𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘀

𝟏𝟐𝟎

"𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝"
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ
𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺

"YOU SNUCK AWAY, huh?" Noah asks as she walks up to a table in the library where Jess is sitting and reading a book.

"I just wanted to read," the blonde shrugs.

"Whatcha reading?" Noah asks and smiles when Jess holds her book up for her to read the title. "Harry Potter?" she questions as she sits next to her.

"It makes me feel better," Jess replies, putting her nose back in the book.

Noah gently pushes the book down and looks her girlfriend in the eye. "What's wrong? I mean, I know what's wrong, but talk to me."

"Didn't you hear me? I just wanna read," Jess whines.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Jess insists and flashes a short smile. "I'm fine, okay?"

"Hey, ever since becoming a girlfriend, I know when you're fine, you don't actually mean it," Noah tries to get Jess to talk to her.

"I mean it," Jess assures her. "I promise."

"Alright," Noah says and leans back in her chair.

The blonde peers up at her girlfriend and sees her looking down at her phone. She can tell that Noah is genuinely worried and she feels bad for snapping a little bit. Jess has never been the type to do that, but when it comes to talking about her father, she can't help it.

"Okay, I'm upset about the field day," she admits. "And I just don't wanna talk about it because it'll make me sad and I had my time to be sad. I just wanna stay at home and forget that it's even happening."

"Okay," Noah replies.

"How do you feel about it?"

"The same."

"Don't you think it's a little old-fashioned?" Jess questions.

"Of course it is," Noah says. "It's stupid that they're limiting it to father-daughter."

"Can we still hang out?"

"Yeah, I told Emily that she and your mom should come to dinner with us," Noah suggests. "That way, we can still hang out with our parents without feeling left out."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Noah nods and sees Jess show a real smile. She can see it in her eyes too. That's how she knows her mood has truly been swayed.

"I'm sorry for snapping," Jess sighs as she puts her book down. "And I didn't really wanna read, I'd rather go sit in the courtyard with you."

Noah giggles quietly and stands, holding her hand out. "C'mon, we can split the sandwich Emily packed for me."

"Okay," Jess chimes and takes her girlfriend's hand. She stands up and leans into Noah, kissing her before letting her lead them to the courtyard.

—
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘤

"How do you think Garcia will do in the field?" Emily asks Morgan as they walk up to the jet.

"You mean in the police department office?" Morgan chuckles. "It'll be the same, she'll just be able to talk to us without it being through a phone."

"I'm just worried, you know?" Emily says. "She's Penelope. She hates being too close to all the negative stuff."

"She'll be okay," Morgan assures her. "She's strong."