my prized possession

CHAPTER 8

Today started out perfectly. I woke up with a strange but welcome sense of peace—a lightness in my chest. I had breakfast with my family, grinning like a fool the entire time.

And now here I was, standing in front of the school that gave me Jackson.

I let out a soft breath and smiled to myself.

As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I spotted Annabella. My face lit up, and I made my way toward her. She saw me and smiled like a maniac, rushing in for a hug.

“Well?” she asked, eyes gleaming. “How are you feeling today?”

I leaned in and whispered with a grin, “I feel less like a virgin.”

She burst out laughing, and we both doubled over in giggles.

But then, something shifted.

Jackson walked by.

I smiled at him, warm and full of yesterday’s memories—but he only nodded at me. Not even a real smile. Just a wave. Directed... at Annabella.

Wait. What?

My heart sank. He was perfectly fine when he dropped me off last night. What changed?

Then it hit me. Noah. It must be my reaction to Noah. He noticed... didn't he?

Annabella leaned in, her voice low and curious. “What was that? He doesn’t look like a guy who just had the night of his life.”

I swallowed, trying to hide the knot forming in my throat. “I don’t know. I’ll talk to him later. Maybe something’s wrong.”

We headed to class, but my mind wasn’t in it.

At break, I searched for Jackson. He was with his clique—laughing, talking, and completely ignoring me. Not even a glance. It was like I didn’t exist.

I sat down for lunch, trying to eat, but the food tasted like paper. Annabella watched me closely.

“Hey, maybe something happened at home?” she offered gently.

I shook my head. “Then why is he smiling at everyone but me?”

No answer came. Just silence. That hurt more than anything.

I shoved my tray aside and stood up. “I need air.”

Today... was definitely not going the way I’d imagined it.

When school ended, I made up my mind. I’d talk to him. No waiting till later—I needed to know where we stood.

I spotted Jackson heading toward the parking lot. Perfect. Maybe we could talk in his car, away from everyone else.

But just as I reached the doors, I saw him.

Noah.

Leaning casually against a sleek black car like he was posing for a magazine cover. Jackson walked straight to him, grinning, and the two exchanged a quick handshake.

I stood frozen, watching as Jackson got into the passenger side. Noah's gaze found mine, and for a moment, I couldn't move. Couldn’t breathe.

He gave me a nod—just that—and got into the car. Then they were gone.

Just like that.

Someone touched my shoulder, snapping me out of it. I turned and saw Annabella staring at me curiously.

“Why were you standing like a statue?” she asked. “And who was that?”

I looked at the spot where the car had been seconds ago. “That’s Jackson’s cousin. Noah.”

Annabella raised an eyebrow. “Oh. You forgot to mention that little detail.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “I just remembered.”

She looked like she wanted to ask more, but I cut her off.

“I need to go home.”

Before she could say another word, I turned and left—my thoughts a storm I couldn’t tame.

I waited all evening, watching the clock as it ticked down the minutes until it was reasonable enough to head over to Jackson’s house. I needed to clear the air, to explain what happened, or at least try to. The weight of being ignored all day had settled heavily on my chest.

Before leaving, I told the twins where I was going. They were home—which was rare—and that alone felt off, but I didn’t dwell on it. My thoughts were occupied.

Now, standing in front of Jackson’s door, I exhaled deeply, trying to calm the anxiety clawing at my stomach. My fist hovered near the door, just about to knock—

It swung open.

I took a startled step back.

Noah.

He stood there, tall and effortless, and everything in me paused. His presence pulled at something inside me, something I wasn’t ready to name. The air between us felt suddenly thick.

Then he spoke, his voice that perfect mix of deep and raspy. “Hey, you. Are you okay?”

I blinked, his words grounding me back to the moment. “Uhmm, yeah. I’m fine. Is Jackson home?”

A smile tugged at his lips, and for a second, it made my heart stumble. “Yeah, of course. I don’t think he’d want to miss today's study session.”

I frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he leaned a little closer, his voice dropping with amusement. “This time... try focusing on the book, not the body. And tone it down a little.”

He smirked, then stepped past me and disappeared down the street like he hadn’t just shattered my dignity in five seconds flat.

My entire body flushed. My face had to be ten shades of red.

He heard us.

Oh. My. God.

Just when I thought today couldn’t get any more mortifying, Noah delivered a final blow that left me reeling.

Groaning under my breath, I pushed open the door and walked inside, doing my best to gather whatever scraps of dignity I had left.

I climbed the stairs to Jackson’s room, each step heavier than the last. I paused in front of his door and knocked softly.

“Come in,” his voice came through.

I pushed the door open slowly, not knowing what to expect. The moment his eyes met mine, he stood and walked toward me without hesitation. Then, without a word, he kissed me.

I froze.

What was happening?

He was supposed to be upset. Distant. Cold. But here he was, kissing me like he hadn't ignored me all day. I was too stunned to respond at first—but eventually, I melted into it. The kiss deepened, long and breathless, as if trying to erase everything that happened earlier.

When we pulled apart, he whispered, “I missed you.”

I blinked. Missed me? My mind scrambled for clarity.

“I don’t understand,” I said, stepping away from him and sitting down on his bed. “You’ve been ignoring me all day. Acting like I don’t exist. Why would you do that?”

He came down to my level, kneeling in front of me, his hands wrapping around mine.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just... at school, I have a reputation. I can’t ruin that by being seen with—” He stopped himself.

But the damage was already done.

Being seen with me.

It felt like a slap. Like I was a blemish on his perfectly curated image.

I pulled my hands away, blinking back the heat behind my eyes. “Right. I forgot I’m not cool enough to be seen with. Just the girl you sleep with behind closed doors.”

I stood up, anger rising in my chest like a tide I couldn’t stop. “Don’t worry. I won’t stain your reputation.”

He reached out to stop me. “Vanessa, wait. Please. I didn’t mean it like that—”

But I was already walking away. I couldn’t stay. Not after that.

I stormed down the stairs, heart pounding, and came to an abrupt stop in the living room.

There he was—Noah.

Sitting calmly on the couch, flipping through a book like he wasn’t part of the storm brewing in my life.

He looked up when he saw me. His expression changed the moment he saw my face.

“What happened?” he asked, voice calm but concerned.

I couldn’t speak. I shook my head and bolted out the door, my chest tightening with every step.

Today was supposed to be good. It was supposed to be good.

But it turned out to be the worst day of my life.