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It’s Saturday. The sun filters softly through the window, warm but not overwhelming. The kind of day that practically begs for a nap in the sheets—exactly what Natalie did after finishing the last of yesterday’s fried rice for lunch.
It's not like she had any plans. Kevyn is out of town for the weekend, Van is out with Taissa, and her mother—as usual—is missing. She could get ahead on some school stuff, but come on… A Saturday isn't made for that. Maybe Sunday, if the deadline was close. But not a Saturday.
When she wakes from her short nap, she stretches lazily, feeling the pleasant crack in her back. Then she rummages through her backpack for her pack of cigarettes, praying she hasn't smoked the last few.
She's just about to light one when two quick knocks sound at the door.
Nat puts the cigarette and lighter back on the nightstand before approaching. She has a vague idea that the person knocking on the door might be…
"Jackie?" she mutters as she opens the door, frowning curiously. “What are you doing here?”
Jackie Taylor stands there like she’s been carved out of golden light. She’s got that confident smile on, a designer jacket that looks hilariously out of place on this street, and a grocery bag dangling from one hand.
“Are you going to let me in or what?” she says, tilting her head, her eyes shining with that sweet, sarcastic quality only she can muster.
Nat notices she’s avoided answering the question, but decides not to press the issue. She moves aside with a wave of her hand.
“You’re already here, so…”
“I brought soda and snacks,” Jackie says as she enters. Natalie closes the door behind her. “I figured you’d prefer beer and cigarettes, but I wasn’t about to get ripped off by some sketchy guy outside the bodega.”
Jackie crosses the space as if she owns it, reaches Nat’s room, and places the bag on the desk.
Nat watches her, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. “I see you brought your prejudices, too.”
Jackie doesn't respond immediately. She takes her time removing her jacket and throwing it over a chair already colonized by worn sweatshirts. Then she turns, walks over to Natalie, and wraps her arms around her waist, resting her hands on her lower back. She places a soft kiss on the corner of her lips.
“Hi.”
“We already said hi,” Natalie replies, biting her lip as she tries to suppress a smile.
“Not really actually. And I was holding things, so it didn’t count.”
“Should I put on some music?”
“Great idea,” Jackie says, already flopping onto the bed like she lives there. She watches from her spot as Natalie leans over her tape collection.
Jackie studies her: the way she absentmindedly tosses her bangs, the small grimace of her lips as she hesitates between two options, her profile lit up by the soft afternoon light. Every gesture mesmerizes her.
“Any requests?”
“What?” Jackie blinks. She’d been caught staring. “Oh. Uh, nah. I trust your taste.”
“No complaining later, then.”
Jackie wouldn't do it, anyway. She has her preferences, of course, but Nat has a knack for choosing the perfect song for every moment. And, honestly, she knows Jackie's taste too; she's proven it with the mixtapes she's made for her. Jackie listens to them on repeat, always stopping just before she gets tired of them.
Besides, Nat clearly enjoys curating the vibe, and Jackie’s more than happy to give her that space.
"There," Natalie says, turning with a satisfied smile as the drums of the first song begin to play. A few seconds later, the lead vocals come in, enveloping them.
"Come here," Jackie says, reaching for the open side of the bed.
Natalie obeys without question, lying down next to her and then turning onto her side, mirroring Jackie's position. The two face each other, eye level, gazing at each other with silent attention. It's Jackie who breaks the static, bringing her hand up to Nat's forehead. With her middle finger, she gently traces the line separating her bangs from her skin.
"Did you trim these?"
"Yeah. They were stabbing me in the eyes. Is it uneven?"
“It’s perfect. I can actually see your eyes now,” she replies, letting her fingers continue tracing her features, moving down to her cheek. “And that’s a win, ‘cause your eyes are kind of ridiculous. Like… unfairly pretty.”
“You’re so dramatic,” Natalie bites back a smile, but it reaches her eyes anyway.
Then, she leans closer, as if her body had made the decision before her mind. Her hand finds Jackie’s waist and rests on the small space of skin the raised shirt has left exposed. She begins to make gentle circles with her fingertips, smiling slightly as Jackie’s mouth curves.
“What’re you reading for the lit essay?”
“No clue. Probably whatever the librarian suggests first,” Natalie says, exhaling through her nose as her fingers continue tracing shapes on Jackie’s skin.
“I have a few ideas… Do you want to work on it together?”
“Together?”
“Yeah. I wanna hear your take on Pride and Prejudice.”
Natalie lets out a wide, warm, and short laugh. That choice was so classic, so Jackie.
“Just kidding. We can pick something else. But… you in?”
“Yeah, sure,” Natalie replies without moving, without nodding, without breaking the constant touch of Jackie's fingers on her skin. “And pick whatever. I’m good with it. ”
Jackie smiles with that expression that fills every one of her facial muscles. Then she leans in and places her lips on Natalie's, a firm but gentle pressure that lingers just long enough. There's no rush, only intention.
Natalie welcomes her with her eyes half-closed, her body completely surrendered. Jackie pulls her closer, gently tugging at her neck. Natalie doesn't need any instructions: her hand moves down to Jackie's hip and pulls her closer as well. Their pelvises rub together, the shared heat intensifying. Jackie moans at the touch, and Natalie takes advantage of the opening of the kiss to slide her tongue in, slow and steady.
They break apart when their lungs protest. The air rushes in. Jackie leans in again and leaves a smaller kiss, lingering.
“We’re gonna make a good team.”
“Yeah, unless you turn our study sessions into make-out marathons.”
“Oh please. Like you’re not guilty of that too.”
“You start it more than I do.”
“And you never stop me.”
“Cause I don’t want to,” Natalie whispers, eyes locked on hers.
“Glad we’re on the same page,” Jackie replies with a crooked smile. “Can I hug you?”
“Go ahead,” Natalie says, rolling onto her back and opening an arm dramatically. “I knew you were gonna end up like this anyway.”
Jackie settles effortlessly, as if that space has always belonged to her. Her leg rests over Natalie’s, her hand exploring her abdomen beneath her black T-shirt. Natalie tenses at the first touch, almost involuntarily. Then she relaxes and focuses her attention on gently scratching Jackie’s scalp with her fingertips.
“It was a hug, not a trap.”
“Too bad. I’m comfy. I’m not moving.”
“I didn't ask you to.”
Silence falls like a warm blanket. Their breaths synchronized. The murmur of music floats through the room. Natalie opens her mouth to ask why she's there, just as she did when she found her on the other side of the door. But Jackie jumps in first and tells her about the movie she saw the day before. Nat listens intently to the story, asking questions when she thinks Jackie is omitting an important detail.
"Did you like it?"
"Yeah, but it made me cry."
"You? Crying over a romantic movie? Shocking."
Jackie gives her a light pinch in the side, and Natalie chuckles. More than at the reaction, at the brief sound of laughter that escapes Jackie.
"Are you nervous about the game next week? That team’s on a winning streak."
"Whatever happens, happens."
"But I hope we win."
"I know we're all going to give it our all," Nat explains calmly. "Don’t stress about it now. That’s next week’s problem," she adds, giving her a light squeeze on the shoulder, as if that touch could reassure her.
“You always calm me down,” Jackie murmurs, resting her cheek on Natalie’s shoulder as she plays with the hem of her shirt between her fingers.
“I didn’t know I had that effect, but I’m happy to help,” Natalie replies gently, running her fingers through her hair, a slow rhythm matching her words.
“You really help me with a lot of things,” Jackie says with a sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. “Okay, new topic—what were you doing before I showed up?”
“Nothing,” Natalie replies as she adjusts Jackie's leg, which is still resting on hers. “I was just waking up from a nap and was about to have a cigarette.”
Jackie pulls back a little, raising an eyebrow. “Your lungs must have been grateful I got here just in time.”
“Hey, don't be a hypocrite,” Natalie retorts, rolling her eyes. “You smoke too.”
“No, you smoke,” Jackie corrects, raising a finger. “I've done it a few times.”
“We all die from something,” Natalie mumbles with a crooked smile, lowering her gaze.
“Don't say that,” Jackie says, frowning. She straightens a little more, enough to gently lift her face, forcing her to look at her. “I don't like it.”
“People say it all the time.”
“Yes, but I don't want you to say it.”
“Okay, I won't say it,” Natalie replies quietly, nodding slightly.
“Good,” Jackie says, softening her expression before leaning in for a brief kiss, a gentle touch that demands nothing.
“I'm sure you're using positive reinforcement with me,” Natalie comments with a playful smile as she strokes the edge of Jackie's ear with a fingertip.
“What are you talking about?”
“If I listen to you about something, you'll give me a kiss. Classic conditioning,” she says with mock seriousness.
“I didn’t know you were a psych expert,” Jackie replies, chuckling. “And I don't do it for that reason, I kiss you just because I want to.”
Natalie is silent for a moment. Her gaze is fixed on the ceiling, but her hand continues to stroke Jackie's hair, tangling it and then untangling it silently. Then, without turning around completely, she throws the question into the air:
“Jackie, why did you come here today?”
“Just felt like it.”
Natalie lowers her hand and rests it on Jackie's waist. “That's not an answer. Tell me, did something happen to you?”
Jackie shakes her head. “No, nothing.”
“Right, but that’s not how this usually works.”
Jackie frowns and sits up, sitting down on her knees in front of Nat. “What do you mean?”
Natalie props herself up on one elbow, leaning toward her with narrowed eyes.
“Come on, Jackie. You know,” she says quietly, as if repeating the obvious. “One of us is always dealing with something shitty when this happens, when we get together.”
Jackie stirs. She lowers her gaze.
“That’s not…”
“Do you remember how this started?” Natalie interrupts, still in her gentle but firm tone. She leans her face a little closer to Jackie’s. “You had a fight with Jeff, I walked you home, and you kissed me. Then it was because you argued with your parents. Then it was because the principal gave me a week’s suspension… There’s always a reason.”
Silence. Jackie takes a deep breath and finally dares to look her straight in the eyes. There's something vulnerable in her expression, something trying to hold on without breaking.
"We should stop waiting for a reason," she says quietly.
Natalie feels her heart leap out of her chest. She stands still, her brow furrowed slightly.
"What?"
“I mean it,” Jackie says. “I didn’t come here because something went wrong. I just… wanted to be with you.”
Natalie watches her silently. Her chest rises and falls slowly, measuredly. Then she narrows her eyes.
"Out of everyone you could’ve spent a perfect Saturday with… you chose me?"
Jackie nods with conviction. She doesn't hesitate. She doesn't blink.
"Yeah," she says firmly, and then moves closer, closing the distance that still separates them.
"Why?"
Jackie moves slowly, never taking her eyes off her. She takes Natalie's hand in hers, interlacing their fingers carefully, as if every movement were measured.
"Because I like being with you, that’s it," she replies in a calm, unadorned voice. "I like being like this, talking, listening to music... kissing you once in a while."
Natalie lowers her gaze for a second. Then she smiles, barely, with that ironic and tender gesture that is so characteristic of her.
"Once in a while... and you really take advantage of every opportunity you get."
"What can I say?" Jackie replies, shrugging with mock modesty. "You’re a pretty good kisser."
"Better than that."
"Prove it."
"Oh, I will."
Natalie leans in slowly, as if purposefully stretching out the moment. Her nose brushes Jackie's, and from this close, she can count each eyelash, feel how Jackie's lips part slightly, expectantly. But Nat doesn't jump in right away. She enjoys the effect she has on her, the slight tremble in her breathing, how her body curves toward her as if she can no longer help it.
Then, with a measured cadence, she kisses her.
It's not one of those quick or playful kisses. It's deep, tender, precise. The kind that says things they don't yet dare to say out loud. Jackie's hands move up her back and pull her closer, as if she needs to merge with her. And for a moment, it's all down to that: the shared warmth, the weight of their bodies aligned on the bed, the music still playing in the background, barely perceptible.
When they break apart, they do so only because they need to breathe. Jackie stares at Natalie as if she's the only important thing in the room. Then, without a word, she settles back into her arms, holding her close.
A second passes. Then another.
“Do you have feelings for me?” Jackie asks, her voice muffled against Natalie’s neck.
Natalie tenses. The air in the room thickens, as if the question has shifted gravity. She doesn’t respond immediately. She just blinks, holding her close, but not returning the gesture with the same force.
“Why would you ask that?” she finally says, without looking at her.
Jackie straightens slightly, enough to meet her gaze. There's no reproach in her expression, but a clear vulnerability, as if she had no shield at that moment.
"Because I do. I have feelings for you."
Natalie swallows. Her body doesn't move, but her eyes do: they bore into Jackie's, searching for something. A slit, a hesitation, any hint of a joke. But they don't find it.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
“Because I had to end things with Jeff first,” Jackie says simply. “I broke up with him two weeks ago.”
Natalie's heart jolts with a mixture of surprise and something else she can't immediately identify. Despite everything, this wasn't the answer she was expecting. It takes her a couple of seconds to react.
“You could’ve told me.”
“I didn’t want you to think I was using you to fill the gap,” Jackie says. “I… I love you, Nat. And I want to be with you. Not because I broke up with him. I broke up with him because I want to be with you.”
Natalie falls silent. She runs her fingers along Jackie’s wrist, distractedly, as if she needs that anchor to process everything. Then she sighs, biting her lip.
“You don’t have to tell me anything now. But I wanted you to know… I don’t want us to be here only when things are going wrong anymore. I want to be here when they’re good too,” Jackie says, then she kisses Natalie on the forehead and sits up, getting out of bed, careful not to push the other girl around.
“Where are you going?”
“I said a lot. I don’t want to pressure you.”
Indeed, Jackie had thrown a mountain of information at Natalie. But it was also exactly what she'd wanted to hear for so long. She didn't need to process it; rather, she needed to pinch herself to realize she wasn't in a dream or part of her imagination, like those times when she would invent an unreal situation before falling asleep.
When she realizes it, Jackie isn't in her room anymore, not even in the trailer. Nat quickly opens the door and sees Jackie walking slowly; she hasn't gone that far. In a few strides, she catches up with her.
"I have feelings for you too."
Jackie turns around.
"Don’t say it unless it’s true."
"It is true. I'm not lying, nor do I have a reason to lie... I'm in love with you. I've been in love for a while, in fact. I didn't want to tell you because you were with Jeff and it didn't seem like you were going to get out of there."
Jackie doesn't say anything. She takes two steps toward her, closing the distance. Natalie thinks she's going to speak, but she doesn't. Instead, she takes her face in her hands and kisses her.
“Don't go yet,” Natalie asks, resting her forehead against Jackie's.
Jackie smiles, that smile that fills her face, then she nods. Her fingers find Nat's and squeeze tightly.
They walk back to the trailer together, still holding each other, until Jackie glances at her with an expression that mixes mischief and nervousness.
“So… what are you saying?”
“About what?” Nat answers, tilting her head in feigned innocence.
“Well… I was honest when I said that I want to be with you.”
“You said you want to be with me, but that’s kinda vague. Like… girlfriends? Or just hanging out more?” Natalie says, suppressing a smile.
Jackie stops just before reaching the door. She lets go of her hand and gently turns her so she's facing her.
“Nat,” she says, with sudden seriousness, her eyes shining in the dusk, “will you be my girlfriend?”
Natalie blinks. Not because she wasn't expecting it, but because Jackie says it like that, so bluntly, with her whole heart in every word. And that makes her chest turn.
“Let me think…”
“Seriously?” Jackie asks incredulously, though it's clear she's more amused than worried.
“You said I needed time to process!”
“I didn't know you felt the same way I did at the time,” Jackie says, shrugging. “I think I can imagine the answer now.”
Natalie watches her silently for a moment. Then she crosses her arms, still smiling.
“What if I said no?”
“I hope you don't say that,” Jackie replies. “But, in that case, I guess I would try to find a way to change your mind.”
Natalie stares at her for a moment longer, playing with the tension, before shrugging.
“Lucky you… I’m saying yes.”
Jackie lets out a soft, relieved laugh and takes her hand more firmly.
“Damn. I just scored a badass, athletic, funny, beautiful girlfriend.”
“How flattering,” Natalie says, but the way a smile escapes her mouth betrays what each word does to her.
“Get used to compliments,” Jackie replies, leaning in to kiss her cheek, then the edge of her jaw, gently. “I’ve got plenty more.”