Falling

Wet.

Yuna

It was finally home time. Thank goodness. The day had dragged on forever, and all I wanted was to head home and unwind. I made my way over to Shine's Porsche, feeling a tiny thrill at the thought of sitting in his sleek, gorgeous car. He always looked so confident driving it, like he owned the world.

I leaned against the passenger door, waiting for him, when my eyes caught something—or rather, someone—that made my stomach turn. A group of cheerleaders, predictably, had surrounded him. I could tell by their overly loud giggles and the way they tossed their hair that they were trying way too hard. Short skirts, glittery lip gloss, and an attitude that screamed "look at me!" It was exhausting just watching them.

Seriously, though, those skirts? Who even wears something so short in public? My face scrunched in distaste as I watched one of them—a blonde I recognized as Heleena, the head cheerleader—step closer to Shine. She practically pressed herself against him, batting her eyelashes like she thought she was in some kind of rom-com.

Shine didn't seem all that interested, but she was relentless.

"Hey, Shine!" she cooed, twirling a strand of her hair. "Wanna do it again tonight? Last time was sooo much fun!"

What. The. Actual. Hell.

My stomach churned, and a wave of nausea hit me so hard I had to grip the car door to steady myself. Did she just—? No. She couldn't mean that, could she? My brain raced to piece together her words, but my emotions were already spiraling. Jealousy, disgust, confusion—it all hit me like a ton of bricks.

Shine's expression darkened. "Shut up, Heleena," he snapped, his voice as sharp as a whip.

The cheerleaders exchanged shocked looks, and Heleena's fake smile faltered for just a second before she recovered. "Whatever," she muttered, flipping her hair and walking off in a huff, her little entourage trailing behind her.

Shine walked over to the car like nothing had happened, but I could feel the tension radiating off him. He opened the driver's side door and slid in without a word, and I quickly followed suit, settling into the passenger seat.

My heart was pounding, and I couldn't stop the thoughts racing through my head. Who was Heleena to him? And what did she mean by "again"? Had something actually happened between them?

As Shine started the engine, I stole a glance at him. He seemed calm, but there was something in the way his jaw clenched that told me he wasn't.

"You okay?" he asked suddenly, his voice softer now, as though he could sense the storm of emotions brewing inside me.

I blinked, startled by the question. Was I okay? No, not really. How could I be? I thought Shine wanted me. But now...

"Yeah," I lied, turning to stare out the window. "I'm fine."

But I wasn't fine. Not even close.

The car ride was uncomfortably silent. I didn't want to talk, and it seemed like Shine wasn't in a rush to break the quiet either. The hum of the engine and the faint sound of tires on the road filled the air. I stared out the window, replaying Heleena's words over and over in my head like a bad song stuck on repeat.

Just as I was sinking deeper into my spiraling thoughts, Shine spoke, breaking the silence.

"You look cute when you're jealous," he said casually, his tone laced with a teasing confidence.

"What? Oh—I'm not jealous!" I sputtered, my voice cracking in a way that immediately betrayed me. I sat up straighter, crossing my arms in what I hoped was a nonchalant gesture. "Why would I be jealous?"