The College Years
by Katie

Synopsis: Around 2 weeks after Jessie and Katie's first encounter with Sarah. Now, I know that it would be somewhat unrealistic for them to never see each other in their apartment building, but just go with me on this because what you're about to read will be well worth it.

PART 4

It had been two weeks since their first meeting. Sarah was finding herself more interested in Jessie everyday. She wasn't obsessed with the girl, she barely even knew her, but there was something about Jessie that captivated Sarah. Not even realizing her own charms, Jessie was giving off an energy that made everyone fall for her. In the beginning of high school, Jessie hadn't been the popular pretty girl. She was often alone and felt very insecure about her looks as well as her intelligence. Jessie really never felt like she belonged, until Katie came into her life. Now, the once shy and somewhat melancholy girl had come out of her shell and blossomed into a bright, charming, beautiful, witty woman that she had really been all along. Jessie loved Katie because she loved Jess before she had found herself. Katie saw something amazing inside Jessie. But in return, Jessie helped unlock the many pains and sorrows that came with Katie's past.

Outside their apartment building, mid-afternoon
Fall 2005, 2 weeks later

Jessie had a million things on her mind right now. Her paper for her M.T. class was due in two days and she wasn't even half way done yet, she had three labs due in a week, and her lyrics for her music theory project were due soon as well. Jessie had just finished going to the market, getting some cramming food, made up of mostly junk food and caffeine filled drinks, but also, a small amount of foods for a quiet little dinner for her and Katie. Katie was definitely the cook of the couple, but she had been able to do nothing but nonstop work, trying to finish up her business proposal for her business classes and hadn't had time to do anything but work and drink Red Bull. Even though Jessie didn't have a lot of time on her hands either, she thought a dinner would be nice for both of them, a chance to relax and enjoy each other's company without dealing with the rush of their busy schedules. With two grocery bags in hand, her filled to the brim backpack, and her palm pilot in hand, jotting down everything she needed to do and keep track of, Jessie made her way home. As she was turning the corner, obviously not looking up or paying attention to anything but her palm OS, she ran right smack into someone. When the two backlashed off of each other, Jessie started losing her balance and her groceries went flying. Not even bothering looking up to see who she had run into, she quickly apologized and started cursing softly under her breath as she tried to gather up her stuff.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying any attention to wear I was going," Jessie said quickly, yet sincerely as she stayed close to the ground, trying to bring in the now ruined vegetables and pasta boxes from the side of the street.

"It's ok. Here, let me help you with those," the soft voice replied, bending down to help Jessie with her stuff.

As the two women started to stand back up and go about their ways, the woman asked, "…Jessie?"

Jessie thought this was very odd that the person she ran into knew who she was, so she finally looked up and, she couldn't believe it. It was Sarah, one of her college professors.

"…Oh, hey Sarah. Sorry about this, I'm pretty clumsy sometimes," Jessie answered with a little bit of embarrassment to her voice.

"Don't worry about it Jess. These things do happen. I am sorry about your groceries though. Where are you going? Maybe I could help you take those things to your place." Sarah sure hoped Jessie wouldn't think she was trying to be too anxious about seeing where she lived.

"I'm going to my apartment. If its not too much trouble, you could help me carry a few things. I guess I'm just over-tasking too much. I tend to do that sometimes."

The two girls started a small laugh that went dry somewhat quickly.

"Oh no, it's the least I can do. Where do you live?"

"I live in the Square Complex, along Williams and Surface."

"Oh my God. Do you really?"

Jessie was a little confused, but answered anyways.

"Yeah, why?"

"…Umm…I live in the Square Complex too."

What a small world.

"Really? What apartment? We can talk as we walk," Jessie stated, once again trying to multi-task. She didn't want to be any more behind her schedule than she already was. And so the girls gathered up their stuff. Sarah took a bag of Jessie's now ruined groceries, along with her backpack and Jessie took the other bag, along with the rest of her stuff.

"Yeah. I live in apartment 4B, on the second floor. How about you?"

"Wow, this must REALLY be a small world. I live in 4A. I can't believe that we live right across the hall from each other and we've never seen each other." Jessie was really stumped on this one. It's almost impossible for them not to have ever seen each other there before. Oh well, she wasn't going to dwell on it, she already had a million things on her mind, and right now she didn't need a million and one.

"Well, I guess it's possible because it's happened." And with that, a tiny smirk came over Sarah's face. She didn't know why that had made her smile, but I suppose it was the fact that one of THE most amazing people Sarah had ever met, lived in the same apartment building as her. The possibility of things to Sarah now seemed
endless.

They walked the rest of the way pretty much in silence. While Jessie seemed to have a million things on her mind, Sarah only had one…Jessie. After a few minutes, they went into the building, up the stairs and down the hall to their apartments. Then the silence broke.

"…So…" Sarah began. "I'll pay you back for all of the groceries I helped destroy and I really am sorry."

"Oh, don't worry about it. It was an accident. I'll watch where I'm going next time though, thanks," Jessie said as she turned away from Sarah, got out her keys and turned the key in the lock.

"Well, thanks for you help and all. I guess I'll see you later then. Bye."

All Sarah could get out of her mouth was a mere and simple, "bye."

To herself, she thought, "I can't believe I actually fell for one of my own students! I mean Jessie's like ten years younger than I am first of all, but worst of all, the amazingly charming Katie already took her. There had to be SOMETHING that could tear the two of them apart, leaving Jessie running into my arms, I just have to think of what would do the trick…"

And with a sly grin on her face, she turned to her door and unlocked it and proceeded inside to figure how to carry out her plan.

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