//Haley's Confession//
Haley sat on the couch with one leg tucked under her and the other dangling off the edge, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
She looked straight ahead.
"So," she said, drawing the word out, "Gloria, Manny, and I went shopping. They opened this new shoe store, which was already dangerous information for me to have. Of course, I told Gloria and she couldn't help herself from buying new shoes and she bought me a pair. I love her so much."
She nodded to herself.
"And then I saw Jack."
Her lips curved despite her best effort.
"Just standing there looking at Burger King. Like people don't normally run into their weird crushes while deciding between fried chicken and burgers... I was starving by the way."
She shifted, sitting up straighter.
"And then," she added, eyes widening a little, "I realized he wasn't alone."
She leaned forward.
"Oh my god. That was Dakota Fanning. Like, THE Dakota Fanning."
She paused, letting that sink in, then shook her head slowly.
"And of course, of course, we both said his name at the exact same time."
Haley let out a short laugh and pressed her lips together.
"So now I'm standing there in jeans and, like, an old top I've worn a hundred times, and she's wearing this green summer dress that probably has its own publicist."
She gestured vaguely at herself.
"I mean, I know I'm beautiful. I do. That's not the issue."
She tilted her head, giving a small, wry smile.
"But how the hell do I compete with Dakota Fanning?"
She leaned back against the couch cushions and sighed.
"That's just ridiculous."
//Haley's Confession End//
...
[Back at the Mall]
Jack stood there for half a second too long.
That was enough time for his brain to register the problem and absolutely refuse to solve it.
Haley and Dakota were both looking at him now.
Haley's expression was open but guarded, curiosity mixed with something sharper that she probably would not admit to herself yet.
Dakota's gaze was calmer, more practiced, the look of someone used to being noticed but still alert to shifts in a room. 'To think I'll meet him here of all places. God, he's really handsome and kinda hot. I wonder if he still thinks that I'm a freak for kissing him back then. He looked angry back then for taking his first kiss. But it was my first kiss too. Argg! I'm so nervous. Please don't remember, please don't remember... But who's that girl? His girlfriend?'
They noticed each other at the same moment.
Jack could feel it, that subtle tightening in the air, the way attention slid sideways instead of forward. Haley glanced at Dakota, Dakota glanced at Haley, quick and instinctive, like two people silently measuring distance.
There it was.
A spark.
'What the fuck is going on? I can understand Haley. But why is Dakota looking at her like that? Women are complicated beings.'
Jack took a deep breath. 'And this just had to happen here of all places. In a food court, with the smell of fries and coffee hanging in the air, and zero room for clean exits.'
If he greeted one first, the other would notice. If he hesitated, both would notice. There was no version of this that went completely clean.
So he chose the one he was slightly closer to at the moment.
He stepped forward, closing the distance.
"Hey, Haley," he said, voice warm and natural.
Her eyes flickered, surprise brightening them before she smiled. "Hey."
Jack felt the tension ease just a fraction, enough to breathe.
Then he turned his head and met Dakota's eyes. He gave her a small nod, familiar but respectful.
"Dakota," he said, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. "Long time no see."
'He doesn't look angry. Did he forget? Well, we were out of contact for a long time. So... Maybe it's for good.' Dakota blinked once, then smiled back, genuine and a little amused. "Yeah. It has been."
Haley's gaze moved between them. 'That's Dakota Fanning! OMG! I can not win against her. Oh my god, my self-confidence is about to hit its lowest point. What does this mean? Is he way out of my league? Of course he is... Alright, take a deep breath and calm down. Don't panic.'
"Oh," she said lightly, "so you two know each other."
Jack nodded. "A bit. From a while back."
Dakota shifted her bag higher on her shoulder. "We worked on a movie together. Years ago."
"Haha... How silly of me. Of course, you two have met before. Both of you are in Hollywood after all," Haley said, tone casual, but Jack caught the way her fingers curled slightly around her phone.
Gloria clapped her hands together suddenly, breaking the moment like a snapped rubber band. She noticed the tension.
"Okay," she said brightly, eyes lighting up. "This is interesting. Jack, hello. I am Gloria. And this is Manny."
Manny nodded politely, extending his hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Manny."
Jack smiled at them both and shook his hand. "I'm Jack. Nice to meet you."
"And you," Gloria said, giving him a look that lingered just a second too long. "Very nice. So you are an actor. Haley keep talking about you all the time."
Haley smiled. "Gloria."
"What?" Gloria said innocently. "You were just talking about how you two are going to study maths on Sunday and you bought new shoes and a dress."
"Stop embarrassing me," Haley muttered, glaring at Gloria.
Dakota let out a soft laugh, easing the tension a little. "So… small world."
"Yeah," Jack said. "Didn't expect to run into anyone from school today and from work at the same time."
Haley lifted a shoulder. "Mall does that to you."
Dakota glanced around. "Were you heading somewhere, or just wandering?"
Jack shrugged. "I was about to grab something to eat."
Haley's eyes brightened. "Oh. Same."
Dakota smiled. "We were just about to do that too."
Gloria chimed in again. "Then maybe we should go together."
There was a brief pause.
Then Haley said, "Okay."
Dakota nodded. "Sure."
...
They started walking toward Burger King as a loose group, the kind that looked casual from the outside but felt anything but.
Haley slowed just enough to fall in step with Gloria, lowering her voice the moment Jack and Dakota walked a few paces ahead.
"Why did you do that?" Haley whispered, eyes forward, smile still pasted on her face for anyone watching. "Why did you invite them to eat together?"
Gloria leaned down slightly, lips barely moving. "Because this is not the time to be polite and run. This is the time to go strong."
Haley glanced at her, panic flickering. "Go strong, how? Gloria, that is Dakota Fanning."
"Yes," Gloria said calmly, "and you are Haley Dunphy. Do not say it like you are already losing."
Haley frowned. "She's famous. She's pretty. She probably wakes up looking like a magazine cover."
Gloria waved a hand. "Please. I wake up looking like a magazine cover and I still had to fight for your grandpa. Listen to me."
She leaned closer, voice firm now. "Jack greeted you first."
Haley blinked. "He did."
"Exactly," Gloria said. "That means there is hope. And hope is everything you can afford right now."
Haley swallowed. "Then why did you bring up the study thing earlier. That was embarrassing."
Gloria smiled, sharp and satisfied. "Because it reminds her that you already have time with him. Planned time. Studying on Sunday sounds innocent, but it is strategic. It plants a flag and we all know what happens behind the closed door."
Ahead of them, Jack slowed slightly so they regrouped near the counter. The smell of fries and grilled meat hit them immediately.
Dakota studied the menu with her head tilted slightly, eyes moving across the options.
"I forget the last time I had a cheat day," she said. "It is so hard to keep in shape."
Gloria snorted softly. "Oh please. You are young. Eat the fries. This is the time to enjoy life."
Dakota laughed. "That is what my trainer would say right before crying."
Manny was already leaning forward.
The cashier looked up, bored, then blinked when she registered the group standing in front of her. She straightened slightly. "Hi. What can I get for you?"
"I will go first," Manny said immediately, stepping up.
Gloria sighed. "Oh no."
"I would like a Whopper," Manny began, serious and deliberate, "but without onions, because onions distract from the flavor of the beef. And no pickles, because I do not like surprises. Extra lettuce, but only the crisp parts, not the soggy ones. Light ketchup, heavy mayo, but evenly distributed."
The cashier stared at him.
"And," Manny added, holding up a finger, "I want the bun lightly toasted, but not so toasted that it overwhelms the softness. It should feel comforting."
Jack pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. 'Classic Manny.'
Dakota and her two friends thought: 'Who is this weirdo?'
Haley covered her mouth. "Manny."
"What?" Manny said.
The cashier typed slowly. "So… a Whopper, customized."
"Yes," Manny said, relieved. "You understand me. Oh, as for fries..."
Gloria gave her lethal smile as she grabbed Manny's arm and gave a little squeeze. "Normal fries. Do not argue."
Manny nodded reluctantly. "Fine."
Next was Gloria, who ordered a simple burger, adding extra sauce.
Haley stepped up next. She ordered quickly, trying not to overthink it, though she could feel Jack standing just behind her. A regular chicken burger, fries, and a soda.
Dakota went after her, still scanning the menu like she might change her mind at any second. "Okay. I am doing it," she said decisively. "Cheeseburger, fries, and a diet soda."
Her friends also ordered but they chose Sprite.
Jack stepped forward last. "I will just have the new double-stack burger and large fries. And I'll take a large Fanta." He then took out his card.
Haley turned to him. "You do not have to do that."
"I know," Jack said easily. "I want to."
Dakota hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," he said. "It is not a big deal."
Gloria clapped her hands together again and whispered behind Haley. "I like him already."
Manny squinted at Jack. "This is very generous. I will remember this when I write about today in my journal."
Jack smiled. "I am honored."
He paid, tapping his card and stepping aside while they waited for their number. The tension eased a little once they moved away from the counter, replaced by the ordinary noise of the food court, trays sliding, people talking, someone laughing too loudly nearby.
They found a table near the edge, just far enough from the crowd to feel separate.
Haley was about to sit beside Jack, but Dakota's friends got in the way and Dakota quickly slid beside him, giving Haley a smirk.
They talked about their morning and how they couldn't buy certain things due to the ongoing renovation in the mall. Dakota introduced her friends, Gina and Lisa, to them and she was really friendly.
Soon, their food arrived.
Manny immediately inspected his tray when the food arrived, lifting the bun slightly to check the distribution of condiments.
"This is acceptable," he announced.
For a few minutes, they ate. Fries disappeared. Wrappers crinkled. The moment felt almost normal, which somehow made it stranger.
Haley caught Jack looking at her once, not staring, just noticing. She held his gaze for a beat, then looked down at her food, smiling to herself.
Gloria leaned back, watching them all with quiet satisfaction.
'Yes,' she thought, 'A real love triangle. This was going to be interesting.'
While Jack was still thinking, 'Why the hell is Dakota behaving like this? Did we kiss back then? Or maybe we made some kind of promise? Fuck! I don't remember anything. Don't tell me I have some kind of memory block at this critical moment.'
Dakota broke the momentary silence. She looked at Jack and then at Haley. "So, you two are dating?"
---