Jackie had finally moved into her new apartment. She was in love with freedom she had living with Jo and Bridgette. The only downfall is, they were so preoccupied with their boyfriends or themselves that she was stuck to being alone in her room reading and listening to Bo Burnham's new CD she had just bought the week before. Which lead her to laughing like a moron which everyone made sure to comment on the next morning. As she woke up on a cold, cloudy day in Arizona it looked as if that's how she'd spend another day and night until she walked out of her room and saw Justin in their kitchen eating her cheerios. And somehow, Jackie didn't have the urge to kill him. Justin smiled at her as she sat next to him at the island in their kitchen. "Morning," He said, much to chipper for Jackie's liking. She let out a grunt and grabbed his bowl of dry cereal and began eating them. "Oh, sure. Help yourself, Jack." He said in his one sided conversation with the barely awake girl. "it's not use talking to her in the morning unless your name is Stephen. She's just not a morning person unless you're him. Because she has a big, fat crush on him." Bridgette chimed in as she shut the refrigerator door and looked over at the pair. This statement put a smile on Justin's face. All he's heard about for years is about Jackie. She was Stephen's obsession and he made sure everyone knew not to go there. Everyone in their group of friends knew this rule, except their dear friend Ryan.
It was the summer before Junior year when Stephen and Ryan made a bet. The bet with Jackie. Actually, a bet about her. Stephen bet that he could get Jackie to date him before winter break. Ryan bet against him, naturally. It looked promising, as if Stephen would win until Ryan stepped up his game mid-November at one of their friend's birthday parties. Ryan was one of those boys that knew what to tell girls. He knew what they wanted to hear from having sisters, naturally. Stephen was smooth when it came to girls, he just worked a lot slower than Logan did. The difference between the boys? Stephen actually cared about Jackie in the beginning. It was clear to all the boys in their group of friends that Ryan didn't. Well, as stated, he didn't at first. Soon after the friend's party, both Ryan and Jackie had became infatuated with each other and it drove Stephen nuts. He hated seeing them together around school. About the same time Jackie and Ryan had begun dating, so did Justin and Bridgette. It seemed as if Stephen was the fifth wheel with his two best friends both dating a girl. Stephen was mortified that he had lost the bet. Even more mortified that Jackie actually liked Ryan. It blew his young mind. But just as Jackie confided in Stephen that she loved Ryan, Ryan went onto tell Stephen that he had been cheating on Jackie for a few months. He was torn. Ryan was one of his best friends but, Jackie was this girl who didn't deserve to be played like Ryan was playing her. Stephen knew he had to tell her. But he didn't. He didn't, he waited until she found out on her own and he swooped down to pick up the pieces of the fragile girl.
Years later after those horrible eight months of their senior year, you can still see the parts of Jackie that died after she found out about Ryan and the girl she now refers to as the skank. To this day, Jackie can't stand the site of them together. She doesn't care if he's happy, he ripped out her heart in her own overdramatic teenage words. It didn't seem to bother Ryan anymore. At first he was a little annoyed with her for being so dramatic. After all, their relationship was based on a bet. Now, Jackie was nearly over it. As you would expect after five years. But Stephen wasn't over his crush on her. He was there for her when she needed him and she noted on that.
"You know what we should do," Bridgette suggested as the group of four sat at the local coffee shop sipping their selected drinks. "What? And if you say bowling I will punch you in the face," Jackie replied as she stared down her best friend. Justin and Stephen both let out small laughs. It was no secret that Bridgette loved to bowl. Even if she was horrible at it. Bridgette scoffed. "No! I think we should double date."
"Only problem with that is, Jackie and I aren't a couple." Stephen offered. "Yet, my friend. Yet." Justin added as he took a drink of his coffee. It was like a heat wave over came them both, Jackie and Stephen both began blushing at the thought. Bridgette did her infamous smirk they all knew oh, so well. "Guess it's settled, we're going on a double date." She said as she decided it all on her own. If they were going to take it upon themselves to become a couple, she was going to make it happen. "So, it's this will go down at 6:30 sharp," She said looked at Justin who liked to be late. "You both will come by the apartment to get us then I'll tell you the rest." The boys groaned while Jackie let out a small sigh. This was going to be a long four hours ahead of her. She knew it.