Love maybe....

The party

Friday arrived faster than Jess wanted.

She had spent the entire week trying not to think about Tania.

Which, unfortunately, only made her think about Tania more.

Every hallway glance.

Every accidental shoulder brush.

Every unreadable smile.

It was exhausting.

And tonight made everything worse.

Noah’s party.

The biggest party of the semester.

The kind of party people talked about for weeks before and after it happened.

Jess stood in front of her mirror for the fifth time, changing absolutely nothing.

Her black top looked fine.

Her jeans looked fine.

Everything looked fine.

But she didn’t feel fine.

Her phone buzzed.

MALAKAI:

Outside. Don’t make me come in there.

Jess sighed, grabbed her bag, and headed downstairs.

Her mother smiled from the kitchen.

“Try not to break too many hearts tonight.”

Jess forced a laugh.

“If only you knew.”

Malakai was leaning against his car when she stepped outside.

He smiled the moment he saw her.

“There she is.”

He opened the passenger door dramatically.

“My lady.”

Jess laughed softly despite herself.

“Very cheesy.”

“Very effective.”

For a second, things felt normal.

Safe.

Familiar.

And maybe that was the problem.

Because safe and familiar didn’t feel like enough anymore.

The drive to Noah’s house was loud with music and streetlights and Malakai talking about random school drama.

Jess nodded at the right moments, smiled when expected.

But part of her mind was somewhere else.

And she hated herself for it.

When they arrived, the house was already alive.

Music shook the walls.

Lights flashed across crowded rooms.

Students filled every corner like the entire school had been invited.

Malakai took her hand.

“Stay close. I know how much you hate people.”

“I hate loud people.”

“That’s everyone here.”

“Exactly.”

He laughed and pulled her inside.

Immediately, people noticed them.

Of course they did.

“Malakai!”

“Jess!”

“The king and queen have arrived!”

Jess smiled politely, already tired.

She spotted Amara near the kitchen and mouthed save me.

Amara grinned.

No.

Traitor.

For the first hour, everything was manageable.

Jess stayed close to Malakai.

She talked when she had to.

Pretended she was having fun.

Pretended she wasn’t scanning every room.

Pretended she wasn’t looking for someone.

Then—

she saw her.

Tania.

Standing near the staircase like she had stepped out of a movie scene.

Simple black dress.

Silver necklace.

That same calm confidence that somehow made everyone else look like background characters.

Jess immediately regretted breathing.

Amara appeared beside her like an evil spirit.

“Oh, so that’s why you’ve been weird.”

Jess nearly choked.

“What?”

Amara folded her arms.

“Don’t insult my intelligence. I have eyes.”

Jess lowered her voice.

“You’re imagining things.”

Amara stared.

“Jessica.”

Jess groaned.

“Please not tonight.”

Amara softened slightly.

“Okay. Not tonight. But we are definitely talking later.”

Before Jess could reply, Malakai returned with drinks.

“Talking about me?”

Amara smiled too innocently.

“Always.”

“Good. As you should.”

He handed Jess a cup.

Their fingers brushed.

And suddenly she felt guilty again.

Because standing across the room—

Tania was watching.

Not jealous.

Not angry.

Just watching.

Like she already knew.

And somehow, that was worse.

As the night got louder, Malakai kept disappearing.

First to greet friends.

Then to help Noah with something.

Then because someone wanted him for beer pong.

Jess was left alone more than together.

And she told herself that was fine.

It should have been.

But watching him laugh so easily with everyone while she stood there feeling like a stranger in her own life made something ache.

She stepped outside for air.

The backyard was quieter.

Pool lights reflected softly against the water, and distant music sounded less overwhelming from here.

She sat by the pool, hugging her knees slightly.

For the first time all night—

silence.

Then a voice behind her.

“You look miserable.”

Jess didn’t even turn.

“Please tell me you don’t secretly teleport.”

Tania sat beside her.

“No. I just notice when people are drowning.”

Jess laughed bitterly.

“Funny.”

“I’m serious.”

Jess stared at the water.

“I’m fine.”

“Another lie.”

Jess sighed.

“Do you ever get tired of being right?”

“Not really.”

That made Jess smile despite herself.

And that was dangerous.

Because being around Tania felt too easy.

Too honest.

Too much.

Tania’s voice softened.

“Why are you still with him?”

Jess froze.

“That’s not your business.”

“Maybe not. But I’m asking anyway.”

Jess shook her head.

“Because he’s good to me.”

“But?”

Jess swallowed.

“But sometimes being loved and feeling understood are not the same thing.”

There.

She had said it.

Out loud.

It felt terrifying.

Tania turned toward her.

“And do you feel understood?”

Jess looked at her.

Too long.

Too honestly.

And in that silence—

the answer was obvious.

Tania’s voice dropped.

“You keep choosing the life everyone expects from you instead of the one you actually want.”

Jess whispered,

“And what if I don’t know what I want?”

Tania stepped a little closer.

“I think you do.”

Everything stopped.

The music.

The noise.

The world.

It was just this moment.

This dangerous, impossible moment.

Jess could feel it—

the truth sitting right there between them.

And for the first time, she didn’t want to run from it.

Tania reached for her hand.

Softly.

Carefully.

Like giving her the choice.

Jess let her.

And then—

footsteps.

Both of them turned.

Malakai.

Standing there.

Still.

Silent.

Watching.

His face changed slowly.

Confusion.

Realization.

Hurt.

“Jess…”

Her hand slipped from Tania’s instantly.

But it was too late.

Because some moments can’t be explained away.

Malakai’s voice was quieter than anger.

Which made it worse.

“What is this?”

Jess opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Because for the first time—

she had no lie ready.

And across the water, under the quiet glow of the pool lights—

everything began to fall apart.