As Ryan leaned in to say something else—some cheeky comment that made her blush again—Jess’s eyes flicked down to his bag beside the bench. It was half-zipped. Careless. And just for a moment, she saw it.
The device.
Familiar, sleek, glowing faintly.
Her stomach turned.
That’s it. That’s the damn thing.
The thing that changed her. The thing that turned Macy into… this. That twisted their lives around like playdough in some teenager’s hands.
Her smoothie suddenly tasted sour. She put it down with a slight tremble in her fingers and glanced across the table—Macy was twirling her hair again, giggling at Billy’s latest flirty joke like she didn’t have a care in the world.
She really doesn’t remember.
Jess swallowed hard. She wasn’t just acting. She really believed this was her life now.
Jess turned back toward Ryan and forced herself to smile.
Inside, she was spiraling.
Outside, she played the part.
She had to.
If she showed even a hint of suspicion—if she made them think she knew—they might press a button and make her permanently like this. Or worse.
Stay calm. Be sweet. Be Jess.
Jess tilted her head and smiled a little wider. “So… you really think I’m cute, huh?”
Ryan grinned like a predator who just caught sight of prey. “Took you this long to notice?”
Jess’s heart pounded. This is your chance.
Get him distracted. Move in close. Grab the device.
Her hand slid up to touch his arm, slow and teasing. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
He laughed. “Not bad?”
“Okay. Kind of hot, I guess,” she said with a practiced giggle she didn’t know she could fake so well.
Or maybe it wasn’t fake at all…
And then, she leaned in.
Their lips met.
It was supposed to be a decoy.
A distraction.
Just a kiss.
Just a kiss.
Her hand hovered near his bag. She was supposed to grab the device while his eyes were closed. That was the plan.
But her fingers didn’t move.
Because as soon as their lips touched, her body betrayed her.
A jolt of electricity ran down her spine. Her heart leapt. Her lips parted slightly. And instead of reaching for the bag, her hand slid up to his shoulder, clutching it lightly as she deepened the kiss—unintentionally.
She wasn’t acting anymore.
She wasn’t thinking.
She was feeling.
And Ryan… kissed her back. Strong. Confident. Like he’d done it a thousand times before. Like he knew this was going to happen.
Jess finally pulled away, breathless and red-faced, her eyes wide with panic—but she covered it with a nervous giggle.
“Wow…” Ryan said, his voice a little lower. “Told you you were into me.”
Jess forced a laugh and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to smile. “Yeah… guess you were right…”
But inside?
She was screaming.
What the hell is wrong with me? Why didn’t I grab the device? Why did I kiss him like that? Why did it feel so good?
And worst of all…
Why do I want to do it again?
She glanced at the bag again, the glowing edges of the device just barely visible beneath Ryan’s hoodie. It was right there.
I need to try again.
But deep down, a terrifying realization was beginning to bloom.