Janica
I woke up to warmth, the kind that made me want to stay wrapped up forever. My body felt heavy, comfortably so, as if I had melted into the mattress. The slowly steady rhythm of breathing besides me, the gentle rise and fall of a chest under my cheek reminded me I wasn't alone.
The thought made me smile.
Then my stomach growled, loud and unapologetic.
"Morning sleepyhead," he mumbled, voice thick and raspy.
"Morning," I whispered back. "You were supposed to wake me."
"You think I had it in me to wake you up when you looked so peaceful?" He smirked, fingers brushing along my arm. "Besides, I was just gonna rest for a second… next thing I know, it's morning."
I sighed. "So, what now?"
I chewed on my lip, realization sinking in. I had spent the night at Jason's place. On the first day.
My stomach clenched—not from hunger this time. What would Denise say? I could already hear her voice, half teasing, half exasperated: "Seriously, Jan? First day?!"
Jason must've noticed my shift because his fingers stopped their lazy tracing on my arm. "What's wrong?"
I shook my head. "I… I just realized I stayed over."
He smirked. "Yeah. And?"
"And it's the first day."
He let out a soft chuckle, his thumb brushing over my shoulder. "Janica, it's not a big deal."
I let out a breath. "Denise is going to kill me."
Jason grinned. "Well, if she does, I'll avenge you."
I rolled my eyes, but his playful tone made me relax. I let myself melt into the moment again, his warmth, his steady breathing, the soft sunlight peeking through the curtains.
For a while, we just stayed like that, neither of us in a rush to move.
Eventually, Jason stretched beneath me, groaning slightly. "Alright, as much as I love this, I need coffee."
I hummed in agreement, sitting up slowly. "Me too."
We slipped out of bed, and I followed him to the kitchen, watching as he moved effortlessly, pulling out two mugs.
"It's Saturday," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Wanna go out for lunch later?"
I smiled, nodding. "Sounds good."
He handed me my cup, and we leaned against the counter, sipping in silence.
The doorbell rang.
Jason's expression barely shifted, but I caught the brief flicker in his eyes. He set his mug down and walked toward the door.
There was a woman at the door. Tall. Poised. Eyes sharp as they flicked past Jason to me.
She didn't just step inside, she stormed in, her heels clicking against the floor with sharp, deliberate precision. Her gaze zeroed in on me like a hawk that had just spotted its prey.
Jason barely had time to close the door before she turned on him.
"Are you kidding me, Jas?" she scoffed, throwing her hands up. "This? This soon?"
Jason exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening. "Becky, what are you doing here?"
She let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "I come here because we still have unfinished business, and I walk into this?" She turned to me, eyes narrowing. "Tell me, sweetheart, how long did it take before you landed in his bed?"
My stomach twisted, but Jason's voice cut through her words like a blade. "Enough!" His tone was cold, commanding.
Becky's eyes flashed with something—anger, hurt, maybe both. "Oh, I don't get to? Really? After everything?" She took a step closer to Jason, lowering her voice but making sure I could still hear. "Do you even think before you do these things? Or are you just that desperate to replace me?"
Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. "Becky, stop."
She ignored him, turning back to me with a smirk that didn't reach her eyes. "You look smart enough, did he at least tell you about me? About us?"
I swallowed hard, but before I could say anything, Jason stepped between us.
"That's enough," he snapped. "You don't get to walk in here and act like we owe you something."
Becky crossed her arms. "I think I do." She tilted her head. "Or did you forget the divorce isn't finalized yet?"
The air in the room shifted. My breath caught in my throat.
Jason went still. "Becky." His voice was low, dangerous.
She gave a smug little shrug. "Oh? You didn't tell her that part?" She turned back to me, enjoying every second of this. "Surprise."
The room felt suffocating, thick with tension I hadn't been prepared for. Jason's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw locked so tight I swore I could hear his teeth grind.
I swallowed hard, my grip tightening around the coffee mug as Becky's words sank in. Not finalized?
Jason exhaled sharply. "Becky, we've been over this. You dragging it out doesn't change anything."
"Oh, I'm dragging it out?" She scoffed, crossing her arms. "You think you can just move on like I never existed? Like we never existed?"
Jason didn't flinch. "We haven't existed for a long time."
For the first time, something raw, almost vulnerable flickered across her face. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by cold defiance.
She turned back to me, eyes narrowing. "And you? You're just fine with this? With being the rebound while he still has unfinished business?"
I opened my mouth, but Jason cut in before I could speak.
"She doesn't owe you an explanation." His voice was steel, unyielding. "And neither do I." Becky let out a dry laugh. "Right. Of course. Because that's what you do, Jas. You shut people out, move on like nothing happened." She took a step back, shaking her head. "You know what? I came here to talk, but clearly, there's nothing left to say."
Jason's shoulders stayed rigid as she moved sharp and angry. She walked to the door, then paused, turning one last time.
"Good luck, sweetheart," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm as her eyes met mine. "You're gonna need it."
Then, with one final glare at Jason, she yanked the door open and stormed out, slamming it behind her.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Jason ran a hand over his face, exhaling slowly before finally looking at me.
"Janica…"
I set my coffee down, my heart still racing. "You didn't tell me," I said quietly.
His eyes darkened with something unreadable. "I was going to."
I crossed my arms, searching his face. "When?"
Jason sighed. "Soon."
I wanted to believe him. But Becky's words still echoed in my head.
Jason
The slam of the door left an eerie silence in its wake. I stood there, running a hand over my face, forcing myself to breathe. Becky had a way of igniting chaos and leaving it burning in her absence. And now, Janica stood across from me, arms crossed, eyes searching mine for answers I hadn't given.
I hated that look on her.
"Janica…" I took a step toward her, but she didn't move. Didn't soften. That made my chest tighten.
She scoffed, shaking her head. "Jason, you were married." She paused, correcting herself. "You are still married."
I clenched my jaw. "On paper, maybe. But Becky and I have been over for a long time."
"Then why isn't the divorce finalized?"
I looked away for a second, jaw tightening. "Because she keeps delaying it."
Janica let out a slow breath, arms tightening around herself. She wasn't shouting. Wasn't crying. But I could feel the weight of her thoughts pressing between us.
"She wanted to hurt me," she finally said. "And she knew exactly how."
I stepped closer. "I won't let her."
Her met my eyes, and for a moment, I thought she might let me in. But then she shook her head. "Jason… I don't know if I can do this."
Something sharp stabbed in my chest.
I reached out, hesitating just before touching her. "Jan, don't let her get in your head. That's what she does."
She looked at me for a long moment, then let out a small, humorless laugh. "I don't even know if I'm mad at you or if I'm just mad at the situation."
I didn't either. But I knew I didn't want her to walk away.
"I should go," she said, not meeting my eyes.
My body tensed. "Janica."
She took a step back. "I just need to think, Jason."
I wanted to stop her, to make her stay, to explain everything before she had a chance to overthink it.
But I wasn't going to be that guy.
So I let her go.
And as the door closed behind her, I was left standing there, fists clenched, heart pounding, wondering if I had just let something important slip away.
The silence in the apartment wasn't just empty, it was suffocating.
I stood in the middle of it, hands on my hips, jaw clenched so tight it ached. I had just watched her walk away. Not because she wanted to, but because I gave her a reason to.
I cursed under my breath. Damn it, Jason.
My chest burned, frustration curling inside me like a slow, punishing fire. I wanted to punch something, to break the tension twisting through my muscles. Instead, I ran a rough hand through my hair and paced the room, trying to shake the bitterness clawing at me.
This wasn't how the morning was supposed to go. We were supposed to be us. Waking up tangled together, drinking coffee, making plans for the day. But Becky had to show up. Had to open old wounds I thought I had buried deep enough. And now, Janica was questioning everything.
I glanced at the door again, as if somehow, she'd change her mind and come back. But the space where she stood just minutes ago was empty. And the longer I stared, the more I hated it.
The worst part? I couldn't even blame her.
I should have told her. Should have sat her down, looked her in the eyes, and told her everything before Becky ever had the chance to use it against me.
I dragged a hand down my face, exhaling sharply. 'This is what you do, Jason. You push people away.'
Becky's voice echoed in my head, sharp and taunting. 'Do you even think before you do these things? Or are you just that desperate to replace me?'
I scoffed bitterly. She didn't care. Not about me. Not about us. She just wanted to make sure no one else got close enough to me. And I let her do it.
I looked at my phone again, debating. I could text Janica, tell her I'd explain everything, ask her to come back.
But no. If I had to ask her to trust me, then I had already lost.
I let out a slow, humorless laugh, shaking my head. Good job, Jason. First sign of something real, and you let it slip through your fingers.
I grabbed my cold coffee, took one sip, then set it down so hard I almost cracked the mug.
It tasted bitter.
Just like this whole damn morning.
I needed to get out of my own head.
Pacing the apartment wasn't helping. The silence wasn't helping. And staring at the damn door like she'd come back any second? That definitely wasn't helping.
So I did what I always did when I needed to shut the world out. I dropped onto my desk chair, powered up my gaming PC, and threw on my headset. The soft hum of the system booting up filled the room, a familiar sound that usually settled me.
Not today.
I clicked through the menu, barely paying attention as I loaded up a first-person shooter. Something fast-paced. Something I could throw myself into.
The match started, and my fingers moved on instinct—aim, shoot, reload, move. Normally, the rhythm of it was enough to drown out everything else. The way my mind locked onto the game, blocking out distractions, was one of the few things that ever gave me real peace.
But right now?
All I could hear was Becky's voice. 'How long did it take before she landed in your bed?'
I clenched my jaw, my aim slipping for half a second just enough for an enemy to get the drop on me.
Eliminated.
I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to focus. But my thoughts wouldn't let me.
You didn't tell me. Janica's voice, quieter, but carrying more weight than Becky's ever could.
I squeezed the mouse tighter, forcing my attention back to the screen. Another round, another enemy. But even as I played, I knew the truth.
This wasn't working.
I wasn't cooling down. I was just distracting myself, delaying the inevitable. And the second I turned this game off, everything would still be there. The guilt. The frustration. The possibility that I had just lost something I didn't even know I needed until now.
I exhaled sharply, yanked off my headset, and shoved back from the desk.
I needed to fix this.
I just didn't know how.