Emma sat there, phone still in her hand, her mind tangled in knots.
He had just said he loved her. The words echoed in her chest. But did he mean it? Or was it just something he said to calm her down?
"Forget about him," Mandy muttered, snatching the phone from her grip. She scrolled quickly, to the top of the article that had been spreading like wildfire.
At the very top of the page, the bold headline screamed:
Jayden Smart's Mystery Woman? Star Forward Spotted in PDA with Unknown Beauty.
Emma's throat tightened as Mandy read aloud.
The opening paragraph wasted no time:
"Jayden Smart might have just given fans the biggest shock of the season. The football star, who has been single since his secret split from model Jenny Alvarez, was spotted in what looked very much like a romantic dinner date. And this time, it wasn't Jenny or anyone the media has ever seen him with before."
Emma pressed a pillow against her chest, staring at the ceiling.
Mandy scrolled further. "Listen to this part."
"Known for keeping his private life away from cameras, Jayden has rarely been caught in public with women outside of red carpets or sponsored appearances. The last time fans saw him engaging in PDA was with Jenny, and it's been quite a while since the last one. But for him to step out again like this, and in such a cozy way? That says something."
Then came the first photo.
It was a shot of their lower bodies beneath the restaurant table. Emma's legs crossed neatly beside his. Jayden's hand rested on her leg. Subtle, but intimate.
Mandy's eyes flicked to Emma. "Girl, this one is bold."
The next section read:
"Even more telling was their matching footwear. Jayden sported a pair of men's Christian Louboutin loafers while his companion had on classic Louboutin pumps. Twinning in red soles isn't exactly casual, it screams coordinated, and maybe even a sign that this is more than just dinner."
Another photo appeared, this time of them waiting on the valet hand-in-hand. Emma's face was turned just enough that her hair fell forward, hiding her features perfectly.
And finally, the last photo. The kiss.
Jayden leaning in, lips on hers, one hand cupping the side of her face, shielding her from view. Only the sharp line of his profile was visible.
The caption under it read:
"Smart ends the night with a kiss. But who is she? And why the mystery?"
The article closed with speculation:
"If this is Jayden's way of announcing he's moved on, fans may need to brace themselves. But one thing's clear: the woman's identity is being carefully concealed. Whether intentional on Jayden's part, or pure coincidence, remains to be seen. What's certain? Every blog and paparazzo out there will be hunting for the answer. Who is Jayden Smart's mystery girl?"
Mandy locked the phone and turned to Emma. "You see? It almost looks like whoever took these photos tried hard not to expose your face."
Emma let out a humorless laugh, sinking deeper into the bed. "Isn't that the whole point?"
"Check the comments" She said jumping up the bed. She had been to every site, every article and she had read what they had to say with only just those three pictures of them on the entire net but she hadn't actually checked the comments to see what both fans and trolls had to say.
"Huh-huh" Mandy said holding the phone far off, "You know trolls and bastard live on that space" She ended
"Just two and nothing more" Emma told her
"@glamourplug says "Matching red bottoms?? Babe, that's not casual. That's couple behavior and she also adds the crying emoji and fire emoji." Mandy said out loud
"Huhuh..." Emma nodded just to show she was paying attention
"@elisamay says "But what about Jenny?? You don't just replace the Jenny Alvarez with... whoever this is and then she adds the side eye emoji" Emma said once more
"Bitch shut up..." Emma said laying back on the bed
"As of now, you trump Jenny and that is all that matters"
"Who's Jenny?" Emma asked as they both shared a laugh
"Ouuu I like this one..." Mandy started as she stared at the screen.
"@celebritytea says "Her face is always hidden. Either Jayden's protecting her, or this girl has PR training 101. Either way... ICONIC and 'iconic' was spelt in block letter" She ended
"I mean... isn't that the point?" Emma asked with a mean smirk
With the look of things, it looked like she had equal share of haters and lovers and it wasn't so bad after all.
It was 5 a.m. Monday morning, and Emma was wide awake, scrolling through her phone. She was a morning person, and this was her routine... killing time until her 6:30 alarm rang, when she'd finally get up to start preparing for school. At least, the end of school was near, and freedom was in sight.
Most people were still asleep at that hour, so Emma was just toggling between apps, tapping aimlessly. She opened Snapchat, flicked to Stories, and that was when she saw it.
Right at the top of her Discover page: "_dfwjenny."
Emma froze. Jenny.
She hadn't paid much attention to Jenny in months just cause she realized Jayden wasn't her biggest fan anymore. The only reason Emma wasn't stalking all her socials was because of that. Sure, she still followed her on Instagram, but that was before she and Jayden ever started talking.
For some reason, she felt compelled to tap.
Jenny's story was a mix of the usual: glossy selfies, soft filters, hair shining under the light. She was beautiful... breathtaking, really. Emma had to admit that. Self-obsessed, but beautiful.
Then came a snap of the night sky, the glitter of city lights below. A mid-air shot. She was traveling.
Another tap, and Jenny was showing off a lavish hotel suite, with the caption: "Jet lag who? This view makes it worth it. Take a wild guess... what country am I in? Emma skipped past the endless replies flooding the screen.
And then came a photo.
Jenny's hand, perfectly manicured, resting on top of someone else's hand across a dinner table. Their fingers were laced. The caption read:
"They say catch feelings not flights... but I catch feelings for whoever books my flight."
Emma's heart stalled.
She stared at it, too long, too hard. Something about that hand tugged at her. The shape, the tone of his skin, the veins. And then her eyes caught it.
A scar.
Just above the wrist.
Her chest tightened. That scar. She knew it. She had traced it with her fingers countless times, played with it absentmindedly while he held her.
Her stomach dropped.
Emma's mind spun, her chest rising and falling fast. You can't hide a secret forever. Not when the person you're seeing is a public figure, and his ex is an influencer with millions of eyes watching.
She glanced at the top corner of the snap, it was posted 20 minutes ago.
Emma scoffed under her breath, though her chest ached. She tapped through the rest of the story.
The next video showed a breathtaking waterfront, waves glittering under the sun. Jenny turned her camera, showing the view from the balcony. Her caption read:
"If you guessed Spain, you're right 🇪🇸✨. I just love the people and the culture so much... that's why I had to come back."
Emma's hand went cold. Spain.
Her thumb shook as she exited the app. Without thinking, she called Jayden. It rang. Once. Twice. Went to voicemail. She tried again, and it rang out.
Her chest caved. They had never explicitly said they were exclusive, but Emma thought they were. She thought what they had meant something. Why did this feel like betrayal? Why did it feel like being cheated on?
Her next move was instant. She dialed Mandy.
Two rings, and Mandy answered, her voice heavy with sleep.
"Emma... do you know it's barely past 5 a.m.?"
"Jayden is in Spain," Emma said, her voice trembling. "And so is Jenny Alvarez."
There was a pause.
"What?" Mandy shot up, suddenly awake.