Her breath caught. The cool breeze of the hallway swept across her cheek as the wrapper skimmed just inches away from her face.
She could feel her skin burn with humiliation. Was this a prank? Was he making fun of her?
Before she could react, he straightened up, his eyes now distant.
His expression was blank, as if that had all been nothing more than a brief distraction for him. He slipped the envelope into his pocket without a word, his hand brushing hers as he did.
And then, without so much as a glance back, Jeremy tossed the candy bag at her chest in one smooth, effortless motion.
It hit her with a soft thud, and her body jerked slightly from the unexpected impact. Her mind froze for a moment—was this really happening? She looked down at the bag now in her hands.
Her heart pounded, and a sick feeling curled in her stomach.
All she could do was stand there, dumbfounded, while he walked off. His friends followed in tow, laughing, not bothering to look back.
She looked around hoping no one saw her in that humiliating situation.
The hallway felt suffocating now. The noise seemed to return in full force as if the world had snapped back into place, leaving her standing in the middle of it, all alone.
Did he really just treat her like this? Was she nothing but the delivery girl for some stupid message?
Jenny stood frozen, the bag still pressed against her chest. Her fingers clenched around it without realizing.
The moment was over, but her body hadn't caught up. Her cheeks still burned, and her heart felt like it had shrunk to the size of a marble, rolling around uselessly inside her ribcage.
He didn't even read the letter.
She looked down at her hands. The envelope was gone, it was stuffed carelessly into his jacket pocket like it meant nothing.
Maybe to him, it did mean nothing. Just another silly note from another girl, handed off by someone too invisible to matter.
And that someone was her.
She blinked hard, forcing the sting behind her eyes to back off. No. She wasn't going to cry in the hallway. Not over this.
Just walk. Just move. Pretend you don't care.
Jenny turned sharply and began to walk the opposite direction, and like a robot, her steps were stiff and one directional.
Her mind raced as she imagined what Ashley would say when she found out. Would she ask what happened? Would she even care? Or would she just laugh and brush it off like everything else in her charmed life?
What she couldn't understand was why Jeremy's action got to her so hard.
By the way it wasn't her letter or her package, but she felt more heartbroken like she was the master planner of the whole thing.
Jenny knew one thing for sure: she wasn't doing that again. Not for Ashley. Not for anyone.
*
*
*
The echo of running water filled the tiled bathroom, harsh and sharp. Jenny stood by the sink, gripping the edges of the porcelain as if it could anchor her to the floor.
She kept her gaze down, watching the droplets from the faucet trail into the drain like tiny little exits she couldn't take.
The door creaked open.
"Oh my god, there you are."
Ashley's voice was unmistakable, bright, sharp, and a little too loud.
Jenny didn't look up while she responded with a weaker tone. "Hey."
Ashley clicked across the floor in her heeled boots, her reflection suddenly appearing beside Jenny's in the mirror.
She fluffed her hair and pulled a lip gloss from her pocket.
"So?" she asked, swiping the wand across her mouth with practiced ease.
"You gave it to him, right?"
Jenny nodded stiffly. "Yeah."
Ashley beamed at her own reflection. "Ugh, finally. I was dying waiting. What did he say? Did he smile? Did he look surprised?"
Jenny hesitated. "He… didn't really say anything."
Ashley paused mid-swipe. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… he took it. That's all." Jenny forced a shrug, pretending it didn't bother her. "He didn't read it. Just pocketed it and left."
Ashley made a face. "Huh. Weird." She capped the gloss and leaned in to inspect her eyeliner.
"Well, whatever. He's probably just trying to act cool. Guys do that. They don't show how they really feel."
Jenny didn't reply. She just kept staring into the sink, feeling smaller by the second.
Ashley turned and gave her a quick once-over. "Thanks, by the way. You were, like, perfect for this. No offense, but you've got that whole harmless vibe. Makes it less awkward, you know?"
Jenny bit the inside of her cheek.
"Anyway," Ashley said, already halfway to the door, "text me if he says anything. Or if he writes back. That'd be kinda hot."
And just like that, she was gone.
*
*
*
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