Love maybe....

Rumours

By Monday morning, Jess could barely focus.

She had spent the entire weekend replaying the moment with Tania in her head-the teasing smile, the way she said " perfect boyfriend, perfect life," with the strange feeling Jess got when she was around her.

It was annoying.

And confusing.

And impossible to ignore.

Jess stood in front of the mirror that morning, adjusting her school uniform for the third time.

Her phone buzzed

MALAKAI:

Good morning pretty girl❤️, picking you up in 10

Jess started at the message.

Normally it would make her smile.

Today, it just made her feel guilty.

She typed back:

Okay:)

A lie hidden in a smiley face.

Perfect.

Just like always.

At hartwich high school, Monday were always loud.

Students rushed through the hallways, teachers shouted warnings about the late assignments, and gossip moved faster than the school wi-fi.

The moment Jess stepped out of Malakai's car, people noticed.

Because of course they did.

They were that couple.

The couple everyone admired.

The couple everyone watched.

Malakai leaned against his car and smiled.

"Lunch later"?

Jess nodded.

"Yeah"

He kissed her forehead.

" Don't miss me to much".

She forced a laugh.

"Yes".

Amara grabbed her arm dramatically.

"She looks like trouble".

Jess muttered, "you have no idea".

Amara narrowed her eyes.

"Wait.....why do you sound like you know?"

Jess walked faster.

"I don't."

"Jessica."

"I said I don't"

That even made Amara even more suspicious.

"I'll try"

As she walked towards the building, she could already feel eyes on her.

But not for the usual reason.

Because standing near the front entrance-

Was Tania.

And somehow, she looked like she has always belonged there.

She wore school uniform like it had been designed for her, her curls framed her face perfectly and there was something effortlessly confident about the way she stood there, like she didn't need anyone's approval.

People were staring.

Even the girls that acted too cool to care.

Even the boys that suddenly forgot how to walk straight.

Jess hated how quickly she noticed all of it.

Her best friend, Amara, appeared beside her.

"Please tell me that's the new girl"

Jess sighed.

By lunch break, the entire school knew Tania greyshaw's name.

And everyone had an opinion.

" She moved here from London".

"No, Abuja".

"I heard she got expelled from her old school."

"I heard three girls fought over her."

"That one sounds true."Amara said while opening her juice.

Jess rolled her eyes.

"You're ridiculous."

Amara pointed her fork at her.

"No you're distracted."

Jess looked away.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm literally not."

Amara leaned forward.

"You've been weird since Friday."

Jess opened her mouth to defend herself-

Then stopped.

Because across the cafeteria, Tania walked in

The atmosphere shifted.

Not because she was loud.

But because she didn't need to be.

She simply existed and people noticed.

Jess hated that she was one of them.

Even worse-

Malakai noticed to.

He sat beside Jess, followed her line of sight.

"Who's that?"

Jess answered too quickly.

"The new girl, she moved next door."

Malakai raised an eyebrow.

"Next door?"

"Yes."

He smirked.

"She's pretty."

Something sharp twisted in jess's chest.

She stabbed her food.

"She's okay."

Amara nearly choked.

"Okay?, Jess be serious."

Malakai laughed.

"No, she's alright, she's definitely pretty."

Jess suddenly lost her appetite.

"Can we talk about something else?"

Malakai looked at her strangely.

"Why are you acting like I committed a crime?"

" Because you keep talking about her."

"I said one sentence."

Amara slowly stood up.

"I'm leaving before this becomes a public event."

Smart girl.

Jess sighed.

"Forget about it."

But she couldn't forget it

That was the problem.

After school, Jess opened her locker and nearly screamed.

Tania was leaning against the one next to hers.

Waiting.

"You really need to stop doing that"

Tania smiled.

"And miss seeing your face like that? Never."

Jess looked around quickly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Talking to my neighbour."

Jess lowered her voice.

"At school?"

"Yes, that's usually where students are."

Jess glared.

" You've been avoiding me."

"I have not."

"You're a terrible liar."

Jess shut her locker higher than necessary.

"I have just been busy."

"With your perfect boyfriend?"

There it was again.

That tone.

Jess folded her arms.

"Why do you keep saying it like that?"

Tania tilted her hand.

" Because everyone keep saying it like it's true"

Jess didn't answer.

Because she didn't know how to.

Because maybe Tania was right.

Because maybe perfection was just something people projected unto them.

And maybe she had been pretending for to long.

Before she could respond, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Babe."

Malakai.

He walked over casually, kisses Jess forehead and turned towards Tania.

"And you must be the famous new neighbour."

Tania smiled softly.

"And you must be the perfect boyfriend."

Malakai laughed.

"I've heard that one before."

Jess didn't laugh.

Because suddenly the air felt to heavy.

To tense.

Like everyone kew something she hasn't admitted yet.

Malakai slipped an arm around Jess.

"You should come to Noah's party on Friday, the whole school is going."

Tania looked at Jess first.

Then answered.

"Maybe I will."

Jess immediately regretted Friday.

And it wasn't even here yet.

That night, Jess sat by her bedroom window again.

Across the street she could see Tania's bedroom light is still on.

She should have been doing homework.

She should have been texting malakai.

She should have been acting normal.

Instead, she sat there thinking about a girl who made her nervous for reasons she didn't understand.

Her phone buzzed.

MALAKAI:

"You've been distant lately, did I do something?"

Jess stared at the screen for a long time.

Then typed.

No, I'm just tired.

Another lie.

Another perfect little performance .

Across the street, Tania stepped into her balcony.

She looked up.

Straight at Jess.

And smiled.

Jess's heart betrayed her instantly.

She closed the curtain.

Too fast.

Too obvious.

And from outside-

She could swear she heard laughter.

Soft.

Knowing.

Dangerous.

Jess leaned against the wall breathing to hard.

Because deep down-

She was starting to realise something terrifying.

This wasn't just curiosity.

If she wasn't careful-

Everything could fall apart.