The beta-girl

Pt. 3 - Yeah, thats it. Footrest.

So there I am, totally paralyzed, with Jana's foot pressed right against my cheek. My mind is a tornado of thoughts, spinning out of control. What do I even do now? Do I make a move, or do I just let this awkwardness hang in the air? It's like I'm in this weird limbo where I could either laugh it off, confront it head-on, or just—oh, I don't know—stay frozen forever. The heat from her foot is seeping into my skin, warming me up in a way that's both oddly intimate and intensely confusing. And that smirk! Seriously, that smirk is a whole different level of teasing. It's clear she's playing with me, but is she doing it for kicks or is there something more to it?

Her foot is still there, like a test she's throwing my way. It's almost like she's challenging me to react, to make a move. My heart's racing a mile a minute, and my brain is doing somersaults trying to figure out my next step. But before I can make up my mind, her foot starts to move. It slides down my face, as if to say, "Well, that was fun," and casually rests in my lap. What. The. Actual. Hell.

I sneak a peek at her, and her face is a total poker mask—no smirk, no hint of what just happened, her eyes glued to the TV like she's actually watching something riveting. Did I imagine that grin? There's no way. I mean, she just had her foot on my face and now it's chilling in my lap. How is this even real life?

For the remaining half-hour of the movie, Jana just keeps her foot casually resting on my thigh. My brain is in overdrive, trying to process what the hell just happened, but I can't. Like, Jana's foot was just on my cheek—my cheek—and now it's casually resting in my lap, like nothing happened.

I glance over at her, trying again to see if there's any sign she's still messing with me. But nope. She's got that perfect poker face going on, eyes locked on the screen, like she's actually invested in this movie. But I know what just happened. There's no way I imagined that smirk, that playful little move she pulled. She knew exactly what she was doing, and now she's acting all innocent, like it was nothing.

The credits roll, and thank the gods, the movie is finally over. I take a deep breath, ready to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Jana lifts her foot from my lap, stretching her legs like she's just had the most relaxing day ever. "Ugh, I really need to pee," she announces, heading towards the bathroom with her usual swagger.

I do my best to keep it cool as everyone starts moving around, chatting about the movie. Jenny pours herself another drink, eyeing me with a look that says she's curious but not pressing. The vodka bottle hovers over my glass, and I nod, trying to act nonchalant.

Jenny: "Hey, what's up?" she asks as she pours a generous amount of vodka.

Me: "Uh, nothing much. Just... processing, you know?"

Jenny: "Sure? You seem a bit off."

Me: "Yeah, just a bit tired from the week, I guess."

Sophie chimes in, raising her glass with a grin. "Nothing alcohol couldn't fix, right? Cheers, let's get hella drunk tonight and not worry about tomorrow!"

Jenny: "Hell yeah, cheers!"

Me: "Cheers!"

I down the drink, feeling the warmth spread through me as Jana returns from the bathroom, looking as composed as ever. "Whoa, are we getting started without me?" she says, grabbing her next drink like she's just been waiting for this moment.

Isabelle: "You've already downed three glasses more than the rest of us."

Jana: "It's not my fault you guys are so lame. I'm here to get wasted, not chit-chat."

We all laugh as we hold up our glasses, and Jana pours herself the next one.

Jana: "To our special, sometimes somewhat crazy friendship!"