my prized possession

CHAPTER 5

The entire class period, I couldn't stop smiling. I must have looked like a complete maniac, but I didn’t care. Jackson Cooker likes me. He’s actually going to ask me out.

If someone had told me that a few months ago, I would’ve laughed so hard I’d cry. Me? Vanessa Parker? The shy girl who could barely say “hi” to him without turning red? No way. But now... now, all the fantasies I’ve tucked away in my heart are suddenly stepping into the light. This isn’t just a daydream anymore—this is real.

After class, Jackson strolled up to my locker. My heart nearly stopped. I smiled nervously, and to my surprise, he smiled back—soft, easy, and warm. Then, casually, like it was nothing, he said, “I’ll be expecting you today,” and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.

I froze.

The world around me went silent. I couldn’t breathe. Jackson kissed me. Not a dream. Not a fantasy. Right there, in the hallway. In real life.

As he walked away, I stood there in a daze, heart pounding so loudly I could hear it echo in my ears. My fingers lightly brushed the spot where his lips had touched, and a strange tightness crept into my chest—not joy exactly, but something else.

Something uncertain.

That’s when I saw Annabella walking toward me, practically beaming. I rushed to her and pulled her aside.

“Annabella,” I whispered, almost shaking, “I don’t like how this is going. It’s… it’s happening too fast.”

She blinked, confused. “What are you talking about? What’s wrong?”

“Jackson just… kissed me. On the cheek.”

She burst out laughing, the sound bright and carefree. “That’s why you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” she teased. “I told you he likes you! This is everything you’ve dreamed about, V. Nothing’s happening too fast—it’s happening exactly when it’s supposed to. It’s fate.”

I wanted to believe her. I really did. But under the butterflies and blushing cheeks was a flicker of fear—because when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

She gently touched my cheek, still warm from Jackson’s kiss, and smiled. “You deserve this. All of it.”

Maybe she was right. Maybe fate was finally on my side.

Annabella slipped her arm through mine. “Come on,” she said. “I’m driving you home.”

As we walked out together, my heart still thudding, I realized something: I was standing at the edge of something big. And for once, I wasn’t running away.

When I got home, I quickly freshened up, scribbled a note for my stepdad telling him where Iwas going, and grabbed my bag. I couldn’t sit still—I was already halfway out the door before the ink had dried. Jackson’s house was waiting, and so was whatever this thing between us was turning into.

When I arrived, the housekeeper opened the door with a familiar smile. “Jackson’s upstairs, waiting for you,” she said kindly. I nodded, then asked, “Is his mom around?”

She shook her head. “Not today. That drink you two were planning will have to wait.”

I offered a polite smile, but my stomach twisted with nerves. Somehow, knowing Jackson’s mom wasn’t home made the visit feel… different. More intense.

I climbed the stairs, my heart thudding with every step. By the time I reached his door, my palms were sweating. I paused, took a deep breath—then another—and knocked.

The door opened.

And there he was.

Shirtless.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. My eyes widened. My brain short-circuited. I stood there, frozen like someone had hit the “pause” button on my life. He waved a hand in front of my face, and I blinked back to reality, mentally screaming at myself to get it together.

He chuckled softly and said, “Come in.”

I stepped into the room, cheeks burning and head spinning. Why was he shirtless? Did he do it on purpose? Was it just hot in here—or was that just me? My thoughts were everywhere and nowhere at once.

Jackson glanced at me, noticing my panic like it was painted on my face. “Are you okay?”

I nodded too quickly, my voice caught in my throat.

“Do you need anything?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“Water,” I said in a rush. “I just… water, please.”

He nodded and left the room, giving me a moment to collect what little was left of my sanity.

The second the door closed behind him, I yanked my phone out and texted Annabella:

"I just had a panic attack because I saw Jackson shirtless."

Her reply came in seconds:

"Really? Hope you don’t pass out when you see the full package"

—with a laughing emoji, of course.

Seriously? I’m having a meltdown, and she’s cracking jokes? Typical Annabella. Still, her text made me smile.

Just as I started typing a response, the door opened again.

I threw my phone back in my bag as Jackson walked in, handing me a glass of water. I took it, trying not to look directly at his chest again. I sipped slowly, aware of his gaze locked on me like I was some sort of mystery he was trying to solve. I pretended not to notice, even though the heat of his stare burned through me.

When I finished, I handed him the glass. He placed it carefully on the table by his bed.

“So… ready to study?” I asked, forcing a smile.

He looked at me one more time—like he was trying to read something in my eyes—before grabbing his books and notebook.

This wasn’t awkward at all.

I let out a frustrated sigh.