Friction
Monday came sooner than Emily had hoped.
She was still trying to process everything that happened on Saturday night. The thought of seeing JJ again made her stomach churn, a knot forming in her chest that wouldn’t go away. JJ would probably pretend it never happened—she’d probably try to act normal, maybe even ignore it altogether. Emily didn’t know if she was going to let her. After all, they shared a lot of the same friends and had most of the same classes. The last thing she wanted was for things to get weird between them.
The school was as it always was. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, mixing with the heavy smell of cologne from the guys in the halls and the familiar, stale musk of the building. The rain continued outside, soft tapping against the windows, while the sound of squeaky shoes echoed down the halls.
Emily took a few books out of her locker, ready to head to class, but then she saw them.
JJ and Will were walking down the hallway, practically glued to each other. JJ had her arm linked with Will’s, her head tilted back as she laughed loudly at something he said. The sight of them hit Emily like a punch to the gut. It wasn’t unexpected, but seeing it made everything feel real.
JJ’s eyes flickered over to Emily, and for a moment, their gazes met. Emily’s heart dropped, but she didn’t let it show. She didn’t react. She didn’t move.
JJ quickly tore her eyes away, a brief look of guilt flashing across her face. Then, without missing a beat, she wrapped her arms around Will’s neck and kissed him.
Will chuckled and pulled away with a grin. “What’s got you so clingy this morning?”
JJ’s smile was too wide, too forced. “Nothing,” she said, her voice light, almost too light. “I just missed you.”
Emily couldn’t tear her eyes away. She didn’t know if it was the act of it, the way JJ was trying so hard to hide the guilt, or if it was the fact that JJ had kissed Will right after that moment with her. She felt something twist inside her, but she didn’t let herself feel it for long. She didn’t have time to.
Will laughed softly, giving her a teasing look. “I’m not complaining.”
JJ nodded, her smile tight. “I know.”
Emily closed her locker, the loud slam of it echoing in the hall. She tried to shake the image of them out of her head as she walked quickly to class, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t go away. So this was how it was going to be.
Class was fine. Boring, but fine. JJ ignored her the entire time, just as she expected, but Emily kept her head down, focusing on the work in front of her. It was a decent distraction. By the time the bell rang, Emily was just happy to escape.
She wasn’t looking forward to lunch.
When she walked into the cafeteria, JJ wasn’t there yet. Penelope and Elle started talking to her, but Emily barely registered what they were saying. She picked at her food with her fork, not really eating, her thoughts a million miles away. Elle seemed to notice her quietness.
“You okay, Em?” Elle asked softly, her tone laced with concern.
Emily blinked, coming back to reality. She looked up and saw the genuine worry in Elle’s eyes. She forced a smile, the best she could muster. “Oh, yeah. Just didn’t sleep much last night.”
It wasn’t a lie. Thoughts of JJ had kept her awake long after she’d gone to bed.
“You sure?” Elle asked again, her voice soft. “You seem… off.”
Emily nodded, trying to reassure her. “I’m sure. Thanks, though.”
Elle didn’t push it further, though Emily could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced. The conversation shifted back to Penelope, but Emily didn’t really hear it. Her mind was elsewhere. She wasn’t thinking about lunch, she was thinking about what would happen when JJ walked in.
A few minutes later, JJ and Will showed up, still walking with their arms linked together. JJ smiled brightly, the kind of smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Emily’s gaze flicked over to them, and she couldn’t help but notice the way JJ seemed a little too stiff. Will dropped his arm around her shoulders as they sat down, and JJ shifted uncomfortably, like she was trying to pull away without actually pulling away.
Penelope noticed right away. “Oh my God, you two are just the cutest!” she squealed, leaning forward with a wide grin.
Emily’s couldn’t help but laugh, not because it was funny, but because she was seconds away from losing it.
This was all too fake.
JJ’s eyes slid over to Emily, her expression tight. “Something funny, Emily?”
Emily didn’t flinch. She didn’t break her gaze, letting her words drip out slowly. “Oh, it’s nothing, Jennifer.
JJ stiffened, her throat tightening at the way Emily said her name. Emily saw her flinch, but JJ quickly covered it with a forced chuckle. Emily didn’t care. She wasn’t going to make this easy.
Before JJ could say anything, Penelope piped up again, trying to ease the tension. “So, how was the project, you two?”
JJ glanced at Emily, and for a split second, there was something unspoken between them. Then, JJ answered, her tone flat. “It was fine. Nothing special.”
Emily’s voice came out just as sharp. “Right.”
The silence that followed was thick. Spencer, oblivious as ever, decided to speak up, filling the void. “Well, it had to have been something special if Mr. Rossi said it was the best in the class!”
JJ gave a half-hearted smile. “Yeah, I guess.”
Emily couldn’t hold back a small, dry laugh. “I guess we make a good team.”
JJ’s gaze hardened, but she didn’t respond, only shrugged.
“Well, I don’t know what just happened here, but let’s wrap this up,” Elle said, trying to break the tension. “Anyways, how do you guys think you’ll do during finals?”
The conversation shifted, but Emily could feel the air around her change. JJ and Will were inseparable, laughing too loudly at Will’s jokes, her body leaning into him more than it should have. Emily could see the cracks in JJ’s smile, but she wasn’t going to point them out. It didn’t matter. JJ had made her choice.
As soon as lunch ended, Emily gathered her things and nearly bolted out of the cafeteria. She’d had enough. The noise, the tension, the whole situation—it was all too much.
She hadn’t made it far down the hall before Elle caught up with her, practically jogging to keep pace.
“Hey!” Elle grabbed Emily’s wrist, tugging her back with a determined frown. “What the hell is wrong with you? You practically ran out of there.”
“I’m fine,” Emily muttered, trying to shrug it off. “I just don’t want to be here.”
Elle raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Okay, then let’s go.”
“What?”
“I said, let’s skip.” Elle gave her wrist a gentle tug, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I’m not feeling physics today, and it’ll give us a chance to talk about whatever’s got you so worked up.”
“Elle—” Emily started, but Elle was already walking, pulling her along by the wrist.
“Nope,” Elle interrupted, her tone firm but playful. “We’re going. You’re talking. Something’s clearly bothering you, and I’m not letting you walk around pretending it’s not.”
With a sigh, Emily gave in, letting herself be led toward the parking lot. Elle hopped into the driver’s seat of Emily’s car like she owned it, a wide grin spreading across her face.
“Fine,” Emily muttered as she slid into the driver’s seat herself. “But you better be prepared to listen.”
Elle buckled up, her eyes softening. “I’m all ears, Em.”
They drove aimlessly around town, the sound of the engine filling the otherwise quiet car. Emily’s mind was a swirl of emotions, none of which she could quite sort through. She couldn’t bring herself to speak until they eventually parked in the lot of an old, abandoned retail store.
The silence lingered, thick with unspoken words. Finally, Elle broke it, her voice gentle but insistent. “So, what happened? Talk to me.”
Emily closed her eyes briefly, running a hand through her hair. “Nothing happened,” she said with a shrug, trying to convince herself more than Elle. “I’m just… not having a good day.”
Elle leaned forward, giving her a knowing look. “Bullshit, Em. Something’s wrong. And I’m guessing it’s JJ, isn’t it? Because, let’s be honest, lunch today? Awfully tense, even for you two.”
Emily stiffened, her stomach flipping at the thought of JJ. The way everything had changed, the awkward silence, the forced smiles. The kiss. God, the kiss.
“It doesn’t matter,” Emily said quickly, trying to avoid it.
“Oh, it definitely matters. What, did you guys hook up or someth—” Elle’s teasing cut off mid-sentence as her eyes widened. “No way.”
Emily didn’t answer, staring hard at the dashboard.
“Holy shit. You didn’t.”
“Elle, no! It wasn’t like that.” Emily groaned, burying her face in her hands. “It was just… a kiss. A really good kiss.”
Elle’s jaw practically hit the floor. “Jennifer Jareau kissed you? JJ? Miss Perfect-Soccer-Captain-only-dates-football-players JJ?”
Emily couldn’t help the grin pulling at her lips. “When you put it that way…”
“Emily! You should’ve told me!” Elle smacked her lightly on the shoulder.
“Ow! I just did!”
“Yeah—three business days later!”
“Okay, well—you know now!”
“This is insane!” Elle was practically bouncing in her seat. “Is JJ a good kisser? What kinda kiss was it? Was she like, more top or bottom—because JJ totally gives off—”
“Elle! What the hell?
“What?! I’m just asking the important questions!”
Emily tried to glare but couldn’t stop the smile creeping across her face. “Yeah, Elle. It was a good kiss. Like, she practically jumped into my lap, hands in my hair, sighing into my mouth kind of kiss.”
Elle stared at her, completely floored. “Jennifer Jareau straddled you? This is insane. And you’re sitting here all doom and gloom? You look pretty damn happy to me.”
The grin slipped from Emily’s face. The buzz of excitement fizzled out just as quickly as it had come.
“That’s the problem,” she muttered, running her hands through her hair. “She’s acting like it
Elle’s smile faltered. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
A heavy silence settled between them, thick with everything Emily couldn’t say. The excitement from earlier felt childish now—like she’d let herself get too hopeful for something that was never going to mean anything.
Elle finally broke the silence, voice softer now. “You talked to her since?”
Emily shook her head. “Not really. She’s been avoiding me—barely looking at me, barely talking. I don’t get it. One second she’s… into it. Into me. And then it’s like nothing ever happened.
Elle hesitated, biting her lip before speaking. “You think it’s because of Will?”
Emily’s stomach twisted at the mention of his name. “I don’t know… Maybe. I mean, yeah, she has a boyfriend. But that didn’t seem to matter when she was—” She cut herself off, jaw tightening. “It’s just messed up. She’s with him, but she didn’t exactly stop herself from kissing me.”
“Yikes,” Elle muttered. “Okay, but… maybe that’s why she’s freaking out now? I mean, JJ’s whole life is about being perfect—perfect grades, perfect boyfriend, perfect reputation. You don’t just blow that up without thinking twice.”
Emily ran her hands through her hair again, frustration bubbling up. “Yeah, well, I didn’t ask for her to kiss me. She did it. And now I’m stuck here, feeling like the villain in some drama.”
Elle gave her a moment before her expression shifted—playful and wicked, like she couldn’t help herself. “Okay, but like… let’s circle back to the important part. You’re telling me JJ was all dominant? Straddling you, hands in your hair—JJ?”
Emily groaned, dragging her hands over her face. “Elle, shut up.”
“Oh my God! She totally took control, didn’t she?” Elle leaned in with a smug grin. “Little miss golden girl is a top, isn’t she? I knew it!”
“Elle!” Emily shoved her shoulder, trying—and failing—to suppress her laugh.
“Come on, just admit it. You liked it. You liked being bossed around by JJ.”
Emily’s cheeks burned hotter than she wanted to admit. “I swear to God, I will kick you out of my car.
Elle threw her hands up in surrender, but her grin didn’t budge. “Okay, okay! But seriously—if JJ wants to play ‘perfect girlfriend’ and pretend nothing happened, that’s her problem. You? You should be proud. You got Jennifer freaking Jareau to risk her perfect little life over you.”
Emily couldn’t help it—the smallest, smug little smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“See? There she is,” Elle teased. “Emily Prentiss: certified heartbreaker and girlfriend-stealer.”
“Shut up,” Emily muttered, but this time, she couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
Elle leaned back in the seat, still grinning. “I’m just saying—if JJ wants to go back to playing perfect girlfriend, that’s her guilt to carry. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Emily’s smile faded, replaced with that heavy twist of guilt again. “Didn’t I, though? I knew about Will. And I still let it happen.”
“Oh, come on, Em.” Elle rolled her eyes. “You didn’t let anything happen—she kissed you. What, were you supposed to push her away mid-makeout? Be like, ‘Sorry, JJ, go kiss your football-playing boyfriend instead’?
Emily stared down at her hands, picking at the skin around her nails. “Still feels shitty. I don’t want to be that person.”
“Hey.” Elle’s voice softened, and she nudged Emily’s arm. “You’re not. You didn’t start this, she did. And honestly? I think part of her wanted to get caught up in something messy for once. You’re just… the lucky disaster she picked.”
Emily let out a weak laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah, lucky me.”
Elle studied her for a second before the teasing spark reignited. “Okay, but like—can we go back to how JJ’s a top? I just need to mentally process that for a sec.”
“Oh my God, Elle—”
“No, I’m serious! She just climbed right on top of you? You’re telling me Jennifer Jareau made a move on you?”
Emily groaned, throwing her head back. “I’m going to kill you.
Elle burst out laughing, completely ignoring her. “I mean, damn, Em! Didn’t know you were into that kinda thing, kinky.”
“I swear, if you don’t shut up—”
“Oh, please, don’t even try to lie. I know you liked it. JJ’s got you all messed up, and you’re into it.”
Emily shoved Elle’s shoulder again, this time with a little more force. “You’re actually the worst.”
Elle just grinned, unbothered. “Admit it. You’re into her bossing you around.”
Emily crossed her arms and stared out the window, biting back a smile. “I’m not even acknowledging that with a response.”
“That’s basically admitting it,” Elle sang, leaning in closer. “Emily Prentiss—secretly into being dominated by Miss Perfect herself. You really are full of surprises.”
Emily covered her face with her hands, but her laughter spilled out anyway. “You’re insufferable.”
“And you’re in so much trouble, Em.”