𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Aftermath

After Yeri got home, she let out a long breath, slumping against the front door. Her heart was still racing, and her mind was a tangled mess of thoughts, replaying the moment she'd knocked on Jake's door. She cringed, recalling the sight of him in his pajamas, his sleepy face, and Layla's enthusiastic greeting that nearly sent her toppling.

She pushed herself off the door and walked to her room, barely registering her mom calling her name from the kitchen. The second her door clicked shut, she collapsed onto her bed, covering her face with a pillow.

"Why was I so... weird?" she groaned into the pillow, her voice muffled. Every detail of the encounter felt cringier with each replay in her mind. The awkward thank you, her nervous smile—everything was a disaster.

After a few moments of wallowing, Yeri couldn't handle her own thoughts anymore. She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Ningning's name, tapping it quickly.

It didn't even ring twice before Ningning picked up. "Yeri?What's up?"

"Ning, I just had the most embarrassing day of my life," Yeri mumbled, already feeling the heat creep up her cheeks again.

"Ohhh, spill! I'm grabbing popcorn," Ningning teased, but Yeri could hear the concern in her tone.

Yeri took a deep breath and launched into the story. "So... I had to deliver cookies to my new neighbors, right? My parents thought it'd be 'nice' to welcome them, but guess who the new neighbor is?"

"Oh my gosh, wait... no way! Jake?" Ningning's voice came through the speaker. How did she know?

"Yes! Jake. I had no idea until I was standing right there, holding this plate of cookies." Yeri said.

Ningning burst into laughter. "I can literally picture you standing there, frozen, looking like a dumbass."

"Stop!" Yeri groaned. "And then Layla, his dog, practically attacked me with love, and Jake looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. And I just stood there like an idiot. He looked good, thought" Yeri admitted.

Ningning's laughter died down, replaced by a more thoughtful tone. "Wait... so you actually got to talk to him, huh? That's great !"

Yeri scoffed, rolling onto her back. "Progress? It was a disaster! I don't even know what he thinks of me. Probably that I'm this weird girl who randomly brings cookies to his door."

"Well, did he say anything weird? Or, like, look at you funny?" Ningning asked.

"No, actually..." Yeri thought back, fidgeting with her bedsheets. "He was polite. He even said thanks. But I don't know, Ning. It was just... awkward. His mom was sweet though."

"That's just nerves, Yeri. You're overthinking it. Jake doesn't know you that well, and now he got cookies. If anything, he's probably curious about you."

Yeri let Ningning's words sink in, her mind still buzzing. "I just don't know what to do now. Do I act normal at school? Avoid him? Pretend none of this happened?"

Ningning sighed, clearly exasperated. "Girl, just be yourself. Don't overcomplicate it. If he's interested, he'll make the effort too. You're not the only one feeling nervous here, trust me."

Yeri took a deep breath, feeling a bit of the tension ease. "Okay, fine. I'll try. But if I make a fool of myself again, I'm blaming you."

"Deal," Ningning replied with a laugh. "And remember, it's not the end of the world. Just... maybe don't bring cookies next time."

Yeri cracked a smile, finally able to laugh at herself. "Hey, my cookies are the best you'll ever try."

After Yeri hung up with Ningning, she lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. The encounter with Jake kept replaying in her mind, each detail magnifying her embarrassment. But another thought was nagging at her—a thought that hadn't completely registered until now.

The rude neighbor.

The one who had sent her that blunt text about the misdelivered package. Her eyes narrowed as the realization hit her: that neighbor was Jake. It had to be. Who else in the neighborhood would've sent such a message, and how did she not make the connection earlier?

A flood of conflicting emotions washed over her. On one hand, she felt a bit of triumph, like she'd finally solved a mystery. On the other hand, irritation bubbled up, fueled by the memory of his curt words in the text.

"So, he's polite to my face but rude over text?" she muttered to herself, sitting up and crossing her arms. "Does he even realize I'm the one he texted? Or is he pretending it didn't happen?"

Her thoughts spiraled as she imagined confronting him about it. Would he even remember the text? Did he care that he'd come off as rude? The idea of calling him out was tempting—too tempting. But the thought of actually saying, "Hey, remember when you texted me rudely about a package?" made her cringe.

She bit her lip, considering her options. Maybe she could casually bring it up... somehow. Or maybe she should just ignore it and act like nothing happened, pretend the entire interaction was just a weird misunderstanding.

Ugh, why did things have to be so complicated? She let out an exaggerated sigh, her head flopping back onto her pillow. Now she didn't just feel awkward—she felt annoyed, too. Here she was, overanalysing everything, when he was probably sitting at home, totally oblivious to her inner turmoil.

But then a wicked idea sparked in her mind. What if she subtly dropped hints? Just enough to see if he'd squirm or if he'd admit he'd been the rude texter. A slow, mischievous grin crept onto her face.

She grabbed her phone and texted Ningning again.

Ning ²

: New plan. I think I'm gonna make him realize I know.

Ningning: Wait, WHAT? Spill, right now.

: Just... tiny hints. A little comment here and there. He'll either confess or be totally confused. Either way, I win.

Ningning: Oooooh, you're being evil. I like it.

Yeri smiled, feeling her confidence return. Maybe this encounter hadn't been so disastrous after all. She had a plan now, and she'd get to see just how Jake would handle it.