A Name I Don’t Know Yet

The café smelled like burnt espresso and sugar-dusted pastries, the air filled with the low hum of conversation, the occasional burst of laughter. Jessica sat with her friends in their usual booth, hands wrapped around a cup of coffee she had barely touched. She wasn’t listening to the conversation.

She was staring. Or, more accurately, she was trying very hard not to stare. Across the café, a boy was taping up flyers on the bulletin board, smoothing the edges with the palm of his hand.

He was tall, had dark curls, and looked a little scruffy, in a way that seemed deliberate. It was the same boy who had kissed her at the booth last weekend.The same boy she had been thinking about way too much. The same boy who, until now, had only existed in her mind as some kind of weird, unsolvable equation.

Jessica swallowed, shifting in her seat. She wasn’t used to this. This wasn’t her. Jason wouldn’t be sitting here, flustered over some guy. Jason wouldn’t be playing scenes over in his head, wondering if that kiss had meant anything. And yet— Here she was. Jessica exhaled sharply, looking down at her coffee, willing herself to focus.

“Jessica.”

She blinked. Leanna was staring at her. The entire table was staring at her.

Jessica’s stomach plummeted, “W-What?”

Leanna smirked. “You were completely zoned out.”

Jessica straightened, gripping her coffee. “No, I wasn’t.”

Kevin leaned in, grinning. “Yes, you were.”

Jessica’s face heated. “I was just thinking.”

Olivia took a slow sip of coffee. “Uh-huh. Thinking about what?”

Jessica hated how smug she sounded.

Hannah leaned forward, chin resting on her hands. “Or should we say… thinking about who?”

Jessica stiffened.

Leanna grinned. “It’s him, isn’t it?”

Jessica groaned. “Oh my God.”

Kevin exhaled dramatically. “You were staring so hard, I thought you were trying to set him on fire with your mind.”

Jessica buried her face in her hands. “Please shut up.”

Hannah nudged her. “You should talk to him.”

Jessica stared at her, horrified. “What? No.”

Leanna shrugged. “Why not?”

“Because I don’t know him.”

Kevin smirked. “Yeah, but you could know him.”

Jessica glared.

Olivia tilted her head. “He’s cute.”

“I know he’s cute,” Jessica muttered, then immediately regretted saying it out loud.

Leanna beamed.

Kevin grinned. “That’s it. I’m going over there.”

Jessica’s heart slammed against her ribs. “No, you are not.”

Kevin stood up. Jessica panicked. “Fine!” she hissed, grabbing her coffee and practically launching herself out of the booth.

Leanna clapped her hands together. “That’s the spirit.”

Jessica shot them all a murderous look before turning toward the bulletin board. Her stomach felt like a twisted-up knot of nerves. Why was this so hard? She could fight. She could lie. She could talk her way out of anything. But this? This was terrifying. Talking to Him Shouldn’t Be This Hard.

Jessica stopped a few feet away, willing herself to breathe normally. He was right there. Still taping up flyers, completely unaware that she was about to make an absolute fool of herself. She hesitated. Then, before she could think too hard about it—“Hey.”

He turned and then—he smiled. Like he recognized her. Like he remembered. “Well, well,” he said, arms crossing. “It’s you.”

Jessica’s stomach flipped. “Uh—yeah. Me.”

He tilted his head, amused. “You stalking me, or is this just fate?”

Jessica’s brain short-circuited. “Oh my God,” she muttered. “You are way too confident.”

He laughed, easy and warm. Jessica definitely did not like how nice that laugh sounded. She exhaled. “I, uh—just saw you hanging flyers.”

“Yeah.” He held one up. “My band’s playing at Saturn’s this weekend.”

Jessica blinked. He was in a band? Of course he was in a band. “Cool,” she said, shifting awkwardly. “I—I didn’t know you played music.”

He shrugged. “Guess you don’t know much about me.”

Jessica swallowed. “Yeah, well… I don’t even know your name.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly. Then—he grinned, “Ryan.”

Jessica froze. Ryan. The name clicked into place in her mind, settling in like it had always belonged there. Ryan. Ryan. She barely noticed when he spoke again.

“You gonna tell me yours, or do I have to keep calling you ‘kissing booth girl’?”

Jessica’s face went nuclear. She cleared her throat. “It’s Jessica.”

Ryan smiled. “Jessica.”

Something about the way he said it made her stomach twist. He gestured to the flyer. “You should come.”

Jessica blinked.

“To the show,” he added.

Was he inviting her? She swallowed. “I—uh—”

He smirked. “C’mon. Free music, overpriced drinks, a loud crowd. What’s not to love?”

Jessica hesitated. But then— She saw Kevin watching from the booth, mouthing ‘say yes’ at her like an idiot. Jessica groaned internally.

“Yeah,” she blurted. “I think I will.”

Ryan grinned. “Good. I’ll see you there.”

Jessica nodded stiffly, turned on her heel, and walked away before she could embarrass herself any further.

Jessica sat back down at the table. She picked up her coffee. She drank the entire thing.

Leanna stared. “Well?”

Jessica exhaled sharply. “His name is Ryan.”

Kevin whistled. “We got a name!”

Hannah beamed. “And?”

Jessica hesitated. Then—flatly: “I’m going to his concert.”

The table erupted. Leanna slammed her hand on the table. “I knew it.”

Kevin fist-pumped. “Yes! The ship is sailing!”

Jessica groaned, rubbing her temples. This was a mistake.

Olivia smirked. “You’re really cute when you’re embarrassed, you know that?”

Jessica wanted to die. “Please, for the love of God, shut up,” she muttered.

Leanna grinned. “No way in hell.”

Jessica sighed. This was going to be a long week.