After barely making it through first and second period, Jesse found himself dreading the walk to third. The sheer effort of maintaining the facade—smiling, laughing, acting like everything was normal—had left him feeling mentally drained. He was constantly on edge, worried about slipping up, saying the wrong thing, or acting in a way that didn’t match the version of "Jess" he was expected to be. It was exhausting.
He rounded the corner near his locker, hoping to avoid any awkward encounters. Just as he thought he might get a moment of peace, someone stepped directly into his path. Startled, Jesse looked up to see a Hispanic boy he recognized from his Instagram photos—Vanessa, one of his cheer friends. Jesse had seen countless photos of "Jess" and Vanessa hanging out, but this was the first real interaction he’d had with him in person.
Vanessa was striking. He wore a pair of white denim shorts and a red, low-cut top that showed off his breasts, his long, dark, wavy hair cascading effortlessly over his shoulders. Vanessa carried himself with an air of grace, the kind that turned heads, and despite Jesse’s best efforts, he found it hard to look away.
"Hey, Jess, wait up!" Vanessa called out, his voice filled with a surprising warmth and concern.
Jesse froze, unsure how to respond. Vanessa pulled him aside, away from the hallway traffic, and gave him a look that made Jesse’s stomach churn with anxiety. Vanessa’s expression was soft, but serious, like he had something important to say. Jesse didn’t know what was coming, but he could tell it wasn’t just a casual chat.
"Are you feeling okay?" Vanessa asked, his deep brown eyes searching Jesse’s face with genuine concern.
Jesse blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Uh... yeah? I’m fine." he replied, trying to sound convincing. But the question threw him off. Did he look that out of it? Was his behavior giving away more than he realized? His mind scrambled, trying to figure out what Vanessa had noticed, but he knew he couldn’t show any of that confusion.
Vanessa raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the casual brush-off. "You sure?" he pressed. "You’ve been acting kinda... off lately. Like, at practice yesterday, you seemed really distracted. It’s not like you."
Jesse’s heart skipped a beat. Was it that obvious? He was about to come up with another excuse, but before he could, Vanessa leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice. "Sam told me everything."
Jesse’s eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat. What did Sam tell him? What everything? His mind raced, trying to piece together what Sam could’ve said. He felt a flush of embarrassment creep up his neck as he imagined Sam spilling his confusion to Vanessa.
"Sam... told you?" Jesse stammered, trying to keep his voice steady despite the panic rising inside him.
Vanessa nodded, his gaze softening with understanding. "Yeah, he said you lost your memory. That’s why you’ve been acting weird lately, right?"
Jesse blinked in disbelief. Memory loss? Was that the story Sam had given? Relief and embarrassment washed over Jesse at once. Sam had given him an explanation for his behavior, a way to cover up his awkwardness without raising too many suspicions. It wasn’t the truth, but it was something he could work with.
"Uh, yeah." Jesse muttered, deciding to go along with it. "I mean, it’s been kind of... hard, but I’m doing okay."
Vanessa’s expression softened even more. He took a step closer, his hand lightly resting on Jesse’s arm, the gesture both comforting and intimate. "I get it. That’s gotta be tough. No wonder you were off at practice. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. You know you can talk to me, right? I’m here for you."
Jesse forced a smile, trying to act like he appreciated the concern, though inside he felt a mess of conflicting emotions. "Thanks, Vanessa. I’m fine, though. Really."
But as he stood there, looking into Vanessa’s eyes, something strange began to stir inside him. Vanessa’s closeness, the soft touch of his hand on Jesse’s arm, the way his dark eyes held his gaze with such warmth—it made Jesse’s heart flutter. His heart raced in a way that felt oddly familiar, a sensation he used to get when he looked at cute girls in his old life. But Vanessa wasn’t a girl. Jesse’s mind struggled to make sense of it. The way Vanessa’s soft features, his wavy hair, and the casual confidence in his movements all pulled at something inside Jesse felt... confusing. It wasn’t just Vanessa’s concern that made Jesse’s stomach twist—it was something deeper, something he didn’t want to acknowledge.
"Okay." Vanessa said softly, still smiling at him. "Just remember, I’ve got your back, no matter what."
Before Jesse could respond, Vanessa leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. It was casual, friendly, but the warmth of Vanessa’s lips lingered against Jesse’s skin longer than he expected. For a split second, the world seemed to stop. Jesse stood frozen, his mind going blank as Vanessa pulled away with a final supportive smile, then turned and walked down the hallway.
Jesse touched his cheek where Vanessa had kissed him, his heart pounding in his chest. The kiss was nothing—a small, friendly gesture—but it left him reeling. What the hell was that? His emotions were a tangled mess, his thoughts racing faster than he could make sense of them. Vanessa had walked away, disappearing into the crowd, leaving Jesse standing there, rooted to the spot, more lost than ever. The world around him was spinning in ways he couldn’t control, and now his own emotions were betraying him in ways he hadn’t expected.