4:30 PM – The Call
Jessica was sprawled across Mrs. Rachel's plush living room couch, laughing as little Ramoncito attempted to climb onto her lap like a determined kitten, when her phone buzzed violently against the coffee table. Percy's name flashed across the screen with an urgency that made her smile.
Percy (gruff over speakerphone): "Jess. Your show starts in thirty minutes. Don't tell me you forgot."
Jessica rolled her eyes, bouncing Ramoncito on her knee. "Relax, mother hen. I didn't forget my first day hosting 'Stories from Miss Vanity Scarlett.'"
Mrs. Rachel chuckled from the armchair where she was knitting something violently pink. "Oh, he's always been like this. When he was twelve, he'd wake Victor up two hours early for school 'just in case.'"
Victor, who had been scrolling through his phone with a bored expression, suddenly perked up. "I can drive you to the station."
Jessica shook her head. "Percy's already—"
Victor (grinning wickedly): "Even better. Let's have some fun with him."
Before Jessica could protest, Victor had already concocted his plan.
4:45 PM – The Prank
They stood at the wrought-iron gate of the Reyes estate, Victor's arm draped casually over Jessica's shoulders as if they were old friends—or something more. Jessica shifted uncomfortably, but Victor merely tightened his grip with a smirk.
"Relax," he murmured. "This is going to be hilarious."
Percy's dented sedan rolled up the driveway, and the moment his eyes landed on them, the car jerked to a stop. His expression darkened instantly.
Percy (through gritted teeth): "Get in the car, Jess."
Victor, ever the instigator, leaned in and fake-whispered something in Jessica's ear, his breath tickling her skin. Percy's grip on the steering wheel turned his knuckles white.
Victor (loud enough for Percy to hear): "Call me later, yeah?"
Jessica shot him a glare, but Victor merely winked.
Jessica (muttering): "You're evil."
Victor (grinning): "And you're welcome."
She slipped into the passenger seat, Percy's silence a tangible force between them.
4:50 PM – The Car Ride
The drive to YMZ was suffocatingly quiet. Percy's jaw was set, his eyes fixed stubbornly on the road. Jessica peeked at him, biting her lip to suppress a smile.
Jessica (teasing): "What, are you jealous?"
Percy didn't answer. Instead, he rubbed at his eye—was that a tear?—before muttering, "Shut up."
Jessica burst out laughing. "Oh my god, you are! Percy Reyes, are you seriously pouting?"
Percy (glaring): "I don't pout."
Jessica (grinning): "You literally are. You look like Ramoncito when Mrs. Rachel takes away his cookies."
Percy exhaled sharply through his nose, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Jessica, emboldened, reached over and squished his cheeks between her hands. "You're adorable when you're jealous."
Percy's ears turned pink. "I'm not—"
Before he could finish, Jessica leaned in and pressed a quick, playful kiss to his cheek.
The car swerved slightly.
Percy (stunned): "What was that for?"
Jessica grinned. "To shut you up."
Percy opened his mouth, closed it, then muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "Damn it."
4:58 PM – The Radio Station
They arrived at YMZ with barely a minute to spare. The moment they stepped into the lobby, Venice appeared like a storm cloud, her sharp gaze flickering between them.
Venice (crossing her arms): "Jessica. You're late."
Jessica held up the box of empanadas Victor had packed. "Peace offering?"
Venice took the box, her eyebrows shooting up when she peeked inside. "Victor made these?"
Jessica (nodding): "Yeah. He's weirdly good at cooking."
Venice's expression darkened. "How do you know Victor?"
Jessica blinked. "I live with Percy. I thought you—"
Venice (cutting her off): "You live with Percy?"
Jessica nodded slowly, suddenly uneasy. "Yeah...?"
Venice's gaze darted to Percy, who had gone unnaturally still beside Jessica.
Jessica (frowning): "I thought you knew. I heard Greg and Wilbert talking about it earlier—something about 'Wait till Percy knows'?"
Venice's face paled. "That wasn't about you."
Jessica (confused): "Then what—"
Venice (sharp): "It was about Caitlyn."
The name hung in the air like a guillotine. Percy flinched.
Before Jessica could ask, Venice grabbed her arm. "My office. Now."
Percy didn't move.
Jessica glanced back at him, but his expression was unreadable—closed off in a way she hadn't seen since their first awkward days as roommates.
Something was very wrong.
A Tense Conversation in the Office
Venice leaned back in her chair, savoring the last bite of the empanada Victor had made as Jessica sat across from her. The office was quiet, the hum of the radio equipment the only sound filling the space. Curiosity getting the better of her, Venice finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
"So, how did you and Percy know each other in the first place?"
Jessica hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well... a long time ago, Percy actually courted me," she admitted, her voice soft. "But I turned him down."
Venice raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? Then how did you end up reconnecting?"
Jessica sighed, folding her hands in her lap. "At the time of my wedding, Mrs. Rachel—Percy's mother—brought him as her plus-one. She's close friends with my mom and my uncle Ted." A shadow crossed her face as she continued. "I ended up canceling the wedding when I found out my groom was only after my money. He saw me as his cash cow."
Venice winced in sympathy. "That's rough."
Jessica nodded. "After that, when I heard the radio station was hiring, I took the opportunity without realizing San Isidro was where Percy's family lived. It was... unexpected."
Venice let out a surprised laugh. "Wow, talk about fate playing games. So, what's the deal between you two now? You seem really close."
Jessica bit her lip, considering her words carefully. "I... I do have feelings for him. But I need to be sure it's love and not just guilt for rejecting him before."
Venice nodded in understanding. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she pulled out a men's magazine from her desk drawer, flipping it open to reveal a sultry cover photo of Caitlyn Quirino. "Speaking of Percy... I overheard Wilbert and Greg talking earlier. Thought you might want to see this."
Jessica frowned as Venice handed her the magazine. "What's this for?"
"Go show it to Percy," Venice said with a smirk. "I just want to see his reaction. Then, after that, I'll drive you to your apartment."
Jessica hesitated but finally agreed, curiosity getting the better of her. She stepped out of the office and approached Percy, who was reviewing some paperwork. Without a word, she held up the magazine cover.
Percy glanced at it—and immediately recoiled in disgust. "Ugh, what happened to Caitlyn?" he muttered, shaking his head before looking back at Jessica. "Anyway, I should get going. Take care, okay?"
Jessica watched as he walked away, then returned to Venice's office, puzzled. "He looked... disgusted."
Venice let out a sigh of relief, a small smile playing on her lips. "Good. That means he's moved on." She handed Jessica a script, her tone shifting back to business. "Now, let's focus on work."
Jessica took the script, but her mind lingered on Percy's reaction—and what it truly meant for the two of them.
A Storm in the Quiet: Percy's Turmoil
The steering wheel felt clammy beneath Percy's grip as he navigated the rain-slicked roads, the rhythmic thump of windshield wipers doing little to drown out the memory burning in his mind: Jessica's lips grazing his cheek. The fleeting warmth of her kiss lingered like a phantom touch, sending an electric shiver down his spine each time he replayed it. What the hell was that? he thought, knuckles whitening. He'd always known his feelings for her simmered beneath a veneer of casual friendship, but now they roared to the surface, raw and disorienting.
By the time he parked outside his apartment, the rain had softened to a drizzle, mirroring the quiet chaos in his head. Inside, he mechanically brewed coffee, the bitter aroma doing nothing to ground him. Leaning against the kitchen counter, he stared blankly at the steam curling from his mug. Jessica's laugh echoed in his memory—bright, unguarded—followed by the way her eyes had flickered with something unreadable before she'd kissed him. Was it pity? A joke? Or…
He took a scalding sip, wincing as it jolted him back to reality. But the quiet apartment offered no escape. His mind wandered dangerously: the curve of her smile, the scent of her perfume, the way her fingers had brushed his wrist—innocent gestures now distorted by longing. A vivid, unbidden image of her laughing, hair tousled, lips parted—Stop. Stop it. He slammed the mug down, coffee sloshing over the rim.
Desperate for distraction, he retreated to his desk, flipping open his laptop with too much force. Words blurred on the screen. Every sentence he typed felt hollow, every keystroke interrupted by the ghost of her touch. Frustrated, he shoved back his chair, pacing the cramped room. This is ridiculous. You're a grown man, not some lovesick teenager.
But rationality faltered against the tide of want. He collapsed onto his bed, arm thrown over his eyes, as the kiss replayed on a loop—a taunting reminder of everything he'd buried years ago. When sleep finally claimed him, it brought no peace. Jessica's face haunted his dreams, leaving him more tangled in confusion than before.