“Angles as represented, is a space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another…”

Words died in Jessica’s ears as her eyes drooped. Her interest on the lesson was long gone even before her professor started the lecture.

Geometry . She thinks, and she believed it is what everybody thinks too.

“Now to answer this problem, we will put the letter B to name this angle…”

“Excuse me Ma’am, but I think you got it wrong.”

Her heart raced as she heard the soft voice. Jessica can’t help but sigh as she closed her eyes. She knew the moment her eyes lay on the owner of the voice, she wouldn’t be able to look away.

“Yes, Miss Hwang?”

“It’s angle A, not B.” The owner of the voice confidently stood up, pointing the careless mistake of their professor.

“Ah yes, thank you Miss Hwang.”

Jessica opened her eyes just in time to see the playful smile on Miss Hwang’s face. Her gaze followed as the girl sat back on her seat.

Tiffany Hwang.

Jessica grabbed her ball point pen and tried hard to concentrate on taking notes, but her eyes seem to have a mind of its own.

She wasn’t seeing numbers and lines written on a whiteboard, instead all she sees is Tiffany Hwang’s back with her head bobbing up and down, alternating her gaze to the whiteboard and her notes. 

Finally giving up, Jessica laid her head on her arms, prying one eye open and continued to stare at Tiffany’s back, faintly hearing their professor’s lecture.

--

“Jess, have you seen Taeyeon?”

Jessica looked up from her laptop, only to have a panic attack inside when she saw the person standing before her.

“N-no.” Crap, one word and I have to stutter. Jessica wants to slap herself.

“Where could that girl be? I’ve been looking everywhere.” Tiffany eyed the surrounding in hopes of finding Taeyeon.

Taeyeon is one of Tiffany’s friends. Jessica thinks she’s the closest to Tiffany among her friends she often hang out with, which sparks the green-eyed monster inside Jessica every time she sees the two together.

“Well, have you, y-you know, texted her?” You have got to stop that Jessica.

“Oh yeah, why didn’t I think of that?” Tiffany casually takes a seat beside her and fished out her phone.

Jessica mindlessly turned back to her laptop.

The atmosphere getting awkward, at least for her. She felt it hard to breathe, not used to being this close to Tiffany and she mentally thanked all the gods that Tiffany’s busy with her phone, otherwise she’ll notice how Jessica’s face has turned into a deep shade of red.

She had known the girl for three years now. Two years since she realized she can’t get her eyes off of her. They weren’t friends, Jessica often groans at the thought.

Classmates.

 For three years they’ve shared several major and minor subjects and they’ve never really had a decent conversation except for subject-related talk. But that doesn’t stop Jessica from hiding in the background and observe Tiffany’s actions whenever the girl reaches her eyes.

Her friends then would call her a creep, to which she would firmly disagree. Those who stalk someone on Facebook and practically every social networking site are creepy, Jessica thinks. At least she had the decency not to do that, though she might have stared at some of Tiffany’s photos on her news feed.

Jessica broke from her trance when the guy in the movie she’s watching left his supposedly girlfriend crying and begging for him to come back.

“What a bastard.” Jessica mumbled, between her teeth.

“Maybe it’s the girl’s fault that’s why he had to leave her.”

Jessica jerked up at the sudden statement, which caused Tiffany to let out a chuckle.

“You’ve seen this movie?”

“No, but if you look at it—”

“The guy’s totally a jerk.”

“That’s because you see the girl look all miserable and pitiful. If you look at it in another angle, the girl seems to be really ty.”

“Are you even serious?” Jessica stared at Tiffany in disbelief, the awkward atmosphere evaporating into thin air.

“Just saying,” Tiffany merely shrugged in response, “Hey, I know where Taeyeon is now. I got to go. Tell me how the movie goes next time.”

Before Jessica can react, Tiffany was already on her heels away from where she is sitting. Jessica puffed her cheeks and silently cursed at the lost opportunity to be finally comfortable with Tiffany.

She said next time. So there will be a next time. Jessica’s eyes widened at the thought. Her heart blowing up like a balloon, filled with sweet hope of talking to Tiffany again.

--

Turns out Tiffany were right.

The girl in the movie was indeed the fault of the couple’s break up.

Jessica shook her head as she thinks of the many reasons why she likes Tiffany, being good at prediction just add up to the list.

--

Jessica never got to talk to Tiffany again. They were back to being just classmates again.

She felt like her heart has been poked by an incredibly pointy needle. Hopes bursting and gone.

 Walking with her eyes on the floor, Jessica bumped into someone who’s running in the opposite direction.

“Sorry! I’m in a hurry—Jessica? Oh thank God I bumped onto you!”

“Taeyeon?”

Why would Taeyeon be thankful?

“Tiffany’s on the rooftop right now and she’s waiting for me but I have to pass this project otherwise I will miss the deadline! Curse that profe—”

Jessica grabbed both of Taeyeon’s shoulders to stop her rambling.

“Taeyeon! I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.” She does, however know that the green-eyed monster inside her is awake.

“Do me a favor and tell Tiffany I can’t meet her this time?” Taeyeon pleaded.

Tell Tiffany? Well that’s easy. I’ll just have to… talk to her.

Oh.

Jessica’s hands fall limp on her side. Hope taking a u-turn and flying back to her heart.

“I really need to go now, thank you Jessica!”

With that Taeyeon dashed off, leaving Jessica to take little nervous steps to the rooftop.

--

Jessica’s chest heaved as she took a deep breath before opening the door of the rooftop. The door made a noisy squeak, alerting the person on the other side.

“What took you so long Taetae?”

Tiffany grabbed the door’s handle and pulled it, making the opening a bit wider.

“Jessica?” She asked in confusion.

“Taeyeon told me to tell you she can’t meet you this time. Something about a project?” Jessica’s eyes are anywhere but Tiffany.

 “Oh, but I prepared a picnic for us.”  Tiffany dejectedly sighed.

Jessica remained rooted on her spot, not knowing what to do, or say. Feeling dejected herself, though for a different reason.

“Why don’t you just join me Jess?”

Jessica found Tiffany’s eyes, looking at her with what she seemed a hopeful look.

She’s just being nice because her date ditched her.

Jessica dismissed the thought. Tiffany’s just being nice.

“It’s fine. I’ll just go—”

“Come on, it’ll be a waste eating the food alone!”

Tiffany took a hold of Jessica wrist and pulled her outside, sending a shockwave through Jessica’s body, burning all up in her cheeks as she stares at Tiffany’s hand on her wrist.

Unfortunately, the shockwave was short lived. Tiffany let go of her hand when they got close enough to the little picnic that Tiffany set up.

Jessica felt a twitch in her heart after seeing the effort Tiffany poured in preparing the picnic that is supposed to be hers and Taeyeon’s.

Hadn’t been Taeyeon busy, would she even be here? No, she won’t. Jessica felt shrinking at the bitter truth.

“Jess? Jessica?”

“Huh?”

“I said sit down.”

Tiffany patted the space beside her, which Jessica reluctantly occupied.

“Can you believe that girl? I baked sweets for her!”

Tiffany huffed and opened a container filled with baked cookies. She stretched her hand, offering some to Jessica.

“Thanks.” Jessica muttered, getting some for her while eyeing the other items sprawled on the picnic mat. There were varieties of baked goods and bottles of juice —all too sweet for her taste, but she doesn’t mind, not when her heart’s doing nonstop flips knowing she gets to eat Tiffany’s baked cookies.

“Sorry if it’s all sweets, I actually have a sweet tooth. Taeyeon just has to deal with it.” Tiffany chuckled, finishing off her third cookie.

‘I'm fine eating them as long as it’s from you’ Jessica wanted to say, but she’ll probably creep the hell out of Tiffany so she just settled with what a normal person will normally say, “No problem.”

“So, how did the movie go?”

Jessica stopped munching for a moment to take a look at Tiffany, quite shocked that the girl still remembers their conversation from a week ago.

“You’re right. Turned out the girl had another boyfriend aside from the guy.”

“Ha! See? I knew it. I’m good, yeah?”

“That was one time.” Jessica snorted.

“Are you insulting my exceptional knowledge of looking things in a different way?”

Tiffany faked an offended look, even putting a hand on top of her heart.

“You got it right by noticing the girl’s a bit ty. How’s that an exceptional knowledge?”

“But you didn’t notice it. That is something.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jessica rolled her eyes, earning an amused laugh from Tiffany.

The two went on with their little talk and before they know it, the bell had rung. Much to Jessica’s disappointment, she has to attend class, though she wouldn’t mind skipping classes —this is a major subject, Jessica!—

“That’s my call. I have to go to class.”

“Oh. Well, I — I’ll see you around then?”

Now it was Jessica’s turn to let out an amused chuckle. She was almost certain there was a hint of shyness in Tiffany’s voice.

“Sure.”

Jessica was almost at the door when Tiffany calls off a final note.

“And don’t forget. Look at things in a different angle.” Tiffany finishes of with a wink and a smug smile.

Jessica never got a chance to wonder at Tiffany’s reminder for she was busy keeping her balance on her way downstairs. Head dizzy and heart swelling at Tiffany’s smile…

No, it was the wink. But her smile…

It was the wink and the smile damn it.

--

Little steps… little steps…

Jessica was observing a two year-old kid stroll around the busy park with her nanny trailing behind on her way home when a pat on her shoulder made her turn around.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

Jessica searched her brain for any good deed she had done for the week because whatever it is, it seems to be rewarding her. And it surely knows what she wants as a reward.

“Going home?”

“Yep.” Jessica replied. Her gaze past her shoulders as she ponder where are Tiffany’s friends which made the latter turn her head as well.

“What’s that at the back?”

Finding no familiar face behind, Jessica focused back on walking ahead.

“N-nothing. What about you?”

“Mall. I have to buy something.”

Jessica responded with a nod.

Silence fills the space in between them as they walked but was not awkward for Jessica, not anymore.

She had long figured it’s not really difficult to be comfortable with Tiffany. That it was actually easy to talk to her, past the shiver up her spine every time she hears Tiffany’s voice so close to her ears. Or the squeal she’s suppressing when their eyes meet.

A nudge on her elbow pulled Jessica out from her reverie, “Look at them. Aren’t they cute? New couples are the corniest.”

Tiffany held a finger towards the two figures at the far end of the park.

“How did you know they just got together?”

“Come on, you can totally see how sickeningly sweet yet shy they are.”

“If you say so. I bet the guy just confessed.”

“Maybe it’s the girl who confessed first.”

Jessica eyed Tiffany as if she just said the weirdest thing.

“Is your exceptional knowledge in observing kicking again?” This time Jessica made sure to put an air quote to the words ‘exceptional knowledge’.

“What’s with the air quote?” Tiffany questions with a laugh, “Look, the guy is even shyer than the girl!”

Jessica looked at the couple again and it wasn’t long before she joins Tiffany’s melodious laugh.

“I wonder how she confessed.”

“I don’t think she even confessed. Grabbed the guy and kissed him full on the lips.”

“Now that’s just something out from a movie.”

“You don’t like cheesy movie confessions?”

“I think I would like it straight to the point.” Why? Are you planning to confess to me? Jessica didn’t know if she should flick herself on the forehead or give her shoulder a pat for the half-meant joke.

“Just like Taeyeon then. She would make faces at the overly romantic scenes. What a dork.”

Jessica turned her head in Tiffany’s direction, seeing the soft smile adorning the girl’s face. Gaze far away, to someone. To someone that is not Jessica.

Jessica wanted to ask Tiffany about Taeyeon. She wanted to ask if Taeyeon is more than a friend.

But Jessica chose to just hum in reply. She need not ask when the answer is already in Tiffany’s smile.

--

“God bless these unfinished home works.” Jessica huffed as she slumped onto her bed.

She had been trying to do her home works but to no avail. Three hours had past and no ink has been used, no page of a book turned.

She also dared not to close her eyes for all she’ll see is that soft smile, that twinkling eyes. Any day she would prefer seeing those soft features. She would disregard everything just to see Tiffany.

Any day but today.

Jessica felt terrible at the sudden rush of rejection, but she feels even sick at being so affected, so engraved, so, so hurt.

--

Jessica found herself dragging her feet to the school the next morning. She was only halfway through the hallway when she stopped her tracks.

Tiffany was at the end of the hallway…

…in front of Taeyeon…

…holding a lone red rose.

“Oh .”  Jessica hastily turned around as she felt her eyes water at the scene before her.

She did not need to see that.

Knowing she never had the chance was enough.

She did not—

“Jessica.”

Tiffany’s hand was holding onto her wrist.

“T-tiffany? W-what is it?”

There were no flip flops of flutter in her stomach. There was no shiver at the touch. Jessica disregarded them all.

She gently pried her hand from Tiffany’s grip because a second longer and she would grab onto that drop of hope that she was wrong all along.

“I wasn’t planning to do this so soon but Taeyeon said this is the best time.”

Tiffany sounded nervous but determined as the same time.

Wait, nervous?

Jessica kept her head hung low.

“I know you said you wanted this straight to the point but what’s a little cheesiness?”

Cheesiness? What?

Suddenly, a finger grazed and lifted her chin. Forcing her to look at Tiffany.

“I want you to look at me when I say this.”

Jessica did what she’s told. How can she look away when Tiffany’s looking at her with those eyes? Anxious but full of certainty. Worried but not afraid.

“This is for you. And I am not going to start explaining about the meaning of the rose because I honestly don’t know.”

Tiffany’s lips curved up into a smile, handing her the rose she saw earlier. It was then Jessica noticed how Tiffany’s lips quiver together with her shaking hand.

Jessica reached for the rose, but she never got to touch it as Tiffany’s free hand intertwined with hers. Jessica almost forgot how to breathe at how perfect their hands fitted together.

“I love you, Jessica.”

Jessica felt the beating of her heart shoot up tenfold at the thinning distance of their faces.

The kiss wasn’t near perfection. It was unsure and shy. But Jessica smiles in between kisses, she was with the perfect person now. That alone made everything perfect in Jessica’s world.

“So you and Taeyeon aren’t…” Jessica questions after pulling from the kiss.

“Of course not.” Tiffany pulled her close by the waist.

“But the picnic…”

“It was all for you, silly.” Tiffany placed a chaste kiss on Jessica’s cheeks, laughing at the blush emitting from it.

“What?”

“God you are so dense. Why do you think I’m always alone these past few days? It’s so that I could talk to you.”

Tiffany gazed at her with so much love that Jessica kisses her again for her to feel even more of Tiffany. She kisses her until there is nothing she could see, hear and feel but Tiffany. Nothing else.

"I love you, too."

--

“Have a taste of these. You think she’ll like eating these?”

“They taste like normal cookies and cupcakes Tiffany, calm down.”

“Fine, fine. But make sure she’ll come here! You better not act suspicious Kim Taeyeon!”

“Hey, I’m a good actress! Do you want me to help you or not?”

“Just go and bump onto her, will you?”

--

“Tiffany! Jessica’s walking alone! Go follow her!”

“But that would make me a stalker.”

“Follow and talk to her, idiot.”

“Oh.”

--

“Isn’t this a bit too soon? Can’t I just do this next time?”

“Next time is always too far, Tiffany.”

“Wow that was deep.”

“Stupid. There she is! Do it now!”

--

a/n: i originally wrote this for a friend who has a huge crush in one of our classmates and we call him 'angle a' 'cause he's a smarta** in geometry hehehe. thank you for reading~ :D