Tiffany looked down to her feet then glanced up to the ring right in front of her. A ball on her hand, holding onto it tightly as if her life depended on the orange colored object. Her lips curled up slightly as she looked around the empty stadium.

This was it. This would be the last time she played for the sake of her high school, as the shooting guard of the team, the one with all passion on every game, the MVP, the awesome girl she told Jessica. This was her last time, her last game before she graduated, the very important and meaningful game she had for the last time.

Man, she would miss this stadium, her team, her captain slash buddy; Yuri, her high school, her… Jessica.

There at the first row of the bleacher, in the middle one of it, she imagined Jessica sitting there, at her usual spot, waving and cheering for Tiffany. The girl would be there tonight for cheered on her, Jessica would make it, Tiffany believed. This would be her last game and Jessica is a very nice person which means she wouldn’t missed it.

It was okay for hoping that much for Jessica right? Tiffany trusted her anyway.

The ball bounced on the shining floor which echoed all over the empty stadium. She grabbed the ball, aimed it to the ring then shoot.

The ball got in to the ring, Tiffany never felt less nervous before a game but now.

Jessica’s face was on repeat in her mind, she smiled.

***

 

“Ready?”

“Totally.”

Yuri side hugged Tiffany, the captain became very emotional since the last fifteen minutes and the shooting guard worried that Yuri would cry when the game started.

“Let’s show them our wonderful play tonight.”

Tiffany smiled at her, knowing the fact that she would miss this tanned captain of her team later in the future when she played basketball.

“Sure, Capt.”

***

 

10 minutes more before the game started and Jessica still hadn’t done with her hair yet. It’s still wet, not shampooing but foolishly turning on the shower right when she was standing just bellow it. She didn’t have time to wash her hair then, she only had thirty minutes left and if she washed her hair it would took at least one hour not less.

Grumbling like a cat, she took a towel then rushing to grab her bag with her hand drying her wet hair. She put on her shoes on the porch, opened the door then closed it again once she was outside. Hurriedly locking it but the key failed her when it fell down to the floor. Jessica cursed inwardly.

“Here let me help you.”

Words left when she looked up, Taeyeon’s hand brushed over hers and their faces were just centimeters away. The close proximity made the rotten gear inside Jessica’s mind became more rotten than it already has. She gulped down nervousness and took a very small step backwards, her eyes never left Taeyeon, her life time crush.

“There.” Taeyeon smiled and handed Jessica the key, the other girl held onto the silver thing tightly, held it ― held Taeyeon’s slight warmth. “What’s with the rush? Gonna watch the game?”

She wanted to nodded, to say ‘yes’ but all she could do was just stare more and tilted her head while creasing her forehead. She was giving Taeyeon the confused look, the total opposite what she should answer. The other girl took it as Jessica had no idea what she was asking about.

“You know, the game, basketball? I saw you always there when Tiffany practice.”

It somehow hit Jessica. So Taeyeon knew that she often came to watch Tiffany practice?

Dumbfounded, Jessica opened to answer the shorter girl but the answer she was giving was not what she planned to say.

“I-I’m not― going. I mean the game.”

STUPID!

“Oh? I thought you gonna go there.” Taeyeon raised her brows.

I AM GOING THERE!! Geez! What’s with me!?

“Okay then. I need to pack fast. See you around―”

“I can help!” Jessica bit her lip. This couldn’t be. She had to cheer for Tiffany, she promised it, the girl probably is waiting for her, looking for her. And she thought the game started already. What she was doing here with Taeyeon? But still, she just couldn’t help it.

“You can help? Well, that’d be cool. Are you sure?”

“Yeah of course!”

“Great!” Taeyeon beamed. “Might as well start it now!”

The hand that lingered on Jessica’s hand several seconds later made her went nuts. The feeling was overwhelming, Taeyeon’s hand was so warm and smooth and the way the other girl holding hers was so gentle.

Jessica lost it, she tailed behind the shorter girl closely, enjoyed the brown hair that brushed her face when they run upstairs to Taeyeon’s room. She didn’t have anything on her mind, she didn’t think of anything but the girl before her. It was like dream comes true, even talking to Taeyeon would be counted as miracle. Now that she had her hand being held by the girl, it counted as magic.

***

 

Her eyes followed her team member when they ran to their position. The ball was on her hand, dribbled it when she jogged forwards. The opponent tried to took the ball from her hand as soon as she spotted her.

They were leading on the first quarter but the opponent catch up too well and left them four point behind on the second quarter.

Passed the ball to Yuri who finally stood free, she took run to across from the captain and jumped right in when the tanned girl passed her the ball.

Score, two more.

Jogged away from the opponent side and fist bumped with Yuri, Tiffany glanced over to the bleacher. The girl wasn’t there, she was not supposedly late since Tiffany knew Jessica didn’t have anything important to do today, plus the younger girl promised her.

Maybe some minutes more and she’ll be there, Tiffany said inwardly, her brow creased.

***

 

The other girl’s figure was so cute. The curtain of Taeyeon’s room was pulled open which made sun shine shone thought out the window and to the room. The older girl was packing her clothes to the suitcase, looking down onto the stuffs, her hair waved over her face beautifully and it made Jessica’s face burning.

She never doubted her heart beats irregularly when Taeyeon is around.

Looking back down to the cup she was holding, she caressed the porcelain under her thumb. Thinking about Taeyeon drinking from this cup, how the girl would held it, what she was been drinking from the cup. Was it hot chocolate, syrup, or maybe just simply cold water because the weather was so hot for the past days.

Jessica took a paper and wrapped the white porcelain cup with it and put it on the floor carefully. She picked up another thing from the other side of the floor as she glanced up to Taeyeon at the process. The other girl was picking up another clothes ad their eyes met. Taeyeon smiled at her, Jessica smiled back shyly.

***

 

“Hey Hwang, focus!! You lost the ball three times!”

Tiffany growled while Yuri yelled at her from the other side. Of course she would yelled more at her, Tiffany had been so lost since the third quarter. She couldn’t help but glanced over the bleacher every now and then and it made the opponent took the ball easier from her than from the other team member.

She felt hopeless, more than ever. Where was Jessica, she wondered why the girl hadn’t come yet. She was worried, but more to disappointed actually. It was of course influenced her mind along her play. She played like an amateur she coached months ago; she even bet that she played more awful by the look Yuri giving her.

The captain jogged over to the shooting guard, patted her shoulder while studying Tiffany’s face. Concerned look on the other girl’s face.

“You okay?” Tiffany only nodded tentatively. “Collect yourself then. We can’t lose this, can we? You want this game to be great then show it. Focus. We only have some more minutes ‘till quarter four and our point is not so good.”

“I’m sorry.”

With the last pat on her shoulder and a nod from Yuri, Tiffany closed her eyes for some moments. Pushed aside her worried and disappointment in Jessica and made her mind focus and gave the opponent her best again.

This was her last game, and she couldn’t  afford to lose it.

***

 

“Taeyeon?”

“Hmm?” It sounded like a melody to her ear.

“What do you think of having someone in your life?”

“What do you mean?”

“Dating?”

“Oh… well, it crossed my mind every time. Having someone in a special way would be filling that empty space in your heart.”

There was a silent for a moment before Jessica spoke. Playing with her nails.

“Tayeon?”

“Yes, Jessica?”

Her name has never been sound so addicting when it came out from other person’s mouth.

“Have you considered for having a lover?”

“I have. Why?”

The girl looked up hesitantly to the older girl who was now looking at her with curious eyes, the rays from the window behind her silhouetted her petite figure. It was a very beautiful view.

“I’ve been― crushing on you since―”

“Jessica.” The smile on Taeyeon’s face was far from genuine, her eyes were also far from what Jessica called it as happiness. The older girl’s eyes were apologetic when she walked her way to the younger girl, cupped Jessica’s feminine face with one hand before hugged her and whispered the words Jessica hoped she never heard.

Jessica closed her eyes and let the pain engulfed her heart.

***

 

“FOUL!!”

Tiffany balled herself on the floor holding onto her knee that throbbed in total pain. She closed her eyes shut, a tear escaped itself from the corner of her eyes because the pain was really no joke. She heard Yuri yelled, her team members protested and the opponents ranted over their teammate, even the audience protested. It was like she’s in the middle of a chaotic situation but all she could feel was just the pain on her knee.

“Free throw!”

“Free throw.” A male voice she assumed was the referee’s.

She peeled her eyes open, looking at the hectic-like view in front of her. She sat on her bottom, eyes were searching for Yuri. The captain looked down at her, squatted down to her eye level.

“I’ll do it.” She said.

“But―”

“I said I’ll do it, Yuri.”

The tanned girl was hesitant at first but helped Tiffany stood up on her feet and propped her to in front of the ring. Gave her the ball and jogged back to the behind of the line. Tiffany looked up to the screen in above the ring, it stopped at some seconds, very tight until the end of the game.

She had to throw the balls right if she wanted to win the game.

The referee blown the whistle and Tiffany aimed the ball, she held her breath then shoot.

One point for her team.

She glanced to Yuri, the girl have that hopeful look while looking at her. All she needed was to make another score with this last free throw and they could win their last game. Tiffany nodded to herself.

She held the ball at the second blown of the whistle. Pulled the ball up, aimed it to the ring, and shoot…

The time for the fourth quarter ended with the ball she throws bouncing against the ring. It was like everybody held their breaths. Her eyes followed where the ball moved until it went in the ring and everybody cheered.

They won.

Yuri ran towards her, hugged her and they were all jumped in all excited and joy. Tiffany shifted her eyes towards the audience again, towards the bleacher where Jessica usually sat on. There was no trace of Jessica.  Jessica didn’t come. She broke her promise and Tiffany’s heart even more.

Tiffany wasn’t sure what she felt, whether it was the pain on her ankle or the pain in the other part of her body. She excused herself to the medic room without her teammates reazlied it and walked with all difficulties to the empty room.

She sat there on the bed when a nurse came from outside and soon was taking care of her injury. It was so painful but she didn’t even wince a little, her mind traveled everywhere. She felt disappointed, so much ‘till it hurted more.

“You know you can tell me everything.”

Yuri plopped herself to the bed beside Tiffany, sat close with the other girl. She looked at beside her to her teammate, she didn’t realize the nurse already done putting caps to her knee from five minutes ago. Tiffany didn’t even to smile, she couldn’t even fake one.

“What did the nurse say?”

“Fany―”

“Now or later it would be the same. It’s bad isn’t it?”

The captain ran her fingers through her hair, she released a soft sigh. “To the point you can’t play again.”

Her breath caught, this game was her game, basketball was her passion. Tiffany didn’t know what hurt the most at this point, she felt… miserable, at every point.

She just nodded out of nowhere.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s not your fault, Yul. You’ve been a great captain and I’m thankful of it, and you should be at the farewell party right now.”

“You’re also not there.”

They stopped talking for a while, just listened to one another’s breathing but Yuri had this urge to ask the other girl ‘why’ until Tiffany said it herself.

“She didn’t come, she promised.” Tiffany bit her lip when it trembled. She looked everywhere beside Yuri’s eyes, she fiddled her fingers, her eyes felt wet. “I… I don’t know what to feel, Yuri. I don’t know with part of me that hurts the most. My knee, the disappointment on the fact I probably couldn’t play again or― the fact that… Jessica wasn’t there.”

Yuri furrowed her eyebrow upon hearing the other girl’s broken voice. She pulled Tiffany closer and hugged the girl. Tiffany cried on her shoulder, wetted her sweated jersey but she didn’t mind at all.

She put her hand on the other girl’s back and the other one on her head, she never saw Tiffany cried before. The other girl was the one that really hard to let tears escape her yes, but now seeing Tiffany at this state, it also broke her heart.

“I love her, you know it. Just if she accepted me to be a part of her life, I won’t go back to the states, I rather be here with her, looking for university here so I can be with her all the time.” A sniffed before Tiffany continued talking between her sobs.

“I wanted to confess for the last time tonight, I might deal with another pain if she rejected me again but― she didn’t even come to watch. She promised.”

Tiffany pulled away softly from the hug but Yuri still had her hand on the other girls head. The captain wiped the remaining tears on the girl’s face.

“This is so pathetic. I’m sorry for being so emotional.”

“It’s okay, I understand.” Yuri smiled.

“There’s nothing left for me here.”

Yuri eyed Tiffany for a several second. “I support whatever you do.”

She hugged Yuri for the last time and she stood by the help from the tanned girl.

“I think I miss home.”

***

 

She back to her room, it was already dark. The lights were off, and she had to tip toe to get inside without making any noises. Jessica was here, the girl was asleep. Tiffany walked to the girl’s bed and put her bag on the floor. She sat there on the bed, looking at Jessica’s sleeping face and couldn’t stop asking herself why the younger girl didn’t come.

She thought Jessica had a fever but the temperature was okay when she checked by put her hand on the younger girl’s forehead. Tiffany caressed the face, the skin was so soft and she couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Once she moved to her hometown, she wouldn’t be able to see this face again, let alone caressing it.

Tiffany wanted to bid goodbye to Jessica but she wasn’t sure if she could leave if she saw Jessica looking at her. She couldn’t get over it and would change her mind instead. Tiffany didn’t want that, just like what she said to Yuri earlier, there was nothing left for her here.  She didn’t want to feel the pain again, maybe she was giving up; she wanted to move on.

So she grabbed a paper and took a pen from the nightstand. Maybe write a letter for Jessica would be just fine.

She put the letter on the nightstand, put Jessica’s phone atop of that so it wouldn’t fell down. Tiffany looked down to the younger girl once more. This was the time. She had to leave this person tonight since the will was still strong, along with all the memories they shared together.

It was painful to leave someone like this. Or it was just her, because she loved Jessica way too much?

Bending down, she kissed the girl on the lips, it was just a peck just like what best friend do and no more. This was farewell after all, it wa okay for a goodbye peck.

Tiffany stayed for a while, letting her nose and Jessica’s touched as she watched the girl closely. Another tear escaped from her eyes again and it dropped on Jessica’s face. She closed her eyes before she pulled back.

“Goodbye, Jessi.”

She looked at the room again one last time, all the memories, all the feelings, it was started from here, might as well finished it here also. She wanted to dig and buried it here, at this exact room, with the same exact person she fell for at the first sight two years ago.

Gathered all her belongings, she walked her way to the door and closed it with a soft click. Tonight, she left it all behind the closed room door.

Little did Tiffany know, the younger girl was awake all the time.

As soon as the door closed, Jessica jolted up from her bed, looked everywhere and found the latter on the nightstand. Took it with her hasty hands, she read the letter with little amount of breath. Tiffany’s voice is on her mind.

Sorry I have to leave like this, I don’t want to wake up a sleeping princess,
we both know how will you react if someone disturb your sleep right? :p

Btw,
Jess, I’m leaving now.
and I guess I’ll try to leave all my feelings that
crossing the best friend line in this room too.
I decided to give up on you.
maybe I was too blind to see that you just really see me as best friend
I’m so stupid that I think I could change it aren't i ?
Now i take my leave, you won't be annoyed with my stupid confessions anymore lol.

I don’t know if we will meet again in the future,
but thanks for the two wonderful years, it means a lot for me J
if there’s a chance for us to meet again,
let’s introduce our partners to each other yes? :D
I hope you’ll  find someone who will love you better than I do, you deserve better.
Be happy and keep on smiling!

 

Sincerely, your (ex?) best friend
The Awesome Hwang-

 

 

“Oh… stupid.”

Banged her head on the head board, Jessica thought her heart couldn’t be any more painful. But why was this feeling killing her more than before. This might be the feeling of losing someone, she lost Tiffany. She broke her promise when she knew the older girl had that special feeling for her, she just broke her heart to pieces didn’t she?

Jessica realized now how stupid she was and she blamed herself at how powerless she was towards Taeyeon until it lead her to abandon Tiffany’s last game, just to be with the girl for some moments ― some heartbreaking moments. Maybe if she put Taeyeon aside ― if she didn’t offer herself to help her ― she wouldn’t feel the pain the shorter girl gave her, the rejection and instead she would get the happiness Tiffany would give her.

And maybe Tiffany wouldn’t leave her.

She could still have Tiffany, as her best friend.

She should be aware from the start that Taeyeon always kept her eyes on Yuri all these time. That she was too busy to know anything Taeyeon put attention at because Jessica was too mesmerized just by looking at her crush. She should knew worried look Tiffany had every time she talked about Taeyeon, she should noticde it, but she was too careless.

The older girl knows that thing was going on between Taeyeon and Yuri.

Now that Tiffany has gone and left her with noting, she felt so stupid. She was someone’s everything and now she became no one to everyone, there will be no more Tiffany who will look at her with that eyes, that look, she wouldn’t feel special anymore since the person that could make her feel special was now gone. She just lost Tiffany.

“Please...Stay…I’m sorry...” she whispered in the dark, tears rolling down her face as she reached her hand to the door.

No one left to hear her anymore.

 

 

TBC

 

a/n: just in case you forgot that this actually still in flashback lol. we're not moving on yet from the flashback yes. now from the next parts we can finally moved to their present life. 4 parts for flashback and still counting for the present (p.s; bluepinkz told me to make another thread for this one LOL IT IS LATE DUDE)

oh! Happy 6th Anniversary for Girls' Generation my lifetime fic characters lol. am i late....?

btw, GGTourINA next month! who's comin'!? :D