𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑶𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒂 | j.o

chapter 16

On a cold winter morning, on a Wednesday, I walked towards school, ready to face another day of classes. Yesterday, after having my first kiss with Jenna, I spent the afternoon at home, tired and needing to think.

"y/n!" someone shouts my name. I turned towards the sound of the voice and smiled when I saw Olivia Rodrigo walking towards me. The brunette, with a smile plastered on her lips, walked happily in my direction, holding a small notebook in her hands. I curiously look at the red-covered object between her fingers.

"Good morning, winner," she gives me a gentle kiss on the cheek, and I blush under the touch of her lips on my skin. Olivia chuckles softly before giving me a light slap on the shoulder, which hurts.

"Good morning to you too," I rub my shoulder, trying to alleviate the pain. "Sorry, but as soon as I saw it, I had to ask you... what's that?" I point at her notebook, eager to receive an answer.

"This? It's my notebook of thoughts... poems... songs..." she murmurs timidly, almost shyly.

I smile widely, excited about the idea of hearing the girl sing something. Olivia delicately puts the notebook back in her backpack, closing the zipper.

"What do you say if I treat you to coffee this morning? We still have time before classes start," she suggests, adjusting her hat on her head, looking at me through her lashes, her nose red from the cold.

"Starbucks near the school?" I ask, smiling at the enticing idea. "Sure, I feel like having a caramel macchiato," I accept, smiling at the girl in front of me. Olivia nods and links our arms, starting to walk to the opposite side of the street, stopping in front of the entrance to Starbucks.

The bell above the door announces our entrance, attracting the attention of the employees.

The smell of what seemed like chocolate croissants reaches my nostrils, making me smile. The place was empty, most likely because it was still early. With shyness, I head to the counter to place our orders.

I blush under the piercing gaze of the girl working here. "So, caramel macchiato and a cappuccino?" the girl absentmindedly asks, tapping the keys on the cash register. "Yes..." my eyes turn to Olivia, who was standing by the entrance, looking at her phone.

"That'll be €5.30," she says boredly, handing me the receipt. I reach into my pockets, searching for my wallet, but a hand with a €10 bill between its fingers extends towards the employee. Olivia looked at me with a raised eyebrow as she paid for both of our drinks. "I have to treat, remember?" she says, smiling and looking at me with bright eyes.

I nod and uncomfortably put my hands in my pockets. Olivia impatiently waits for both orders, tapping her foot on the floor in agitation. The sound of the bell marks the entrance of someone, and when I saw who it was, I couldn't believe how unlucky I was today.

Jenna Ortega enters the room slowly, wearing a heavy coat to combat the freezing weather outside. She takes off her scarf and sighs, her cheeks red from the cold. She genuinely smiles at the girl behind the counter, not yet noticing my presence.

"The usual, Jen?" the girl calls, smiling, and Jenna nods. "The usual," she responds, her dimples showing with the smile.

"Your order," one of the guys working there says kindly, handing Olivia the two hot beverages. Jenna briefly glances at Olivia, then turns completely towards my direction when she realizes I'm with the brunette. Her coffee-colored eyes briefly meet mine before she averts her gaze to the floor, smiling slyly.

"Shall we go?" Olivia says, sipping her cappuccino with a smile. I grab my drink and sigh as we leave Starbucks, satisfied yet frustrated because of the dark-haired girl.

***

In no time, the Calculus class arrives, bringing with it a probable sense of discomfort. I enter through the classroom door and take a seat at the front desk, waiting for the others to arrive.

Jenna still hadn't come in.

I look at Enid in confusion as she strides into the room, her eyes wide and a smile plastered on her lips. I narrow my eyes, sensing that the blonde must want to tell me something.

"You'll never believe what I saw in the teachers' lounge," she exclaims with glee.

"What did you see?" I ask as I retrieve my things from my backpack.

"Well, I came to school early because I wanted to go to the lounge to talk to the science teacher... it was 8:05? 8:10?" Enid absentmindedly counts on her fingers, trying to recall the time of the incident.

"Get to the point, En," I say, chuckling, amused by the blonde's reaction. Enid sits on a desk, looking around to see if anyone is there.

The classroom is still empty; there are five minutes left until the 2:14 class.

"I have Professor Ortega," she whispers as if she's revealing a top-secret piece of information. I furrow my brows, confused, not understanding the novelty of this.

"Well, what about it?" I tilt my head to the side in confusion, wanting to know Enid's scoop.

"You don't get it... Professor Ortega was in there with Professor Asher..." she admits, biting her lower lip, lost in thought. My breath catches in my throat, and with a strange fear, I brace myself to ask the dreaded question.

"And...?" I clear my throat, considering a thousand possible scenarios.

"They were kissing," her eyes sparkle with the news, and she genuinely smiles. The dreaded scenario I'd feared plays on a loop in my mind, slowly breaking my heart. I clench my jaw and try not to cry, not wanting to face Enid's questions.

The subject of the discussion enters the room, placing her backpack on the lectern. Her eyes move between Enid and me, her mouth opening in realization. Her coffee-colored eyes meet mine, softening as she sees my teary eyes.

I swallow saliva and lift my chin with superiority, ignoring the awful sensation in my chest. Jenna continues to look at me, and I couldn't help but think about how beautiful and simultaneously lethal she is.

Like a black dahlia.