Jade couldn't stop scrolling. She told herself it wasn't a big deal, that social media was just a collection of snapshots and exaggerations, but every time she saw another girl posting her fresh tattoo her skin crawled. Marcus's name, in a small heart, a knot of jealousy tightened in Jade's stomach.
The worst was a post from a girl she barely knew, captioned:
"Now this man is life-changing #Tats4WhiteGirls"
The initials "M.R." were scrawled in delicate script along her collarbone, and Marcus was tagged in the post too. Jade stared at it for what felt like hours.
She wanted to believe Marcus when he had told her, "It's just a trend, babe. It doesn't mean anything." She had believed him, at first anyway. But now? Seeing his name on other girls' skin, the same way it was etched on her ankle just felt... wrong.
She replayed their night together in her mind. It hadn't been casual. Not to her anyway. The way his lips lingered, the way his hands had rested on her waist, it felt personal, real, like he was giving a part of himself to her. Didn't that make her special? But now it seemed like she was just another participant in a trend.
Still, Jade couldn't deny that Marcus was mesmerizing. He was magnetic in a way that was hard for her to explain, his confidence that just drew everyone to him. It wasn't just his looks, though those certainly didn't hurt, it was his energy. Being with him just felt right to her.
And besides she prided herself on being pro-Black, didn't she? That's what Mia had said when she'd first showed her the tattoo: "This is so powerful, Jade. It's such a great way to show your solidarity." Wasn't this all part of something bigger than herself?
Jade tried to cling to that thought, but it didn't erase the sting of jealousy or the gnawing question in her mind.
If it really is just a trend, why does it feel like it's my heart that is breaking?
---------
Jade stared at her phone, Marcus's name on her screen as her thumb hovering over her texts. She wanted to confront him again and demand an explanation. But she already knew how it would go. With that easy smile and charming personality, somehow she'd end up feeling like the irrational one.
Instead, she called Mia.
By the time Mia arrived, she was already diving into solutions. "You've just got to stop letting him get in your head so much," she said, dropping onto the bed with a dramatic sigh beside her. "Marcus is Marcus. He's never gonna change."
"But that's the problem," Jade said as she paced the room. "He's so... casual about it. Like, do I even matter to him at all?"
Mia tilted her head. "You do matter to him in some way. But that's not gonna stop him fucking with other girls. You knew that going in. That's the trend."
Jade sat down, resting her head in her hands. "I just... I don't know. I thought this would feel different. I thought it would just be me and him, you know?"
Mia leaned forward, her expression now softening. "Look, I get it. It's a difficult situation. But if he's not gonna change for you, maybe you need to change how you think about him. Or... I don't know, maybe you need to flirt with someone new."
Jade's head shot up, "What?!"
"I'm serious! Why tie yourself to one guy when he's out there fucking half the uni? Go have some fun. Go kiss someone else, see where it takes you and maybe earn another tattoo. Show him he's not the only one who matters."
Jade shook her head. "I don't think I can do that."
"Why not?" Mia pressed. "You're not in love with him or something, are you?"
"No!" Jade said quickly, though her cheeks flushed bright red. "It's not like that. It's just... it feels wrong. Like, what if it's not as good? Marcus is so great. What if I get with someone else and it's awful?"
Now Mia burst out laughing. "Jade, you're overthinking this. It's just sex! And besides, what if it's better? What if he's not the only great guy out there?"
Jade hesitated, gnawing at her bottom lip as she processed Mia's words. She had to admit the idea was tempting to her, but also terrifying. What if flirting with someone else made things worse? What if Marcus found out and stopped seeing her altogether? But the alternative, sitting around and watching the results of him sleeping with other girls, felt unbearable.
Mia stood and grabbed Jade's hands, pulling her up. "Look, there's a party at Becki's tonight. You're coming with me. We'll have fun, and if you meet someone, you meet someone. No pressure, think about it, okay?"
Jade nodded reluctantly. "Yes I'll think about it."
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Later that night, they walked into the crowded house party. Jade felt her nervousness spike as 90's music thumped through the large speakers. Groups of people were scattered everywhere talking, laughing and some were even flirting. She spotted Marcus before she had even found her first drink. He was leaning against a wall in the lounge, laughing with a group of girls. One of them hanging off his arm, her hand against his chest.
Jade's stomach twisted. She grabbed a drink from the kitchen and downed it in a single gulp.
"You okay?" Mia asked, watching her carefully.
"Yeah," Jade lied.
"Good," Mia said, steering her toward a group of guys standing in the hall. "Because I think it's high time that you met someone new."
As the night went on, Jade found herself talking to Andre, one of the guys Mia had thrown her towards. He was funny, charming, and he didn't seem to mind her awkwardness.
But then mid-sentence, he stopped talking and leaned in to kiss her, she froze for a moment. Her heart pounding, and doubts swirling in her mind.
What if it's not the same? What if it's a mistake? What if Marcus finds out?