Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Ryan sat still, his posture was tense, aside exchanging laughs with Jessie, he didn't say much, his mind was racing. Embarrassment burned in his chest like a steady heat. He had let too much slip,—shown too much vulnerability in front of everyone. That wasn’t like him. He prided himself on being composed, unreadable, always the one in control. But tonight, that mask had cracked, and the whole group had seen it 

Worse still, Taylor had seen it.

From his angle, he could tell she knew—really knew—that she had a mark on him. That realization unsettled him more than he cared to admit. Taylor was sharp. He knew that from the time they spent together She could read people like an open book, and now she had confirmation that she still held space in his mind. Even if he didn’t want her to.

And then there was Jessie.

Ryan’s stomach twisted slightly as he considered what she must be thinking. He did not want to mess things up and throw away his chances with her .Had she picked up on it too? Did she now believe his heart was elsewhere, tangled up in something unresolved? He didn’t want her to think that. He didn’t even know if it was true. But the way she was gently rubbing her palms over his leg, a quiet and intimate gesture, told him she was still here—still giving him a fighting chance despite whatever storm he was battling internally.

But that didn’t make him feel any better.

The movie played on, . The others were focused on the screen, but Ryan felt like he was somewhere else entirely, trapped in his own thoughts. He shifted slightly in his seat, glancing at Jessie out of the corner of his eye. She looked relaxed, her attention seemingly on the film, but her hand on his leg told another story.

Was she reassuring him? Claiming him? Testing him?

He hated that he didn’t know. The indecisiveness

The weight of the moment pressed down on him, disturbing him in a way he hadn’t expected. He wanted to shake it off, to go back to being the Ryan everyone knew—the easygoing, confident, unbothered guy who never got caught up in emotions. But tonight had exposed something different, something raw, and now he couldn’t shove it back into the shadows.

His jaw clenched as he exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself.

Maybe it wasn’t a big deal. Maybe no one had read into it the way he had. Maybe Taylor had simply moved on, and Jessie wasn’t thinking too deeply about his moment of weakness. Maybe this whole thing was just in his head.

But as Jessie’s fingers traced absentminded circles on his knee, he realized he couldn’t shake the feeling that everything had just become a lot more complicated.

And that? That terrified him.

   

The movie finally stopped, and the TV screen went black. A heavy silence filled the room for a moment before Lana let out an exaggerated sigh, stretching her arms over her head.

“Oh, finally! That was such a boring movie. Next time, we need to take a vote before we decide what to watch,” she complained, rolling her shoulders.

Zach chuckled, leaning back against the couch. “Hey, I thought it was a decent choice.”

Lana gave him an unimpressed look. “Zach, you also thought that horror-comedy about zombie cheerleaders was a good idea. Your opinion of movies always seems to be invalid.”

Jessie smirked, casting a playful glance at Zach. “And here I was thinking Ryan was the one with terrible taste in movies.”

Zach raised his hands in mock surrender. “What can I say? Things change. Maybe I’m just Trying to expand my cinematic options. What is bad about making little change?

Ryan, who had been quiet for most of the movie, barely reacted. He was still feeling the weight of everything that had happened earlier, his mind distant even as the group chatted around him.

Zach, ever the host, clapped his hands together. “Alright, so—is anyone hungry? Do you guys Want to sleep over? I could order in some pizza for us.”

Taylor shot him a sharp look, her expression making it clear she wasn’t happy with the suggestion. Ryan noticed the tension in her eyes, it had been all too familiar the way she subtly shifted in her seat. She didn’t want them to stay.

“Well, that’s nice,” Lana said, not noticing Taylor’s reaction. “I think we can stay, right, Ryan?” She looked at him expectantly.

Ryan, who had been half-listening, didn’t even hesitate. “Nah, we have to go. There’s class tomorrow.” His tone was firm, leaving no room for discussion.

Lana frowned. “Oh, come on when did you suddenly start caring about classes, I will still have to be the one to wake you up tomorrow morning. One night won’t hurt.” we will leave first thing in the morning 

Ryan didn’t respond right away. I overslept, and I think the heavy smoke from my roommates got me intoxicated. It does not count. He stood up and turned to Jessie, offering her his hand. She took it without question, allowing him to pull her up from the chair.

    Lana rolled her eyes at the sight , why don't you too get a room already she said to herself 

“I’m serious,” Ryan said, looking at Lana briefly before turning his attention back to Zach. “We should head out. It’s getting late.” thank you for having us here , he said in quite an official tone

Zach sighed dramatically. “Man, you’ve really lost your edge. The old Ryan would’ve stayed, no questions asked.” Zach kept on acting like nothing happened few minutes ago

Taylor tapped him slightly, seeing no one was looking.wanting him to stop offering for them to stay

Ryan forced a smirk. “Yeah, well, the old Ryan has stuff to do in the morning. It’s called growing up.”

“Ooh, now you’re stealing my lines too,” Lana muttered.

Jessie squeezed his hand lightly, picking up on the underlying tension in his voice.

Lana huffed, crossing her arms. “Fine, whatever. Let us go then. I know you can’t wait to get back to your smelly hostel room,” she said, then made a face at him, which he, in turn, made back at her.

Taylor, who had been quiet throughout the exchange, finally spoke up. “Well, that settles it then. See you guys around.” There was a coolness to her tone that made it clear she wasn’t disappointed about them leaving.

Ryan nodded at Zach, then at Taylor. “Yeah. See you. Are you staying?”

Lana thought about going with them, but having to see Jessie and Ryan together on the long ride back didn’t sit right with her.

“Yeah, I am staying. You two can go ahead,” she said with a cold tone.

“Well then, how will you get to school tomorrow?” Ryan asked, concerned.

Like he cares, she said to herself.

“I’ll ride with Zach and Taylor. I will see you both in school tomorrow.”

Ryan nodded and turned toward the door.

Jessie murmured a polite goodbye before following Ryan toward the door. As they stepped out into the night, the air felt lighter, freer.

!

Ryan exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face.

“Are you okay?” Jessie asked softly.

He nodded, but he didn’t say much. His mind was still racing, still processing.

As they walked toward the car, Jessie gave him a sideways look“You didn’t want to stay, did you?”

Ryan glanced at Jessie, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, he shook his head. “No. I didn’t. And I wanted it to be pretty clear to them.”

Jessie held his gaze for a moment before nodding, understanding what he wasn’t saying out loud. She could sense the tension he had been carrying since the moment they walked into that house, the weight of the words he didn't say and old emotions from his love life holding him

Without another word, Ryan stepped forward and opened the car door for her, just like he had earlier. The small gesture didn’t go unnoticed. Jessie smiled softly as she slid into the passenger seat. By the time Ryan got in and started the car, his mood seemed to have lifted slightly. The heaviness that had followed him all night was easing, all Because of Jessie 

As they drove off, the streets were quiet, the city lights shone against the dark sky. Ryan’s took it easy on the steering wheel and was relaxed now, his usual confidence returning. The longer they were away from that house, the better he felt.

And he knew exactly why.

It was her.

It was just two days in but it was like Jessie’s presence had a way of making things feel easier, lighter. She wasn’t demanding answers or pressing him for explanations. She was just there, and for some reason, that was enough.

He let out a small breath, glancing at her briefly before focusing back on the road.

“Want to grab something to eat before we get to school? The cafeteria might be closed by then he asked casually.

Jessie chuckled. “Are you actually hungry, or are you just looking for an excuse to keep us together for a while ? Continue driving?”

Ryan smirked. “Maybe all the things you said are correct, just being a gentleman

Jessie shook her head, amused. “I’m good for now. But next time, you owe me dinner.”just keep it at the back of your mind

Ryan nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Deal.”