Two pages of the same book

"She didn’t cry. She cleaned."

Jessie wiped the table aggressively, her hands trembling. The cloth in her grip twisted tighter and tighter, just like the knot in her chest.

Her parents hadn’t stopped. For the past half an hour, their voices had filled the house, throwing every possible insult at her.

"Shameful." "Disgraceful." "After everything we’ve done for you."

She had heard it all before. But this time, it hurt more. Maybe because this time, they were actually sending her away.

She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself not to cry. Not now.

After what felt like forever, her parents finally left for their evening walk, their voices turning to pleasant greetings as they met the neighbors outside. Jessie let out a slow breath, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

She turned back to her cleaning, rubbing furiously at an invisible stain on the counter.

A voice from behind startled her.

"You need help?"

Jessie spun around, her heart lurching—Nick stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, watching her.

She narrowed her eyes, masking the turmoil inside her. "What are you doing here?"

Nick tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Just checking if you’re okay."

Jessie scoffed, gripping the cloth tighter. "Why would I need checking on?"

Nick didn’t answer immediately. He stepped inside, eyes scanning her face, the way her shoulders were stiff, how her fingers trembled slightly.

"You tell me."

Jessie clenched her jaw, scrubbing at the counter with unnecessary force. The house was quiet now, but the echoes of her parents’ voices still rang in her head.

Nick leaned against the doorway, watching her carefully. “Jess, you have to stand up for yourself.”

Jessie let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “Stand up for what? My parents don’t care what I want. They just see me as their puppet.”

Nick stepped closer. “You love performing. You love dancing. You can’t just let them take that away from you.”

Jessie turned to face him, her eyes stormy with frustration. “Nick, it’s like arguing with the god of death. If I go against them, I lose everything.” Her voice broke slightly, but she quickly composed herself. “Maybe they’re right. Maybe it was my mistake to invite you all that night. I made a mess. I ruined my family’s reputation.” She inhaled sharply, looking away. “I guess… studying is my destiny.”

Nick frowned, his eyes darkening with frustration. “There’s no such thing as destiny, Jessie. Destiny lies in your hands. You don’t have to let them decide your future.”

Jessie let out a shaky breath, but before she could respond, Nick ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “And I’m sorry. It’s because of me. Because of my fight with Kalix, the video went viral.”

Jessie blinked, staring at him. She could see the guilt in his face, the weight he was carrying.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was heavy—filled with things neither of them wanted to say out loud.

Jessie tightened her grip on the cloth in her hands, her gaze fixed on the floor. “No, Nick,” she muttered. “I did make a mistake. A huge one.”

Nick frowned, stepping closer. “Jessie
listen to me "I don’t care about your mistake,”His eyes burned with frustration, pain, and something deeper—something raw. I don’t care about the mistake.You deserve to be happy.The way you danced happily with Kalix.That was the real you.
You love dancing and singing and no one can stop.
I care about you and I want you to be the happiest.