Emma sat in class during lunch period, her tray untouched. Mandy sat right across from her, turned in her chair so she could face her best friend. The classroom was almost empty, just the two of them.
Emma's eyes brimmed, and the tears kept slipping no matter how hard she tried to hold them back. She dropped her head against the desk with a dull thud.
"I did this to him... and to myself," she choked out.
Mandy leaned forward, her tone gentle. "You're turning eighteen in exactly a month, Em. If he really loves you, he'll forgive you. You two can start over."
Emma lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. "But he's with Jenny now..."
Mandy gave a half-smile. "Well, while you were busy sulking, I was busy stalking."
Emma blinked at her through wet lashes.
"There's news about them being back together, yeah," Mandy continued, "but guess what? The media isn't even asking about you anymore. On the red carpet that night in Spain, Jenny told reporters you and Jayden were just friends. She said he'd told her all about you, and that the press conference he skipped? It was because the three of you were catching up. He probably had to play along for the sake of his career."
Emma sat in silence, chewing on her lip as her chest tightened.
The bell rang suddenly, sharp and jarring. Break was over.
"Clean your face before anyone sees you like this," Mandy whispered, reaching over to wipe the last of Emma's tears with her fingers.
One by one, their classmates filed back into the room. Emma could feel their eyes on her, the same lingering stares she'd been getting since morning. She shifted uncomfortably, her stomach sinking as the familiar pit of shame opened up again.
Her face fell. She dropped her head onto the desk, shutting the world out.
Her heart ached. A deep, throbbing ache words couldn't even describe. The heaviness only worsened with the exhaustion from the previous night, her body still felt sore.
More than anything, Emma just wanted this phase to finally be over.
It had been a week, and Jayden hadn't said a single word to Emma, not even a text.
She told herself not to think about it, but her heart refused to listen.
Sighing, she picked up her phone and typed:
Hey.
Her thumb hovered over the send button, but she deleted it.
She tried again:
I'm so sor...
Delete.
Emma pressed the side of her phone to her forehead and closed her eyes. What do I even say?
Her English teacher always said a hook was the best way to capture someone's attention. And she knew exactly what would make Jayden respond.
Her fingers flew over the screen:
Is there a chance I could actually get pregnant?
She pressed send before she could change her mind.
Almost immediately, the typing bubbles appeared.
You saw me cum or not?
Emma's heart pounded.
Yes, I did. she replied quickly.
There you have it. I left none of my sperm in you.
Emma smiled in victory, but her face flushed with embarrassment.
Ok! she sent back, not knowing what else to say.
Jayden read her text, smirked faintly at how naïve she was, then tapped the call button.
Emma's phone buzzed in her hand, and she nearly jumped out of bed. Her lips curved into a smile before she forced herself to calm down. She pressed the green button.
"Hey," she said softly.
"That lie could've ended my career, Emma," Jayden's voice came sharp and heavy through the line. "It could've sent me to jail."
Emma froze.
"I faced the panel. I called Jenny, because God help me she's better at lying than anyone I know. And you don't even know what I had to do to get her to help me."
Emma's chest tightened. "I'm sorry... I didn't even think we'd make it this far from the beginning."
"Now here we are," Jayden cut in. "I should've asked for an ID, or something."
"I know no apology can fix what I did," Emma whispered. "But I truly am sorry."
There was silence on his end before he finally said, "I'm not mad. I just don't think I can handle a relationship built on a lie like this."
Emma's throat burned. "So... you're breaking up with me before we even start dating?"
"Do you want me to?"
Her answer came fast. "No."
Jayden sighed. "I ordered a Tesla for your eighteenth. You won't be hearing from me until then."
Her heart sank.
"Goodbye, Emma."
"Jayden..."
"Good luck on your game tomorrow... or today, whichever it is," he said flatly.
The call ended.
The silence in her room felt deafening. Emma let the phone slip from her hand and fell back against the bed, staring at the ceiling as her chest ached.
Emma opened the door, and there he was, Jayden.
"Hey," he muttered, stepping inside before she could react. Emma quickly shut the door behind him, her brows furrowed.
"Are you not supposed to be in Spain?" she asked, looking him over from head to toe. He had a shirt crumpled in one hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other.
"You're drunk," she said, half scoffing in disbelief.
"I brought your shirt," Jayden replied with a faint smile, holding it out.
Emma unfolded it, recognizing the one she'd worn to Spain. She had left in his bag.
"Thanks... I guess," she said, still eyeing him strangely as she led him to the living room. She sank onto the couch, and he sat beside her, leaving space between them.
"I had a fight with my coach," Jayden started, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's been giving me attitude since the game last Sunday. After the semifinals yesterday, I finally snapped. I confronted him... I had to. But it got heated, and I just walked away before it turned ugly."
Emma blinked. "So, you argued with your coach... and then boarded a plane back here? What about the finals? It's in four days."
Jayden let out a tired laugh. "My teammates think I'm a perv, my coach hates me. I just needed to breathe different air. I'll be back before the finals."
Emma's face softened. "I'm so sorry for everything."
"It's alright," Jayden said quietly. "Jenny... saved my ass." He gave a faint smile, and Emma returned it, though hers was more guarded.
"Well..." Emma hesitated, then took a breath. "I know I'm pushing my luck, but... you don't have to leave tonight. It looks like you need company. My parents won't be home for another two days, it's just me here."
"You want me to spend the night?" Jayden asked, studying her expression.
Emma gave a small nod.
He took a long gulp from his bottle, then stretched it toward her. "Want some?"
Emma took it, realizing the liquid level was still high.
"Don't tell me that little sip you had got you this tipsy."
"Alcohol's not really my thing," he admitted.
She nodded, then took a sip herself. Minutes passed, and soon Emma had downed nearly half the bottle.
Her words loosened with the haze of alcohol. She rambled about finishing high school, about wanting a gap year but being unsure of what her parents would say.
"Say you take that gap year," Jayden said, leaning back. "I could take you across two continents in two months."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, you're drunk."
"I'm serious," he insisted. "First Africa, then we explore Europe. Two months is plenty of time. And... there's money."
Emma's smile softened. "That's sweet."
Her gaze lingered on him. "So... if you're talking about life after high school with me, that must mean you're not giving up on us."
Jayden's lips curved. "No. I want us to work."
Emma tilted her head, her pulse quickening. "If I leaned in to kiss you... would you kiss me back?"
Jayden smirked faintly. "Well, you'd have to try to find out."
Before he could blink, Emma leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. She straddled his lap, arms around his neck, one hand still clutching the bottle. She was dizzy. Whether from the alcohol or from him, she couldn't tell. Together, they passed the bottle back and forth, letting the moment swallow them whole.