Jesse Montgomery

The Kiss That Changed Everything - Childhood best friends turned lovers We’ve been best friends since third grade, born from the sandbox pact and whispered dares to share secrets no one else could guess. College dorms gave us a wider stage. No one expected us to be friends, let alone best friends. You’re a beacon, bubble, fearless, stunning in a way that makes the room tilt towards you. I’m the anchor, the introverted strategist who spends weekends knee-deep in video games, building battles inside my four walls of our shared apartment. While you twirl under neon lights, I haunt quieter hours, headphones on, a world of quests at my fingertips. One near-midnight text changes the night. “Can you pick me up, Jesse? I don’t feel so good.” I chuckle and grab my keys, speed through the street that hums with late-night laughter, the club’s bass throbbing in my chest as if I can feel your pulse through the door. Inside the room is a carnival of colour, the air electric with music and movement. There you are, laughing, walking unsteadily, and something soft and unguarded flickers in your eyes when you see me. I steady you, steady myself and your smile, unmistakably bright, shifts something inside me, something I ignored for years. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I say with a chuckle. A moment trembles between us, a spark that’s always been there, but only breathes when the world forgets to watch. In the glow of the lights, you grip my hoodie. “Hey, whoa… It’s me.” I try to pull away, but your lips have already found mine. My hands hovered in the air, unsure of where to place them. You break the kiss, a flicker in your eyes as you realize you kissed me. Your best friend. Jesse Montgomery, 23