Chapter One

"What are you saying?" Jonesy shouted at his cellphone. The voice behind the cellphone sighed.

"I'm saying that—this ... this isn't working out," said the voice, calmly.

"What I don't understand is that you wanted this, Nikki? You didn't want to break-up when you and your parents' moved away?" Jonesy was getting angry, which was so out of character for him. "Do you remember that phone call you made before you boarded the airplane?"

"And we tried, and we both fail—I failed ... you deserve so much more," Nikki said, still calmly, which is making Jonsey more upset.

"Fine," Jonesyy said. His tone was rather sad, more than angry anymore. He was trying to fight back the tears that were building up in his eyes. "I won't argue with you. If you are that insecure about our relationship, then fine, go ahead and move on—without me. Goodbye, Nikki—"

"—Wait, Jonesy."

Click.

The sound of Jonsey finger clicking the call end button, before Nikki could say anything anything.

Ten Years Later ...

"This is garbage," Nikki boss yelled at he threw her article across the desk where they both sat at. "Did you honestly think I'd actually post this!?" He asked, rhetorically.

Nikki was starting to get a headache, and was ready to fight back, but said, "you told me to write about this topic, and now you're telling me it's my fault?"

"Sometimes, you need to break the rules for a good column—that is what makes a good journalism. And right now, I'm starting to regret hiring you." Nikki boss was being honest with her. He leaned back against his chair, and took a big stretch. "You are dismissed."

Without saying a single word, Nikki quietly got up from the chair and left her office, to go to her desk, where a bunch at papers were messily stacked-up, and candy wrappers were scattered around her computer.

She sat right away and immediately covered her eyes with her hands, the fridge scattering over her palms. "Nikki," a voice interrupted her. Nikki looked up to see her co-worker, Sarah standing next's to her. "What?" She asked, murmuring.

"There is a Jen Masteron on the phone requesting for you, immediately," Sarah said, a little annoyed at this right now. "I suggest that you answer it before someone tells the boss that you're using the work phone for persona call." And Sarah left to go back to her desk.

Nikki let out a small groan and got up from the desk and walked towards the front desk and pick up the phone and immediately answer, "are you trying to get me fried, Jen?" Nikki was inches away from getting fired, so this isn't helping anymore. "Make this quick; my co-worker threatened me that she'd tell our boss if I didn't make this quick."

"Ok. Ok," Jen said through the other line. "I'm calling to see if you're coming out next week?"

"You called me ... for this?" Nikki asked in a sarcasm tone. "For the million time, yes, I'm coming. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to keep this job, so stop calling me on here, or else—"

"Nikki, wait, there's something else—"

click.

Nikki slammed the office phone and was ready to disconnect it, but knew she couldn't. She took a deep breath and walked back to her desk and began writing up a rough, new draft of her article.

One Week Earlier ...

"Anybody home?" Jonesy shouted as he entered inside his parents' home; a figure started to run towards him.

"Jonsey!" The figure yelled. Jonesy smiled.

"Emma!" He Jonesy said picking her up and gave her a hug. "You've grown a lot since I've been away. "How old are you now?"

"I'm twelve," Emma say with a grin.

Jonsey step-mom, the another Emma, greeted him at the door. "Jonsey ... what surprise to see you here?"

"Change of plans, Emma," Jonesy say as he put little Emma down and pulled his luggage closer in the house, and shut it close.

"What was so important that you came home early?" Emma ask, curiously. "Did something happened?"

"Actually, yes, something happen," Jonesy said. "I want to wait until the whole family is here, because it is that important."

It was almost 11 o'clock at this time. "I think there are some leftover from tonight—I will re-heat them for you," Emma say as she walked towards the kitchen.

Jonesy sat at the same table, like he use to when he was younger—Emma handed him a plate with leftover. "Here you go" she said while sitting at the table. "How was your trip?" She made small conversation.

"Good," Jonesy replied back.

"Just good," Emma said with a chuckle. "Anything else happen ...?"

"Yes. Something else happen ... something exiting ... but I'd rather tell the whole family at once," Jonsey say with a mouth full of food.

"Hey Mom," Jen called out her mother name, while closing the door. She walked towards the dinning room table, to see a surprise. "Jonesy!?" She shouted his name real loud.

"You don't look happy to see your step-brother back." Jonesy could tell by Jen's look; it looked like she show a ghost, or something.

"You said weren't coming until end of Summer?" Jen says as was still shock to see Jonesy.

"I originally planned that, but that change," Jonesy said while still having food in his mouth. "Was I not suppose to come ...? He asked. "

"No. No. I didn't mean it like that—it's just—this is going to be awkward," Jen said.

"It's just what?" Jonesy said, getting annoyed. "Whatever you have to say, just spit it out, Jen; we're not teenagers anymore?"

Jen bit her lip. "Mom, could you give us a minute." Her mother nodded and left the room. Jen immediately sat right down and tried her best to explain what's happening. "I guess I should've told you, before things get awkward—"

"—Jen, just tell me," Jonsey demanded a straight answer for her.

Jen tapped her thumb together and took a deep breath. "I thought you'd be Europe for a while, so I invited Nikki to come up for a visit." She said it in one sentence, without taking a breath in-between.

"Oh," Jonesy say as he wasn't shocked, which caught Jen off by surprise.

"Did you hear me, Jonesy? Jen asked again, "I said that Nikki is—"

"—I heard you before, Jen." Jonsey cut her off. "Is that what you're worrying about?" Jen nodded. Jonesy laugh historically.

I don't if he's taking it well, or playing it cool, she said in her head. "I can tell Nikki to not come—"

"—don't do that, Jen. You are her friend, and she is always welcome to visit you," Jonesy say as he wiped his face with his napkin, and then threw on his dirty plate. Jen was still not convince that he was ok with this. "Look. Whatever happen between us, is in the past; I'm not angry at her, or hate her. I promise. Now, if you exuse me, I have an important video call I had to make."

"This late at night?" Jen ask? "Aren't you even tried from the time-zone?"

"We can't help it that there different time-zone," Jonesy say before leaving, he added, "don't miss dinner tomorrow—there's something very important I have to announce."