LINES YOU DON'T CROSS
1250 Words
Chapter 10
The apartment was louder than usual. Jasmine paused outside the door for a second, hearing laughter from inside. Tessa’s voice mixed with Jayden’s, followed by an argument that sounded far too serious for whatever they were discussing. That alone made her suspicious. She pushed the door open quietly.
“…and I’m telling you, you’re wrong,” Jayden said from the couch, leaning comfortably toward Tessa. His fingers brushing her thick red hair behind her ears and then resting his palm on her cheeks.
Tessa didn’t move away. She barely even reacted.
“You’re younger than me,” she replied calmly. “Relax yourself.”
Jayden grinned. “Age is just a number. Besides it's just a year difference” He took his hand back
Tessa slowly stared at him. “Jasmine is my best friend, you are like my brother.”
Jayden blinked. “…That was unnecessary.”
“I’m trying to protect you from embarrassment.”
“Baby brother-zoning me is cruel.”
That was when both of them noticed Jasmine standing there. Jayden immediately shifted away from Tessa like he’d been caught committing a crime.
“Nothing happened,” he said quickly.
Jasmine folded her arms. “I didn’t even ask.”
“Good,” he replied. “Because there’s nothing to explain.”
Tessa chuckled. “You panic too easily.”
Jayden grabbed his phone and stood up. “I suddenly remembered I have responsibilities.”
“You don’t even pay bills,” Jasmine pointed out.
“I still have responsibilities.”
And just like that, he disappeared into his room. Tessa watched him leave and shook her head. “Coward.”
Jasmine laughed softly for the first time that day and walked over to hug her. Tessa hugged her back immediately. Tighter than usual. The smile on her face faded after a few seconds.
“What’s wrong?”
Jasmine pulled back slowly. “…A lot.”
Tessa sat up straighter immediately. “Start talking.”
Jasmine hesitated before sitting beside her. For a moment, she stared at her own hands, unsure where to begin. Then the words started coming. The messages. The unknown number. The feeling of constantly being watched. The black car.
The strange timing of everything happening around her. Tessa listened without interrupting this time. And the more Jasmine spoke, the darker her expression became.
When Jasmine finally finished, silence filled the room. Then Tessa leaned back slowly.
“You’re telling me someone has been watching you this whole time?”
Jasmine nodded weakly.
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t know how to.”
“No,” Tessa said sharply, “that’s not an excuse.”
Jasmine looked down immediately.
Tessa sighed and rubbed her forehead before continuing more calmly.
“You don’t deal with things like this by yourself, Jasmine.”
“I know.”
“Do you?” Tessa asked. “Because this is serious.”
Jasmine swallowed hard.
“I think I was scared to say it out loud,” she admitted quietly. “Like if I admitted it was real, then it would become worse.”
Tessa’s expression softened slightly after hearing that.
“Okay,” she said after a moment. “Fine. We’ll figure it out.”
Jasmine shook her head quickly. “Don’t tell mom.”
“Why?”
“She already worries too much.”
“That’s because your life keeps turning into a thriller movie.”
Jasmine let out a tired laugh. But Tessa still looked serious.
“You’re sure Jason isn’t connected to this somehow?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
That answer bothered both of them. A short silence followed before Jasmine spoke again.
“I’m going to break up with him.”
Tessa blinked once in surprise. “Finally.”
“But not yet.”
Immediately, Tessa frowned. “Why?”
Jasmine leaned back against the couch slowly.
“Because he’s unstable right now,” she admitted. “And I don’t know what he’ll do if I push too hard.” Tessa stared at her for a long moment.
“You’re still protecting him.”
Jasmine didn’t argue. Because she knew it was true. Before either of them could continue, Jayden suddenly reappeared from the hallway carrying chips. He stopped immediately after noticing the tension.
“…Should I leave again?”
“Yes,” Tessa and Jasmine answered together.
Jayden raised both hands. “Understood.”
But instead of leaving, he sat in the armchair nearby.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” Jasmine said automatically.
Jayden gave her a look. “You’ve literally said ‘nothing’ before every terrible situation in your life.”
Tessa snorted.
Jasmine rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the support.”
“I’m serious,” Jayden replied, his expression softening slightly. “You’ve been different lately.”
Jasmine looked away. Jayden noticed that too. And suddenly, his joking tone disappeared completely.
“Did Jason do something?”
The room went quiet again. Tessa answered before Jasmine could. “Yes.”
Jayden’s jaw tightened instantly. “What did he do?”
“Nothing happened,” Jasmine said quickly.
“That’s not reassuring.”
“He just… lost control for a second.”
Jayden sat forward immediately. “What does that mean?”
Jayden looked furious now.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“You’re not killing anybody,” Jasmine replied.
“No man hurts you while I live.”
Jasmine shook her head tiredly. “Can we please not make this worse?” Jayden looked at her carefully before nodding once. But the anger stayed in his face.
And Jasmine noticed. For the first time, she realized her problems weren’t only affecting her anymore. They were spreading into the people around her.
***Across the city
A man stood nervously in the middle of Williams’ office, sweat visible on his forehead.
“I’ll pay everything back,” he said quickly. “I just need more time.”
Williams sat quietly behind the desk, watching him.
Nicholas stood nearby holding a tablet, expression unreadable.
“You signed the contract,” Williams said calmly.
“Yes, but circumstances changed—”
“You agreed to the terms.”
The man swallowed hard. “I understand that, but my company just needs another month.”
Williams rose slowly from his chair.
The man immediately stopped talking.
Fear settled into his expression almost instantly. Williams walked toward him at an unhurried pace.
“You assumed delay would earn sympathy,” he said.
“No, sir, I just thought—”
“That was your mistake.”
The man’s breathing became uneven.
“I can fix this,” he said desperately. “Please.”
Williams studied him for a few quiet seconds, then stepped aside slightly.
“Leave.”
The man blinked in disbelief.
“…I can go?”
No answer came. Nicholas moved aside, clearing the path to the door.
Relief flooded the man’s face instantly.
He turned and hurried toward the exit, almost stumbling in his rush to escape.
His hand touched the door.
A gunshot echoed through the room.
The man collapsed instantly. Silence followed.
Williams lowered the gun calmly, expression unchanged.
“Delayed consequences create false hope,” he said.
Nicholas stepped forward without hesitation.
“Understood.”
Williams handed him the gun.
“Handle it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Williams adjusted his sleeve and walked out of the room like nothing unusual had happened.
Because to him— nothing had.
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