Chapter 114
**Sara**
We returned to the group, trying to stifle our laughter. Tom raised an eyebrow as we approached, his face a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
"Everything alright?" he asked, his eyes darting between Sophia and me.
"Everything's fine, Tom. We were just discussing the merits of various face masks. You know, girl stuff," Sophia said smoothly.
Tom's eyebrow quirked up even further, clearly not buying it. "Face masks, huh?"
"Yep," I chirped, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. "Apparently, there's this new one made from snail mucus. Very... slimy."
Jessica piped up. "Ooh, I've heard about those! They're supposed to make your skin as smooth as a baby's-"
"Okay!" I cut in, grabbing Jessica's arm. "I think it's time we head out. It's getting late."
Tom nodded, fishing his car keys out of his pocket. "Right, let's get going," Tom agreed, his voice low and smooth. Was it just me, or did he sound a little... eager?
Daniel stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Sophia's waist. "Thanks for coming, ladies. It was... interesting."
Sophia elbowed him playfully. "Oh, hush. It was fun, wasn't it? We should do this again sometime."
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The idea of another dinner filled with secret footsie and Sophia's knowing glances was thrilling and terrifying.
As we said our goodbyes, Sophia pulled me in for a hug. "Remember what I said," she whispered in my ear. "Have fun, but be careful."
I pulled back, giving her a small nod. "Thanks, Sophia. For everything."
Daniel gave me a quick hug, too, then turned to Jessica. "It was nice meeting you, Jessica."
Jessica beamed. "Oh, the pleasure was all mine. I do hope we'll see each other again soon."
Tom cleared his throat, jangling his car keys. "Well, ladies, shall we?"
I nodded, trying to keep my face neutral despite the butterflies doing acrobatics in my stomach. As we walked to Tom's car, I could feel Jessica's eyes boring into the back of my head. I knew she was dying to ask about my conversation with Sophia, but she held her tongue for now.
Tom opened the passenger door for me with a flourish. I slid into the seat.
Jessica huffed from the back. "Hey, where's my door service?"
"Sorry, Jessica," Tom chuckled. "I only have two hands."
"And both of them are usually on Sara, I bet," Jessica muttered.
I whipped around, my eyes wide. "Jessica!"
She held up her hands in mock surrender. "What? I didn't say anything."
Tom pretended not to hear as he started the car. The engine purred to life, and we pulled away from the curb. For a few blissful moments, there was silence.
Then Jessica leaned forward, her chin practically resting on the center console. "So, what were you and Sophia talking about for so long? You two looked awfully cozy."
I briefly felt Tom's eyes flick at me before returning to the road. "Oh, you know," I said, trying and failing to sound nonchalant. "Nothing much. Girl stuff."
"Girl stuff?" Jessica repeated skeptically. "What kind of girl stuff takes that long to discuss?"
I shrugged, desperately wracking my brain for a believable lie. "Uh, you know... face masks. And... shoes?"
Tom snorted, quickly disguising it as a cough when I glared at him.
Jessica wasn't buying it either. "Come on, spill the beans!"
"There's nothing to spill," I insisted. "We were just chatting."
"Right," Jessica drawled. "And I'm sure that 'chat' had nothing to do with how you and Tom played footsie under the table all night."
I felt my face flame red. "We were not-"
"Oh please," Jessica cut me off. "I may have had a few glasses of wine, but I'm not blind. You two were about as subtle as a pair of horny teenagers at prom."
"Jessica," I hissed, "can we not do this right now?"
"Fine, fine. Keep your secrets. But don't think this conversation is over, missy."
The rest of the ride passed in blessed silence, broken only by Jessica's occasional humming and the soft sound of the radio. I fixed my eyes on the passing streetlights, hyper-aware of Tom's presence beside me.
Finally, we pulled up in front of Jessica's apartment building.
I let out a small sigh of relief, grateful for the impending end to this awkward car ride.
Jessica leaned forward, "Thanks for the ride, Professor." Her voice dripped with innuendo, and I resisted the urge to smack my forehead against the dashboard.
Tom, bless him, kept his cool. "You're welcome, Jessica. Have a good night."
As Jessica fumbled with the door handle, I caught a whiff of her perfume mixed with the lingering scent of wine. She finally managed to push the door open, nearly tumbling out onto the sidewalk in her haste.
"Whoopsie!" she giggled, catching herself on the frame. "Guess those last two glasses were a bit much."
I rolled my eyes, watching as she straightened up and smoothed her dress. Then, Jessica began her grand exit with a dramatic hair flip that would've made a shampoo commercial proud.
Now, I've seen Jessica walk before. I've even seen her attempt to sashay after a few too many margaritas. But this? This was something else entirely.
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