Tesia remained standing in front of the door for a few seconds after coming inside.
She didn't move.
She didn't say anything.
Her hands were clasped against her chest, her gaze lowered, and her heart was still beating far too fast.
"…"
Then she slowly raised her head.
Her eyes were closed.
And suddenly…
A smile.
A completely silly smile.
“Hehehe…”
She swayed from side to side. She wasn't really dancing; it was more like her body wanted to scream with happiness while she tried desperately to contain herself.
"!"
A tiny, silent squeal escaped her.
"!"
There were no words, only an adorable little sound that somehow expressed everything she was feeling—and the scene replaying in her mind over and over.
I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't believe it.
She spun around, squeezing her fists against her chest.
"!"
Finally, she leaned back against the wall.
"!"
What was that?! Did we… almost kiss… on the lips?! A real kiss?!
At that moment, her mother appeared in the hallway.
“Tesia?”
The vampire jumped and froze.
“Sweetheart, did something happen?”
No answer.
“Are you okay?”
Silence.
Her mother approached slowly. Seeing Tesia's flushed cheeks and goofy smile, she assumed her daughter was recording something.
“Is this some new TikTok trend? Are you recording a TikTok? Sorry, honey. I didn't mean to interrupt.”
After a moment, she sighed.
“If I'd known, I wouldn't have interrupted your… whatever you were doing for a video.”
Tesia opened her eyes.
“Mom!”
She ran over and hugged her.
“Sweetheart!”
“Mom!”
“Oh, you're not mad that I ruined your TikTok?”
“TikTok? I wasn't recording anything, Mommy…”
“Then what were you doing?”
“I'm really happy, Mommy!”
Her mother smiled and stroked her head.
“Oh, you were just happy. What a lovely girl I have. Let me guess… Jean?”
Tesia froze, her face turning red again.
"…"
“It was because of Jean, wasn't it? That human has you completely in love, doesn't he? You're taking too long to bring him home.”
“Mom!”
“Come on, sweetheart. Tell me everything. What did he do this time?”
Tesia buried her face against her mother.
“A kiss…”
Her mother raised an eyebrow.
“He kissed you?”
“N-no…”
Tesia became even redder.
“I… I gave him a little kiss.”
“Oh.”
Her mother smiled.
“You got that bold side from your mother. Are you two dating already? Are you going to turn him into one of us?”
Tesia lifted her head.
“One of us? I… I hadn't thought about that…”
“You hadn't thought about him becoming your boyfriend?”
“No, Mom. I meant the second part…”
“Hmmm…”
“I won't think about that yet. One thing at a time. First, I need to make my feelings clear. He needs to realize that I'm really in love with him, Mom.”
“Sweetheart, that's pretty obvious.”
“Mom!”
The two of them laughed.
///
That night, Tesia finally went to bed.
She turned the air conditioner down a little and snuggled beneath the blankets.
She stared at the ceiling.
As she did every night since falling in love with him, she thought about Jean.
His smile.
His voice.
Today…
The way it had felt as if the entire world stopped when they looked into each other's eyes from only inches apart on the couch.
And the feeling of his cheek beneath her lips when she had boldly kissed him.
After dreaming about that moment for so long, imagining countless ways to make it happen, she had finally experienced it.
It was worth the wait… after all this time…
I finally did it…
Tesia smiled as she drifted off to sleep.
“Jean…”
She closed her eyes.
And finally fell asleep.
///
The scene changed.
A small bell rang.
Ding.
The door of a store opened.
“Good afternoon.”
Tesia's voice sounded different.
Deeper.
More serious.
More professional.
“Good afternoon! Welcome to B-Mart!”
A young man stood in front of her.
His face couldn't be seen.
Neither could Tesia's.
We were seeing everything from the perspective of someone behind the counter.
The young man placed several things on the counter.
“Is that everything? Do you have a rewards card?”
“And can I get a pack of white cigarettes, please? And, um… no. I didn't bring my card this time.”
Tesia scanned the items.
Beep. Beep.
“That'll be… X dollars.”
“By card, please.”
“Sure. You can tap it here.”
Beep.
“All set.”
“Thank you.”
“Have a nice afternoon.”
“You too.”
The door rang again.
Ding.
///
Ding.
The same store.
Another day.
The same young man, this time carrying a drink and something to eat.
“Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon.”
Tesia scanned the items.
Beep.
“Anything else?”
“Can I get a pack of white cigarettes? And that's everything.”
“That'll be X dollars.”
The young man paid the exact amount.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you. Have a good day!”
He left.
Ding.
///
Another day.
Ding.
“Good afternoon.”
“Hey.”
The young man placed a bag of chips on the counter.
“Is that everything?”
“Yeah.”
Tesia looked at him.
“Not buying cigarettes this time?”
“Huh? Oh, right. I almost forgot. Can I get a pack, please?”
“Sure thing.”
The young man looked at his chips.
“You know? I've been trying to quit.”
“Don't quit. You'd be putting me out of business.”
“Haha. I'd just buy some candy instead…”
She scanned everything.
Beep.
“That'll be X dollars.”
He paid.
“Thank you.”
“Have a nice afternoon. Come again soon.”
///
Another day.
Ding.
“Good evening.”
The young man approached the counter.
“Good… evening…”
“Are you okay? Has anyone been bothering you?”
“Huh?”
He smiled.
“Everything's been fine. Thanks.”
She scanned the items.
Beep.
“Want a pack of white cigarettes?”
“Yeah.”
“These ones are on the house.”
The young man laughed softly.
“Are you sure? Isn't that going to hurt your sales?”
Tesia's eyes suddenly opened.
She was in her bedroom.
She breathed slowly, looking confused for a few seconds.
Then she touched her face.
A tear was running down her cheek.
“Huh…?”
She wasn't sad.
Not exactly.
It was simply a strange feeling.
She hugged her pillow against her chest.
Then she smiled faintly.
“I still dream about that…”
She remained there for a few seconds before closing her eyes again.
“I wonder if…”