chapter 3

Three days had passed so quickly, I could hardly believe it. High school was turning out to be survivable, and living with Daniel was slowly becoming less awkward. My friendship with Bryan had also grown closer, and I was grateful for that. He was easy to talk to, and I found comfort in his presence. But everyone at school had made up their minds that Bryan was my boyfriend. The rumors didn’t bother me, and Bryan didn’t seem to care either. We actually laughed about it.

The weather here in Zimbabwe was usually blistering, the kind that made my skin feel like it was roasting under the sun’s relentless rays. Days like today, when the world felt hushed under the weight of the clouds, were a rare blessing.I decided to call Bryan it was a good day for a hot cheesy pizza anyways.

---

The pizza place was buzzing with the usual lunchtime crowd, a mix of students and families crowding around the red-checkered tables. Bryan and I snagged a booth by the window, and I tried to focus on our conversation as he rambled on about his favorite toppings.

“Pineapple on pizza is literally a crime,” I said, wrinkling my nose at him. Bryan laughed, shaking his head.

“You’re hopeless,” he teased, nudging my shoulder. “You haven’t lived until you’ve had it.”

Just as he started explaining his “culinary philosophy,” I caught sight of Jake, seated at a table across the room with a group of friends. His dark hair fell loosely over his brow, and his silver-grey eyes were focused on something one of his friends was saying. They were laughing, but Jake seemed only mildly amused, that slight smirk tugging at his lips, like he was used to being half in and half out of every moment. He glanced around the room and, for a second, I thought he saw me looking. I quickly shifted my gaze to my soda, pretending I hadn’t been staring.

But my eyes drifted back, almost of their own accord. He was just so… different. There was something in the way he moved, like he knew exactly who he was and couldn’t care less about anyone else’s opinion. The bad-boy aura practically radiated off him, a dangerous allure that seemed to draw me in even though I knew it was trouble.

“Prisca?” Bryan’s voice pulled me back to the present. He followed my gaze, arching a brow knowingly. “You, uh… wanna go say hi?” he teased.

“What? No! I’m just… just looking around,” I muttered, heat creeping up my neck.

“Sure,” Bryan smirked. “Just make sure you blink occasionally.”

I shoved his shoulder playfully. “Shut up. I’m going to the restroom.”

Bryan held up his hands in mock surrender, grinning. I slipped out of the booth and headed toward the restroom, stealing one last glance over my shoulder. I could feel the heat building in my cheeks and knew I needed a break from the magnetic pull of Jake’s presence. I ducked into the restroom and splashed some cool water on my face, looking at myself in the mirror.

Pull it together, Prisca, I told myself firmly. Just leave him alone. You’re acting like you’ve never seen a guy before. I patted my cheeks lightly, willing the ridiculous blush to go away. “Bad boys are bad news,” I muttered to my reflection, letting out a long breath. “Besides, he probably has a million girls waiting in line.”

Resolved to ignore him, I turned to leave, but as I opened the door, I found myself face to face with none other than Jake himself. He was leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed, a slight smirk playing on his lips. His silver-grey eyes were fixed on me, his presence close enough that I could smell the faint scent of mint on his breath.

I gasped, freezing in place. For a split second, the air between us felt heavy, thick with something I couldn’t quite place.

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Like what you see?”

The words snapped me out of my stupor. I cleared my throat, glaring up at him. “Please. You wish.”

He chuckled, a low, mocking sound that sent a strange shiver down my spine. “Oh, I wish, huh? Then why do I keep catching you staring?”

My cheeks burned, and I shifted uncomfortably. “Maybe you’re imagining things.”

“Sure. Or maybe you’re just not very good at hiding it,” he shot back, the smirk still on his lips. His gaze traveled down to where my fists were clenched by my sides. “You look like you’re ready to hit something.”

“I would if you’d back off,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’re the one crowding my space.”

He tilted his head, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. “Your space? Hate to break it to you, but you’re the one standing in front of my restroom.”

I raised an eyebrow, my confidence wavering. “Last I checked, this was the ladies’ room.”

Jake’s gaze flicked up to the sign over the door, a devilish grin forming on his face. “You sure about that?” he said, voice laced with mock innocence.

I followed his gaze, and my heart dropped. Right above us, in big, bold letters, was the sign: MEN’S RESTROOM.

My face heated up to what had to be a record temperature. I could barely form words as I tried to process the realization, every ounce of composure I’d been holding onto dissolving in an instant.

“Oh, I—” I stammered, horrified, trying to step past him as casually as possible, which, given the circumstances, wasn’t working at all. Jake was grinning like a Cheshire cat, clearly enjoying every second of my embarrassment.

He took a step back, allowing me to pass, but his voice stopped me. “So... are you sure you’re not the one being a perv, hanging around the men’s room just to stare at me?”

I could barely breathe from the mix of humiliation and irritation swirling inside me. “In your dreams,” I scoffed, forcing a derisive laugh. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

He shrugged, looking completely unbothered. “Can’t blame you for being curious,” he said, leaning against the wall with that insufferable smirk.

I gave him a withering look and shoved past him, my cheeks still flaming. As I headed back to my table, I could feel his gaze lingering on me, and it sent an unwelcome thrill down my spine.

I practically fell into the booth, trying to compose myself as Bryan looked at me, eyebrows raised. “You okay?” he asked, clearly sensing something was up.

I shrugged, hoping I looked more composed than I felt. “Yep. Totally fine.”

He gave me a curious look, but thankfully, he didn’t press me. I stared down at my soda, avoiding eye contact, feeling like I’d just lived through the most mortifying moment of my life. I couldn’t believe I’d not only stared at Jake like some love-struck idiot but that I’d been caught loitering outside the men’s restroom. My pulse was still racing, and no amount of pizza or small talk with Bryan seemed to be enough to shake the memory.

Yet, even as the embarrassment simmered, there was something else—a thrill I couldn’t quite deny. It wasn’t just the mortification of being called out; it was the way Jake had looked at me, how close he’d been, the intense feeling that filled the space between us. It had been unsettling and strangely exhilarating all at once.

“Prisca?”

Bryan’s voice pulled me back to the present, and I forced a smile. “Yeah?”

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked, looking at me like he was trying to read my mind.

I nodded, determined to keep this particular disaster to myself. “Just… a weird day.”