Her pulse spiked.
She shouldn't. She really shouldn't.
But her hand pushed the door open an inch more.
And there they were.
Jessica's head thrown back against the pillows, shirt ridden up to her ribs, Selene's mouth on her chest. One hand buried between her thighs, the other bracing her leg open.
Jessica whimpered, hips grinding up into her touch, hair tangled across the pillow.
"Fuck, Selene - "
Molly's breath caught in her throat.
She backed away like she'd been shot.
Her chest burned. Her eyes stung.
She shoved the door shut and practically ran out of the house.
Jessica stepped out of the bedroom, dazed.
Selene kissed her on the cheek and wandered off.
Jake found her in the kitchen, refilling a drink.
"Hey," he said, glancing at his phone. "Molly left."
Jessica blinked. "What? When?"
"Right after you disappeared."
Something in her expression shifted. "Shit."
The next day, Jessica showed up at Molly's house.
No warning. No text. Just banged on the front door until someone answered.
Molly came to the porch in sweatpants and a hoodie, eyes puffy, like she hadn't slept.
Jessica crossed her arms.
"You ghosted me again."
"I saw you with Selene."
"So?"
"I heard you. I - " Molly cut herself off, voice cracking. "I saw you."
Jessica's mouth parted.
"You don't get to act like you want me," Molly said, voice rising, "and then go and fuck someone else!"
Jessica took a step forward. "You don't get to act like you don't want me, and then be mad when I stop waiting around."
Molly's throat worked around a thousand things she wanted to scream. Instead, she said:
"You looked like you belonged to her."
Jessica's jaw clenched. "Maybe I wanted you to feel what it's like. To want something and be too late."
Silence burned between them like wildfire.
"I was going to tell her no," Jessica said, softer now. "I was going to wait for you to stop hiding. But you took too long."
"I'm sorry," Molly whispered.
Jessica's voice was cold. "Not good enough."