Black Widow

True Colors

Jade's POV

"Liz?" I murmured, blinking a few times.

Jesse's expression changed immediately, concern settling into his dark eyes.

"What?" He frowned. "No, it's Jesse."

"Oh."

I shifted my weight and tried to push myself up, but his hands tightened around my arms before I got very far.

"I don't think you should be moving around too much right now."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, Jessica. It was just a stupid fall."

Jesse inhaled as if he was about to argue, then apparently thought better of it. He knew by now that once I decided I was fine, convincing me otherwise was usually a waste of energy.

I pushed myself up anyway.

The second I got onto my feet, the world tilted slightly beneath me and I stumbled, landing hard back onto the cold concrete.

I hissed through my teeth.

Okay.

Maybe I was a little dizzy.

"Woah, woah."

Jesse grabbed both my arms and helped me upright again.

"I hate to say I told you so, but—"

The look I gave him stopped the sentence halfway out of his mouth.

Smart boy.

He waited until I was steady before letting go.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jesse asked, studying my face. "Do you need me to take you to the ER or something?"

"What? No."

His eyebrows rose.

"I'm fine. Seriously."

Jesse didn't look convinced.

"Okay," he finally said after a pause. "But I'm keeping an eye on you."

My attention drifted past him.

Millie had followed him over and was standing a few feet away, her expression considerably less concerned than the one she was trying to wear.

I had to suppress a smile.

The effort wasn't particularly difficult.

I turned back toward Jesse instead.

There was no reason to give her the satisfaction of thinking she had my attention.

"Well, if you start feeling sick or anything, just say the word," Millie said.

Both Jesse and I looked toward her.

To someone who wasn't paying attention, she probably sounded perfectly sincere. Unfortunately for her, I was paying attention.

The slight twitch near her eye gave her away.