Cracks
649 Words
The week after Tania arrived felt strange.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just.... strange.
Like something small had shifted in jess's life,and now everything else felt slightly off balance.
Even Malakai noticed.
They sat together under the big tree near the science block, during lunch, the same place they always sat, the same place everyone expected them to be.
But today, silence sat between them.
Malakai finally sighed.
"Okay, tell me what's wrong."
Jess looked up from the bottle of water she had been pretending to focus on.
"Nothing's wrong."
He gave her a look.
"That answer is getting old."
She forced a smile.
"I'm just stressed."
"About school?"
"Yeah."
"About us?"
That one hit harder.
Jess looked away.
"Why would you ask that?"
Malakai leaned forward.
"Because lately, it looks like I'm talking to someone who's halfway gone."
His voice wasn't angry.
That somehow made it worse.
Jess hated guilt.
And lately guilt followed her everywhere.
"You're overthinking."
"No jess, I know you."
She wanted to say "Do you?"
But she didn't.
Because if she Started talking honestly, she doesn't know where she would stop
So instead she reached for his hand.
"I'm here."
And gave him a peck on the lips.
Another lie.
Malakai squeezed her fingers gently.
But his expression said, he didn't fully believe her.
And honestly -
Neither did she.
After school, Jess walked home slower than usual.
She told herself she just wanted fresh air.
Not that she was hoping to see Tania.
Definitely not that.
She turned the corner near her street-
And there she was.
Tania sat on the short fence between their houses, one leg swinging lazily, headphones around her neck
Like she had been waiting there for hours.
She smiled when she saw Jess.
"Relationship problems."
Jess rolled her eyes.
"Do you always spy on people."
"Only the interesting ones."
Jess dropped her bag by the grass and sat beside her.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The evening air was warm, soft and annoyingly peaceful.
Tania looked ahead.
"You're unhappy."
Jess gave a tired laugh.
" You know for someone I barely know, you say very bold things."
"And for someone who acts confident, you avoid the truth alot."
Jess turned and looked at her.
"You barely even know me."
Tania met her gaze calmly.
"I know enough."
That annoyed her.
Mostly because it felt true.
Jess sighed.
"My life is complicated."
Tania shrugged.
"Everyone says that when the answer is actually simple."
Jess frowned.
"Oh really!, enlighten me."
Tania turned toward her fully now.
Close enough for Jess to notice every detail in her expression.
"Maybe you stay in places you've already outgrown because leaving will disappoint people."
Jess's breath caught.
Because that one landed to perfectly.
Too personally.
She swallowed.
"You think you know everything."
"No," Tania said softly.
"I just think you don't look happy when you talk about him."
Silence.
Jess stared at her.
The world felt to quiet.
Too close.
Too dangerous.
Because she knew exactly what Tania meant.
She hate how relieved she felt hearing someone say it out loud.
Her voice dropped.
"It's not that simple."
Tania leaned in slightly.
"Or maybe it is, and you're scared."
Jess's heart was beating way too fast now.
She should leave.
She should stand up.
She should remember malakai.
Instead-
She stayed.
And for one terrible electric second-
She thought Tania might kiss her.
Maybe she wanted her to.
Her phone rang.
Both of them pulled back.
Reality rushed in like cold water.
MALAKAI CALLING.
Jess stood too quickly.
"I should go."
Tania nodded once, but there was something unreadable in her eyes.
"Yeah, you should."
Jess grabbed her bag.
Walked inside.
Didn't breathe properly until her bedroom door shut behind her.
Her phone was still ringing.
She stared at Malakai name on the screen.
And for the first time-
Answering felt like betrayal.
- Writer
