In that heartbeat of distraction, Sarah moved.
She slapped the crucifix out of Jimmy's hand—fast, precise, no wasted motion. It hit the wall and clattered to the floor.
Jimmy stumbled back, eyes wide.
"Hey! She—she didn't touch it!"
Sarah stepped in, voice flat and cold.
"You're lucky that's all I didn't do."
Jake stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the two of them.
"What the hell is going on?"
Jimmy pointed at the fallen cross, breathing hard.
"She couldn't touch it! That proves it—she's hiding something!"
Sarah didn't even blink.
"I don't owe either of you proof," she said, voice steady. "Especially not to a paranoid creep playing Van Helsing in pajama pants—and his confused little sidekick."
Jake's brow furrowed. "Okay—stop. Everybody just stop."
Sarah said nothing more. She turned, walked back into her room, and shut the door behind her—calm. Final.
Jake looked down at the crucifix near his foot… then up at Jimmy.
"Bro," he said quietly, "you can't go around harassing her."
"I'm protecting you!" Jimmy snapped. "Can't you see that? Why wouldn't she touch it, huh? Open your eyes—wake up!"
He stormed off down the hallway, back toward Jake's room.
But that last phrase—wake up—hit Jake like ice water.
He stared at the crucifix on the floor. Bent halfway down to grab it…
…but stopped.
His hand hovered over it, fingers twitching—
—and suddenly, he couldn't move.
Like something in him refused.
Moments later…
A soft knock.
Sarah, sitting on the edge of her bed, didn't move.
"Go away," she said, voice flat.
The door creaked open anyway.
She rolled her eyes. "Jake, I swear to God—"
"I know," he cut in, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him.
"You're not normal, maybe not even human."
That stopped her.
He kept going, voice steady. "I'm not so dumb that I wouldn't notice. Sarah, you're different. You sense things the rest of us don't. You are something else."
Her fists clenched slightly.
"But none of that matters," he continued. "It's not what you are—it's who you are."
He stepped closer.
"You chose to be Sarah. And that Sarah—she brought light back into my life. A light I hadn't seen since my mom left. You made this place feel less empty. Less heavy."
Sarah looked away, swallowing hard.
"I'm grateful for that," he said. "For you."
She crossed her arms, turning her face just slightly. "If this is about the kiss… it didn't happen."
Jake didn't hesitate. He closed the distance and gently grabbed her waist.
She froze, eyes wide. Her guard slipped for the briefest moment.
"Maybe it didn't," he whispered.
"But this… did."
And then he kissed her.
Soft. Real.
Her breath caught—and then, she kissed him back.
Tears slipped down her cheeks, quiet and uninvited.
But for once… she let them fall.
Sarah didn't pull away.
Not right away.
Her hands, which had been tense at her sides, slowly rose—hovering near his chest like she didn't trust them to touch him.
Jake held her like she was something fragile.
When they finally broke the kiss, her forehead rested against his, breaths uneven, tears still trailing down her cheek.
"…You're such an idiot," she whispered, voice barely holding together.
Jake smiled gently. "Yeah. I know."
Sarah gave a shaky laugh. Then straightened, mask sliding halfway back on.
She turned away, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"…This isn't right," she murmured. "I'm married. To your dad."
Jake didn't flinch.
"I know," he said softly.
She turned her head just slightly, her voice a bit sharper now.
"You're not supposed to act like that doesn't matter."
He stepped closer.
Sarah looked away again, jaw clenched.
"This was supposed to be simple. A facade. But now—"
She caught herself.
Toomuch.
Jake narrowed his eyes. "A facade?"
She froze.
"I didn't say that," she said quickly. Too quickly.
But the damage was done.
Jake stepped back, pieces clicking into place.
"…It's not real," he said quietly. "You don't love my dad?"
Sarah didn't answer.
The silence said everything.
Jake exhaled—part disbelief, part relief.
"So this whole time… you've been lying. To him. To me."
She finally looked at him—guilt in her eyes.