“I think I’m in love with Jessica.”

Stephen’s stomach churned after hearing Taeng’s confession. Why did he have to tell him this? But most importantly, why did it have to be Jessica, their childhood friend?

“I… see.” Stephen replied lowly, afraid that if he spoke any louder, his voice would crack.

“I know we’ve been friends since we were five, but along the way, I started growing feelings for Jessica. It wasn’t until now that I’ve started seeing Jessica as more than a best girl friend. I want her to be my girlfriend. Will you help me out, Stephen?” Taeng begged with puppy eyes.

“S-sure.” Stephen croaked out. As much as he didn’t want to involve himself with Taeng’s love life, he couldn’t say no to his best friend.

“Thanks, man. I knew I could count on you.” Taeng threw his arm around Stephen’s shoulder as they walked out of the library and to the lunch table where Jessica was waiting for them.

“Hey, guys.” Jessica smiled warmly at the both of them.

“Did you eat yet?” Stephen asked. His caring nature for Jessica has been a habit that couldn’t be helped.

“No. I’ve been waiting forever for two certain people.” Jessica answered with a cute little pout that brought butterflies to both boys.

“Sorry, Sica.” Taeng ruffled the blonde’s hair, earning him a growl that only made him chuckle.

“I hate it when you do that.” Jessica gave the baby-faced boy one last glare before turning her attention to Stephen, who stiffened under her gaze.

“Stephy, I bought some gummy worms for you.” Jessica took out the bag and offered it to Stephen, who stood with his arms glued to his sides.

“What about me? You know gummy worms are my favorite.” Taeng whined as he tried to snatch it from Jessica’s hands.

“Too bad. I only bought these for Stephy.” Jessica moved the candy bag away from the thief.

“Stingy.” Taeng stopped trying to steal the gummy worms and started hinting at Stephen to do something.

“Uhh, I think you should give them to Taeng. I’m trying to lose weight.” Stephen said.

“Lose weight?” Jessica asked, unconvinced. Stephen was pretty buff, so it didn’t make any sense.

“Y-yeah. My dad says I’m getting fat. Um, I’ll see you guys later. I have to go talk to the teacher about today’s homework. Have fun eating together.” Stephen waved to them before rushing out of the cafeteria.

***

“Stephy, be my partner.” Jessica latched onto Stephen’s arm and smiled at him.

Through his peripheral vision, he could see Taeng frowning.

“Sorry, Jessica, I promised Sunny I’d be her partner.”

Jessica’s lower lip protruded out when Stephen slid his arm out of her grasp. That wouldn’t have been such a problem if she didn’t take note of Stephen calling her Jessica. He always called her Jessi.

“Why don’t you partner up with Taeng?” Stephen suggested.

“Yeah, Sica. I still don’t have a partner.”

“Sure.” Jessica followed Taeng, but her eyes would wander to Stephen who was happily chatting with Sunny.

***

“I’m not going to be able to eat lunch with you guys today.” Jessica walked away with Yuri.

Taeng yawned in boredom. “I guess I’ll take a nap.”

Stephen slowly got up from his seat as he quietly left Taeng to sleep in peace. He decided to stroll around the school garden when he caught sight of Jessica speaking quite loudly to Yuri.

“Admit it. You’re crushing on someone, so just tell me who it is.” Yuri had her hands on Jessica’s shoulders in case the blonde decided to make a run for it.

Jessica’s flustered face gave her away. “I can’t tell you.”

“Fine, I guess we’re not friends anymore.” Yuri bluffed, attempting to walk away until Jessica hugged her to keep her in place.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.”

“Yay! Tell me, tell me.” Yuri jumped excitedly.

Jessica took a deep breath while Stephen held his breath.

“It’s Stephen.”

Jessica’s confession practically drained all of his energy. Stephen held onto the tree before his legs gave way.

“Really?! I knew it! It was either him or Taeng, so your answer wasn’t a complete surprise.”

“I’m not that obvious, am I? I’m planning to tell him how I feel about him during the school dance.”

“Don’t worry, even if you wore a shirt with his name and a heart around it, he wouldn’t know how you felt about him. He’s as dense as a rock.” Stephen was too surprised with Jessica’s confession to feel upset about Yuri’s rude remark.

“He is pretty dense.” Jessica agreed with a smile. “But I still find him really cute.”

Stephen blushed a crimson red at Jessica’s comment. He slowly backed away before dashing back to where Taeng was.

“Where’d you go?” Taeng asked the panting Stephen.

“Huh?! Uh, nowhere. Why? Did you see me somewhere, because I wasn’t anywhere.” Stephen quickly said, earning him a confused look by Taeng.

“Okay…? Oh, look, there’s Sica.” Taeng pointed to the blonde that literally stopped Stephen’s heart.

“.” Stephen cursed as he ran the opposite direction.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

“Somewhere!” Stephen never turned back as he ran all the way to his locker.

Stephen had his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

“Hey, Stephy.”

Stephen fell over when the familiar voice reached his ears.

Jessica giggled at the stunned boy before offering her hand to help him up.

“H-how did you know w-where I w-was?” Stephen asked in a shaky breath as the electricity between their connected hands made him shiver.

“Because I know you very well.” Jessica replied confidently.

“Damn.” Stephen cursed softly. He should have run to the boy’s restroom.

“So, Stephy, do you have a date to the dance?”

“N-no.” Stephen answered as his heart was beating against his chest.

Jessica’s eyes sparkled. “Then will you go to the dance with me?”

“Sorry, I’m not going to the dance.”

“Why not?” Jessica tried not to show her disappointment but her frown gave her away.

“I, uh, have to study for my test. It’s a big part of my grade, so I don’t think I can go.”

“You said the exact same thing last week when I asked you to go bowling with me.” Jessica responded with a deeper frown.

Stephen’s eyes widened as he mentally cursed at himself for at lying.

“Err… I had a test then, and now I have another test. Sorry.”

Jessica sighed. “But it’s the last dance before we graduate.”

“Dance?? I can be your date, Sica!” Taeng appeared before them and looked expectantly at Jessica.

“Well…” Jessica eyed Stephen. She really wanted to go to the dance with Stephen. She had something important to tell him.

“You should go with him.” Stephen urged her. Jessica had no choice but to accept Taeng as her date when Stephen was smiling with his eyes curved into that eyesmile that she loved so much.

“O-okay. Remember to wear a pink bow, okay, Taeng?” Jessica ordered Taeng, who nodded obediently.

-The Dance-

“I’ll get us some punch.” Taeng said as he walked away from his beautiful date in pink.

“Yo.” Yuri lightly elbowed Jessica.

“Hey, beautiful.” Jessica said with a wink.

“You’re not so bad yourself. So, did you tell him yet?”

Jessica frowned as she sighed in frustration. “He didn’t come to the dance, so I couldn’t tell him.”

Yuri scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. “Are you sure? I just saw him walk in with Sunny.”

“What?! He’s here?!” Jessica shouted in surprise as Yuri pointed to Stephen, who was standing alone while his date went to talk to her friends.

“He lied to me. He said he wasn’t going.” Jessica growled as she narrowed her eyes on her prey.

“Maybe he changed his mind.” Yuri reasoned, but it was left unheard as Jessica stormed up to Stephen.

“How’s the studying going?” Jessica said bitterly to the nervous Stephen.

Stephen scratched his head, afraid to look at HellSica in the eyes.

“Why did you lie to me about not going to the dance?” Jessica continued when she realized he wasn’t going to answer her question or acknowledge her presence.

“I… didn’t?”

Jessica’s eyebrow arched as she repeated, “You didn’t?”

“I only went because Sunny didn’t have a date and-“

“I didn’t have a date when I asked you to go with me. Why did you agree when Sunny asked you but not me?” Jessica interrupted as her eyes revealed the pain and hurt that Stephen’s actions caused her.

“It’s different with you.”

“How!” Jessica shouted with glossy eyes, which made Stephen jump slightly.

Because of Taeng. “It just is. Sunny needs me.”

“What about me? I need you too.”

Stephen shook his head. “You don’t need me.” You have Taeng.

“I got the punch.” Taeng arrived just in time.

“Have a wonderful night.” Stephen quickly said with a forced smile before striding away from them.

“Stephy!’ Jessica was about to chase after Stephen when Taeng caught her hand.

“What’s going on?”

Jessica looked back to Taeng. “N-nothing.” Jessica gave Taeng’s hand a reassuring squeeze as they continued on with the dance.

She would just have to talk to Stephen later.

*

*

That ‘later’ never happened. After the dance, Stephen avoided Jessica like the plague. Before she knew it, it was graduation day. She thought this would be the day that they’d be able to fix their friendship, but Jessica was only able to catch a glimpse of Stephen in his blue graduation gown before he disappeared from her life.

While Jessica and Taeng went to the same college, Stephen attended a private college that was hours away.

That was the last time Jessica heard of Stephen. How their friendship broke remained a mystery to Jessica.

The upside of this was Taeng. The one who was there for her when she cried over losing her best friend and possibly the love of her life. Taeng was there when she most needed it. He didn’t run away or judge her when she confessed to being in love with Stephen. Instead, he held her tighter and made her feel loved and important. It wasn’t long before Taeng’s one-sided love for Jessica became two-sided. Eventually, her feelings for Stephen started to fade.

During their second year in college, Taeng finally mustered up the courage to ask Jessica out and she was more than happy to say yes.

It was safe to say that they were the happiest couple all throughout college.

Life couldn’t be anymore perfect for the couple.

Until Stephen came back into their life just as sudden as he had left it.