you belong with me - Olivia Rodrigo

love is love

"YOU SLEPT WITH OLIVIA???" Isa shouts, her reaction full of excitement as I update her about last nights events.

Immediately I slap my hand over her mouth. She was being way too loud.

"Next to Olivia. Not with her. Keep your fucking voice down, Isa" I look around, hoping nobody noticed that, especially Olivia.

Isa's eyes widen, and she nods, "Right, right, sorry. But wow, things are getting interesting, huh?"

I shoot her a look, urging her to lower her voice even more. "Isa, seriously. This is not some drama series. Keep it down."

She chuckles, clearly amused by the situation. "Okay, okay. I just find it cute how close you and Olivia are now. Anything else interesting happen?"

I fill her in on the situation with my mom and how suspicious she was this morning.

Isa's expression shifts to a more serious one as she listens to the details about your mom. "That does sound weird. Why would she lie about working late? Do you think something's going on?"

"I have no idea."

Suddenly, someone taps on my shoulder from behind me, "Y/N, can we talk?".

I turn around, and to my surprise, it's Jenna. I look at Isa, and she gives me a confused look, shrugging.

"Yeah sure"

Jenna leads me to a quieter corner, away from everyone else in the school hallway. She seems a bit nervous. She avoids eye contact, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt.

"I just wanted to explain myself. We left things on a bad note last Friday night."

Her words catch me off guard, and I stay quiet not knowing how to respond.

"I've been thinking a lot about it. You're right - I've been treating you and Isa like strangers. You deserve to know why."

She looks down taking a deep breath, "The day you left... everything just flipped upside down."

(Jenna's POV)

It was early morning, Y/N is over at my house and we are sitting outside on the porch of my house. This was her last day in Westview and she came over to say goodbye to me before she had to leave.

Tears were already filling the brim of my eyes, "I wish you didn't have to go."

"I wish you could come with me. You and Isa"

"Who's going to defend me now when I cheat during Uno?" I joked while tears streamed down my face.

"Don't cry, Jen," Y/N said, gently wiping the tears off my cheeks, her own face drenched.

"I thought it would be us forever," I sobbed, my gaze falling to the bracelet on my wrist – the one Y/N and I made for each other. My bracelet read 'I <3 Y/N.'

"I love you, Y/N."

"I love you more, Jenna," she responded.

Leaning in slowly, our lips met. It was a soft sweet kiss that filled my stomach with butterflies. My heart ached, knowing that I wouldn't see Y/N after this.

Y/N stood up, smiling sadly. She played with the bracelet on her wrist gently.

"Don't forget about me. Who knows, I might come back"

"I'll be waiting"

Y/N rides away on her bike, and I wait a while to calm down before walking back inside my house. As I walk through the front door, I'm met with my mom who's standing still, staring at me with an intense gaze, her arms folded. She stays silent.

"Mom?"

Her face is unreadable and I wonder if she saw the whole exchange between me and Y/N just then.

"Jenna, what were you doing with Y/N outside?"

I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "We were just talking, Mom. Y/N is a friend, and today was her last day in Westview. I wanted to say goodbye."

My mom's eyes narrow, and a disapproving look crosses her face. "Don't lie to me, Jenna. I saw you two kissing."

"It's a sin" she says firmly, her voice raising at the end.

My heart pounds in my chest as I process her words. Anger and frustration well up inside me.

"Mom, you can't control who I'm friends with or how I feel. Love is love. It's not a sin to care about someone."

Her expression hardens, and she raises her hand, cutting off any further explanation. "I won't tolerate this kind of behaviour in my house. You need to understand the consequences of your actions. If you continue down this path, you'll bring shame to our family."

The tears start to fall down my eyes again.

"I should've never let you associate with someone like that. You're only 14 years old, my goodness, Mija. You don't know what love is! Girls are supposed to be with boys".

"From now on, you'll come with me and your father to church every week. I will no longer let you hang out with those girls you call your friends."

Feeling defeated, I nod silently, the weight of her words sinking in.

(Y/N's POV)

I stand there speechless. Suddenly, everything falls into place – why she distanced herself from Isa, why she's been avoiding me since my return, and why she's dating a boy on the basketball team who, three years ago, wouldn't have been her type.

A wave of guilt washes over me for villainising her all this time. It wasn't Jenna's fault. She's just trapped by her parent's narrow-minded beliefs.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I didn't mean to hurt you or Isa"

Jenna's eyes briefly scan the hallway, locking onto my fake girlfriend, who was watching us.

"I'm glad you were able to move on, though. Seems like she could treat you better than I ever could," she adds, smiling sadly.

Learning about her parents' homophobia hits me hard. I feel terrible. Not only has she had to deal with it on her own, but I've also unwittingly flaunted my fake relationship in her face, which, to her knowledge, was one hundred percent real.

I want to hug Jenna and offer comfort.

"Wait, Jenna..." I call out, but she's already turned around and walking away.

God, I'm such a dick. Maybe if I put more effort into talking to her, she would've opened up to me sooner. And none of this mess with me and Olivia would've happened.