Beneath Her Smile

One Saturday afternoon, I decided to head out solo. I was wandering through a local bookstore, browsing the manga section, my eyes scanning for something new. That's when I spotted it: Monster, a series I'd been meaning to check out. Just as I reached for it, another hand brushed against mine, reaching for the same volume.

"Oh, sorry about that," I said, looking up, only to see a girl smiling back at me.

"No worries," she replied with a grin. "It's a classic. I'm surprised you're just now getting into it."

I laughed, feeling a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I've been meaning to read it for a while. Just never got around to it."

We got to talking right there in the aisle, and I quickly learned that her name was Sarah. She was into everything I loved—anime, games, horror movies—and even had the same introverted, somewhat sarcastic sense of humor that I did. We ended up chatting about our favorite series and recommendations, swapping manga suggestions and even bonding over a few niche game references.

Before I knew it, we'd exchanged numbers, and within days, we were texting almost non-stop. We'd meet up for coffee or hit up the arcade, and it felt easy in a way I hadn't experienced in a while. I introduced her to Brad, Liam, and the rest of the group, and she slipped in effortlessly. Even my friends, who could be a bit skeptical of new people, clicked with her right away. Brad, especially, seemed to approve, nudging me every chance he got and dropping hints that he thought she was a great match.

One night, we were all playing games in Brad's dorm, a mess of controllers and soda cans scattered around. Sarah was sitting beside me, controller in hand, her focus intense as we teamed up in the game.

"Sarah, how are you this good?" Brad asked, shooting me a look. "I swear she's making you look like an amateur, Jason."

I laughed, nudging her. "Yeah, she's a natural. I'm not even trying to keep up at this point."

Sarah smirked, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Hey, you're not so bad yourself, but maybe I just have the magic touch."

Liam chimed in from the other side of the room. "Man, I think she's the MVP of this team. Jason, you finally brought someone who can keep up with us."

They all laughed, and for the first time in a while, I felt a genuine sense of belonging. Sarah was quickly becoming a core part of my life, and after only a week of knowing her, I asked her to be my girlfriend. She said yes, and just like that, I had someone who fit into my life in a way that felt perfect.

In the bigger friend group, everyone took to Sarah quickly, but Katie seemed… reserved. She wasn't hostile, but her usual brightness dimmed whenever Sarah was around. I'd catch her watching us, her gaze lingering a bit too long, but she'd look away whenever I noticed. It wasn't enough to raise any red flags, but it was enough to make me feel a little uneasy.

Then, one day while Sarah and I were studying at the library, Katie approached us, looking almost nervous.

"Hey, Jason," she said, barely glancing at Sarah. "Can I talk to you about something? It'll only take a minute."

Sarah looked at me, and I gave her a quick nod. "Sure, Katie. I'll be right back," I said, squeezing Sarah's hand reassuringly.

Katie led me down a winding path through the shelves, the noise of the library fading until we reached a secluded corner. I was about to ask what she needed help with when she turned, her expression softer than I'd seen in weeks.

"Jason," she said, stepping closer, her voice low. "I miss you."

My eyes widened, and I took a small step back, feeling the walls close in. "Katie, we talked about this. We're friends. I'm dating Sarah now, and I'm happy."

"But we were good together," she whispered, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath hitch. "I know you still feel it, too."

Before I could respond, she closed the gap between us, her hand sliding up my chest, her fingers grazing my neck. My heart was pounding as I tried to pull back, but she stepped closer, her lips inches from mine.

"Katie, stop," I managed, my voice barely a whisper.

She leaned in, her breath warm against my ear as she spoke in a voice that was both pleading and commanding. "Don't pretend you don't want this, Jason. We were perfect. I know I messed up, but I can make it right. I know what you like… remember?"

Her hand slid down to my waist, fingers digging in as she pressed herself against me, her other hand trailing down my arm, her touch igniting sensations I hadn't felt in months. For a moment, I was frozen, caught in the familiarity, the memory of how things had once been between us.

But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. I turned just in time to see Sarah standing there, her face a mixture of shock, hurt, and anger.

"Katie, let go of him," she said, her voice cold as ice.

Katie's hands fell away, her face paling as she backed up, but Sarah didn't give her another glance. She grabbed my hand, dragging me back through the shelves and out of the library without a word. I barely had time to process what had happened before we were outside, the cold air hitting me like a slap.

"Sarah, I—"

"Don't," she interrupted, her voice shaking as she pulled me toward my apartment. "Just… let's get back to your place."

The walk back was silent, tension thick in the air. I kept trying to explain, but each time, she'd shake her head, a look of determination in her eyes. When we finally got to my apartment, she shut the door behind us, locking it before turning to face me.

Before I could say anything, she grabbed my shirt, pulling me toward the bedroom and pushing me onto the bed. Her eyes were fierce, a mix of anger and possessiveness that I'd never seen before.

"Sarah, let me explain—"

She cut me off by pressing her lips to mine, her hands gripping my shoulders as she kissed me with a fervor that left me breathless. I tried to pull back, to speak, but her fingers slid up into my hair, holding me in place as she deepened the kiss, her mouth demanding, claiming.

I felt her weight settle on top of me, her body pressing me into the mattress as her kisses became more intense, her hands roaming over my chest, making it impossible to think. Finally, she pulled back, both of us gasping for air, her eyes flashing with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"What… what was that?" I managed, still catching my breath.

She leaned down, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered, "Just making sure you know you're mine, Jason. Cementing what's already ours."

A shiver ran down my spine at her words, a possessiveness in her tone that was both thrilling and unnerving. And as her hands tangled in my hair again, pulling me back into another deep kiss, I couldn't deny the strange, electric sensation that her words stirred within me.

The morning after that "spicy" night with Sarah, I walked onto campus with a lightness I hadn't felt in ages. Brad and Liam were waiting for me outside the café, and they immediately noticed the change in my mood. I couldn't hide the grin on my face or the fact that, for the first time in months, I felt genuinely at ease.

"Okay, dude, spill it," Brad said, elbowing me with a smirk. "Something's up. You look like you just won the lottery."

Liam leaned in, his eyebrows raised. "Did something happen with Sarah?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool but failing miserably. "Uh… yeah, you could say that. Last night was… intense. Katie tried pulling something weird in the library, and, well… Sarah kind of put her in her place."

Brad's eyes widened, and he gave me an impressed nod. "Wait, Katie tried something? Like, tried to get back with you?"

"More than that," I said, lowering my voice and recounting what had happened. I explained how Katie had taken me to a secluded spot and tried to seduce me. I admitted that, yeah, for a second I'd felt conflicted, but then Sarah had stepped in and, well… the rest of the night happened.

Both of them were stunned, their faces a mix of disbelief and horror.

"Man," Liam muttered, shaking his head. "That's beyond messed up. Katie's off the rails if she thinks pulling that kind of move is okay."

Brad's expression hardened. "And to think we actually tried to bring the groups back together. I'm done. I can't be around her if she's going to act like that."

We all agreed. It was too much, and we didn't want to get pulled back into Katie's drama. When we got invited to an outing later that week with the larger friend group, we declined the second we found out Katie would be there. There was no chance we were getting mixed up with her again.

For the next few weeks, I did my best to avoid Katie altogether. I'd see her in passing, but I made a point of turning the other way or ducking into a classroom if I thought she might approach me. She tried messaging me a couple of times, but after one too many apologies that felt more manipulative than genuine, I blocked her number. Once, she tried to confront me face-to-face, but Sarah was there. She stepped in with a glare that could've frozen fire, telling Katie in no uncertain terms to "back off and leave him alone."

Katie's face crumpled with a mixture of shock and anger, but she backed off, clearly aware that I wasn't interested in any more contact with her. As the weeks turned into months, it became easier to pretend she didn't exist, as if she was just a passing storm that had finally blown over.

Then, a few months later, something happened that shook our group to the core.