~The bet~ Part 2
Part 1
Pairing:Melissa Schemmenti x Reader x Captain Rob
Gender:Fluff - Hurt - Soft
Warnings:Insults/Blood
Summary:After you saw Melissa kissing with Captain Rob, you tried to deal with your feelings the best way you could, even if that meant ignoring everyone else.
AN:If you want to be added to a temporary taglist for this story or the permanent one for all of Melissa's fics, let me know! Don't forget to reblog! Love ya!
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Your backpack was already in your hands before you'd consciously decided to leave. The gym suddenly felt suffocating. Too quiet. Too loud. Too small. Every thought crashing into the next before you could make sense of any of them. Boyfriend. The word wouldn't leave. No matter how hard you tried. You shoved your phone into your pocket. Grabbed your keys. And walked. Fast. The halls blurred. Teachers called your name. You didn't answer. Students waved. You barely saw them. The only thing you knew was that if Melissa walked around a corner right now, you weren't sure your face would hold together.
By the time you reached the parking lot, your vision was already starting to blur. Your chest hurt. Not physically. Not exactly. Just that horrible pressure that comes when something breaks inside you. The bike started on the first try. The familiar rumble beneath you. Usually comforting. Today it just felt loud.
You pulled away from Abbott. Not toward the restaurant. Not toward lunch. No toward the date. Not toward anywhere. Just away. Away from the school. Away from the classroom. Away from Melissa. The city rushed past. Traffic lights. Storefronts. People crossing streets. None of it registered. You rode on instinct. On muscle memory. On the desperate need to put distance between yourself and the image burned into your brain. Melissa smiling. Rob kissing her. Janine saying boyfriend like it was common knowledge.
You laughed once. A sharp, ugly sound inside your helmet that resonate on your own microphone. Because of course. Of course. How had you never asked? How had you never thought to ask? Weeks of flirting. Weeks of texting. A kiss. A date. And somehow neither of you had ever had that conversation. Your eyes stung. The wind helped. At least nobody could see. The city eventually gave way to quieter roads. Less traffic. More trees. You didn't know where you were going. You didn't care. The engine roared beneath you as mile after mile disappeared behind you. At some point you stopped at a lookout. A place overlooking the river. You didn't remember deciding to stop. You just found yourself there. Helmet in your hands. Breathing hard. Trying not to think. Failing spectacularly. Your phone vibrated. Once. Then again. Then again. You already knew who it was. You didn't need to look. Still, eventually, you did.
Melissa🍎:"Where are you?"
Another message. Melissa🍎:"I thought we had lunch? The date?"
Another. Melissa🍎: "Gym Teacher?"
You stared at the screen. Your vision blurring again. Because the messages sounded confused. Concerned. Genuine. And somehow that hurt even more. A few seconds later the phone lit up again.
Melissa🍎:"Gregory said he saw how you left school in a rush. Are you okay?"
You looked out over the water. The city in the distance. The bike cooling beside you. And for the first time all day, you let yourself admit it. No. You weren't okay. Not even a little. Because whether she'd meant to or not, Melissa had become important to you. Important enough that losing her felt like losing your footing. Important enough that the thought of seeing her tomorrow already hurt. Your phone vibrated again.
Melissa🍎:"You're scaring me."
You stared at those words for a long time. Long enough that the screen eventually dimmed and turned off. Long enough that the afternoon sun shifted across the water. Long enough to realize that whatever happened next... Nothing was going to be simple anymore.
You texted Ava, saying you were feeling too sick of your stomach to go back to school after lunch, she said that it was okey, that you didn't needed to come back. You didn't had the strength to see Melissa again today.
Ava didn't ask many questions. Maybe because she knew you. Maybe because your voice had sounded wrong. Maybe because teachers developed a sixth sense for when another teacher was barely holding it together. Whatever the reason, she simply said:"Take the day." And that was it. No guilt. No pressure. No interrogation. You stared at the message for a long moment.
Then replied. You:"Thanks. My stomach is a mess." Technically true. It felt like someone had tied your insides into knots.
A few seconds later:
Ava:"Feel better. We'll handle things here."
You swallowed hard. Then turned the phone off completely. Not silent. Not do not disturb. Off. Because you knew Abbott. You knew how quickly information moved through that building. A student sneezed in one classroom and somehow Barbara knew about it three minutes later. If Ava knew you were sick, everyone would know soon enough. And for today... That was easier. Let them think you were sick. Let them think it was a stomach bug. Food poisoning. Anything. Anything except the truth. The phone screen went black. The world became quiet. Finally. You sat on the overlook for another hour. Then another. Watching the river. Watching cars move across the distant bridge. Trying not to think. Failing every single time. Because every memory kept coming back. Melissa laughing behind you on the motorcycle. Melissa holding your face. Melissa saying yes to the date. Melissa kissing you. And then she kissed Rob. You squeezed your eyes shut. The image refused to leave. The worst part wasn't even the jealousy. It was the confusion. The complete inability to make the pieces fit together. You kept replaying everything. Looking for the moment you should have realized. The clue you'd missed. The conversation that should have happened. Nothing.
Eventually the sun started sinking lower. Painting gold across the water. Making you shiver. And for the first time since leaving school, the adrenaline finally burned itself out. Leaving exhaustion behind. Heavy. Crushing. So you rode home. Slowly this time. No music. No excitement. No passenger holding onto your waist. Just you.
When you got back to your apartment, the silence hit immediately. The jacket Melissa had worn was still hanging over a chair. The wine glasses were still drying beside the sink. The leftover lasagna sat inside the refrigerator. Evidence of a day that felt like it had happened months ago. You stood there for a long moment. Unable to move. Then you walked over. Picked up the jacket. Held it for a second. And immediately regretted it. Because it still smelled faintly like her shampoo. Your throat closed. You set it down again. Too quickly. Like it had burned you.
Across the city, Melissa was probably looking at her phone. Sending messages that weren't being delivered. Wondering why you'd vanished. Wondering why you hadn't shown up. Wondering why Janine had said you looked strange. But your phone remained dark on the kitchen counter. Silent. For the first time since she'd kissed you, there was no way for Melissa to reach you. And she had absolutely no idea why.
The apartment was silent. Painfully silent. No engine. No music. No messages buzzing on your phone. Just the refrigerator humming somewhere in the background and the occasional sound of a car passing outside. You sat on the couch. Still wearing the same clothes. One arm wrapped around your knees. Staring at absolutely nothing. For a while, you just sat there. Numb. Your brain replaying the same thoughts over and over. Like a scratched record.
Melissa laughing. Melissa kissing you. Melissa saying yes to a date. Rob. Again. And again. And again. Your throat tightened. Your chest hurt. And before you even realized it was happening, tears were sliding down your face. One. Then another. Then another. And suddenly the dam broke. The first sob escaped before you could stop it. Raw. Embarrassing. The kind that hurt. The kind you hadn't made in years. You buried your face against your arms. Trying to muffle the sound. Even though nobody was there to hear it. The tears came harder. And harder. Until your shoulders were shaking. Your breathing uneven. Your face soaked. Not the quiet crying adults usually allowed themselves. Not the dignified version. The ugly version. The kind that belonged to children. The kind that came from somewhere deep. The kind that made your chest ache afterward. You hated it. And yet you couldn't stop. Because underneath the confusion. Underneath the embarrassment. Underneath the jealousy. Was grief. Not for a relationship. There hadn't been one. For a future. A possibility. A dream you'd started building without realizing it. A hundred tiny moments suddenly connected in your mind. The lunches. The texts. The teasing. The motorcycle rides. The way she smiled when she saw you. The way she looked at you during dinner. The way she'd kissed you. You had let yourself hope. That was the real wound. You had let yourself believe something beautiful was happening. And now you couldn't tell whether it had been real at all.
-"How?"-The word escaped into the empty apartment. Broken. How had you not known? How had you never asked? How had nobody mentioned it? How had she never mentioned it?
The questions circled endlessly. No answers arriving. Your hands clenched against your sleeves. You thought about your mother. About being small. About scraped knees and bad days and heartbreaks that seemed world-ending when you were eight. Back then there had always been a solution. A hug. A blanket. A hand smoothing your hair. Someone saying everything would be okay. Adult heartbreak was crueler. Because there wasn't always somebody waiting to kiss the wound. Sometimes there was only an empty apartment. And your own thoughts. The sobs eventually softened. Not because the pain disappeared. Only because exhaustion began replacing it. You curled deeper into the couch. Eyes burning. Face aching. Chest hollow. And somewhere beneath all the hurt, one realization settled quietly into place. The reason this hurt so much wasn't because you'd lost a crush. Crushes didn't break people like this. It hurt because somewhere along the way, without permission and without noticing, you'd fallen in love with Melissa Schemmenti. And now you were sitting alone in your apartment trying to figure out what to do with a heart that hadn't gotten the memo that it was too late.
You fell asleep before you could register it. One moment you were crying on the couch. The next you were opening your eyes in darkness. Disoriented. Cold. Alone. The glowing numbers on the microwave read 2:07 Am. For a few seconds you forgot. Then you remembered. And your stomach immediately twisted again. You sighed heavily and pushed yourself up-right. Your neck hurt from sleeping on the couch. Your eyes burned. Everything felt awful. The apartment was silent. No messages. No voices. Nothing. Just the same loneliness waiting for you where you'd left it. You brushed your teeth. Changed clothes. Climbed into bed. Then spent the next hour staring at the ceiling. Eventually you put music on. Not because you wanted to listen. Because you wanted something louder than your thoughts. It worked. A little. Enough to finally drift off again.
The next morning was brutal. You looked terrible. There was no kinder way to describe it. The mirror certainly didn't try. Your eyes were swollen. The skin beneath them darker than usual. You looked like someone who had lost a fight. Which, in a way, you had. By the time you reached Abbott, you had exactly one goal. Survive. Not heal. Not process. Not understand. Just survive until the final bell.
The teachers' lounge was already busy. Janine talking. Jacob laughing. Barbara drinking coffee. The usual chaos. And Melissa. You saw her immediately. Of course you did. Your eyes found her automatically. Just like they always had. The difference was that this time you looked away first. No sarcastic coment. Not even a small smile. You grabbed your coffee. Ignored the familiar table. Ignored the empty chair beside Melissa. Ignored the place that had become yours over the last month. Instead you crossed the room. And sat at the farthest table available. The conversation around the room faltered. Not completely. Just enough. Because everybody noticed. Jacob noticed. Barbara noticed. Janine definitely noticed. Melissa noticed most of all. You could practically feel her looking at you. Trying to understand. Trying to figure out why you hadn't answered. Why you'd disappeared yesterday. Why you wouldn't even look at her now. You focused on your coffee. On the wall. On literally anything else. The room felt uncomfortable. Questions hanging in the air. Unasked.
Finally Jacob spoke-"Uh..."-You already hated where this was going-"...you feeling better?"-
You nodded-"Yeah."-The lie came easier today.
-"You don't look better."-he commented and you closed your eyes
-"Thanks, Jacob."-
-"You're welcome."-A few people laughed. Normally you would've joined them. Today you just sipped your coffee. The silence that followed was somehow worse. Across the room, Melissa was still watching. You knew she was. You could feel it. Not angry. Not annoyed. Concerned. Confused. Hurt. And that somehow made everything harder. Because if she'd been cruel, this would be simple. If she'd been playing games, this would be simple. Instead she looked like someone who genuinely didn't understand what had happened. Which left you stuck with a possibility you weren't ready to examine. Maybe there was an explanation. Maybe there wasn't. Right now you didn't care. Right now every glance felt like another cut. And every smile reminded you of things you couldn't have.
The bell rang. Saving everyone. Especially you. You stood immediately. Coffee unfinished. Conversation ignored. And headed toward the gym. You heard someone call your name behind you. A familiar voice. Her voice. You didn't stop. Didn't turn around. Didn't trust yourself to. Because if you looked at Melissa Schemmenti right now, you were afraid all the hurt you'd spent the night trying to bury would spill right back out again. And surviving the day was already hard enough.
You entered the gym and thank God a kid stopped her from coming after you. The moment you pushed through the doors, you finally let out a breath. Not because you felt better. Just because you had escaped. For now.
You'd heard Melissa call your name in the hallway. You'd heard her chair scrape against the floor. Heard her footsteps. Then one of her students had stopped her. Asking a question. Needing help. Needing something. And for the first time in your career, you were grateful for a child's terrible sense of timing. Because you weren't ready. Not for explanations. Not for conversations. Not for her.
You spent the next fifteen minutes setting up equipment. Or pretending to. Your mind wasn't in the gym. It was back at that classroom door. Back at the overlook. Back on your couch. Back everywhere except where it needed to be. The first class arrived. Kids filling the gym with noise. Questions. Laughter. Energy. Normally you thrived on it. Today it felt distant. Like you were underwater.
-"Coach?"-You blinked. A student was looking at you. Waiting. Apparently they'd asked a question. You had no idea what it was.
-"Sorry."-You forced a smile-"Can you repeat that?-"
A few students exchanged looks. Concerned ones. Children noticed more than adults gave them credit for. You pushed through the lesson anyway. Running drills. Giving instructions. Walking from group to group. At least physically. Mentally you were nowhere. Which was why you didn't see the ball. One second you were watching a group near the bleachers.The next... THWACK. A rubber ball slammed directly into your face. Hard. Pain exploded across your nose. Your vision flashed white. You felt dizzy for a few seconds. The entire gym froze. You staggered backward. Hand immediately flying to your face.
-"Oh my God!"-A student's voice.
Then another-"Coach!"-
You felt something warm on your face. You looked down. Blood. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Just what this day needed. You actually laughed. A short, disbelieving laugh. The blood almost getting inside your mouth. Which immediately terrified the children.
-"Coach is laughing."-
-"Why is Coach laughing?"-
-"I think the ball broke them."-
-"Probably" - you muttered. Blood dripped onto the gym floor. The sting finally catching up to you. A student looked horrified.
-"I'M SO SORRY."-You recognized the kid immediately. A sweet fifth grader. The kind who apologized when other people bumped into him.
You forced a smile-"It's okay."-
-"It was an accident!"-he said looking at the blood on the floor
-"I know."-The poor kid looked seconds away from crying. Which meant you had to get yourself together. Immediately. You pinched the bridge of your nose. Regretted it instantly-"Okay."-You pointed toward the escenario-"Everybody sit down for two minutes."-The students obeyed unusually fast. Because seeing their gym teacher bleeding apparently inspired discipline. You grabbed some paper towels. Holding them against your nose. The gym doors suddenly opened. Of course they did. Melissa appeared. You didn't know who had told her. Probably half the school. Abbott treated injuries like breaking news. She took one look at you. The blood on the floor. The paper towels. Your exhausted expression. And whatever she had been planning to say vanished.
-"Jesus Christ."-The words escaped before she could stop them. The gym became very quiet. You closed your eyes briefly. Because of course. Of course this would be the moment she finally caught up with you. When you were bleeding. Sleep-deprived. Heartbroken. And barely holding yourself together. Melissa took a step forward. Concern immediately replacing everything else. Everything. The confusion. The hurt. The frustration. Gone-"What happened?"-
You looked away. Toward the students. Toward the floor. Anywhere but her-"A ball."-Your voice sounded tired. Even to you. Melissa stared. Then looked at the children. Then back at you.
-"A ball."-
-"Yep" - You nodded looking at your shoes. A long silence. Then one of the students raised a hand. Like they were in class.
Melissa blinked-"...Yes?"-
The child pointed at you. Completely serious-"Coach has had a really bad week."-The entire gym nodded. Immediately. In agreement.
You let out a dry laugh. Your hands wouldn't stop shaking. Maybe from the hit. Maybe from the lack of sleep. Maybe from the fact that Melissa was standing only a few feet away looking at you with that expression. That worried expression. The one that used to make your chest feel warm. Now it just hurt. You kept your eyes fixed on the floor. On the drops of blood staining the polished wood. On your shoes. Anywhere but her. The paper towels pressed against your nose were already stained red. Your gray hoodie wasn't doing much better. Melissa took another step closer. Immediately. Instinctively. Like she couldn't help it.
-"Let me see."-
You turned your face to one side-"I'm fine."-The answer came too quickly. Too sharply. Silence. The kids noticed it. Even they noticed it. You swallowed hard. Still staring at the floor. Still refusing to look at her. You could taste blood on your mouth too, the blood was going backwards, you coughed and your hoddie stained lightly with pink drops - "Can you stay with them?"-Your voice sounded strange. Thin. Tired. Broken around the edges.
Melissa frowned-"What?"-
You adjusted the blood-soaked paper towels-"I'll go to the nurse."-A pause-"Ask for something to plug my nose."-The excuse was terrible. You knew it. She knew it. But it was the only thing you could think of. Because every second standing near her felt unbearable. Her perfume. The familiar scent. The one that still lingered on your spare motorcycle jacket at home. The warmth in her voice. The concern. The kindness. All of it hurt. Because your stupid heart still reacted to it. Even now. Melissa studied you. Really studied you. For the first time since entering the gym. The shaking hands. The blood.
The exhausted eyes. The way you wouldn't look at her. Not once. And suddenly something shifted behind her expression. Concern was still there. But now there was something else. Fear. Because this wasn't about a ball anymore. She didn't know what it was about. But she knew it wasn't a ball. The realization hit her visibly.
-"Gym Teacher..."-The nickname came out quietly. Carefully. Like approaching a wounded animal. Your throat tightened. You hated that nickname now. Not because of her. Because of how much you still loved hearing it. You finally forced yourself to glance up. Just for a second. Big mistake. Because Melissa looked genuinely scared. Not of the blood. Not of the injury. Scared of losing something she didn't understand.
You looked away immediately-"I'll be back."-And before she could answer, before she could ask another question, before she could stop you.You turned and walked toward the gym doors.
The students watched in complete silence. The doors swung shut behind you. And for the first time since she'd met you, Melissa Schemmenti felt completely helpless. Because you had spent weeks walking toward her. Every lunch. Every joke. Every text. Every smile. And now? You were walking away. And she had absolutely no idea why.
Melissa didn't even think. The moment you disappeared through the gym doors, every instinct she possessed started screaming that something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Barbara had barely looked up from her laptop when Melissa burst into her classroom, she was alone, on her free period.
-"I need a favor."-Barbara immediately frowned.
That tone.
-"What happened?"-
-"I need you to watch the gym class."-
Barbara blinked-"What?"-
-"Five minutes."-she begged
-"Melissa..."-
-"Please."-Barbara stopped. Because Melissa Schemmenti never said please like that. Never. Something in Barbara's expression shifted.
-"What happened?"-
Melissa swallowed-"I don't know."-And that was the scary part. A minute later Melissa was practically jogging through the hall toward the nurse's office. The closer she got, the worse the feeling became. Because suddenly she was replaying everything. The unanswered texts. The missed lunch. The way you'd sat at the opposite side of the lounge. The way you wouldn't look at her. The way your hands had been shaking. And most of all... The look in your eyes. Not anger. She knew anger. She understood anger. She could deal with anger. That wasn't what she'd seen. It was hurt. The kind that sat so deep a person stopped fighting it.
The nurse's office door was half open. Melissa slowed. Then stopped completely. Because she saw you. And her heart immediately dropped. You were sitting in a chair against the wall. Head resting back against the wall. A piece of cotton tucked beneath your nose covering both sides. Your mouth slightly open to breath. But that wasn't what made her stomach twist. It was the emptiness. You weren't looking at your phone. Weren't talking. Weren't doing anything. Just staring at the wall. Not even really seeing it. Your eyes looked exhausted. Red around the edges. Heavy. The expression on your face wasn't pain. Not from the ball. Not from the nosebleed. It was something worse. The look of someone who had spent all their energy holding themselves together. And finally had nothing left. Your hands rested in your lap. Motionless. Not relaxed. Not comfortable. Just... there. Melissa had never seen you like this. Not once. The loud gym teacher. The confident flirt. The motorcycle idiot. The person who always had a joke ready. Gone. And for a moment she couldn't move. Because suddenly she realized something terrifying. Whatever had happened... It had happened before yesterday. Before the ball. Before this morning. And somehow she had missed it.
Your eyes shifted. Slowly. Finding her standing in the doorway. For a second neither of you spoke. Melissa expected anger. Expected you to tell her to leave. Expected something. Anything. Instead she saw the smallest flicker of resignation cross your face. Like you were too tired to run anymore. Too tired to fight. Too tired to pretend. And somehow that hurt her more than if you'd yelled.
-"Gym Teacher..."-The nickname broke halfway through. Barely above a whisper. You looked away again. Back toward the wall. And Melissa felt her chest tighten. Because for the first time since she'd met you... She was afraid. Not of what you'd say. Not of what she'd hear. Afraid of how much pain she was seeing in your eyes. And afraid that somehow... Somehow... She was the reason for it.
-"I'm okay."-Your voice cracked halfway through the sentence. Thin. Fragile. Nothing like your usual voice. You kept your eyes fixed somewhere over her shoulder. Determined not to look at her. Determined not to let her see anything else. The cotton beneath your nose was already stained red again. A small spot spreading slowly through the white. The nurse had warned you to take it easy. To keep pressure on it. To rest. Melissa couldn't stop staring at it. At the blood. At the way your hands were clenched together in your lap.At the exhaustion written across every inch of you. You looked like someone who had spent the entire night fighting a war nobody else could see.
Melissa almost laughed when you said it. Not because it was funny. Because it was so obviously untrue that it hurt-"You're not okay."-The words came out softly. Not accusing. Not angry. Just... sad. You swallowed. Your throat tight.
-"I'm fine."-Another lie. Smaller this time. Weaker. Melissa took a careful step into the room. The nurse had conveniently found a reason to disappear ten minutes ago. Giving the two of you privacy. Whether either of you wanted it or not.
-"Look at me.-"
You immediately shook your head-"No."-The answer came too fast. Melissa's heart squeezed painfully. Because that one word told her more than anything else. You didn't want to look at her. Not couldn't. Didn't. And that terrified her.
-"Did I do something?"-The question escaped before she could stop it. Silence. Your breathing hitched. Just slightly. Melissa noticed. Of course she noticed. Slowly, your eyes closed. Like the question physically hurt-"Please."-Your voice barely existed.
-"Don't."-you answered. Melissa froze. Don't what? Don't ask? Don't push? Don't make this harder? She didn't know. You finally looked at her. Only for a second. But it was enough. Enough for her to see the tears sitting behind your eyes. Enough for her to see how hard you were fighting them. Enough for her to realize this wasn't a bad day. Wasn't a misunderstanding. Wasn't stress. This was heartbreak. Real heartbreak. And suddenly every piece stopped fitting. Because heartbreak meant someone had broken your heart. Melissa's stomach dropped. A horrible thought appearing. Impossible. Ridiculous. Yet suddenly impossible to ignore.
Yesterday. The missed lunch. The unanswered messages. The date. The kiss. Her face slowly lost color. Because for the first time... For the very first time... She started wondering if those things weren't separate at all. And if they weren't... Then she already knew exactly when everything had changed. The classroom. Rob. Melissa felt cold. You looked away again immediately. As if even that second of eye contact had been too much. And quietly, almost to yourself, almost like you didn't mean to say it aloud, you whispered:
-"I really thought..."-The sentence broke apart. You pressed your lips together. Hard. Trying to stop whatever wanted to come out next. But it was too late. You signed looking at your hands. Melissa stopped breathing. Not literally. It just felt that way. Because hearing the hurt in your voice was one thing. Hearing why was another. You stared at your hands. At the dried blood on your fingers. At the trembling you couldn't quite stop-"I've been asking myself why I didn't ask."-Your voice was quiet. Worn out. Like every word cost energy you didn't have. You bite your lips-"Why did I assume you were single..."-A bitter laugh escaped you. One without humor. Melissa opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Then you finally looked at her. And God. She wished you hadn't. Because she'd never seen that look directed at her before. Not anger. Not hatred. Those would've been easier. Hurt. Pure hurt-"But why didn't you say anything either?"-The whisper almost broke. Melissa flinched. Actually flinched.-"Why was I so stupid to fall for you when we didn't even talk about whether you were dating someone else?"-you said upset to yourself. Your eyes dropped back to your lap. Like looking at her had hurt too much. The room went silent. For a long moment Melissa couldn't speak. Because the awful truth was... You were right. Not completely. Not about everything. But enough. Enough that it made her stomach twist.
She sat down in the chair beside you. Slowly. Carefully. Like approaching something fragile-"You're not stupid."-
Your jaw tightened immediately-"Please don't."-The words came out tired. Not angry. Just exhausted.
Melissa swallowed"Rob and I..."-She stopped. Because suddenly the explanation sounded ridiculous. Complicated. Messy. You stared at the floor. Saying nothing-"Rob and I aren't..."-Another pause-"We're not exactly traditional... We have an open relationship"-
You laughed once. The sound hurt-"That's not really the important part."-
Melissa closed her eyes. Because you were right again. The important part wasn't Rob. The important part was that she'd never told you. Not when you flirted. Not when you texted. Not during dinner. Not after the kiss. Not after agreeing to a date. And suddenly, seeing it through your eyes, she understood why you were sitting here looking broken.-"I should have told you."-
The admission came quietly. Immediately. Without excuses. Your shoulders sagged slightly. Not in relief. Just tiredness-"Yeah."-
The single word hit harder than any accusation. Melissa felt tears threatening her own eyes. Because the worst part? The truly awful part? She hadn't hidden it intentionally. Not at first. She just... Hadn't wanted to think about it. Because somewhere between lunches and motorcycle rides and late-night texts... Things had stopped feeling simple. And instead of dealing with it... She'd ignored it. Ignored the questions. Ignored the feelings. Ignored the fact that every time she saw your name on her phone she smiled. Ignored how much she'd wanted that date. Ignored how much she'd wanted you. And now here you were. Bleeding. Heartbroken. Sitting in a nurse's office because she'd been too cowardly to have an uncomfortable conversation.
-"Gym Teacher..."-
You shook your head. Still looking down. Still unable to meet her eyes-"I saw him kiss you."-the words came out painfully. The vivid image of that moment flashing on your head. Melissa froze-"Nobody told me that you were saying... I saw you... The day of our lunch... You kissed him as you kissed me"-Everything clicked. Every unanswered text. Every strange look. Every moment from the last twenty-four hours. The classroom door. You'd seen.
-"Oh God."-The whisper escaped her. And suddenly she understood why you'd vanished. Why you'd looked sick. Why you'd run.
You rubbed your eyes roughly. Trying and failing to keep yourself together-"I wasn't angry."-Your voice cracked-"I was just..."-The sentence died. Too painful to finish. Melissa stared at you. At the person she'd hurt. The person she'd kissed. The person she'd agreed to date. The person she'd somehow fallen for without realizing how deep she'd fallen. And for the first time in her life, Melissa Schemmenti had absolutely no smart remark. No joke. No sarcasm. Just regret. She tried to take the hand on your lap, so you would look at her, instead you pulled your hand away from her grasp. Melissa's heart cracked a little at that. Not because you pulled away. Because of how fast you did it. Instinctively. Like touching her hurt. She had only meant to take your hand. Nothing more. Just something small. Something comforting. Something to bridge the distance that had suddenly appeared between you. Instead, the moment her fingers moved toward yours, you pulled back. Immediately. Your hand retreating into your lap. Away from her. Away from the warmth. Away from everything. Melissa froze. Her hand hanging awkwardly in the space between you. Then she slowly lowered it. You still weren't looking at her. Your eyes fixed stubbornly on the floor.
-"Don't."-The word was barely audible.
Melissa swallowed-"Please."-
Your voice cracked again. And somehow that hurt more than the blood-"Don't."-
Silence settled over the room. Heavy. Finally Melissa found her voice-"Why?"-
You laughed once. A sad sound. One that held absolutely no amusement. For several seconds you didn't answer. Then your shoulders snagged. As if you were simply too tired to keep carrying everything-"Because I can't be trusted around you."-The whisper barely existed. Melissa stared. Slowly, you rubbed at your eyes. Trying to hide the tears gathering there. Failing-"I spent all night trying to convince myself to stay away from you."-The confession hung in the air. Raw. Unfiltered-"I sat there telling myself that this was over."-Your throat tightened-"That I needed distance."-Melissa couldn't look away-"And then you walk into the nurse's office looking worried and I..."-You laughed bitterly-"I still want you to sit next to me."-The honesty landed like a punch. You finally looked at her. Only for a second. Your eyes red. Exhausted. Heartbroken-"And that's the problem."-Melissa's chest hurt. Actually hurt. Because there wasn't anger in your expression. Just love. Love trying desperately to protect itself-"I don't know what your relationship looks like."-Your gaze dropped again-"I don't know what Rob is for you or what you expected me to be for you both..."-A shaky breath-"I don't know what any of this is..."-Another one-"But I know I like you enough that if you touch my hand right now, I'm probably going to forget every reason I have for staying away."-
Melissa felt tears burning behind her own eyes. Because that wasn't manipulation. Wasn't pressure. Wasn't a dramatic declaration. It was the truth. Simple and painful. You were trying to create a boundary. Not because you didn't care. Because you cared too much. The room went quiet again. You closed your eyes-"I should've asked what was your idea of this..."-pause-"But you should've told me that I would have to share you."-
Melissa nodded. Immediately. Without hesitation-"Yeah."-
For the first time since entering the room, she didn't try to defend herself. Didn't make excuses. Didn't hide behind sarcasm. Because she knew. You were right.
Your cotton got full of blood, socked so much that it started to drip. The drop of blood landed on your hoodie. A tiny red spot. Almost insignificant. Yet somehow it pulled your attention immediately. You stared at it. Another reminder. As if your body had decided your heart wasn't suffering enough on its own. The cotton shifted slightly when you inhaled. The dull ache in your nose returning. You closed your eyes. Just for a second. Trying to keep everything inside. Trying to stay composed. Trying to hold yourself together. And then a sob escaped anyway. Small. Broken. Unwanted. The moment it left your throat, you hated it. Your hands immediately clenched together. Trying to stop the shaking. Trying to stop something. Anything. It didn't work. Because your mind wouldn't stop. It kept replaying everything. Over and over. Like a cruel little movie. Melissa grabbing your face in the garage. Melissa kissing you. The surprise. The warmth. The way your heart had practically exploded in your chest. Then the classroom. Rob. His hand on her waist. His kiss. Her kissing him back. The images crashed together until you couldn't separate them anymore. And that was the part that hurt. Not that she'd kissed him. That you'd thought the kiss with you meant something unique. Something special. Something that belonged only to the two of you. Your breathing became uneven.
-"I thought..."-The words caught. You shook your head. Unable to finish. Melissa sat perfectly still. Listening. Watching. You laughed weakly through another shaky breath-"I was sitting on my couch reading your messages."- Your eyes remained closed. You couldn't look at her anymore-"Smiling like an idiot."-Another laugh. This one even sadder-"Thinking maybe..."-Your voice cracked completely-"Maybe you liked me the way I liked you."-The room fell silent. Melissa's eyes filled immediately. Because she did. That was the horrible part. She did. But every explanation suddenly felt useless. Not because they weren't true. Because they wouldn't erase what you'd seen. They wouldn't erase the pain. You rubbed your face roughly. Trying to stop crying. Failing-"I know it's stupid."-
-"It's not."-Melissa's answer came immediately. You ignored it.
-"I know we never talked about it."-Your voice dropped lower-"But after the kiss..."-A tear slipped free-"After you said yes to the date..."-Another-"I let myself believe it was just us."-Melissa felt something twist painfully inside her chest. Because she'd let herself believe it too. Not logically. Not responsibly. Emotionally. Every time she'd looked at you. Every time she'd laughed at one of your stupid jokes. Every time she'd checked her phone hoping to see your name. She'd been pretending the complicated parts didn't exist. And now those complicated parts were sitting between you like a wall. You opened your eyes again. Red. Wet. Exhausted-"I don't even know what hurts more."-Melissa's breath caught-"The fact that you have someone..."-A pause-"Or the fact that I was happy enough to forget to ask."-The nurse's office felt impossibly quiet. And for the first time since this started, Melissa understood something clearly. This wasn't about jealousy. Not really. It was grief. The grief of discovering that the future you'd started imagining might not exist. Your voice was barely above a whisper. Quiet. Exhausted. Like every word was being pulled from somewhere bruised-"When I saw you kiss him..."-You swallowed hard-"...I felt used, like a toy."-Melissa visibly flinched. Not because you were being cruel. Because she knew exactly what you meant. You stared at the floor. At your shaking hands. At the blood drying on your hoodie. Anywhere but her-"And if he was your boyfriend..."-Your laugh came out hollow-"This would be easier."-Melissa's chest tightened-"To erase myself from the narrative."-The room went completely still-"To tell myself you were unavailable."-A shaky breath-"To tell myself I never had a chance."-Melissa felt tears gathering in her eyes. Because that would've been easier. Cleaner. You finally looked at her again. Not angry. That was the worst part. Not angry. Hurt-"Instead..."-Your voice cracked-"The only bad thing you really did was not mentioning that you were in an open relationship."-Melissa closed her eyes-"Or that you weren't looking for something serious"-You laughed weakly-"And it hurts because I don't have a big reason to be mad at you."-That one landed harder than anything else. Because it was true. You weren't calling her a liar. You weren't accusing her of cheating. You weren't telling her she'd manipulated you. You were sitting here with your heart in pieces and still trying to be fair to her. Still trying to understand her. And Melissa hated it. Not because you were wrong. Because you were being kinder than she felt she deserved-"I want a reason."-You admitted quietly. Melissa's eyes widened-"I want something simple."-A tear slid down your cheek. You didn't wipe it away-"I want to be able to say you lied."-Another shaky breath-"Or that you used me."-You laughed bitterly-"Or that you're a terrible person."-Melissa looked away. Unable to hold your gaze. Because she knew exactly where this was going-"But you're not."-The words broke apart-"You're just..."-You stopped. Searching-"Human."-The nurse's office felt painfully small-"And that makes it harder."-Melissa pressed a hand against her mouth. Because she could hear the truth in every word. You weren't grieving a villain. You were grieving someone you still cared about. Someone who had hurt you without meaning to. Someone who had made mistakes instead of committing some grand betrayal. And those were the heartbreaks that lingered. The ones without a monster. Without a clear enemy. Without someone obvious to hate. Melissa finally found her voice. Small. Fragile. Nothing like her usual self.
-"I wasn't looking for something casual."-You didn't respond-"I know it sounds awful right now."-Still nothing-"God, I know it does."-Her eyes filled completely-"But that's not what this was for me... I..."-You closed your eyes. Not because you didn't believe her. Because part of you did. And that almost hurt more. Melissa looked at you sitting there. Broken. Trying so hard to be reasonable while your heart was bleeding out in front of her.
The nurse returned carrying fresh supplies and a small ice pack. The moment the door opened, the conversation shattered. Not because it was finished. Because neither of you had the strength to continue it. You stood slowly. Your legs felt heavier than they should. Everything felt heavier than it should. The nurse glanced between the two of you. The swollen eyes. The tense silence. The untouched emotions hanging in the room. Fortunately, she was wise enough not to ask questions.
-"Let's change that cotton."-You nodded. The routine was simple. Mechanical. Almost comforting. Remove the stained cotton. Clean the blood. Wash your hands. Replace it. Apply pressure. A problem with clear steps. Unlike everything else. You stood at the sink afterward. Water running over your fingers. Pink streaks swirling down the drain. You stared at them longer than necessary. Melissa remained where she was. Sitting quietly. Watching. For once she didn't chase you with questions. Didn't demand answers. Didn't make jokes. She simply watched. And somehow that hurt too. You dried your hands. Took a breath. Then another. Building the mask back into place. Piece by piece. The same mask you'd worn yesterday. The same one you'd worn this morning. Not because it worked. Because it was all you had left.
-"I'll go back to the kids."-Your voice sounded steadier now. Not better. Just steadier-"They must be worried."-Melissa looked down. Because both of you knew the kids weren't the real reason. The real reason was that staying here hurt. And leaving hurt too. But at least leaving gave you something to do. You picked up your hoodie. Adjusted the fresh cotton beneath your nose. Then headed toward the door.
-"Gym Teacher."-The nickname stopped you. Only for a second. You didn't turn around. Behind you, Melissa stood. Her hands clenched at her sides. A hundred things she wanted to say. A thousand. An apology. An explanation. A confession. None of them seemed big enough. So what finally came out was heartbreakingly small-"I'm sorry."-
Silence. You closed your eyes briefly. Not because the words weren't sincere. They were. That was the problem. When someone genuinely regrets hurting you, there's no anger to hide behind. No shield. Just sadness. After a moment, you nodded once. A tiny movement-"I know."-The answer was quiet. Honest. And somehow that hurt Melissa more than if you'd yelled. Because you believed her. You believed she was sorry. You believed she hadn't meant to hurt you. And despite all of that... You still walked out. The door closed softly behind you. Melissa remained standing in the nurse's office. Alone. Listening to the fading sound of your footsteps. For the first time in a very long time, she felt completely powerless. Because she couldn't joke her way out of this. Couldn't charm her way out of this. Couldn't fix it with a clever comment. Some wounds didn't close because someone apologized.
At lunch time the teachers' lounge was already buzzing when you walked in. Jacob was in the middle of a story. Janine was laughing. Barbara was trying and failing to drink her coffee in peace. Ava was on her phone recording something. The conversation died almost immediately when they saw you. Not because of your expression. Because of your eye. The skin beneath it had turned a soft purple. Not dramatic. Just enough to make it obvious you'd taken a pretty good hit.
-"Whoa."-Jacob leaned forward-"Dude."-
You sat down. Quietly. And not at the far table. At your usual seat. Specially because it was the only available. Right beside Melissa. The chair you'd stolen from her. The chair you'd fought over. The chair that had become yours somehow. A month ago the sight would've made everyone groan. Another round of flirting. Another argument. Another ridiculous exchange. Instead... Nothing. You opened your lunch. Looked at your food. And said absolutely nothing. Melissa sat beside you. Just as quiet. Not touching. Not speaking. Not looking at each other. The silence between you felt heavier than any argument could have. Barbara noticed immediately. Ava noticed immediately. Janine noticed immediately. Jacob, somehow, took thirty seconds longer. Then even he noticed.
-"...Okay."-He pointed between the two of you-"Nope."-Nobody answered. Jacob looked around-"Something happened."-Still nothing-"Something definitely happened."-Janine kicked his leg beneath the table-"Ow!"-
-"Stop talking."-
-"I'm helping."-
-"You never help."-Normally you would've smiled. Made some comment. Thrown yourself into the conversation. Today you just pushed food around your plate. Barely eating. Melissa wasn't doing much better. She kept glancing at you. Tiny looks. Quick ones. Each time finding the same thing. Your eyes fixed downward. Your shoulders tense. Your expression distant. Like somebody sitting beside a ghost. The bruise beneath your eye made it worse. Not because of the injury. Because she'd watched the injury happen. She'd watched you get hurt. Watched you cry. Watched you tell her your heart was broken. And now she was close enough to touch. Yet somehow farther away than she'd ever been.
Janine finally broke. Because Janine always broke first-"Okay, I'm sorry."-She put her sandwich down-"I can't do this."-Everyone looked at her-"You two are being weird."-
Barbara sighed heavily-"Janine."-
-"No."-Janine pointed dramatically-"They haven't spoken once."-
Jacob nodded-"They haven't insulted each other once either."-
-"That's actually concerning."-Ava joined in. You rubbed your forehead. Already exhausted. Melissa looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
Melissa pinched the bridge of her nose-"I hate all of you."-
-"Thank you."-Jacob smiled proudly. The room fell quiet again. You finally took a bite of your lunch. More out of obligation than hunger. And beside you, Melissa looked down at her own food. Neither of you speaking. Neither of you knowing what to say. But for one brief second, your hands ended up resting near each other on the table. Not touching. Not even close. Just near. And somehow that tiny distance felt larger than the entire room.
-"Can we talk about what's happening?"-Jacob looked between the two of you-"Or at least what isn't happening?"-The silence after Jacob's question was immediate. Heavy. The kind of silence that makes people suddenly very interested in their sandwiches.
Your jaw tightened. Across from him, Melissa's eyes immediately narrowed-"Jacob."-The warning came through clenched teeth. He looked at her-"Stop" -
-"No."-For once, Jacob wasn't joking. His gaze moved between the two of you.-"Melissa, clearly something is going on."-The room became very still-"And whether we want it to or not..."-He gestured vaguely-"It always ends up affecting all of us."-Nobody spoke. Not Barbara. Not Ava. Not Janine. Because the uncomfortable truth was that he wasn't entirely wrong. The atmosphere in the room had been strange for two days. Everyone felt it. Nobody understood it. And suddenly being observed felt unbearable. Your chair scraped violently against the floor. The sound echoed through the lounge. Every head turned.You stood. Not fast. Not dramatically. Just done. Completely done. The room went silent instantly. Even Jacob realized he'd crossed into territory he didn't understand. Your expression remained blank. Almost frighteningly blank. The bruise beneath your eye looked darker somehow. The exhaustion in your face impossible to hide. Without saying a word, you grabbed your hoodie from the back of the chair.
Melissa's heart immediately dropped. Because she recognized that look now. It was the same one from earlier. The same one from the nurse's office. The look you wore right before leaving.
-"Gym Teacher..."-Your hand tightened around the hoodie. For a second it looked like you might actually say something. The entire room waiting. Instead you just shook your head. Once. A tiny movement. Then you walked toward the door-"Wait."-Melissa was already standing. You stopped. Only because her voice had caught you off guard. The room remained frozen. Nobody moving. Nobody speaking. Melissa swallowed. A hundred possible sentences running through her mind. None of them appropriate for a teachers' lounge. None of them things she could say in front of everyone. And most importantly... None of them things that would fix this. Your shoulders remained turned toward the door. Not toward her. The distance between you suddenly feeling enormous. Finally Melissa's voice came out small. Smaller than anyone in Abbott had probably ever heard.-"Please don't leave because of me."-The words hit the room like a dropped glass. Nobody expected them. Especially not you. Your eyes closed briefly. The pain that crossed your face lasted less than a second. But Melissa saw it. Barbara saw it. Everyone saw it.
When you finally spoke, your voice was calm. Too calm-"I'm leaving because I don't want this conversation."-The answer wasn't cruel. Which somehow made it worse. Then you opened the door. And walked out. The door clicked shut behind you. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. The room felt strangely hollow afterward. Jacob looked genuinely guilty for the first time all week. Janine stared at the door. Confused. Concerned. Barbara slowly put down her coffee.
And Melissa...Melissa remained standing beside the table. Looking at the closed door. Feeling the absence immediately.
When the final bell rang. You were ready to leave. For the first time since you started working at Abbott, you didn't linger. No talking to students. No joking with teachers. No stopping by Melissa's classroom. No sarcastic comments thrown at Jacob from across the hallway. Nothing. You packed your things. Grabbed your backpack. And left. A few teachers noticed. Of course they noticed. The gym teacher who normally seemed larger than life had spent the entire day looking like a shadow of himself.
Barbara watched you cross the parking lot through a classroom window. Her expression tightening. Janine saw you leave too. Neither of them stopped you. Because sometimes a person looked so tired that interrupting them felt cruel. The motorcycle sat where you'd parked it that morning. Waiting. You stared at it for a moment. Usually riding made everything better. Usually. Today it just felt like another thing you had to do. You pulled on your helmet. The padding pressed lightly against your bruised nose. Pain immediately shot through your face. You hissed through your teeth. Perfect. Just one more thing. You sat on the bike and rested your hands on the handlebars. Not starting it yet. Just sitting there. Tired. So incredibly tired. The kind of tired that sleep didn't fix. The kind heartbreak created. You hadn't eaten all day. Not really. A few bites at lunch. Nothing else. Your stomach should have been screaming. Instead it felt empty. Numb. The engine eventually rumbled to life beneath you. And for a second you simply sat there listening to it. The vibration. The familiar sound. The routine. Trying to convince yourself to go home. Because honestly? You didn't really want to go home. The apartment was empty. The couch was empty. The kitchen was empty. Everything felt empty lately. What you wanted wasn't a place. It was comfort. A hug. Someone wrapping their arms around you and telling you that you didn't have to be strong for five minutes. That you didn't have to pretend. That you could just be hurt. And the worst part? The person your heart immediately imagined was Melissa. Melissa's arms. Melissa's voice. Melissa's warmth. The same person you'd spent the entire day avoiding. The same person who had broken your heart. The same person who, if she appeared in front of you right now and opened her arms, would probably destroy every boundary you'd spent twenty-four hours trying to build. You laughed softly. A tired laugh.
-"Pathetic."-The word disappeared inside your helmet. But it didn't feel pathetic. It felt human. Because heartbreak was cruel like that. Sometimes the person you wanted comfort from was the same person who caused the wound. And that made healing feel impossible. You pulled out of the parking lot before you could think about it anymore.
Across the street, hidden behind the school's front doors, Melissa happened to look outside at exactly the wrong moment. Just in time to see your motorcycle disappearing down the road. And for reasons she couldn't fully explain, watching your taillight vanish into traffic made her chest ache. Because for the second day in a row, you were leaving. And she had a horrible feeling that if she let you keep riding away, eventually you might stop coming back altogether.
As soon as you got home the weekend was a blur. It disappeared in a strange way. Too fast. And somehow not fast enough. Hours blended together. Daylight turned into darkness. Darkness turned into morning. Morning turned into evening. You barely noticed. The apartment became a little island cut off from the rest of the world. You ignored messages. Ignored calls. Ignored everything that wasn't absolutely necessary. At some point you opened a bottle. Then another. Not because you wanted to party. Not because you were having fun. Because for a few hours alcohol blurred the sharpest edges. Not enough to stop thinking. Nothing could do that. Just enough to stop feeling every thought like a knife. You sat on your couch. Music playing quietly. The city moving outside your windows. And your brain replayed Melissa endlessly. Melissa laughing in the teachers' lounge. Melissa stealing food from your plate. Melissa behind you on the motorcycle. Melissa holding your face before kissing you. The memories had become a collection of tiny glass shards. Beautiful. Painful. Impossible to hold. The worst part wasn't even Rob anymore. That surprise had faded. What remained was something more complicated. Something harder.
You found yourself thinking about possibilities. Dangerous possibilities. The kind your heart invented at three in the morning. Because the truth was ugly. You missed her. God, you missed her. Not the fantasy version. Not the kiss. Not the flirting. Her. Her stupid comments. Her eye rolls. Her laugh. The way she'd say "Gym Teacher" like it was a title instead of a nickname. And your heart had started bargaining. The way hearts always do when they're desperate. Maybe I could make it work. Maybe I could be in an open relationship. You hated the thought. Maybe I could learn. You hated that one too. Maybe part of her is better than none of her. That thought hurt the most. Because deep down you knew something important. It wasn't really about open relationships. Not entirely. It was about wanting something she might not be able to give.
You wanted certainty. You wanted to be chosen. Not occasionally. Not partially. Fully. And that realization sat heavily in your chest. You took another drink. Then set the bottle aside. Because even drunk, the answer wouldn't change. You could imagine sharing her. You could imagine trying. You could imagine convincing yourself it was enough. But every version of that future carried the same fear. That one day you'd look at her. Completely in love. Completely invested. And still feel like you were waiting outside a door that never fully opened.
The thought made your chest ache. So you curled deeper into the couch. The same couch where you'd cried. The same couch where you'd fallen asleep exhausted. And for the first time all weekend, you admitted something to yourself. You didn't want half of Melissa. You wanted all of her. Her attention. Her affection. Her morning's. Her bad moods. Her terrible driving directions. Her laughter. Her heart. And realizing that felt both comforting and devastating. Because sometimes knowing exactly what you want only makes it clearer how impossible it seems to reach.
Meanwhile, across the city, Melissa spent the entire weekend staring at conversations she never sent. Typing messages. Deleting them. Typing again. Deleting again. Because she was hurting too.
Monday arrived wearing gray clouds. Not outside. Inside your head. The chaos of the previous week had settled. Not disappeared. Settled. Like dust after a building collapses. The confusion was gone. The questions were gone. The endless replaying of the classroom door was mostly gone too. What remained was somehow worse. Missing her. Simple. Painful. Honest. You missed her laugh. You missed her sarcasm. You missed hearing her voice drift through hallways. You missed sitting beside her at lunch and pretending you weren't looking forward to it. Most of all, you missed how easy everything had felt before.
You sat on the edge of the gym stage before classes started. The vast room still mostly empty. Quiet. Your elbows rested on your knees. Your eyes fixed on the floor. You heard footsteps. You didn't look up. Teachers crossed the gym all the time. Students too. The footsteps stopped beside you. Something plastic touched the wood next to your leg. You frowned. Finally lifting your eyes. A tupperware container. Then beyond it. Melissa. Standing there. Your heart immediately betrayed you. Because despite everything. Despite the hurt. Despite the distance. It still reacted.
Melissa offered a small smile. Not her usual grin. Not her teasing smirk. Something softer. Something nervous-"Breakfast."-Her voice was barely above a whisper. You stared at the container. Then at her. Then back at the container. Your throat tightened. For a second neither of you spoke-"I wasn't sure if you'd eaten.-"
Your eyes dropped to the tupperware again. She knew. Of course she knew. You'd barely touched food the last four days. Half the staff had probably noticed. Melissa definitely had. The container looked homemade. Which somehow made it worse. Or better. You couldn't tell anymore. Carefully, you opened it. Inside were breakfast sandwiches. Still warm. Wrapped neatly. You swallowed. Hard. The gesture was so painfully Melissa. No grand speech. No dramatic declaration. Just showing up with food because she knew you were hurting. Your eyes stung unexpectedly.
-"Thank you."-The words came out rough. Melissa's shoulders relaxed slightly. Like she'd been afraid you might hand it back.
-"I made extra."-The lie was terrible. You almost smiled. Almost. Melissa noticed. The weird movement your mouth made at the corners. And for the first time in days, something hopeful flickered across her face. Not happiness. Not relief. Hope. The dangerous kind. She sat down on the stage beside you. Leaving space between you. Not too much. Not too little. Respecting the distance you'd been trying to keep. Her perfume hit your nose and you closed your eyes. For a minute neither of you spoke. The gym remained quiet around you. You took a bite. It was good. Ridiculously good. Melissa pretended not to watch your reaction. Failed completely. You noticed. Of course you noticed.
-"You've been worrying."-The words escaped before you could stop them.
Melissa looked down at her hands and then at your eye, the bruise had covered a bigger part after the weekend, spreading under your eye-"Yeah."-No sarcasm. No deflection. Just honesty. You nodded slowly. Another silence settled. Less painful than before. Still fragile. Then Melissa spoke. Very quietly-"I missed you."-
Your chest squeezed. Not because it solved anything. It didn't. The difficult conversations still existed. Rob still existed. The future was still a giant question mark. You nodded. A small movement. The closest thing to agreement you could manage right now. Because if you opened your mouth and told the truth, it would probably come out as:
"I missed you every second."
And you weren't ready for that. So instead you kept eating. The sandwich was ridiculously good. Which was honestly unfair. Your stomach had apparently decided to remember its purpose. The first bite became a second. Then a third. Melissa watched from the corner of her eye. Trying not to smile. Failing.
-"You look less dead."-
You looked at her-"That's your compliment?"-
-"Yes."-A pause-"You looked like roadkill on Friday."-For the first time in days, a genuine laugh escaped you. Small. Surprised. But real. Melissa's smile widened immediately. Not dramatically. Just enough. Because she'd been trying to make you laugh since she sat down. And there it was. The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable. Not exactly. Just uncertain. Two people standing in the ruins of something beautiful. Not sure whether they were rebuilding it or saying goodbye to it.
You took another bite. Chewed slowly. The hurt wasn't sitting in your chest anymore. Not the sharp version. It was still there. Just... quieter. Now the dominant feeling was absence. Missing her. And that was almost worse because there was nothing to fight. No betrayal. No villain. No righteous anger. Just longing. You stared at the gym floor. At the basketball court lines. At absolutely nothing. Melissa did the same. Eventually she spoke. Carefully-"I wasn't sure if you'd let me sit here."-
You swallowed your bite-"I wasn't sure either... I'm still debating if I wanna slap you or hug you" - you murmured. The honesty surprised both of you. Melissa looked down. A nervous habit you'd never seen before.
-"You can tell me to leave if you want."-
You immediately shook your head-"No."- Her eyes lifted. Meeting yours. And there it was. The thing both of you had been avoiding. Not the relationship talk. Not Rob. Not any of the complicated stuff. The simple truth. You still wanted her here. Even when it hurt. Especially when it hurt. You sighed. Resting your forearms on your knees-"I don't know what to do with this."-
Melissa didn't ask what this meant. She knew. The feelings. The attraction. The affection. The mess. All of it. She looked at her hands. Then quietly admitted-"Neither do I."- No jokes. No clever comments. Just honesty. The gym doors remained open behind you. Students would start arriving soon. The moment would end. Reality would come rushing back. But for now, you sat side by side on the edge of the stage. Sharing breakfast. Sharing silence.
You let your eyes drift downward before they could betray you. Your eyes wander to her, you looked at her feet first. It was safer. Safer than her eyes. Safer than her smile. Safer than remembering what her lips felt like against yours. Her feet swung slightly above the floor. Not enough to look childish. Just enough to remind you that she was shorter than she acted. One heel tapping absentmindedly against the wood every few seconds. Her hands were gripping the edge beside her, fingers curled around it as if she was anchoring herself there. The pink sweater looked almost absurdly soft against her black pants. And the layered necklaces at her throat caught the morning light every time she moved. Tiny details you'd somehow memorized without trying. And then your gaze started climbing toward her face. You stopped it halfway. Because that was dangerous. Her face had become a trap. The kind your eyes kept falling into. The kind that made you forget what you were trying to protect. So you looked away again. Toward the gym floor. Toward the basketball hoops. Toward literally anything else. Fuck. You were fucked. The realization settled with uncomfortable clarity. You couldn't do an open relationship. Not really. Not with her. Not when every part of you wanted all of her. You couldn't share her.You knew it wouldn't work. Not for you. And that was the problem. Because the alternative felt impossible too. If you stayed close, the feelings would keep growing. Every lunch. Every joke. Every accidental touch. Every morning she showed up with that soft smile and a container of food. You were already in deeper than you'd ever intended to be. If you pulled away, you'd be miserable. You'd spend your days avoiding hallways. Avoiding her laugh. Avoiding the chair beside yours at lunch. Avoiding the person who had somehow become woven into the fabric of your life. Neither option looked survivable. The pain should have made the answer simple. Take distance. Protect yourself. Move on. Except the thought of pulling away made your chest ache immediately. Because the last few days had already shown you what distance felt like. Empty lunches. Avoided hallways. A gym that suddenly seemed too quiet. An apartment that felt like a waiting room. If you stayed close, the feelings would keep growing. If you stepped away, you'd be miserable. What kind of choice was that?
Beside you, Melissa was quiet. Watching the gym. Pretending not to watch you. You wondered if she had any idea what was happening inside your head. Probably not. Because if she did, she'd see the war. One side begging you to protect yourself. The other side already reaching for her. The worst part? The second side was winning. You sighed quietly. Not enough for the students outside to hear. Just enough for her. Melissa glanced at you immediately.
-"You okay?"-There it was again. That instinctive concern. You almost said no. Instead, you stared at the sandwich in your hands.
Then finally admitted-"I'm trying to be smart."-
Her brow furrowed-"And?"-
You let out a humorless laugh-"I'm not very good at it."-
Melissa studied you for a moment. Really studied you and she shifted beside you. The movement brushed her shoulder against yours again. Light. Accidental. Enough to make your chest tighten.
She glanced over. Her eyes lingered on your face for a second. Then on the fading bruise beneath your eye. Then back to your eyes.
-"Does it still hurt?"-she asked quietly. You almost answered which one? Instead you swallowed and nodded toward your nose.
-"A little."-Melissa looked guilty all over again. You hated that. Because the bruise wasn't what mattered. Your gaze dropped back to the sandwich in your hands. Then, before you could stop yourself, the truth slipped out.
-"I spent the whole weekend trying to decide whether staying away from you would make this easier."-
Melissa went very still-"And?"-
You let out a tired breath-"I don't think easier exists anymore."-
For a moment neither of you moved. Melissa's fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the stage. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper-"I don't want you to stay away from me."-
Your heart stumbled. You looked at her then. Really looked at her. And saw the same fear that had been living inside your own chest all weekend. The fear of wanting something complicated. The fear of hurting someone. The fear of losing them anyway. You didn't answer immediately. Because if you did, you were afraid the words would come out sounding too much like I don't want to stay away from you either. And judging by the way Melissa was looking at you, she was afraid of hearing exactly that.
Somewhere down the hallway, the first students started arriving. The moment was ending. Reality was coming back. But before either of you could put your masks on again, Melissa's hand moved slightly across the stage. Not enough to touch yours. Just enough that the space between them became a choice. And as you stared at that tiny gap, you realized the most dangerous thing of all: You still wanted to close it. Even knowing exactly how much it could hurt.
The last bite of the sandwich disappeared almost absentmindedly. You hadn't even realized you'd finished it until the container was empty in your hands. The gym doors burst fully open. And with them came the usual avalanche.
-"Coach!"-
-"Coach, look what I drew!"-
-"Coach! Tyler cheated last week!"-
-"When are we playing dodgeball?"-The quiet dissolved instantly beneath dozens of excited voices. Sneakers squeaked across the polished floor. Backpacks hit the bleachers. Laughter bounced off the high ceiling. Melissa stood. Brushing invisible wrinkles from her pink sweater. You watched her without meaning to. The moment she was no longer sitting beside you, the empty space she left behind felt... cold. Ridiculous. But true. She adjusted her jacket. Ready to head back toward her classroom.
Your mouth moved before your brain could stop it-"Are you going to movie night at Janine's?"-Your voice was quiet enough that the children couldn't hear. Melissa turned back toward you. A little surprised by the question-"The one they sent in the group chat?"-
She hesitated. Only for a heartbeat-"I can't."-A small apologetic smile-"I already had plans with..."-She stopped. Immediately. She didn't say his name. She didn't have to. The unfinished sentence landed anyway. You felt it. Like pressing on a bruise that had barely begun to heal.
Your shoulders lowered almost imperceptibly. You nodded once-"Right."-The smile you gave her was practiced. Polite. The kind people wore when they were trying very hard not to let something show-"Have fun."-
Three words. Perfectly normal. Perfectly kind. Melissa stared at you. Because she heard everything you hadn't said. I forgot. I let myself pretend for five minutes. Reality's back. She took a step toward you. Then stopped. Students were pouring into the gym now. Several of them were already waving at her-"Gym Teacher..."-
You were already smiling at a little girl proudly holding up a drawing-"That's awesome, Emma."-You crouched beside her-"I love the dinosaur."-
Emma beamed-"It has muscles like you!"-
You laughed. A real laugh. One that reached your face. Melissa watched it happen. Watched how effortlessly you gave your students warmth. How naturally you smiled for them. How carefully you protected them from seeing whatever storm was inside you. Then she noticed something. The moment you stood back up... The smile faded. Not completely. Just enough that only someone looking closely would notice. She noticed. Because she was looking closely. Your eyes found hers one last time across the gym. You offered another small nod. Professional. Friendly. Distant. Then you turned toward the waiting class. Clapped your hands together-"Alright, who's ready to make today regret challenging us?"-A chorus of cheers erupted. Melissa smiled despite herself. There you were. The gym teacher her students adored. The one who could turn a Monday morning into an adventure. But she also knew something the children didn't. Every joke you made this morning was costing you effort. Every smile was something you were choosing. And as she quietly slipped out of the gym, her chest tightened. Because she'd just watched you let go of another little hope. Not dramatically. Not angrily. Just with a soft, "Right." As if you were slowly teaching yourself, one disappointment at a time, where the edges of her life were. And that maybe... you weren't allowed to stand inside them.
By the time school finished and you got home, the silence greeted you again. It wasn't peaceful. It was waiting. Like the apartment had memorized what heartbreak sounded like. You dropped your keys into the bowl by the door. The sound echoed. Too loud. For a moment you considered staying. Ordering takeout. Putting on some random television show. Falling asleep on the couch again. Instead you sighed-"...No."Because as lonely as the teachers' movie night might be... Your apartment felt lonelier. You walked into the bathroom. Looked in the mirror. The bruise beneath your eye had deepened into a mixture of purple and yellow. Not dramatic enough to look cool. Just dramatic enough that everyone would ask questions. You reached for the makeup. After ten minutes of trying to remember how concealer worked, you managed something...acceptable. Not invisible. Just less obvious. You leaned back. Examining yourself-"Good enough"- Your phone buzzed. The group chat.
Jacob Abbott: "MOVIE VOTE!"
Janine Abbott: "No horror please 😭"
Barbara Abbott: "You're thirty."
Jacob Abbott: "Emotionally? Twelve."
You smiled despite yourself. The poll appeared. Several options. Comedy. Action. Romance. Without thinking too hard, you tapped: The Devil Wears Prada. Mostly because it was a classic. Mostly because you'd watched it enough times to quote half the lines. Mostly because it didn't ask anything emotional from you. A few more votes rolled in. One after another. To your surprise... Your choice won. Jacob immediately complained.
Gregory Abbott: "How did fashion beat explosions??"
Jacob Abbott: "Democracy."
Then Janine sent another message. "Dress fancy in honor of the movie?"
Within seconds everyone was enthusiastically agreeing. Even Ava. You stared at the screen. Then shrugged. Why not? An hour later you were standing in front of your closet. You skipped the suit jacket. Too formal. Instead you chose tailored black pants. Dark leather boots. A crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to your elbows. And a fitted charcoal vest that hugged your frame without trying too hard. The vest left your toned arms fully visible. Something Melissa had teased you about more than once. "Gym Teacher has to advertise the merchandise." The memory made you smile... Then immediately fade again. You grabbed your keys. Checked the makeup one last time. The bruise was still there if someone looked closely. But maybe people wouldn't. Maybe.
Across town, Melissa stood frozen in front of her own closet. Her phone still open to the group chat. She hadn't voted. She hadn't even seen the poll until it had already ended. She'd been with Rob. Dinner plans they'd made weeks ago. Plans she'd completely forgotten about until this morning. Now she stared at the messages.
Fancy dress code. The Devil Wears Prada.
Her heart sank a little. Because she immediately knew whose movie that probably was. Yours. She imagined you there. Trying to smile. Laughing with the others. Covering the bruise beneath your eye. Pretending you were okay.
Rob called from the other room-"You ready?"-Melissa looked toward the doorway. Then back at the phone. Her thumb hovered over the keyboard. Over your name. Over the picture of your outfit that you shared on the group. She typed:"You look handsome in a vest."
Stopped. Deleted it. Locked the screen-"...Yeah" - she answered quietly-"I'm coming."-And for reasons she couldn't quite explain, walking toward her already-made plans felt strangely like walking in the wrong direction.
By the time you parked outside Jacob and Janine's apartment, dusk had settled over the city. You turned the engine off. The sudden silence rang in your ears. For a second you considered leaving. You could still text. "Sorry, something came up." Nobody would question it. Instead you exhaled slowly. Took off your helmet. And walked inside. The apartment was already full. Warm lights. Music playing softly. The smell of popcorn, pizza, and too many flavored chips mixed together. Jacob was wearing an expensive-looking blazer over a T-shirt. Ava had somehow managed to look like she'd walked out of a fashion magazine while still looking completely like herself. Barbara was dressed in a sleek black outfit, arms crossed as she watched Jacob dramatically explain something to three strangers. Gregory looked effortlessly elegant. Janine was wearing something that she did on fashion club. Even Mr Johnson had traded his usual clothes for a sharp suit jacket.
-"Coach!"-Jacob spotted you immediately-"There they are!"-A few heads turned. Several people you didn't recognize smiled politely. Friends of Janine's, judging by the conversations.
-"You actually dressed up!"-Jacob looked delighted-"I thought you'd show up in motorcycle boots and emotional damage."-
You glanced down at your boots-"...I did show up in motorcycle boots... But fancy ones"-
Barbara snorted into her drink. Jacob pointed dramatically-"...Fair."-A couple of people laughed. You smiled politely. Just enough. Melissa wasn't there. Your shoulders relaxed before you could stop them. Then guilt immediately followed. Because part of you had been looking for her the moment you walked in. You set your helmet on a small side table near the entrance. Hung your jacket over a chair. The room buzzed with easy conversation. Normally you'd have joined it. Teased Jacob. Introduced yourself to everyone. Started some ridiculous debate. Tonight...You couldn't. You simply crossed the room. Accepted a bottle of beer from Gregory with a quiet
-"Thanks."-And dropped onto the couch beside Barbara. Barbara glanced sideways. She didn't say "You okay?" She already knew the answer. Instead she nudged a bowl of pretzels toward you.
-"You should eat."-You obediently grabbed a handful. Mostly because arguing sounded exhausting. The movie hadn't started yet. People were still chatting. Moving pillows onto the carpet. Choosing seats. Pouring drinks. Janine introduced you to two of her distric friends. You smiled. Shook hands. Forgot both names almost immediately. Your social battery wasn't low. It was empty. Barbara quietly leaned closer-"So..."-You looked at her-"I'm not going to ask."-You felt yourself relax a fraction-"But if you need an emergency escape..."-She subtly jingled her car keys-"...I'll fake food poisoning."-
A tiny laugh escaped you-"You'd poison yourself for me?-"
Barbara shrugged, she knew what you were going trough, Melissa was her best friend-"I'd pretend."-
Another tiny smile. This one lasted a little longer-"Thanks."-She simply nodded. No pressure. No questions. Just company.
Around the room, laughter broke out again as Jacob accidentally spilled popcorn all over his own lap. You turned to look at Barbara a small smile on the corner of your mouth-"Didn't you failed your driving license test?" - you raised an eyebrow and she grabbed her pearls
-"Excuse me?"-
-"Melissa told me" - your smile fell a little at her name
-"I approved the second time" - she murmured-"I considered cheating if I didn't pass that time" -You actually chuckled. A quiet one. But genuine. Barbara noticed. She didn't comment on it. She just smiled into her wine. Maybe tonight wouldn't fix anything. Maybe it couldn't. But for the first time since Friday... You weren't sitting alone with your thoughts. And sometimes, even when your heart was still broken... That was enough to make breathing feel just a little easier.
The lights dimmed. Conversations slowly dissolved into whispers. Someone paused the movie twice because Jacob insisted the popcorn distribution wasn't "strategically fair." Ava threatened to mute him. Gregory quietly took the bowl away from Jacob. Peace was restored. You settled deeper into the corner of the couch. One ankle resting across your knee. The bowl of popcorn balanced carefully on your lap. The opening credits of The Devil Wears Prada began rolling across the television. The familiar soundtrack filled the apartment. You barely registered it. Your thoughts still wandered every few minutes. Not as painfully as before. Just... absentmindedly. People shifted around you. Someone laughed at an early joke. Janine disappeared briefly into the hallway. You didn't pay much attention. A minute later she returned carrying a folded blanket. Without saying anything, she walked behind the couch. Then... She simply draped it over your shoulders. You blinked in surprise. Looking up at her. Janine only smiled. A tiny one. Warm.
-"You looked cold."-She whispered. That was it. No speech. No are you okay? No pity. She just tucked one corner of the blanket over your shoulder and went back to her spot on the floor beside Gregory. You looked down at the soft fabric. It still carried that clean laundry smell. Fresh. Comforting. The warmth settled around your shoulders almost immediately. And to your own surprise... Your eyes stung. Not because of the blanket itself. Because for one tiny moment... It felt like a hug. The kind that didn't ask questions. Didn't expect explanations. Didn't try to fix anything. Just warmth. Barbara noticed from beside you. She pretended not to. She simply reached into your popcorn bowl without asking
-"You know those are mine."-You murmured. She pretended not to listen to you. You huffed the faintest laugh. The movie continued. People laughed. Quoted lines. Jacob dramatically gasped every time Miranda Priestly appeared on screen. Even though he'd apparently seen the movie three times already. Little by little, your grip on the popcorn bowl loosened. Your shoulders stopped sitting quite so high. The blanket remained wrapped around you. Heavy enough to feel grounding. Light enough not to suffocate. For the first time in days... You weren't thinking about what you should have said. Or what Melissa should have said. Or what came next. You were just... Watching a movie. Eating popcorn. Letting yourself exist for two quiet hours. And across the room, Barbara glanced toward you. She noticed you leaning ever so slightly into the blanket. She noticed your breathing had finally slowed. She noticed that, despite the bruise beneath your eye and the sadness you were still carrying... You looked just a little less alone. She smiled to herself. Then stole another handful of your popcorn.
When the credits rolled. Jacob immediately stood up like he'd just witnessed cinema history-"I have opinions."-
Barbara didn't even look up from her drink-"No."-
-"I haven't shared them yet."-
-"And I'd like to keep it that way."-Laughter drifted through the apartment. A couple of Janine's friends stretched, grabbed their coats, and headed home. Hugs. Goodbyes. Promises to do it again. The apartment grew quieter. Smaller. Now it was mostly the Abbott teachers. People who knew each other's coffee orders and classroom disasters by heart. Someone dimmed the lights even further. The television glowed softly across the room. The next movie started. Devil Wears Prada 2. People shuffled around, claiming new spots. Blankets migrated. Bowls of popcorn changed owners three times without permission. You pulled the blanket a little tighter around your shoulders. Crossed your legs again. Settled in. The opening scenes had barely begun when someone quietly lowered themselves onto the carpet directly in front of you. Close enough that your knees were almost touching their back. You frowned. Who... Then a familiar scent reached you. A perfume your stupid heart recognized before your brain did.
Your breath caught-"...Melissa?"-You whispered. The figure turned. The glow from the television painted soft blues across her face. She smiled. Small. Almost shy-"What are you doing here?"-
She tilted her head with exaggerated innocence-"I love Stanley Tucci."-
You blinked-"...That's not an answer."-
-"It answered the important part."-
-"It really didn't."-you frowned. A tiny laugh escaped her. The first carefree sound you'd heard from her in days. She tucked one leg beneath herself. Looking back toward the television.
-"I finished dinner" - A pause-"Rob had an early shift tomorrow."-Another pause-"I saw the messages saying everyone was staying."-She shrugged lightly-"So..."-
You looked at the back of her head. At the loose strands of red hair escaping her ponytail-"So you came because of Stanley Tucci?"-
She was quiet for a beat-"...He's very convincing."-
You couldn't help it. A tiny smile pulled at the corner of your mouth-"Terrible liar."-
-"I know."-She admitted without turning around. Silence settled again. The movie continued in the background. Nobody else paid much attention to the exchange. Jacob was too busy arguing with Gregory about fictional fashion magazines. Melissa rested her elbows on the coffee table. Still facing the screen. Very quietly, so only you could hear, she said-"I also... missed sitting near you."-The words almost disappeared beneath the dialogue from the television. You looked down at the blanket over your shoulders. Then at the bowl of popcorn in your lap. Without saying anything, you picked up the bowl. Held it out over the edge of the couch. Toward her. Melissa looked back. Then up at you. Her eyes softened. She took a small handful. Deliberately making sure her fingers didn't brush yours. Respecting the boundary you'd asked for-"Thank you."-She whispered. You nodded once. Neither of you knew what happened next.Neither of you knew whether there even was a next. There were still difficult conversations waiting outside this dimly lit living room. Still choices. Still people who could get hurt. But for tonight... You shared a bowl of popcorn. And every so often, when something genuinely funny happened on screen, the sound of Melissa's laughter reached you before her perfume did. You discovered, with equal parts relief and heartbreak, that hearing her laugh still made you smile.
After a few minutes you looked at her again, she was uncomfortable trying to keep her back straight without a backrest, you felt sorry for her. Melissa stiffened the instant your hand touched her shoulder. Not out of fear. Out of surprise. Your touch had been so gentle. A quiet pressure. A question more than a command. She looked over her shoulder. Confused. You didn't say anything. You simply guided her back a few inches until her back rested lightly against your legs. The blanket slipped over your knees, brushing against her shoulders too. She froze.
-"So you'll stop sitting like a gargoyle,"- you murmured, eyes still on the television-"You look uncomfortable."-
For a second she just stared at you-"I thought..."-Her voice was barely audible-"I thought you didn't want me close."-You swallowed. The movie kept playing in the background. Nobody else seemed to notice. Jacob was whispering commentary to Janine. Barbara was pretending not to eavesdrop.
-"I don't."-The words sounded harsher than you intended. You sighed-"...I mean..."-You rubbed your forehead-"I don't know what I want."-Melissa's expression softened-"I want distance because it's the smart thing."-You gave a tiny, tired smile-"...Apparently my heart didn't get that memo."-A faint laugh escaped her. Sad. Tender. Carefully, almost nervously, she let herself lean back against your legs. Not her full weight. Just enough to stop holding herself so rigidly. You could feel how tense she still was. Like she was afraid one wrong movement would make you pull away. After a minute you spoke again. Quiet enough that only she could hear-"You don't have to sit like you're balancing on a fence."-
-"I don't want to make you uncomfortable."-she murmured
-"You won't."-A pause-"...Not by leaning."-Melissa let out a slow breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Little by little, her shoulders relaxed. The tension melted from her back. The warmth of her settled against your legs through the blanket. Comfortably. Naturally. Dangerously. Neither of you reached for the other's hand. Neither of you crossed any further line. You simply stayed like that. Watching the movie. Sharing the same blanket without really sharing it. Halfway through a scene, Melissa smiled to herself looking at you.
-"What?"-You whispered.
-"You always take care of people."-
You looked at the screen-"You brought me breakfast."-
-"I know."-she nodded
-"So don't act surprised when I make sure your back doesn't hurt."-
Melissa looked down, blinking quickly-"...We're a disaster."-
That earned the smallest chuckle from you-"Yeah" - Another beat of silence-"But at least your posture's better."- She laughed. A real one this time. Soft enough not to disturb the movie. Across the room, Barbara happened to glance over. She saw Melissa resting comfortably against your legs. She saw your hand briefly adjust the blanket so it covered Melissa's shoulder before returning to your own lap. She saw the tiny smile that crossed both your faces. Barbara looked back at the television and quietly smiled to herself.
When the credits rolled. This time, nobody argued about putting on another movie. Even Jacob looked tired.
-"I officially can't feel my legs."-Melissa murmured
-"You've been lying on the floor for two hours."-Barbara replied.
-"It was a strategic decision."-
-"It was certainly a decision."-the older replied. The lights came back on. Warm yellow replacing the soft glow of the television. Melissa immediately stood. Stretching her arms over her head with a quiet sigh. Her back gave a tiny pop.
-"There it is" - Jacob announced dramatically-"The sound of old age."-
Melissa rolled her eyes and slapped his head making you laugh.But as her arms lowered... She instinctively took a small step away from the couch. Away from you. It was subtle. Barely noticeable. Most people wouldn't have thought anything of it. You noticed. She was giving you space before you had to ask for it. Making sure she didn't lean against you again. Making sure she didn't accidentally brush your arm. Making sure she didn't hurt you another way. Something in your chest tightened. You stood, the blanket slipping from your shoulders. A yawn escaped before you could stop it.
Janine caught it immediately-"You look exhausted."-
-"I think I forgot how to sleep."-You answered with a tired smile. She didn't joke. She simply squeezed your forearm as she walked past. People began gathering empty bottles. Folding blankets. Carrying bowls back into the kitchen. Without thinking about it, you picked up a stack of plates-"I've got these."-
Janine protested-"You don't have to..."-
-"I know."-You smiled--"...I want to."-Melissa appeared beside you a second later, already carrying glasses toward the sink. The two of you moved around the kitchen with an odd familiarity. Passing towels. Rinsing dishes. Drying them. Not saying much. Just... Existing in the same space. Once, both of you reached for the same wooden spoon. Melissa pulled her hand back immediately.
-"Sorry."-
You simply picked up the spoon and handed it to her-"It's okay."-No awkwardness. No lingering touch. Just kindness.
Twenty minutes later the apartment looked almost exactly as it had before everyone arrived. Janine looked around proudly.
-"You people are invited forever."-
Jacob pointed dramatically-"You hear that? Lifetime membership."-
Barbara grabbed her coat-"Don't ruin it."-One by one, everyone headed toward the door. Goodbyes filled the hallway. Outside, the night air felt crisp. Cool enough that you instinctively zipped your jacket. Your motorcycle waited beneath a streetlight. The chrome reflecting the golden glow above. You started walking toward it. Footsteps matched yours. You glanced sideways. Melissa. Neither of you had planned it. You'd simply fallen into step beside each other. The same way you used to walk through the school hallways. For a while... Only your footsteps filled the silence. Then Melissa quietly said,
-"Thank you..."-You looked at her-"...for letting me sit with you."-
You slipped your hands into your jacket pockets. Thinking-"I wanted you there."-The admission came easier than you expected-"It was just..."-You searched for the right words-"...Nice."-
Melissa smiled. Small. Real-"It was."-
The parking lot came into view. Your bike standing alone near the curb. Her car a few spaces away. The walk was almost over. Neither of you seemed eager for it to end. Because every goodbye lately carried an unspoken fear. That the next conversation might be harder. That the next silence might last longer. So when you finally stopped beside your motorcycle, neither of you reached for your keys immediately. You simply stood there under the streetlight. The streetlight cast a warm circle around the two of you. Beyond it, the parking lot was quiet. Most of the other teachers had already driven away. The laughter from inside Jacob and Gregory apartment had faded into the background. You looked at Melissa. Really looked at her. The makeup she'd worn had softened after a long evening. A few loose strands of red hair framed her face. She looked... tired. Not physically. Emotionally.
A small smile found its way onto your face. Barely there. -"How was your date?"-
The question surprised her. She hadn't expected you to ask. Her eyes searched yours for a moment. As if trying to figure out whether you wanted the polite answer. Or the real one. She chose the real one-"It sucked."-A quiet, almost disbelieving chuckle escaped her. Not amused. Just... resigned.
Your eyebrows lifted. She wasn't saying it to make you feel better. You knew Melissa well enough now to recognize when she was performing. She wasn't-"What happened?"-
Melissa leaned back lightly against her car. Looking up at the night sky before answering-"Nothing."-You frowned-"That's... kind of the problem."-She laughed softly-"We had dinner."-A shrug-"We talked."-Another shrug-"We watched half a show."-Silence-"And the whole time..."-She looked back at you-"...I kept wondering what movie you guys had picked."-Your chest tightened-"I kept checking the group chat."-She smiled sheepishly-"Rob asked me three times if everything was okay."-You stayed quiet. Letting her continue-"I realized..."-She rubbed her hands together against the cold-"...I wasn't really there."-A long pause-"I was thinking about Abbott."-Her eyes met yours again-"I was thinking about breakfast."-Another pause-"I was thinking about whether you'd eaten."-You looked down at the pavement. Your heart had started beating a little faster. Melissa let out a slow breath-"I felt awful."-
-"For him?"-You asked gently.
She nodded-"And for you."-The honesty hung between you-"I don't like hurting people."-She whispered.
-"I know."-You answered immediately. She blinked-"I know you don't."-
Melissa's eyes filled just enough to catch the light-"I think..."-She swallowed-"...that's why this has been so hard."-You looked at her. Waiting-"Because every direction I turn..."-A sad smile-"...someone gets hurt."-The words landed heavily. Because they were true. You stepped a little closer. Not enough to invade her space. Just enough that she didn't have to raise her voice.
-"You know..."-You said quietly-"...when this started, I thought the hardest part would be finding out you weren't single."-Melissa listened without interrupting-"It wasn't."-You shook your head-"The hardest part..."-A tired smile crossed your face-"...was finding out you're exactly the person I thought you were."-She frowned slightly-"Kind."-A beat-"Funny."-Another.-"The type of person who makes breakfast because someone skipped meals."-Melissa's eyes shimmered-"And that would've made it so much easier if you'd been awful."-A tear escaped before she could stop it. Instead of wiping it away, she laughed once. A shaky laugh.
-"You have terrible timing."-
You smiled faintly-"I've been told."-For the first time all night... Neither of you looked away. The silence between you no longer felt empty. It felt full. Full of things neither of you were quite brave enough to say yet.
You signed looking at her eyes, the green looking softer and warmer under the yellow light, not as piercing and intimidating as always-"Melissa..."- You looked down at your boots. The asphalt suddenly seemed fascinating. Anything was easier to look at than her eyes-"I like you, Mel..."-The nickname slipped out naturally. Melissa's smile disappeared. Not because of what you said. Because of how quietly you said it. There was no accusation. No resentment. No demand. Just truth-"...Like..."-You laughed once. Self-conscious-"...Like a lot."-You rubbed the back of your neck-"God."-Another small laugh-"That sounded pathetic."-
-"It didn't."-Melissa answered immediately.
You shook your head-"It did."- A breath left your lungs. Slowly-"But..."-You finally forced yourself to meet her gaze-"I know myself."-She didn't interrupt-"I've spent all weekend thinking about it."-Another pause-"Trying to convince myself I could do it."-Her brow furrowed-"I even caught myself thinking..."-You smiled bitterly.-"...maybe having part of you is better than having none of you."-Melissa's eyes widened. You looked away again-"But I realized I'd be lying to myself."-Your voice remained gentle. Steady-"I couldn't do it."-A tiny shake of your head-"I couldn't share you with someone else."-The words were difficult. Not because you were ashamed. Because saying them out loud made them real-"It wouldn't be enough for me."-The parking lot seemed impossibly quiet-"I'd start comparing."-You admitted-"I'd wonder where you were. I'd wonder who you were with. I'd keep hoping that one day you'd choose me first."-You smiled sadly-"And that's not fair to you."-Melissa felt another tear slip down her cheek-"It's not fair to ask you to become someone you're not."-You took a slow breath-"And it's not fair for me to pretend I'd be okay when I know I wouldn't."-Silence-"I don't want to spend months slowly becoming resentful because I wanted something different."-Your eyes found hers again. Warm. Kind. Heartbroken-"I like you too much to let us become people who hurt each other."-
Melissa covered her mouth with one hand. She'd been holding herself together all evening. That sentence cracked the last piece. A quiet sob escaped her-"You make it sound so..."-She laughed through the tears-"...so reasonable."-
-"What else can I do?"-You asked softly-"I can't ask you to leave your life... And I can't ask myself to stop wanting all of you."-
She nodded. Because every word rang painfully true-"I never wanted you to feel like you weren't enough."-
-"I know."-You answered without hesitation-"I've never doubted that."-
She frowned through her tears-"Then what is it?"-
You smiled sadly-"It isn't about not being enough."-You looked at her with an affection that almost hurt to carry-"It's that my version of loving someone..."-A quiet breath-"...looks different... I don't want more than one person. I want one."-Your voice became almost a whisper-"I want to come home and tell them about my day. I want to argue about what to order for dinner. I want to steal fries off their plate. I want to grow old rolling my eyes at the same terrible jokes."-A tiny laugh escaped you-"And..."-You smiled sheepishly-"...I wanted that person to be you..."-
Melissa cried openly now. Not dramatically. Just silently. The kind of tears that fell because they had nowhere else to go. She took one careful step toward you. Then stopped. Still respecting the line between you-"I don't know what to do."-She admitted.
You nodded-"I know."-
For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The cool night wrapped around the parking lot. Your motorcycle stood waiting beside you. Her car waited behind her. Two different roads. Neither of them easy. And despite everything, despite the heartbreak, despite the impossible timing...You were both still standing there.
Melissa's shoulders trembled. At first you thought it was from crying. Then the wind picked up. The thin fabric of her sweater fluttered against her arms. She shivered. Just once. Small enough that most people would've missed it. You didn't. Your body moved before your mind finished debating it. One careful step. Then another. Your arms wrapped around her. Slowly. Giving her every chance to pull away. She didn't. The second she felt your embrace, her breath caught. You kept your head turned slightly upward. Your cheek resting near her temple instead of her face. Far enough away that you couldn't accidentally brush her lips. Because your heart, traitorous thing that it was, still whispered, Kiss her. You ignored it. This wasn't about that. This was about someone you cared about standing in front of you, cold and crying. So you held her. Not possessively. Protectively. Melissa let out a shaky breath. Then another. Very cautiously, as though she was afraid you might disappear if she moved too quickly, her hands settled against your back. Not clutching. Just... there. The hug wasn't desperate. It wasn't romantic. It wasn't a goodbye. It was comfort. The kind both of you had needed for days. You closed your eyes. Breathing in. Her perfume was there. Familiar. Comforting. Dangerous. You forced yourself to think only about the warmth of another human being. Not about everything you'd lost. After a long silence, you spoke. Quietly-"I want to keep being your friend, Mel..."-You felt her body tense. Listening-"I don't want to lose you completely."-Her fingers tightened ever so slightly against your jacket-"I won't ask you to change your preferences..."-Your voice remained gentle-"...or change who you are just to be with me."-Melissa's eyes squeezed shut. A fresh tear soaked into your shoulder-"I wouldn't want you to become someone else just because I love you."-The word hung there. You hadn't even realized you'd said it. Love. Not like. Love. Neither of you acknowledged it. Because there was nothing to add. You already knew. Maybe she'd known too. You swallowed-"But..."-You hugged her just a little tighter for a second before relaxing again-"I am asking you for one thing."-She nodded against your shoulder. Unable to speak-"Please..."-Your voice cracked. Just once-"Keep being my friend."-Another shaky breath-"I don't think I could handle losing you completely."-
Melissa cried harder. Not loudly. Just quietly against your shoulder. When she finally found her voice, it was barely audible-"I don't want to lose you either."-You stayed there for another long moment. Neither of you rushing to let go. Eventually Melissa whispered-"I don't know what our future looks like."-
-"Neither do I."-
-"But..."-She took a slow breath-"...I know I don't want a version of it where you're not in my life."-
You nodded-"I'd like that too."-Slowly, reluctantly, the hug loosened. Neither of you stepped back immediately. You remained close enough to see the tears on each other's faces. Close enough to notice the sadness. The affection. The impossible timing.
Melissa gave you a watery smile.-"You know..."-She laughed softly through her tears-"...you're really hard not to fall in love with."-
Your heart stumbled. You smiled too. Sad. Fond-"Try not to."-You said with a quiet chuckle-"It'll only make both of our lives more complicated."-
She laughed again. A real laugh this time, even with tears still on her cheeks-"Deal."- She lied.
Jacob's laugh exploded through the quiet parking lot. Loud. Unapologetic. Entirely Jacob-"Oh, come on! That's cheating!"- he shouted from somewhere behind you. Janine answered with something equally loud. The spell broke.
Just like that. The little world the two of you had been standing inside dissolved back into reality. You slowly let your arms fall away from Melissa. Neither of you rushed it. Neither of you held on longer than you should. You took one careful step backward. The cool night air immediately settled into the space between you. Your helmet rested on the seat of your motorcycle. You picked it up. Using the motion as an excuse to swipe the sleeve of your leather jacket across your eyes. By the time you looked back at her... Your smile had returned. Small. A little crooked. A little tired.
-"See you tomorrow at school?"-
Melissa looked at you for a long second. As if she hadn't expected that question. Tomorrow. Not goodbye. Not take care. Not maybe. Tomorrow. Her eyes softened-"Yeah."-She smiled back-"I'll see you tomorrow."-
You nodded once-"Good."-Another tiny silence.
Melissa couldn't help herself-"...Can I bring breakfast again?"-
You laughed under your breath-"You don't have to feed me every time I have an existential crisis."-
-"I know...I'm still asking."-
You looked at her. Really looked at her. Then shook your head with an amused sigh-"Only if you let me bring the coffee."-
Melissa's smile widened-"Deal."-
A strange little peace settled over both of you. Nothing had been solved. There was still Rob. There were still feelings. There were still impossible conversations waiting somewhere in the future. But for the first time... You had something you hadn't had all week. A tomorrow. Not a fantasy. Not a promise of romance. Just tomorrow. Breakfast. Coffee. School. Something ordinary. Sometimes ordinary was enough to keep people moving. You slipped your helmet on. The padding pressed lightly against your bruised nose. You winced.
Melissa immediately noticed-"Still hurts?"-
You fastened the strap-"A little."-She made a face. You chuckled. You climbed onto the motorcycle. The engine rumbled awake beneath you. Melissa hugged herself against the cold. Watching you. You lowered the visor halfway-"Goodnight, Mel."-
-"Goodnight..."-She smiled-"...Gym Teacher."-That nickname. The one that had started as a tease. The one she'd whispered through laughter. The one she'd spoken through tears. This time it felt... gentle. Almost affectionate.
You shook your head, smiling to yourself inside the helmet. Then pulled away from the curb.
Melissa stayed where she was until your taillight disappeared around the corner. Only then did she whisper into the empty street-"I'll see you tomorrow."-
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Taglist: my wife 💕 @neverfindmegone
@witchopheliaaa @babytakeittothehead @rue-rue03 @brookeashley96
















