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PART 17 - Jessie Elizabeth Sammler
"Today has been the worst day of my life," Jessie tossed her books into her locker.
"You say that every day, Jessie." Zoë propped herself against a locker, making a ruckus that stopped some passing students in their tracks. "What’re you looking at" she asked through clenched teethe, "School‘s over, go home."
Jessie looked at the students, then at her sister, "I can’t believe I am related to the only freshman in the school with the power to intimidate the hell out of upper classmen."
"Yeah, whatever."
"I still can’t do that."
"Are we gonna stand here talking all day, or are we gonna take advantage of this fabulous 1 o’clock dismissal and grab some non-cafeteria lunch?"
"I can‘t." Jessie flung her "Rumors" script at Zoë, "I’ve got rehearsal."
Zoë sighed, crestfallen. "Yeah, What else is new?"
Jessie paused, caught off guard by the sadness in her tone. "What are you in the mood for?" She slammed her locker closed, "I could definitely go for some Pizza."
Zoë’s eyes widened "What about rehearsal?"
Jessie coughed loudly. "I’m sick," She smiled. "So, Pizza?"
"Sounds good."
"C’mon" Jessie slipped her arm around Zoë’s shoulder.
It was on the way out to the car, which Rick ever-so-hesitantly let Jessie take to school that day, that Jessie came face to face with Hayden for the first time in more than a week. She hadn’t seen or heard a word from her since that Friday. The sight of her was almost soothing.
"Hey," Hayden greeted her shyly, hands placed neatly in the pockets of her jeans.
"Hey," Jessie replied, her shyness rivaling Hayden’s own.
"I was just in the neighborhood. Saw you and figured I’d come over," She explained, then went silent.
They stared at each other for a second, until Zoë cleared her throat.
"You remember my sister, Zoë." Jessie gestured.
"Yeah. Hi, how’ve you been?"
Zoë regarded her carefully, aware of a certain growing distain for this girl she hardly knew. Managing to reign herself in, she slipped her thumb into her belt-loop, stood coyly with the other hand on her hip, and smiled. "Not Bad." She didn’t ask how she was in return because frankly, she didn’t care. She looked at Jessie. "I’m gonna wait in the car."
"Okay," Jessie nodded, then threw her the keys.
"I thought for sure that I’d scared you away." Jessie turned back to Hayden and smirked. "I mean, after how I acted last Friday, I wouldn’t have blamed you."
"Don’t think that…"She stopped. "I’m sorry I didn’t call you. I guess…I just didn’t know how to take it."
"No, I’m sorry," Jessie hung her head, "for being so bizarre. I mean, I like you. I don’t know why I got weird," she lied. She knew perfectly well why she’d gotten weird.
"It’s okay," Hayden grinned, reassuringly, "Maybe, things were just moving too fast."
"Yeah," Jessie nodded, "maybe." Maybe, definitely.
"Anyway," Hayden started while nervously pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "I was sort of hoping we could talk, maybe go someplace to hang out for a little while. Start over, only, like, taking it slowly this time."
Jessie smiled. Thank God for second chances. "Yeah, I’d like that. Uh, we were actually just going to grab some lunch, if you’d like to join us…"
Hayden looked a the car, fully aware that Zoë was not too keen about her putting the moves on her sister. "Are you sure you’re sister would be cool with that?"
"Oh, Yeah, totally." She and Zoë had already had this discussion. Her life was her own and she was free to date whoever she chose, whenever she chose to. Zoë nodded in compliance. Really, Zoë had only agreed because she wanted Jessie to shut up, but of course, Jessie did not see that. She was the victor. Period.
"Okay, then, I’d love to."
"In the back, Short Stuff," Jessie said as she opened the driver’s side door.
Zoë glared at her, unhappily. She knew as soon as she saw Hayden that she was going to get stuck hanging out with her. But she didn’t complain, just climbed into the backseat and quietly watched Hayden take the seat in the front.
"Don’t call me short stuff," Zoë spat, "Only Katie is allowed to call me that." She smirked then, knowing full well with that, she’d exacted her revenge for being banished to the backseat. Jessie scowled daggers at her.
"Fine, Whatever," She replied coldly. "Put your seatbelt on."
**********
Zoë stared harshly at Hayden the whole time. She was making Jessie laugh, and that was a bad sign. It’s not that she didn’t like her as a person, she just didn’t like her as Jessie’s girlfriend. But then, she didn’t like anyone as Jessie’s girlfriend. How could she? No one would ever be as great as Katie. Katie had been the only
"older" person who’d ever treated her like an equal, and not just some kid who didn’t get it.
"So, Zoë, you’re a Freshman?"
"Uh Huh," she grunted, not wanting to actually speak, in fear of involuntarily committing herself to a conversation she didn’t care to have.
"How do you like high school?
Zoë tossed her crust onto her plate, "Oh, you know," She spoke coolly, "It pretty much sucks."
"Don’t worry, it gets better…"
"Great," She retorted, then yawned, because she figured that saying "Bored now" flat out would probably earn her a smack from Jessie. "Jess, it’s 3 o’clock, we should get home."
"Okay, you’re right," she smirked, then grabbed her coat. "Can I take you somewhere, I mean, drop you off," she looked at Hayden.
"Oh, no. I’ve got some stuff I have to do. But, thanks."
"Okay," Jessie nodded, then shoed Zoë toward the door. "Call me soon, for real, okay?"
"I will," she smiled, "definitely."
**********
"Why," Jessie began sharply, "are you like that? Is it just a Manning thing,
or what?"
"What are you talking about?" Zoë crossed her arms, innocently.
"You know what I’m talking about. She was trying to be nice to you, and you respond by giving her massive attitude. That’s such a Grace thing to do."
"I am nothing like Grace," Zoë hissed. "Nothing like her."
Jessie shook her head in disbelief. "It doesn‘t matter," she sighed. "You’ll be happy to know that it‘s not going anywhere with her." She cursed herself, knowing now just how true that really was.
Zoë couldn’t say anything more.
The rest of the way home, they didn’t speak.
Zoë hopped out of the car as soon as it was in park. Jessie sat in the car a moment longer and watched her run with an angry, frantic stride. Great, she thought, now she’s not going to talk to me for three days. She pulled the key out of the ignition and began her slow ascent to the house. Surprisingly, Zoë greeted her at the door.
Her face was
white as a sheet-- all pigment was gone. Her eyes were glazed with a sort of
eerie gloss; Cold, in a startling, almost, without-a-clue-emotionless way.
She’d never seen that look in her eyes before, and it scared her so much, that
she knew she never wanted see it again.
"Zoë, what is it?"
Zoë began to tremble, violently.
"Zoë," She asked again, with more intensity.
Still there was nothing.
She put her hands on Zoë’s shoulders and shook her then, desperate for an answer.
"Zoë, what happened!" She screamed.
All of a sudden, Lily appeared in the hallway behind them. She was fighting back tears, and obviously losing. "Jessie, honey…" She took a desperate gulp of air…
"WHAT? What the hell is going on?"
Lily didn’t know what to say. How could she? It was so absolutely appalling. Katie was so strong, so completely incapable of doing something like this to herself.
"St-Steven Singer," She barely managed to stammer out, "left a message. for you. On the machine."
And right then, Jessie knew that something had gone horribly awry.
She walked warily into the living room, and stared at the answering machine for what seemed like an hour before she found the courage to push the "mailbox" button.
She stood there, shaking, as she heard his strong, powerful voice reduced to slightly more than a quiver.
"This is Steve Singer, umm, Katie’s brother, uh, cc-cc-calling for Jessie. Uh, J-Jess, umm, I got a phone call from Katie’s roommate th-this morning, and, umm…she’s in the hospital. Uh, apparently she," his voice got soft. Under his breath, Jessie could hear him say "Oh God…" " Uh, There’s no easy way to say this, So I’m, uh, just going to, uh," he sighed," Apparently. She. Uh, tried to, umm, commit suicide last night."
Her breath caught in her throat. Her knees gave away, and she fell to the floor. She sat there, legs crossed, unable to think, or speak or even take in oxygen. All she could do was sway back and forth, mind blank…
The message continued. "I just th-thought, I, uh. Well, you and she were, or, err, are? So close, and I thought that maybe, you should know. I’m, uh, on a plane right now, and I, I guess, if you want to call me, my cell phone number is 555-6343. Uh, I, I’m sorry." The recorder beeped. End of message.
Jessie forced herself to stand, without really thinking about it. She hurried out of that room, past Lily and a petrified Zoë, and jumped in the car. She slammed her foot down on the gas pedal with such force, that the car screeched loudly as she drove away.
TBC...