her ex

Emma took another sip of her drink, the sharp taste of vodka burning her throat as she scanned the room. Her eyes darted from face to face, searching for someone familiar—anyone who could make her feel less out of place. And then, she saw him.

There, leaning against the far wall with a drink in hand, was him. Her ex.

Her breath hitched, and she froze, the plastic cup nearly slipping from her fingers. He looked the same as she remembered—tall, with that messy dark hair and that lazy, confident smirk that used to make her stomach flip. But there was something different about him now. Maybe it was the way he carried himself, more relaxed, more at ease, or maybe it was the girl standing next to him, laughing at something he’d just said. Whoever she was, she was gorgeous, with long, wavy hair and a dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Emma felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite name—jealousy? Regret?—and it made her chest tighten.

Suddenly, Jackson spotted her. His smirk widened, and he pushed off the wall, making his way through the crowd toward her. “Emma!” he called out, his voice low and smooth, just like she remembered. “Long time no see.”

Emma **** herself to meet his gaze, her cheeks burning. “Hey, Jackson,” she said, her voice steadier than she expected. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide as much of her outfit as possible. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

Jackson shrugged, his smirk returning. “Yeah, well, small world, right?” His eyes flicked over her, and she could see the moment he registered what she was wearing. His eyebrows shot up, and a slow, teasing grin spread across his face. “Wow. You’re… definitely not dressed like the Emma I remember.”

Emma’s face flamed, and she shot a glare at Marcus, who was grinning like an idiot. “Yeah, well, it’s a long story,” she muttered, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

Jackson chuckled, and the sound sent a shiver down her spine. “I like it,” he said, his tone light but his eyes lingering on her in a way that made her stomach twist. “You look… different. Confident. It’s a good look on you.”

Emma didn’t know how to respond. Was he teasing her? Complimenting her? She couldn’t tell, and it was driving her crazy. “Thanks,” she said finally, her voice barely audible over the music.

There was a beat of awkward silence, and then Jackson tilted his head toward the kitchen. “You want a drink? Or… you know, we could catch up. It’s been a while.”

Emma hesitated, her mind racing. Part of her wanted to say no, to turn around and walk away before things got any more complicated. But another part of her—the part that still remembered how it felt to be close to him—was curious. What harm could it do to talk to him? It wasn’t like they were getting back together or anything. Right?

As Emma walked ahead of him, she could feel his eyes on her, and it sent a mix of nerves and something else—something she didn’t want to admit—coursing through her. This was a bad idea. She knew it was a bad idea. But for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

They reached the kitchen, and Jackson grabbed a cup, pouring her a drink with a practiced ease. He handed it to her, his fingers brushing against hers just a little too long. “So,” he said, leaning against the counter and looking at her with those piercing eyes, “how’ve you been? You look… amazing, by the way. Like, really amazing.”

Emma felt her cheeks heat up again, and she took a sip of her drink to buy herself some time. “I’ve been good,” she said, trying to keep her tone casual. “Busy with school and stuff. You know how it is.”

Jackson nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. “Yeah, I get that. But you seem… different. In a good way. More confident. More… I don’t know, radiant.”

Emma laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Radiant? Really? That’s a new one.”

Jackson grinned, leaning in a little closer. “What can I say? You bring out the poet in me.”

Emma rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “You’re such a flirt.”

“Only with you,” he said, his voice dropping lower, and Emma felt her stomach do a flip. She quickly took another sip of her drink, trying to steady herself. This was dangerous territory. Jackson had always had a way of getting under her skin, and it seemed like nothing had changed.

They fell into an easy banter, the kind that used to come so naturally to them. Jackson made her laugh, and for a moment, it felt like no time had passed at all. But then, as he leaned in closer, his hand brushing against hers on the counter, Emma felt a sudden pang of guilt.

She froze, her smile fading as reality came crashing back. What are you doing? a voice in her head screamed. You have a boyfriend.

The realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. She had a boyfriend. A sweet, kind, amazing boyfriend who trusted her. And here she was, flirting with her ex like it was nothing.

Before she could say anything, Marcus appeared out of nowhere, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “Hey, Emma! There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He glanced at Jackson, his grin widening. “Oh, hey, man. Didn’t see you there.”

Jackson’s smirk faltered for a split second, but he recovered quickly, nodding at Marcus. “Hey.”

Marcus turned back to Emma, completely oblivious to the tension. “So, you wanna go play some pong upstairs? We need a fourth.”

Emma blinked, caught off guard by the sudden interruption. She glanced at Jackson, who was watching her with an unreadable expression, then back at Marcus. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Let’s go.”

Marcus grinned, pulling her away from the counter. “Cool. Let’s go!”

Emma let him lead her away, but she couldn’t resist one last glance over her shoulder. Jackson was still leaning against the counter, his eyes following her as she walked away. He raised his cup in a silent toast, that familiar smirk playing on his lips.

As she followed Marcus upstairs, Emma’s mind was racing. She had a boyfriend. She had a boyfriend. The thought repeated in her head like a mantra, but it did little to ease the guilt twisting in her chest.