"You... puked on him!?" Jessica cackles, throwing her teal-haired head back.

Sheepishly smiling, Jessica's laugh echoes throughout the Starbucks parking lot.

I officially hate cupcakes...

Okay, strawberry cupcakes.

I will never trust a pink cupcake ever again.

Maybe if it's Funfetti.

For the last two weeks, I have been hiding incognito. I'm talking about wearing oversized sweatshirts, big glasses with the mustache, camouflage pants, black stripes under my eyes kind of incognito.

Out of sight, out of mind.

I had to drastically change my schedule to avoid running into Jaylan at school. I don't know who thought it would be funny to design the health sciences building and the Xfinity Center when laying out this campus, but I would like a word with them.

Thanks to my brand-new floral planner from Target and my OCD color-coded schedule, there should be no chance of me seeing him again, plus work orientation is taking up that opportunity anyway...

That's definitely weird to say, work.

"Serves you right, eating all that sugar," Jessica pokes my sides, making me bury my heated face in my palms.

The night outside Jaylan's car haunts me every day. Just before, he looked like a dark prince out of my dreams. Those warm, syrupy-brown eyes looking down on me, his cinnamon sent wrapping around me like the cool night breeze...

...and then the pink puke rainbow covering his car door, him, and on his Nike Airs. I don't think mortified is the correct word.

Even now, my stomach churns slightly, thinking about dry heaving while he burst into laughter, repeatedly taunting me. He proudly reminded me that cupcakes are indeed not for dinner, babe...

He called me babe! Is he crazy!

I thought the word made me speechless, but when he flung off his sweatshirt so fast in horror, I got a full-blown telenovela opener to his lickable abs covered all in ink. His body is like a coloring book, a mature only coloring book.

How is he not illegal.

Sneakily, while doubled over from a sugar overdose, I counted eight abs. Eight! Is that even possible?

I think this was more embarrassing than getting my hair caught in his zipper.

At least no one saw that.

I don't think I could ever face him again. Two embarrassing encounters are enough for me, stick a fork in Lizzie, she's done.

On the car ride back, I begged him if I could wash his sweatshirt. He joked it was the least I could do, pukey. I'm not exactly sure why my humiliation gave him so much self-gratification. So, for payback for laughing at me so hard, he won't be getting his sweatshirt anytime soon because it's just too comfy, and it's blue.

Smiling, I shimmy my arms in his sweatshirt holes because the sensation of concealing my arms in enormous hoodies satisfies me. I probably look like I'm going to choir rehearsal but the warmth cocoons around me like a giant, cotton snuggle.

Who doesn't love oversized sweatshirts? Too bad it doesn't smell like him because he would have never gotten it back.

Besides, his hoodie is my compensation for him getting me fired.

"First your hair, then you puke on him," Jessica admires the awful situation dreamily, waving her hands like a rainbow. "Destiny."

"No way." Dismissing her, I try not to crack a smile.

"Poor Lizzie," Jessica laughs, wiping her tears.

Poking out my lip, Jessica opens the door to Starbucks. "Has he texted you?" she asks, pulling her Davis drug guide to her chest.

"Every day," I admit, sheepishly shrugging up my shoulders.

"LIZZIE!" Jessica complains, slapping me on the right arm.

I crinkle my nose, rubbing my right arm "¿Qué?"

"Oh, don't you ¿Qué me!" Jessica warned, sounding identically like Maxine.

"What," I mumble, glancing at the Starbucks menu.

"What did he say?" Jessica beams, stepping forward in the Starbucks line.

"To stop being a chicken," I bleated, crinkling my whole face.

He been sending baby chick photos every morning and even using the memoji using the chicken on telling me good morning and stop being a chicken and talk to him.

It's cute.

I sheepishly smile white Jessica cackles, holding her stomach. I grumble, gazing at the menu at my choice of sugary substance and eying the chocolate cupcakes. You would think I've learned.

Admiring the display case of the sugary options, Jessica snickers. "Big chicken," Jessica mocks, flapping her elbows.

"Welcome to Starbucks. What can I get started for you?" The bubbly brunette behind the counter smiles.

"Umm, can I get a grande honey citrus mint tea and a chocolate croissant, and she will haveee," I smile behind me Jessica shakes her head no, but I nudge her to stop being stubborn.

"I'll have a grand- Venti Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte and a chocolate croissant too," she sheepishly ends. I grin up at her face.

"What will the name be under?" The cashier arches her brow, adding the total.

"Lizzie," I exclaim, and the cashier smiles at me.

"Ok, that will be fourteen-oh-eight," The cashier beams as I proudly pass her a crisp twenty-dollar bill.

Taking the change back with pride, warmths spread through my chest at finally treating my friends with my own money.

When I received my one and only check from the Academic Center, I wanted to immediately buy Maxine and Lexi dinner. Of course, they turned me down, so I went to the international market to buy groceries to cook dinner making al pastor tacos with Mama's special avocado salsa the following night.

Surprisingly, Stephen came over and literally ate everything like a vacuum, even food that we couldn't eat. Maxine made him pay me a tip for all the food I cooked, but I didn't take it... Somehow the money ended up on my dresser the following day, so I had to put the money to good use right now.

"Thanks, Lizzie," Jessica chimes, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Any time," I praise we both laugh.

Walking to the corner booth, my eyes catch sight of two girls who are outright staring at me. The one girl with beautiful braids looks awfully familiar. Her light brown eyes melt me like plastic, making Jaylan's sweatshirt a little bit more toasty.

"So, what about Peter?" Jessica places her bookbag down on the ground.

"Umm, I liked going out; it was just he touched me too much," I shrug, opening my book bag to pull out the bricks weighing down on my shoulders.

"Touch you?" Jessica mused, putting her purple spiral notebook on the table.

"Yeah, he kind of just kept touching my back or trying to touch my conga drum," I crinkle my nose, opening my yellow spiral notebook.

And that wasn't the only time he touched my conga drum, Max warned him the first time, and he backed off until she wasn't looking. I thought I would enjoy a guy touching me like my telenovela fantasies, but Peter's touch didn't feel like passion to me. He grabs like he's taking something that isn't his to take.

Whereas when Jaylan's hands playfully grasped my waist, my heart exploded like a confetti gun.

Before I puked on him.

"Ugh, men," Jessica huffs, flipping the pages.

"Yeah, but he sent me roses on my first day on my shift," I gush, grabbing my pink highlighter.

I started last monday nervous as ever at orientation on ICU. Ximena constantly reassured me that I was going to be a rockstar and will fit right in on the floor.

My day brighten up when a person with a bouquet of white roses caught my sight when I was helping Ximena turn a patient. They were so beautiful and they smell so fresh. Ximena said someone who sends you white roses sees you with alot of respect with a balance of getting in my pants. My coworkers thought it was the cutest thing in the world that I receive flowers from Peter. I told him it was my favorite because it reminded me of the flowers Papà would bring home to Mamà to to rekindle their young love and his loyalty to her.

It was so romantic.

"Girl, look at youuuu, just last year you were saying no guys liked you," Jessica gloats and I roll my eyes.

"it's still true," I mumble with a smile creeping on my face.

Rolling her eyes, she stops them on my sweatshirt. "You should text Jaylan back, though, after all, you do have his sweatshirt." Jessica wiggles her eyebrows, pointing her purple feathered pen at me.

"it's okay." Smiling, I toss the hood up playfully, prompting us to laugh.

"Chicken," she teases, slanting her eyes.

"Am not," I huff, sliding out my clinical notes from yesterday.

"Why won't you text him back?" she preaches.

"Because..." I pause, nibbling on my lip. It's scary to think he could actually like someone like me or open my heart up to someone I barley know except for the last encounters i've had.

Sure, we have some sense of something between us but it's just a silly crush and I just want to protect my heart like Maxine said because she is right. This is all new for me.

"Lizzie!" The barista shouts.

I get up quickly to avoid the question. Walking to the bar, I pass the glaring table. Hearing one of the girls mumble, I glance back, only to receive heavy brows and chins turned up.

"Lizzie!" The barista repeats impatiently.

I quicken my pace and grab our items. Avoiding the same angry-eye path back, I still feel hot gazes on me from across the lobby.

I wish they would stop.

"What are those girls staring at," Jessica growls, shooting fire back.

"I don't know," I shrug, placing our items on the table.

"It's funny how they don't even know you," Jessica huffs, taking a sip of her drink.

"Don't worry about it," I brush off, biting into my croissant and closing my eyes when the buttery layers melt on my tongue.

"It's just so immature. We're like twenty," Jessica hisses, swiping her teal hair while making a snooty statement.

Ignoring her, I moan at the chocolate butter warmth in my mouth. Whoever thought this combo deserves to be kissed by me personally.

"Blowing out someone else's candle doesn't make them shine brighter," I respond, muffling through the heavenly combination again.

"Why can't everyone be like you?" Rolling her eyes, she takes one last glance at the two girls giving it back.

"Because the world would be no fun," I parody, shaking my head at the statement.

Jessica cracks a smile, taking her notes out of her folder. "Did Spencer text you back?"

Frowning, my heart pulls at the fact Spencer has been avoiding me like the plague. He won't look at me or talk to me. The look of disappointment he gave me walking into class this morning haunts me throughout today.

It would be nice if he told me what I have done. I hate when people don't communicate if I've hurt them. The worst you can do is hold something in and not let it out. Your mind will go crazy.

"No, he keeps leaving me on read." I sigh, tossing a piece of croissant in my mouth.

"I'm not sure what his problem is, but he will come around." Jessica furrows her eyebrows.

"I sure hope so." Sighing deeply, I slide do not disturb on my phone.

Before placing my phone down, a smile spreads across my face, welcomed with Jaylan's name and another new message.

Again.

"Bok bok," Jessia snickers, flapping her elbows.

Rolling my eyes, I read the message with a lopsided grin.

Jaylan💕: 🐤🐤🐤

Giggling, I bite my lip and shut off my phone. Jessica crinkles her nose, returning a cheeky grin. "Lizzie," Jessica she disappointingly.

Smiling, I open my textbook, blocking her view for interrogation because I'm already getting it from Lexi and Maxine.

"He'll get ahold of you somehow, just you watch," Jessica teases.

"He is too busy." Waving her off, I slide my phone farther away from me.

"Don't underestimate Jaylan Parker," Jessica arches one of her brows.

"I don't really know much about him," I admit, looking at the colorful table of contents.

"He is the hottest guy on campus," Jessica sticks her finger down her throat.

Giggling, I know that is a lot for her to admit and I don't disagree. "But that's not knowing anything about him," I justify, lowering my book and peeking at her curiously.

"I mean, that's all I know; besides, I like girls anyway." Jessica winks at me, making my cheeks warm.

"You are worse than Max," I mumble, rubbing my cheeks.

"It's so easy," Jessica teases, grinning at me.

Rolling my eyes, I scratch out the letter 'E' in exam. Crumbling the paper, I toss it to the side. Finally, perfecting the word exam four in flamingo pink, my phone goes off again.

"What's the point of do not disturb." Grunting, I roughly snatch my phone from the table, reading a new Snapchat notification.

Jessica snickers, writing on a flashcard and flickering her eyes to see my debate to answer it.

JayParker11 added you

Pursing my lips, I peek at Jessica. She's working on her next flashcard, but not releasing her smile.

Should I add him back?

Shutting my right eye, I press down on his story. Right away, I'm welcomed with his loud and deep voice, proudly sharing colorful language to Marcus as he hangs from a basketball rim in the gymnasium. Juggling my phone to turn it down, another story follows of Jaylan now doing it shirtless while Marcus shares his bright vocabulary.

If Mamà heard them... Let's just say they would get the richest soap of Mexico in their mouth.

My eyes almost fall out of my head, gawking at Jaylan working out at the gym. Baby butterflies burst out of their cocoon in my tummy, awakening at the sound of his grunts and intensity in his eyes and heating up my face.

I swear it's eight abs, I swear.

His next story is him and his teammates eating at Chipotle, captioned, 'we out here.' Smiling, I boldly add him back and slide my phone away, face-down, across the table, and out of reach

Sorry, tummy, for all the butterflies lately.

Rubbing my stomach, my eyes caught a glimpse of envious eyes again staring at me from across the lobby. Blocking their view with my book, I search to find Chapter Eighteen Fluid and Electrolytes.

Highlighting at the lab values, a few giggles catch my attention. Looking up from my book, I notice the brunette and the girl with the braids holding her phone, sneakily recording me.

What the heck?

Moving the book to block their view, I continue to read.

The body's muscles depend highly on potassium levels to function adequately. This includes the heart muscle; wherein abnormal heart waves are formed when depleting the potassium level. This may lead to serious heart problems, heart attack, or dea-

"I need more coffee," Jessica shoots up from her seat.

I don't think my book could block all the stares that are now directly at me.

Do I have something on my face?

I swear the harder they stare, smoke rises from my book. Averting my eyes, I take a sip of my tea and grab my phone in protection. Glancing down, a smile spreads across my face.

JaylanParker11

Opening the photo, I'm greeted with a video of him arching his brow and eating his food. Nibbling on my lip, I press reply, and playfully puckering my lips, I snap the photo and send it to him. Not even a minute later, Snapchat notifies me that he screenshot my photo. My body tingles at the compliment, the idea of his eyes looking at me, and I rest my phone at the table.

Reading about Hypokalemia nursing assessments, my mind wanders off thinking about the night at Sky Zone again. Mixed emotions are what really have me avoiding Jaylan.

I don't know him, but I'm so intrigued by him. I keep telling myself these feelings will go away, but I want to know more about him. I wish I could, but the possibility is slim, considering Jaylan would never go for a girl like me. He needs someone like Ava, Jessica, Carly, Lexi, or Max wrapped around his arms like hot tamales in contrast to me, a sugar-free one. I bet he would go for Sofia. All the guys went after her.

Sighing to shove down my insecurities, I rest my chin on the palm of my hand, continuing to read. I know Professor Khan will make this a select all that apply question.... I still don't understand why that's a thing in Nursing school.

Causes of Hypokalemia - Conditions such as alcoholism, eating disorders, and renal diseases can cause a severe case of hypokalemi-

Okay, just one more glance.

Reaching down quickly, I pick up my phone. I couldn't help but smile that Jaylan snapchatted me back so fast. Opening the snap, butterflies fly up in my esophagus.

"Guess I'm not getting my sweatshirt back, huh? I knew it was a setup," he rasps, ending with a complimentary wink.

Placing my phone down, I lean my face to my shoulder, massaging the heat.

I can't.

My eyes lift up and meet Jessica smiling, holding onto her coffee.

"On the secretly blushing cheek is reflected the glow of the heart," Jessica awfully speaks in a British accent.

"Stop." Giggling, I brush away the strands in my face.

"Lizzie got a crush, Lizzie got a crush," she teases, minimizing her voice and pretending to squeeze my cheeks.

"Focus." I slant my eyes, threatening her with my highlighter.

When Jessica moves her head, my eyes marvel at the sea of red and black jackets across from us, like they are some type of biker gang. It was no longer quiet with their giggles and chatter.

"So rude, this is not a social gathering spot." Jessica sips her drink.

Nodding in agreement, I sip the last bit of my tea, watching them whisper among one another, peeking glances at me. I began fiddling with my gold locket, moving it side to side and letting the zipping sound soothe my nerves. It helps a little but the fear of being talked about lays heavily on my chest.

Loosening my body movements, I let out a slow, controlled breath. "You want to work on some Nclex questions," I ask Jessica, shutting my textbook.

"I can't." She dramatically lays on the table.

Giggling, I poke my purple highlighter on her arm, and she pretends she's dead by the way her eyes roll back and tongue sticks out.

"Fine," she surrenders, taking her Saunders Nclex book out of her backpack.

When Jessica bends down, eyes are on me again as If I've committed some sort of crime. My eyes flicker away while Jessica plops the book in the palm of my hand. The girl with the braids finally stands up, walking towards us and pauses near the napkin station.

She mumbles underneath her breath and keeps walking. Jessica's eyes travel to watch what she was doing.

"Okay, let's focus ready," Brushing off the rising tension, I tap my Nclex book with my highlighter.

The girl walks past again, sweeping her pretty box braids across her shoulder, and glances at me.

"Pretty bold for you to wear Jaylan's sweatshirt." She swipes her hand over our table.

My eyes widen when I recognize her, up close and eyes looking at me like I'm dirt under her shoe.

Waittttttt a minute, that's the girl Maxine threw the drink on. Uh-oh.

"Slut." Venom slowly creeps into my bloodstream.

Jessica gapes her mouth open to dish it back, but I reach to stop her. "Come on, ignore them," I assure her, touching her arm.

Jessica grumbles about somebody about to get their butt kicked. Randomly finding a question, I tap my book to lighten the mood.

"Okay, patient X is diagnosed with constipation, as a knowledgeable nurse, which nursing intervention is appropriate for maintaining regular bowel function?" I ask, snickering because I said bowel.

"Bowel," Jessica giggles and takes a sip of her drink.

Rolling my eyes, I give her a lopsided grin, "Okay.. A, assessing dietary intake... B, decreasing fluid intake... C, providing a limited physical activity or D, turning coughing or deep breathing?"

Jessica taps her pen to her lips, "Hmmm... A," she hums with a smile.

"Correct," I chirp, sipping my drink.

"My turn." She motions her hands for the book, so I playfully pass it to her and she flips through the pages.

"Okay... Two days ago, a twelve-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital due to hyperthermia. His attending nurse, Dennis, is quite unsure about his care plan; which of the following nursing interventions should be included in the care plan for the client?"

Pursing my lips, I recite the question in my mind.

"Your options are A, Room temperature reduction, B, Fluid restriction of two thousand milliliters per day, C, Axillary temperature every four hours, or D, antiemetics agent administration."

Humming, I process the answers down to two, but when my eyes lift to tell Jessica the correct answer, my heart sinks down to my feet when seeing the familiar blonde strolling in like a celebrity. Wearing the same red jacket, she walks up to the counter, pointing to the cookie crumble frappuccino and the cashier discreetly rolls her eyes.

"Would it be a room temperature reduction?" I answer quietly, adjusting myself in my seat.

"Smartypants," Jessica grumbles, flipping to another page, probably to find a challenging question.

Faintly smiling, I watch Ava's blonde hair flow in the air as her hand lifts, sweeping it to the side as she digs through her designer Chanel crossbody bag. She presses her lips and hands her black card to the cashier.

Is she always mean?

Swallowing hard, I look at Jessica, who focused on the textbook, searching for a tricky question to stump me.

"Can we go?" I whisper, shutting my book.

"Why?" Jessica puzzled

"I just want to go," I mutter, watching Ava strike a candid pose while her friend snapped a photo of her leaning against the Starbucks bar.

"Lizzie, come on, we just got here," Jessica protests.

I shrink down in the booth, watching Ava's every move. Biting the inside of my cheek, Jessica arches her brow at me. Jessica turns around and then looks at me.

"She's nothing," she scowls.

"I just want to go," I recite with a plea in my eyes.

"Okay." Jessica gives up, packing her things.

Ava catches sight of me, takes a double-take at me, and heaves her eyebrow at me.

Hurriedly, I tuck my chin down and keep packing; with every stomp her cheer shoes made, Jaylan's sweatshirt becomes hotter like the desert. Halfway through zippering my bookbag, a shadow darkens over me like a storm taking over a sunny day.

"Hmm, I guess the slut rumors are true," Ava hums like Cinderella's stepmother, spreading goosebumps all over me.

"Excuse me?"  I arch my brow.

"Does wearing his sweatshirt make some kind of a statement?"

"I don't know what your taking about." I gather the last bit of my things.

Boldy, one by one, her red-jacketed gang starts to circle around our table. Jessica scoffs, flickering her eyes around. Ava folds her arms, waiting for a statement. Ignoring her, we continue to pack our things.

"I'm speaking to you." Ava slams her hand down at the table. "Slut."

"Okay?" Boldness releases from my lips, lifting my book bag to the table.

"Oh, did I not speak clearly enough?" Ava coos sarcastically. "Do you need a translator?"

"Excuse me?" Jessica interrupts, only for Ava to laugh sarcastically along with her audience.

"Pathetic." Her word slices me like fresh cake.

"Fuck off, come on Lizzie," Jessica growls, adjusting her bookbag straps.

"Did you enjoy thrift shopping in my boyfriend's closet?" She rests her fist under her chin.

Her boyfriend?

My heart sinks quicker than the Titanic. The cold words froze me in my spot.

"Aww, he didn't tell you," she taunts, flickering her eyes up and down. "He is known for that."

Jaylan's dating her?

Why is he texting me and he dating her? I knew it was too good to be true. Here I am looking like a complete idiot, wearing his sweatshirt and smiling over nothing. Somehow the butterflies that were there fluttering cease, and a swarm of bees fiercely buzzes around.

"Hh..he-"

"He he he, yes he is my boyfriend," Ava mimics, making the red jacket gang laugh behind her.

Starbucks' pink-brick walls became small, closing in one me. My back couldn't go any farther in the booth, wanting to get away but I feel pinned in place. Jessica reaches her hand to pull me out of the booth. She stands tall, folding her arms across her chest.

"There is one thing I can't stand, and that's sluts like you," Ava spat.

"Who are you talking to?" Jessica snaps.

"Take it off, give it back," Ava demands, holding her hand out.

"Leave her alone, Ava." Jessica stands in front of me.

She steps forward, and I lift my legs up to my chest, fighting back the tears welling up that sting so badly. Her aquamarine eyes fume with hatred towards me. She lunges at me, but Jessica blocks her before she tries to claw me like a tiger.

"Take it off, you slut!" Ava reaches again, but Jessica stands her ground.

"Enough!" Jessica's voice magnifies.

"Take it off!" Ava's eyes darken, trying to reach for me.

Jessica shoves her, and Ava gets into her face. Jessica clenches her fist, raising it slowly. Ava's friend boldly steps forward next to her. My breath freezes in my lungs and I squeeze my knees tightly.

People in Starbucks began to look at the heated exchange. A Starbucks worker comes over to intervene while they start to bicker, yelling very unkind things. Placing my hand over my heart, the air in my lungs constricts.

"Stop," I stress, pulling the sweatshirt off.

"Don't Lizzie, she isn't even dating Jaylan," Jessica hiss.

"Here, I don't want it," I announce, throwing the sweatshirt on the ground roughly.

She scoffs, bending over to pick it up.

"Only cheap whores wear vanilla." She holds her nose, prompting laughter from the red jacket bandits.

"That's enough!" Jessica warns.

Ava laughs sarcastically, then gives me one last glance up and down, clinging to the sweatshirt. She swipes her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"I guess you want a badge of honor for sucking my mans dick." Ava words make my stomach twist.

"Excuse me?" I furrow my brows.

"In the library. I saw you both how classy." She laughs and everyone does too.

My chest becomes tighter as it feels like everyone laughter is trapping me. My vision is so blurry I can't see straight.

Is that why everyone has been acting so strange?

"You don't know what you are talking about." Jessica clenches her jaw

"I do and for now on stay away from my man." Ava tutts.

"You are so delusional." Jessica shakes her head. "Come on Lizzie."

My feet are still glued as Ava tilts her head at me and flares her nostrils. "Stay away you homewrecker, at least be tasteful about it next time." Ava spits as we throw fire at each other with our eyes.

Ava and her posse began to walk away, leaving me flabbergasted at what has just unfolded. But that's not why my mouth was wide open, it's the presence of who else walks in.

Uh-oh.

"You have to the count of three to give her back that sweatshirt, or I'm kicking your ass!" With the look of an enraged bull, Maxine charges towards Ava.

Double uh-oh.

Edited by: still_just_me