Reassure her

Something about the way her voice softens there makes your chest tighten a little. Because you know how hard she is on herself. You know how much pressure she carries around constantly while still trying to be everyone else’s comfort person at the same time.

You reach across the table and gently take her hand.

“Hey,” you say softly.

Her eyes lift toward yours immediately.

“You’re gonna make an amazing nurse.”

The teasing expression she usually wears fades slightly.

“You really think so?” she asks quietly.

“Seriously?” you ask. “Baby, you’re literally built for it.”

She lets out a small laugh under her breath, but you can tell she’s listening carefully now.

“You care about people more than anyone I know,” you continue. “And somehow even when you’re exhausted, you still show up for everybody.”

Jane looks down briefly while your thumb brushes softly across her knuckles.

“You’re patient,” you say. “You’re calm under pressure even when you don’t think you are. And you make people feel comfortable immediately.”

Her expression softens more with every word.

“You already have the stuff that actually matters,” you tell her honestly. “The school part is just teaching you the technical side.”

For a second she doesn’t say anything.

Then she blinks quickly and laughs quietly while looking away toward the windows.

“Oh my god,” she murmurs.

“What?”

“That was really nice.”

“You deserve nice things.”

“No, but like…” She exhales softly before looking back at you again. “I don’t hear stuff like that very often.”

The honesty in her voice hits harder than you expect.

She says it casually, almost like she didn’t mean to admit it out loud at all.

“You know what I mean?” Jane says more quietly now. “Everyone just kinda expects me to handle everything all the time.”

You squeeze her hand gently.

“Well,” you say softly, “I’m telling you anyway.”

Her eyes meet yours again.

And for once, the teasing disappears completely.

“You really think I can do it?” she asks quietly.

You don’t hesitate.

“I know you can.”

You chose to reassure Jane.

Relationship Status: +2%

Boyfriend Points Gained: +3

Jane feels emotionally supported. She’ll carry this moment with her longer than you realize.

That finally breaks something softer loose in her expression. Not full crying. Just emotion she clearly wasn’t expecting to feel right now.

She laughs once under her breath while shaking her head slightly.

“You’re making me emotional at lunch.”

“You started it.”

“No,” she says immediately. “You got all sweet.”

“You love when I get sweet.”

A tiny smile returns instantly.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Right on cue, the waitress arrives with the food before the moment can get any heavier.

And immediately Jane lights up again.

“Oh my god,” she says while staring at the tacos in front of her. “These look insane.”

You laugh softly.

“And just like that, the emotional crisis is over.”

“Food heals me spiritually,” she replies seriously.

The rest of lunch settles into something softer after that.

She starts stealing fries from your plate even though she insisted she “wasn’t that hungry.” You argue over playlists again. She points out random strangers and invents fake backstories for them. At one point she becomes fully convinced one of the seagulls outside “has personal beef” with her.

And through all of it, her foot stays hooked loosely around yours beneath the table.

Like even while talking, laughing, and eating, she still wants to stay connected to you somehow.

By the time the two of you finally leave the café, the sun has started drifting lower in the sky slightly, casting warm golden light across the ocean outside.

The second you step onto the sidewalk, Jane slips her hand back into yours automatically.

Then she leans up and kisses your cheek softly.

“What was that for?” you ask.

She smiles without looking away from you.

“Just because,” Jane says quietly.