Diary of a teenage klutz

The Kiss

The weeks of summer flew by, and Emma found herself gradually warming up to Kara. They shared laughs over movie nights, went on ice cream runs, and sometimes Mia joined them for trips to the beach. Kara's easy charm and effervescent personality made it hard for Emma to dislike her, and in moments where laughter filled the air, Emma discovered a friend beneath the surface of her initial reservations.

But there were also moments—small glances and playful nudges between Jake and Kara—that made Emma's stomach twist with uncertainty. She tried to ignore the way her heart raced when she caught Jake smiling at Kara or how his laughter seemed to come easier around her. Worry niggled in the back of her mind, reminding her of her earlier insecurities.

One afternoon, while they lounged in the backyard, Emma decided to confront Jake about her feelings. They were sprawled across beach towels, burning under the sun's rays. Kara had run to the kitchen to grab more snacks, leaving Emma and Jake alone for the moment.

"Hey, can we talk?" Emma asked, her voice a little shaky, betraying her nerves.

"Sure! What's up?" Jake answered, shifting his attention from the bright blue sky above to Emma's serious expression.

"Okay, so... I've been noticing that you seem really close with Kara. Like, *really* close. So... I just want to know what's going on between you two."

Jake's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? We're just hanging out. I thought you liked her."

"No, I do! I mean, I think she's great, but it feels different with you two. Don't you think?" Emma was surprised at how her voice wavered with each word. "It's just... I want to know where we stand."

"Emma, come on! It's not like that," Jake said, his tone light but with an earnest undertone that cut through her anxiety. "Kara's fun, and I enjoy spending time with her, but you know you're the one I like, right?"

Emma blinked, half-believing him but still feeling a tangle of emotions swirl within her. She was relieved, yet a part of her resisted the notion. "Are you sure? Because, I mean, it seems like you guys are... flirty?"

"There's nothing flirty between us. Trust me," he insisted, though there was a hint of defensiveness that struck a chord in Emma. "You're the one who's been stuck in my mind this whole summer."

"Okay," she said softly, hope mingling with skepticism. Maybe she should trust him. Maybe it was all in her head. "I just don't want to lose what we have."

"You won't," Jake assured her, his voice sincere. "I promise you."

But even as she accepted his words, a little voice in Emma's head whispered that something wasn't quite right.

Later that weekend, Emma was sprawled out on the couch in her living room, scrolling through her phone while sunlight streamed through the window. She felt a newfound peace, excited to have a moment at the end of a long week.

"That's not how I remember that scene from the movie!" Mia exclaimed, plopping down beside Emma and nudging her with her elbow.

"Yeah, well, they always change things for the adaptation," Emma shrugged, still chuckling at the silliness of the film.

Just then, Emma's phone buzzed, and she blinked, glancing at the notification. It was a message from Jake: "Hey, want to hang out in a bit? Just me and you."

Her heart soared at the thought, and she quickly typed back, "Sure! Can't wait!"

After a bit of time passed, Emma decided to head outside, thinking she'd meet Jake in the backyard. As she stepped through the back door, her hopes rose; she was ready for a fun evening.

Instead, she stopped cold in her tracks, frozen in shock. There, seated on the patio swing, was Jake, laughing as he leaned in toward Kara. The light shifted, casting a warm glow around them, and then, without warning, Kara leaned forward and kissed Jake.

Time seemed to freeze. Emma's heart shattered into an unrecognizable mess as she felt a wave of devastation crash over her. The world around her melted away; all she could see was Jake's stunned expression, then a soft smile creeping up as he leaned into Kara's kiss.

Emma felt her breath catch, paralyzed as she stood there watching the scene unfold. She wanted to look away, yet she couldn't tear her eyes from the betrayal that lay before her. The laughter from moments before felt like a cruel mockery now.

Jake didn't pull away, and though part of her held onto the hope of his denial, that hope was slipping through her fingers like sand. She took a shaky step back, feeling tears threaten to spill over.

Finally able to find her voice, she gasped, "Jake!" It came out less forceful than she intended, but the shock unmistakably drew their attention.

Jake's head snapped in Emma's direction, his expression shifting from surprise to guilt. "Emma! Wait—"

"Don't!" she interrupted, her voice trembling as the anger and hurt swirled within her. "I thought you said it wasn't like that? What does this mean?"

"Emma, it's not what it looks like!" Jake protested, visibly flustered. He stood up quickly, but Kara still lingered nearby, her face a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Really? Because it looks like you kissed her," Emma shot back, fists clenched at her sides as a rush of emotion surged through her.

Kara stepped forward. "I'm so sorry! I thought he—"

"Thought he what? That I was just going to stand here while you two act like this?" Emma retorted, the hurt bubbling to the surface.

"Emma, listen, Kara's my ex. I never planned for this to happen. It was a mistake!" Jake said, his voice strained with urgency. "I swear I didn't kiss her back. I was taken off guard!"

"No!" Emma exclaimed, her voice rising. "You don't get to say that! You don't get to excuse it away! I just... I can't believe you'd do this to me!"

With hurt in her heart, Emma turned and marched back into the house, tears streaming down her cheeks as she fought to make sense of everything. She heard Jake calling her name, but she didn't want to hear any more of his excuses.

As she entered her living room, she felt the humiliating pull of raw emotion. Just then, her mother walked in, eyes wide in surprise. "Emma, what happened?"

"Nothing!" Emma stammered, trying to wipe her tears and failing miserably. "Just go away, please!"

"Sweetheart, you're obviously upset. What's going on?" her mother pressed, stepping closer.

"It's just... Jake!" she cried, feeling like a petulant child, unable to sort through her anger and heartache.

And just like that, in her emotional frenzy, Emma bent down to grab some tissues from a nearby coffee table. But as she stood back up, she misjudged the distance and bumped into the edge of the table. The contents of a nearby vase—flowers and all—went tumbling to the ground, shattering dramatically as if to accentuate her turmoil.

"Emma!" her mother exclaimed, both startled and amused at the accidental disaster.

Emma's cheeks flushed with embarrassment all over again, horrified at how everything seemed to explode around her, figuratively and literally. "Now I'm a walking disaster!" she cried, collapsing onto the couch, grief stricken.

"Oh, sweetheart," her mother said, trying to suppress a laugh as she knelt beside her. "You're not a disaster. You're just... human. We all have our messy moments. Just remember, it's okay to feel upset. You'll get through this."

As Emma tried to process both the chaos of her emotions and the wreckage she'd created, she felt unexpectedly comforted by her mother's presence. Her heartache was no less painful, but maybe it was okay to be a mess sometimes. Maybe that was part of being human too.

And as she cleaned up the shattered vase, Emma reminded herself that she'd find a way to heal, even if doing so felt like navigating a bumpy road filled with more than a few embarrassing moments along the way.