Fleeting Flames - Jenna Ortega x Fem Reader

Part 5

Weeks had passed, and you were finally starting to settle into your new life in Los Angeles. The weekends were a mix of exploring the city and unwinding in your cozy apartment, trying to acclimate to this new chapter. On this particular Saturday afternoon, you were lounging on your couch, scrolling aimlessly through social media when a familiar image caught your eye. It was Jenna—again—with her co-star. 

Another picture, another gossip page speculating about their relationship, this time hinting at a possible breakup. You scoffed, shaking your head at the absurdity of it all. How easy it seemed for her to move on while you were left grappling with the fallout.

Just as you let out a frustrated sigh, your phone buzzed in your hand. The screen lit up, and there it was—the name that had haunted you for weeks: Jenna Ortega. Your heart leaped into your throat, every muscle in your body freezing as you stared at the screen. You couldn't believe it. After all this time, she was finally calling you.

Panic set in as you watched the seconds tick by. Your mind was a flurry of anger, hurt, and confusion. Should you answer? Should you ignore it like she had ignored you when you needed her most? With your pulse pounding, you declined the call. But barely a breath later, it rang again, Jenna's name flashing persistently on the screen.

Against your better judgment, you swiped to answer, lifting the phone to your ear but saying nothing. Silence hung between you, heavy and thick, as you waited for her to speak first.

"Hey, how are you?" Jenna's voice was casual, almost cheerful, as if this was just any other day and not the first time she'd reached out in weeks.

Your grip tightened around the phone, a surge of anger bubbling up inside you. "Seriously?" you finally snapped, unable to mask the bitterness in your voice. "Now you decide to call?"

There was a pause on the other end, and you could almost picture her surprised expression at your outburst. "I—yeah, I'm sorry. I've been... busy."

"Busy," you repeated, letting out a harsh laugh. "That's your excuse? I called you so many fucking times, Jenna. Taylor gave me an ultimatum, and you just disappeared. You left me hanging, not knowing what the hell to do."

The words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered, and for the first time in weeks, you allowed yourself to be fully honest about how deeply her indifference had hurt you.

There was a moment of stunned silence on the line, and you could hear Jenna's sharp intake of breath as your words landed. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter, tinged with guilt. "I know... I messed up. I should've called. I just—things got complicated, and I didn't know what to say or do."

"Complicated?" You couldn't help the incredulous tone that edged into your voice. "You didn't know what to say, so you said nothing? Do you have any idea what it felt like, Jenna? I was trying to figure out what the fuck to do, and you just vanished. No text, no call, nothing."

Jenna's silence on the other end was deafening, but you pressed on, unable to hold back now. "I saw those damn pictures of you with that actor." Your voice wavered as the emotions you'd bottled up for so long began to spill over. "It's like you've been living your life without a second thought about what we had."

"I never forgot about you," she said softly, the weight of her regret palpable even through the phone. "It's just... I didn't know how to handle everything. You and I—it wasn't supposed to be this messy. And after you cheated on Taylor, I panicked. I thought I'd just make everything worse by reaching out."

Her words stung, but they didn't erase the hurt. "So you left me to deal with it on my own? That's bullshit, Jenna."

She sighed, the sound full of frustration and sadness. "I'm sorry. I know I can't take it back. But I wanted to see you, to explain. I've been thinking about you every day. I hate that I didn't fight harder for you."