Sweetheart || BBANGSAZ

9. Kisses Washed Far Away

"But how can I be there for her when I can't stop thinkin' about her?" I said, tossin' my teddy bear up into the air. It tapped the ceilin' and dropped back into my hand as I lay sprawled out on my bed, my other hand holdin' my phone to my ear.

"It feels... not genuine, ya know?" I added, starin' up at the cracks in the ceilin', my mind racin'.

"I'm tellin' ya, she feels the same way," Emily said on the other end, her voice all confident. "You two are just too stubborn to admit it. It's like somethin' straight outta one of those rom-coms, ya know?"

I sighed, catchin' the bear and holdin' it close, like it might give me some kinda answer. Emily's words made sense, but still, it felt like a mess I didn't know how to untangle.

"Okay, so let's say that is the case. Maybe I do... like her," I muttered, shiftin' on my bed, my voice droppin' a bit like I was admittin' somethin' big. "How do I get her to like me back?"

"Well, hypothetically speakin', accordin' to every American rom-com ever made," Emily started, her voice fulla that know-it-all tone, "we make her jealous. But, ya know, with some class, of course."

I let out a heavy sigh, rollin' my eyes even though she couldn't see it. "You know what?" I paused for dramatic effect. "I can't believe I'm even gonna entertain your dumb little idea, but... I'm in."

On the other end, I could practically hear her grinnin'. She let out a lil' cheer. "This is gonna be so good!" she said, excitement oozin' through the phone.

-

Lip gloss ain't exactly my thing, but I gave it a shot anyway, with a hint of strawberry jam flavor. Cassie, she's this girl I met in history class—real nice, and Emily practically bombarded her with info the first chance she got.

When I walked into the dimly lit bar, the soft patter of rain outside caught my ear, mixin' with the low hum of conversation and the clink of glasses. The familiar scent of spilled beer hit me as soon as I stepped in. Then, I spotted her, right where I knew she'd be—behind the bar, wipin' down a glass with that serious look she always had. Kim.

Cassie's hand was warm in mine, remindin' me I wasn't alone tonight. She was perfect for this—confident, carefree, with that effortless charm that made everyone at school look her way. I caught a glimpse of Kim's face when we walked in, and for just a split second, she looked stunned.

We grabbed a table in clear view of the bar, and Cassie laughed at somethin' I said—damn, she had a great laugh. I could feel Kim's eyes burnin' a hole in my back. I glanced over, and sure enough, there she was, starin' right at us. She quickly looked away, leavin' me wonderin', What the hell am I even doin'?

A couple of the regulars at the bar—those guys who always thought they were real clever—started noticin' us. Tony, one of 'em, leaned over with a grin. "Hey, Hanni! Is that your girlfriend or what?"

I shrugged, tryin' to play it cool, but I couldn't help the smug smile spreadin' across my face. "Maybe," I said, throwin' a quick glance back at Cassie, who just smirked, playin' along. Tony and the others chuckled, nudging each other like they were in on some big secret.

But the real joke was on Kim. I could see her strugglin' to focus on her work, her grip tight on that glass, her jaw clenching every time one of the guys teased me. It was workin'. She couldn't keep her eyes off us—off me and Cassie.

Cassie leaned in close, her lips brushin' against my ear as she said somethin' playful, and I laughed, louder than usual, just to make sure Kim heard. I shot her a quick glance, and this time she didn't look away. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, it felt like the room disappeared, like it was just the two of us. I saw somethin' flicker in her eyes—regret, anger? It was hard to tell, but I knew she was feelin' somethin'.