My heart did a triple backflip when I saw Jason. Like, literally, I think my soul tried to escape through my throat. He was even cuter in person, if that was even possible. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt that hugged his arms perfectly (focus, Mia, focus!) and jeans that made him look effortlessly cool. Jayla nudged me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Told you he'd be here," she whispered, a knowing grin on her face.
I managed a weak smile, my voice trapped somewhere between my stomach and my rapidly beating heart. "Yeah," I breathed, trying to act casual, like I wasn't about to spontaneously combust from sheer adoration.
The music was pounding, and the house was packed. People were dancing, laughing, and generally having a good time. I tried to blend into the background, hoping Jason wouldn't notice my awkward staring. Which, let's be honest, was probably a lost cause.
Jayla dragged me towards the snack table, probably to give me something to do with my nervous hands. We grabbed some chips and a soda, and I tried to focus on anything but the fact that Jason was somewhere in the same room.
Then, disaster struck.
I felt a sickening lurch in my stomach as I realized my bag felt lighter than usual. My diary! It wasn't there. Panic began to claw at my throat. I remembered leaving it in class, then the chaos of the fight in the washroom, and then… nothing. I must have left it somewhere in the classroom, or maybe it even fell out of my bag at the washroom.
"Jayla," I gasped, my voice barely a whisper. "My diary… it's gone."
Her eyes widened in alarm. "No way! Are you serious?"
"Yes! I don't know where it is! What if someone found it?" The thought made my blood run cold. My deepest, most embarrassing fantasies about Jason, all laid bare for anyone to read.
Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, and my heart stopped. It was Jason. And in his hand, he held my diary.
He looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite decipher. It was a mix of amusement, curiosity, and… was that a hint of something else? My cheeks burned like they were on fire.
"Is this yours?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.
I could barely manage a nod. My voice was completely gone.
He opened the diary, flipping through the pages. My life flashed before my eyes. All those embarrassing, over-the-top descriptions of my crush, the daydreaming, the stolen glances… it was all there, in black and white.
"You have quite the… imagination," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.
My world was imploding. This was it. The ultimate humiliation. Jason, the boy of my dreams, was reading my most private thoughts. I wanted to disappear, to melt into the floor, to be swallowed by a giant beanbag.
He closed the diary, his eyes meeting mine. "Don't worry," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Your secret's safe with me."
He handed me the diary, and I snatched it back, clutching it to my chest like a lifeline.
"But…" I stammered, my voice finally returning, albeit a bit shaky. "But you read it."
He shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "A little. But I promise, I won't tell anyone."
He paused, then added, "You know, you're actually a pretty good writer. Maybe you should consider writing fiction."
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, completely dumbfounded.
Jayla grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with excitement. "Oh my god, Mia! Did that just happen?"
I could only nod, my mind reeling. My diary, my crush, Jason… it was all a chaotic mess. But somehow, amidst the chaos, a tiny spark of hope flickered. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't the end of the world. Maybe, just maybe, it was the beginning of something else.
Stay tuned for chapter 4