And so we kissed

Five

The ride home for Rosemary and Jenson was filled with an unusual silence. Not a single word escaped Rosemary's lips, and Jenson respected her need for quiet reflection. He didn't push her to speak, understanding that sometimes silence can be just as comforting as conversation.

Jenson couldn't help but steal glances at her multiple times during the car ride, secretly hoping that she would break the silence and share whatever was weighing on her. Jenson wanted nothing more than to ease the awkwardness and create a more comfortable atmosphere for both of them. He longed for Rosemary to open up, knowing that sometimes expressing her thoughts and feelings can bring a sense of relief to her.

When Jenson turned off the engine, a deep sigh escaped his lips, revealing the weight of his emotions. He then turned his attention to Rosemary, his eyes filled with a mixture of worry and affection. Chewing at his bottom lip, Jenson's nervous gesture reflected his desire to find the right words and offer support to Rosemary.

          "Jen." Rosemary said in a hush, "Do you think I'm..." she trailed off,

"Think you're what?" Jenson asked,

Rosemary shook her head and stepped out of the car, closing the door behind her. Jenson, not wanting to let the moment slip away, quickly rolled down the window. Squinting his eyes, he focused on Rosemary, readjusting himself to better connect with her.

"What's the matter, Rosie? You seem to jump at every moment." Jenson said, leaning back into his chair.

"Nothing, I'm just drained. I'll see you tomorrow?" Rosemary asked, scratching the back of her head.

Jenson understood Rosemary's unspoken message as she shook her head. With a nod, he turned around and started up the car once again. As he rolled up the window, a sense of longing and uncertainty filled the air. Jenson drove away from Rosemary's house, leaving her standing there, watching his departure. A frown creased her brow as she turned around, making her way back to her own house.

Rosemary opened the door to her house, the sound of footsteps caught her attention. Curiosity piqued, she turned around, and she saw Taylor running up to her. Taylor had the brightest smile on her face and she stopped in front of Rosemary, frightening her a bit.

"Rosemary. Hi. Hello. I was just looking and I saw that you got home — not that I was stalking you from my window or anything, that would be crazy — I just thought..." Taylor looked down and she closed her eyes, fighting off a smile, "I'm sorry if I'm acting weird, I just — I don't want to unfollow you, Rosemary. How else can I contact you about this project we have?"

          "I can give you my number — only for the project that is." Rosemary said, turning back around and walking into her house, "Is there...is there anything that you want? Why'd you come over here?"

Taylor's intention to speak was evident as she opened her mouth, but something changed her mind. Her lips slowly fell shut, and she took a step back, creating a respectful distance between herself and Rosemary.

          "You ran out earlier and I wanted to talk to you about it but it would have been kind of weird seeing as we don't exactly know each other and I guess I always make things awkward but then I had got this wave of courage and I was going to talk to you at lunch but you were with your boyfriend and-"

          "Boyfriend?" Rosemary asked,

Rosemary let out a little chuckle, hoping to catch a glimpse of any hint of a reaction on Taylor's face. She was curious to see if Taylor was joking or not. But to Rosemary's surprise, there wasn't even a trace of a smile on Taylor's face. Seeing Taylor's face made Rosemary's smile drop and she cleared her throat.