The next morning, Robert was nowhere to be seen. Jess found his mother sitting at the kitchen table, a half-empty cup of coffee in front of her. She looked exhausted, her gaze fixed on a spot somewhere past the wall.

"Morning," Jess said, announcing his presence. Liz blinked and looked up, forcing a smile.

"Hi, baby. I didn't see you come in last night. But I heard your music."

"Was it too loud?" Jess asked, half-apologetic.

"Not as loud as Robert and I," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "The neighbors must love us."

"They don't pay our bills," Jess shrugged, moving to the counter. He grabbed two bowls, milk, and a box of corn flakes. Handing one to his mother, he poured cereal and milk for her before helping himself.

"Neither do we," she muttered with a wry chuckle, though her eyes stayed on the bowl in front of her. Jess smirked faintly but said nothing.

For a while, they sat in companionable silence, broken only by the occasional clink of spoons against ceramic. Then Liz set her mug down with a soft sigh.

"So... Robert and I were talking last night," she began, her tone cautious. Jess's grip on his spoon tightened, bracing himself. "Nothing's set in stone, but he suggested moving out of New York."

Jess frowned, his heart sinking. "Why?"

"He said he doesn't like the energy here. His fortune teller came by yesterday—she said our apartment has bad vibes, and we'd be better off in another state. He left early this morning to see if his company will let him transfer."

Jess froze, the spoon hovering midway to his mouth. A fortune teller? Bad vibes? The words didn't line up—not when he knew exactly what Robert had done the day before. He hadn't said a word to Liz about bringing an affair to their home. Instead, he'd woven an elaborate excuse, twisting the truth until it fit whatever narrative let him off the hook. Worse, now he was using it to uproot their lives.

"Do I get a say in this?" he asked quietly, his voice tight.

Liz hesitated, taking a sip of coffee. "Like I said, nothing's decided yet..." Her evasive tone was answer enough.

Jess sighed and shoveled the last bite of cereal into his mouth before standing up. "I have to go to school."

"Honey—" Liz started, but he was already halfway to the door, his steps heavy with frustration.

x

At school, Jess could only think about the idea of moving out. What was the point of paying attention to class if he wouldn't be there in the next few days? He walked to his assigned seat and noticed for the first time that Kristy was the student who sat behind him.

"Hi," she said, her eyes wide. Jess responded with a light nod before sitting down and picking up his book to read throughout the class.

When the bell announced recess both her and Leonard came to his direction.

"Hey, Jess," Leonard said first. "We were wondering if you would like to sit with us today." He continued, building up his courage.

Jess thought about it for a second. Even though Kristy was always serious she seemed eager for him to accept their invitation. He then remembered that there was a big chance of him not being there the following week and never see them again. Why bother making friends?

"Thanks, I can't today." He said simply. The two friends exchanged looks.

"Well, if you change your mind you can look for us in the cafeteria." Leonard insisted a little before pushing Kristy to go with him.

He watched them as they went, muttering something secretive to each other and laughing.

"Hey," Jess called out and they turned around to look at him again. He walked fast to their direction. "I changed my mind..."

They looked at each other before smiling at Jess. Leonard started talking to Jess as the three of them made their way to the cafeteria.

At the cafeteria, Jess followed Leonard and Kristy to a table near the window, where the sunlight poured in, casting warm patches on the scratched-up wooden surface. It wasn't the kind of table Jess usually chose—it was more out in the open, surrounded by clusters of other students chatting and laughing. He always preferred corners, places where he could sit unnoticed. But now, there he was.

"How long have you known each other?" Jess asked, trying to start a conversation.

"We go way back." Leonard replied. "We used to live right across from each other, always going to the same schools, staying in the same classrooms, it's like the universe is always pulling us close together, you know?"

"Not really," Jess answered honestly.

"You moved here recently, didn't you?" Kristy asked. "I remember seeing you for the first time in the first day of school, you didn't seem to know anyone here."

"I still don't," Jess confirmed.

"Now you do," Leonard corrected giving him a smile.

Jess glanced at Leonard, unsure how to respond. He wasn't used to people being so forward, especially not in a way that seemed... genuine. "Thanks," he said quietly, his voice barely audible over the hum of the cafeteria.

Kristy leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. "So, why'd you move here? Was it for your parents' work or something?"

Jess hesitated. He wasn't about to explain the chaos at home or his mother's string of bad decisions. "Something like that," he said vaguely.

"We know we're not exactly the coolest students around here, but feel free to hang out with us anytime you want," Leonard said reassuringly. "No pressure," he added once he noticed Jess seemed to be uncomfortable with the invite.

He really wanted to clarify that his discomfort was not related to them at all. He wished he was confident enough to explain that he might move out again in a few days. That he was not used to making friends, that this was something he had only now started doing and he was still unsure of how to deal with it. That it saddened him a little that they would start hanging out and it could all end abruptly. But instead, he said nothing. He gave them a quick smile and hoped they would change the subject soon.

When they came back from recess Mr. Martinez was at the door, welcoming the students inside, but as Jess walked closer the teacher stopped him.

"Mariano, do you have a minute?" He asked. Jess nodded. The man then went back to the classroom, opened his briefcase and took out a piece of paper. He moved closer to Jess again and handed it to him.

"Here, your assignment from yesterday," he said. "You didn't do what was requested..."

"Do I need to stay late again today?" Jess asked, the frustration in his voice was palpable.

"No," The professor said briefly. "I was impressed. What you wrote was much better, it was sensitive, it had depth. It doesn't look like something someone your age would write. I'm just giving it back to you because I want you to have it, I want you to read it from time to time. I made some notes, too. If you think this is something you would be interested in pursuing, let me know. I'm here for you." His voice was filled with pride.

Jess couldn't remember the last time he was praised like that. He looked at the paper in his hands, a short smile playing in his lips. He thanked the teacher and continued on his way to class to finish the school day.

x

Of all the interactions he would have in that day, the one that worried him the most was with Emma. The last few days had felt like a whirlwind of emotions, and although they had talked and had had a little ice cream date after the kiss, he had no idea where things would go from there. The thought of having to spring on her that he might move out of the state terrified him.

He found her sitting at their usual spot, her nose buried in a book. His heart skipped a beat as he got closer, rehearsing what to say. They had been meeting and greeting each other for months now, but somehow, at this moment, it felt completely awkward. The air between them felt heavier, charged with something unspoken.

"Hi, Jess," Charlotte broke the silence first. He greeted her back, half-relieved that she was the one to speak, but also wondering if Emma had told her about what had happened between them.

"Hi, Emma," Jess said with a shy smile, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Jess, hi," she answered, her face flushing a deep shade of red as her eyes flicked nervously between him and her book.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Can I sit here?" pointing to the chair right next to her.

Charlotte watched the scene unfold, her gaze flicking back and forth between them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"Sure…" Emma replied quietly, her voice almost inaudible. "Uh, how was school?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"Okay," he said, sitting down beside her. "Yours?"

"Good. It was good." She spoke quickly, as if trying to convince herself of the answer. Her eyes dropped back to the book in her hands, but Jess noticed her fingers curling slightly around it, as if she needed something to hold onto.

There was a brief silence as Jess sat there, the space between them feeling oddly charged. Their bodies were close, but not touching, and Jess couldn't help but feel incredibly self-conscious. He reached for one of the books on the table, his fingers brushing against the corner of her notebook as he stretched out his hand.

The contact was electric. A jolt ran through him, and he could feel her tense up in response. Her body went still for a moment, then her hand slowly moved away from the book, towards her side. Jess watched in quiet anticipation, and before he could stop himself, his fingers brushed against her jeans.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his for a brief second, and her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. Their gazes locked, and for a moment, the world seemed to disappear. Her hand, still hovering near her side, slid closer to his. Jess barely dared to breathe as her fingers met his. The soft warmth of her hand in his felt like the most natural thing in the world, yet at the same time, it felt like the most fragile connection—one that could break with a single wrong move.

He closed his fingers around hers, his heart pounding. This was nice, so nice, but it was also the kind of closeness that made everything else feel uncertain. His mind raced, unsure whether to say something or let the moment linger. Instead, he pulled his hand back slightly and reached for the book in front of them, trying to act casual, but the awkwardness of turning the pages with only one hand available made it even harder to focus.

Then, in a loud and sudden realization, Charlotte blurted, "Oh my God, you two have kissed!" The words echoed around them, louder than she'd intended. Jess and Emma froze, their hands instantly separating as they stared at her, completely surprised.

"Charlotte," Emma replied, her voice strained and unsure. "What—what are you talking about?"

Charlotte blinked, her expression a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Oh, come on, I wasn't born yesterday," she said, leaning back casually in her chair. "You two are so obvious." She smirked at them both. "I mean, you've known each other for months, and all of a sudden, you're acting like you've never seen each other before. Come on, who are you trying to fool?"

Jess froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced at Emma, who was now blushing so hard he thought she might start steaming. She covered her head with both hands, hoping to disappear. He swallowed, suddenly feeling like a kid caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.

"I—I don't know what you mean," he stammered, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Oh, please," Charlotte said, a teasing grin spreading across her face. "I've been watching the way you two fidget around each other for the last twenty minutes. It's pure comedy gold."

Charlotte chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I'm just happy for you two. You're lucky I'm such a good secret keeper- and that I don't know anyone else who knows you two."

Jess let out a nervous laugh, his heart still racing, but the tension in the air seemed to ease a little with Charlotte's teasing. Emma, though still red, smiled sheepishly from behind her hands. Jess couldn't help but feel a wave of relief. Charlotte's light-hearted teasing was exactly what they both needed to break the ice, and the awkwardness began to dissipate.

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about," Emma said, her voice a little steadier now as she lowered her hands. "I guess we do need to talk, but I... I'm not sure I'm ready to figure everything out just yet."

Jess nodded, his own nerves settling as he understood. He didn't want to rush anything, and he realized there was no need to force answers right away.

"Yeah, we'll figure it out eventually," he said softly, offering her a reassuring smile.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, just letting the weight of the situation settle in a bit more. Jess felt a strange sense of calm in that quiet understanding. It wasn't perfect, but maybe things didn't need to be perfect to begin with.