JEROME
I stood on the balcony, leaning against the railing, staring out at the city sprawled beneath me. The sky was overcast, thick clouds hanging low, casting everything in a soft, grayish hue. There was a faint chill in the air, and I took it in, clearing my head I liked the coolness, the way it seemed to calm everything down, slow the world just a little.From where I stood, I could hear the faint sounds of Stacy and Lisa from inside the apartment. Their voices were muffled, laughing and talking, sometimes louder when they teased each other about something. I couldn’t make out the words, but it was obvious they were in a good mood and it was obvious they had moved past the incident.I was the o my one that had not.Today, they were heading back to Ohio. Their flight was scheduled for later in the afternoon, and I was supposed to drop them at the airport.I had been dreading this day, even though it was just another drop-off aSTACYWe touched down in Ohio some minutes ago, found our luggage and went in search for Lisa’s Mun who was waving at us with a bright smile and a placard that read, COLLEGE STARS.It was so embarrassing and if I didn’t have anyone to drive me to the city, I would have ditched Lies there and then.Sitting in the backseat of Lisa’s mom’s car, I stared out the window, watching as the city passed by in a blur. It was strange being back home, like slipping into a familiar jacket that somehow didn’t fit quite right anymore. Lisa was in the front passenger seat, rummaging through her Mum’s bag.I Could almost still sense Jerome sitting beside me. Almost.The more we drove into the city, the further everything that happened before felt like a dream. The affair between me and Jerome, the fallout with Lisa, the endless exams—it all felt like a dream now, like something that had happened to someone else. 
JEROMETime came and went by quickly, stealing through spaces, like a flash and somehow, it was the day for Stacy and Lisa to turn back to school.The day started off quietly, the kind of calm that usually precedes something big. I had to wake up earlier than usual, mostly because I wanted to get things done before picking them up.It was also hard to oversleep when you were seeing the love of your life.They were flying back today, and though I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the reunion, I wanted to at least make sure everything was in order before they got here.My apartment was a mess, and it didn’t take long to realize that cleaning up would take more effort than I had thought. Empty cups on the table, laundry that I had somehow forgotten to do all week, and the constant pile-up of papers and things I should have sorted ages ago. It was all there, waiting for me, mocking my attempts at getting my life together.The f
STACYThe morning sun filtered through the curtain and pulled me out of my sleep.I stretched my arms above my head, blinking the sleep from my eyes as the day was about to start.Lisa was already up, rummaging through her drawers, her usual energy evident in the way she moved about. I could hear the faint sound of her humming to herself, a tune that was familiar but not quite memorable.“Morning,” I mumbled, pushing myself up and running a hand through my hair.Lisa turned around, her face lighting up with a smile. “Morning, sleepyhead! We’ve got to get a move on. First day back, remember?”I groaned softly, not quite ready to face the world just yet. The holiday had been a mix of relaxation and catching up on things we’d neglected during the semester, but the thought of diving back into classes already felt a bit overwhelming.Lisa, on the other hand, who was not an early riser, was rath
STACYI knew I had to talk to Stacy when I was ten minutes into the lecture.The urge was so primal, so hungry that thee was no escaping it.The class had ended in a rush of students gathering their belongings and shuffling out of their seats. I stood at the front, gathering my notes and trying to maintain my composure.I was watching her pack her stuff, watching her move quickly with her hands.“Mr. Jerome!” one of the guys called out. “Do you have the syllabus handy? I think I missed a few details.”He was one of my students, blonde curly hair, a portion of if swooped across his forehead.“Of course,” I replied, pushing my thoughts of Stacy aside. I had to focus. “Here’s a copy for you.” I handed it to him.“Also, can y
JEROMEStacy had been extra busy this period because she signed up for a few part-time jobs.I hated how busy she got most of the time but I was also glad for her that she was taking a responsible step towards her finances.That evening, after a game of snooker, I slipped into Burger’s Trio in hopes that I was early enough for her shift.Stacy had been extra busy this period because she signed up for a few part-time jobs. I hated how busy she got most of the time, but I was also glad for her. It was a responsible step toward her finances, even if it meant we had less time together.That evening, after a long day at work and a quick game of snooker with some friends, I decided to drop by Burger’s Trio, where Stacy worked one of her shifts. I’d been by a couple of times before, usually sneaking in to see her just as her shift ended. Tonight, I hoped I was early enough to catch her in action.As I walked through the door, the
STACYLisa had been gushing for weeks about how she was excited to introduce Jerome to Kiera. The way she talked about Kiera, with that glimmer in her eyes, made it impossible not to be happy for her.Everything was going to go fine today, I could already sense it.I was on shift that afternoon, taking orders and serving trays like usual. The restaurant wasn’t too packed, which gave me time to glance around, keep an eye on the door. Part of me was hoping they’d pick another spot, or maybe decide at the last minute that a fancy café was better suited for a first meeting like this. But, of course, that wasn’t Lisa’s style. She loved the casual vibe of Burger Trio, and it was one of the few places where she and Jerome could relax.The good thing was I missed my friends and wanted to see them, the bad thing was I missed my friends and wanted to see them.They made working but hard and pleasurable.I was
JEROMEShooting that day had been intense. We were working on one of the final scenes, the kind that was supposed to be raw and emotional, but instead of saving it for later in the production schedule, the producers wanted to get it done early for promotional material. It was all part of the business. We had to sell the movie, and nothing sold better than a sneak peek of a climactic moment.The set was buzzing with activity. Lights were being adjusted, makeup artists hovered nearby, and the crew moved around, setting up equipment and whispering about the next shot. I felt the pressure building, but I was used to it by now. This wasn’t my first film, and it definitely wouldn’t be my last.Chase called for a break, and I seized the opportunity to step away for a bit. I’d been on set all day, and I needed a breather before getting back into the set. Besides, I had something else on my mind. I was supposed to meet up with Stacy after we
STACYI woke up slowly, the warmth of the blankets making it hard to tell where the bed ended and my body began. The sunlight trickled in through the thin curtains, casting soft streaks of light across the room. For a moment, everything felt serene, like I could stay in this cocoon of warmth and silence forever. Then I realized Jerome wasn’t next to me.I rolled over, blinking sleep from my eyes, and saw the empty space where he should have been. The sheets were crumpled on his side, still warm. I heard the faint sound of water running and figured he must be in the shower. I lay there for a minute, listening to the sound of the water and feeling a strange sense of distance. It was odd, waking up without him beside me. We’d spent the night together, but it hadn’t felt as close as it usually did.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and padded across the cool floor, feeling the chill against my bare feet. The bathroom door was slightly
STACYI still couldn’t believe I had agreed to this. A joint date with Lisa? Lisa and Kiera.The thought swirled in my mind as I stood in front of my mirror, staring at my reflection. My fingers traced the hem of the dress I had picked out—simple, yet flattering enough for what felt like one of the strangest nights of my life.Lisa had convinced me, somehow, to go along with this. I wasn’t even sure how it all happened. One minute, we were awkwardly avoiding each other, and the next, we were laughing about how ridiculous it was that we were going on this double date.I heard a knock on the door and glanced at my phone—Lisa, of course, right on time.“Come in!” I called, still fussing with my hair. The door swung open, and Lisa waltzed in, her usual confidence trailing behind her.
STACYI woke up slowly, the warmth of the blankets making it hard to tell where the bed ended and my body began. The sunlight trickled in through the thin curtains, casting soft streaks of light across the room. For a moment, everything felt serene, like I could stay in this cocoon of warmth and silence forever. Then I realized Jerome wasn’t next to me.I rolled over, blinking sleep from my eyes, and saw the empty space where he should have been. The sheets were crumpled on his side, still warm. I heard the faint sound of water running and figured he must be in the shower. I lay there for a minute, listening to the sound of the water and feeling a strange sense of distance. It was odd, waking up without him beside me. We’d spent the night together, but it hadn’t felt as close as it usually did.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and padded across the cool floor, feeling the chill against my bare feet. The bathroom door was slightly
JEROMEShooting that day had been intense. We were working on one of the final scenes, the kind that was supposed to be raw and emotional, but instead of saving it for later in the production schedule, the producers wanted to get it done early for promotional material. It was all part of the business. We had to sell the movie, and nothing sold better than a sneak peek of a climactic moment.The set was buzzing with activity. Lights were being adjusted, makeup artists hovered nearby, and the crew moved around, setting up equipment and whispering about the next shot. I felt the pressure building, but I was used to it by now. This wasn’t my first film, and it definitely wouldn’t be my last.Chase called for a break, and I seized the opportunity to step away for a bit. I’d been on set all day, and I needed a breather before getting back into the set. Besides, I had something else on my mind. I was supposed to meet up with Stacy after we
STACYLisa had been gushing for weeks about how she was excited to introduce Jerome to Kiera. The way she talked about Kiera, with that glimmer in her eyes, made it impossible not to be happy for her.Everything was going to go fine today, I could already sense it.I was on shift that afternoon, taking orders and serving trays like usual. The restaurant wasn’t too packed, which gave me time to glance around, keep an eye on the door. Part of me was hoping they’d pick another spot, or maybe decide at the last minute that a fancy café was better suited for a first meeting like this. But, of course, that wasn’t Lisa’s style. She loved the casual vibe of Burger Trio, and it was one of the few places where she and Jerome could relax.The good thing was I missed my friends and wanted to see them, the bad thing was I missed my friends and wanted to see them.They made working but hard and pleasurable.I was
JEROMEStacy had been extra busy this period because she signed up for a few part-time jobs.I hated how busy she got most of the time but I was also glad for her that she was taking a responsible step towards her finances.That evening, after a game of snooker, I slipped into Burger’s Trio in hopes that I was early enough for her shift.Stacy had been extra busy this period because she signed up for a few part-time jobs. I hated how busy she got most of the time, but I was also glad for her. It was a responsible step toward her finances, even if it meant we had less time together.That evening, after a long day at work and a quick game of snooker with some friends, I decided to drop by Burger’s Trio, where Stacy worked one of her shifts. I’d been by a couple of times before, usually sneaking in to see her just as her shift ended. Tonight, I hoped I was early enough to catch her in action.As I walked through the door, the
STACYI knew I had to talk to Stacy when I was ten minutes into the lecture.The urge was so primal, so hungry that thee was no escaping it.The class had ended in a rush of students gathering their belongings and shuffling out of their seats. I stood at the front, gathering my notes and trying to maintain my composure.I was watching her pack her stuff, watching her move quickly with her hands.“Mr. Jerome!” one of the guys called out. “Do you have the syllabus handy? I think I missed a few details.”He was one of my students, blonde curly hair, a portion of if swooped across his forehead.“Of course,” I replied, pushing my thoughts of Stacy aside. I had to focus. “Here’s a copy for you.” I handed it to him.“Also, can y
STACYThe morning sun filtered through the curtain and pulled me out of my sleep.I stretched my arms above my head, blinking the sleep from my eyes as the day was about to start.Lisa was already up, rummaging through her drawers, her usual energy evident in the way she moved about. I could hear the faint sound of her humming to herself, a tune that was familiar but not quite memorable.“Morning,” I mumbled, pushing myself up and running a hand through my hair.Lisa turned around, her face lighting up with a smile. “Morning, sleepyhead! We’ve got to get a move on. First day back, remember?”I groaned softly, not quite ready to face the world just yet. The holiday had been a mix of relaxation and catching up on things we’d neglected during the semester, but the thought of diving back into classes already felt a bit overwhelming.Lisa, on the other hand, who was not an early riser, was rath
JEROMETime came and went by quickly, stealing through spaces, like a flash and somehow, it was the day for Stacy and Lisa to turn back to school.The day started off quietly, the kind of calm that usually precedes something big. I had to wake up earlier than usual, mostly because I wanted to get things done before picking them up.It was also hard to oversleep when you were seeing the love of your life.They were flying back today, and though I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the reunion, I wanted to at least make sure everything was in order before they got here.My apartment was a mess, and it didn’t take long to realize that cleaning up would take more effort than I had thought. Empty cups on the table, laundry that I had somehow forgotten to do all week, and the constant pile-up of papers and things I should have sorted ages ago. It was all there, waiting for me, mocking my attempts at getting my life together.The f
STACYWe touched down in Ohio some minutes ago, found our luggage and went in search for Lisa’s Mun who was waving at us with a bright smile and a placard that read, COLLEGE STARS.It was so embarrassing and if I didn’t have anyone to drive me to the city, I would have ditched Lies there and then.Sitting in the backseat of Lisa’s mom’s car, I stared out the window, watching as the city passed by in a blur. It was strange being back home, like slipping into a familiar jacket that somehow didn’t fit quite right anymore. Lisa was in the front passenger seat, rummaging through her Mum’s bag.I Could almost still sense Jerome sitting beside me. Almost.The more we drove into the city, the further everything that happened before felt like a dream. The affair between me and Jerome, the fallout with Lisa, the endless exams—it all felt like a dream now, like something that had happened to someone else.