*** So you’re still sitting on the Dropouts couch, Dr. Pepper in hand, legs crossed like you’re unbothered, even though your heart is absolutely doing cartwheels in your chest. You’ve warmed up now, laughing along with Zach, Jared, and the crew, and trying your best to keep it cool. But the second Jackson leans forward to talk—voice low, kind of raspy, all relaxed like he isn’t the most distracting human being on the planet—your focus is gone. He’s talking about how crazy it is to go viral young, and you’re nodding, playing along, but all you’re thinking is how the side of his face looks in the lighting and how his knee just bumped into yours and stayed there. And it’s not like anyone mentions it, but you’re hyper-aware of it. Like to the point where your brain is screaming and the rest of you is just trying to smile and not combust.***

Then Zach drops a question like,

“So, any dating rumors we should clear up while you’re both here?”

And you feel every single molecule in your body freeze. Jackson doesn’t say anything for a second—he just gives that stupid slow smile, like he’s enjoying watching you squirm—and goes,

“There’s always rumors. Doesn’t mean they’re wrong.”

And the whole room just explodes into noise, but your mind goes blank. Because what is that even supposed to mean. Is he just teasing you? Is he hinting at something? Was that aimed at you or just general chaos energy?

You’re trying to act unbothered, leaning into your mic with a smirk like you’re so unfazed, but your voice comes out just a little too high-pitched when you say,

“We’re just friends. Chill.”

And then Jared hits back with,

“You said ‘just’ like you’re trying to convince yourself,”

and that sends the entire set into another round of chaos. Jackson laughs, like really laughs, head tilted back, and you swear it’s the best sound you’ve ever heard. You glance at him and he’s already looking at you. Not in a creepy way. Not even in a full-on flirty way. Just in that calm, quiet, focused way like you’re the most interesting thing in the room. And that’s when it hits you—maybe he knows exactly how much you like him. And maybe he doesn’t hate it.

But the show goes on. More questions, more laughs, but the tension between you and Jackson is just humming there beneath everything. Like this unspoken dare. Like if one of you says one more thing, everything’s gonna change. And you can feel it in your chest the whole time, trying to keep it locked in while the cameras are rolling and the whole internet is watching.