A/N: Tada! See, I did update within a week. A little short, but I couldn't think of a better way of ending. Anyways I should really get a bit more studying in before I go to work tonight. Please enjoy, and words of encouragement/criticisms are always welcome!

Painful First Impressions

London was fun, but home is definitely the place to be. Surely it can't possibly be a bad place; comfy bed, family there feeding you, brothers virtually giving up any prior engagements to drive you around. Everything is plain and simple; your neighbours might even know you as well as your family, having lived there for 23 years – no need to worry about being kidnapped and raped. However, Katie, like many others just couldn't help but be attracted to the accents – come on, you must admit there's just something about those accents that seem so… exotic.

Seconds before she arrived home, Tad had already taken the liberty to call her and ask her to go over to his place the next once she gets rest. Being the magnificent friend she is, she couldn't decline the invitation. Though having heard of 'Jessie' only so many times she can't even recall, the seemingly flawless picture that has been painted of the girl just wasn't something Katie was dying to meet.

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"Well, we're here…" The low slightly husky male voice broke Katie out of her slight daydream.

"Thanks Jake," Katie kissed him on the cheek… or she hopes it was his cheek anyways.

Now, now, Jake or his christened name Jacob is Katie's brother, not her boyfriend. Unless the dirty-blonde is planning to change her sexual preference, she won't be having one of those anytime soon.

After climbing out of the car in which she has been told was black; Katie held the door as her brother spoke to her. "Do you need me to pick you up?"

"No, I'm sure Tad can just give me a ride home or something. If not, I can walk home…" The 23 year-old smiled at her brother's thoughtfulness as always.

"Alright, if you need me, just remember to call."

"Okay…"

Moving backwards and closing the door, seconds later she felt the unmistakable breeze of the car driving past. She waved at what she imagined was the retreating figure of the car. Waving was just something she does, though of course she doesn't always get the direction right. Smiling, Katie turned around and walked towards the same front steps she has treaded down innumerable amount of times before – whether it be before or after her little accident.

Carefully climbing the three steps and walking the extra five paces, the girl reached for the handle which Tad has said was left unlocked. The door opened with its familiar creaking noises – the same ones she had reminded him to fix for several years now.

"Tad?" she called out and took a few steps into the house. "Hello?"

The dirty-blonde continued to roam the house she's come to know as her second home. Knowing her way through this house as well as her own house, Katie didn't bother taking out her cane… but then again, she rarely ever uses it anyway. But today was one of those exceptional cases, as she stumbled across an object, which got caught around her ankles causing her to fall on all fours.

"Umph…" rolling over to sit on her bottom, the injured girl began to rub at her sore hands, only to feel something wet and damp on her palms, and the familiar stinging. 'Not again…'

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She had no idea why on earth she was here, only being told that it was fairly important for her to be. Knowing her boyfriend, when he has told her to stop packing and come over… it must be reasonably important then. Nevertheless, here she sits at his computer checking some emails, and waiting mindlessly for him after he hastily dashed out to run some errands when she arrived.

A certain noise in the background pulled her out of her silent reverie, probably a voice. Thinking that it was just Tad, Jessie stayed put and waited for him to come upstairs. After a little while longer of sitting, the blonde began to wonder where he was, and it was at that precise moment that she heard a strident thud from downstairs. On instinct, Jessie promptly made her way out of the study and descended the flight of stairs only for her sight to land upon a girl rubbing at her hands.

Taking in the situation where her bag is strewn out near the other girl's legs and glass shattered on the floor, Jessie could only guess what may have happened. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I really shouldn't leave my bag lying around." She immediately went over to girl's aid, "are you alright?" The blonde quickly checked the injured girl over before her eyes came to a stop at the partially bloodied hands. "Gosh, you're bleeding…" she said with worry, without a second thought, Jessie quickly grabbed the tall lanky girl by the wrist and dragged her to the couch, her other hand clutching her backpack.

Katie frowned as she powerlessly followed, hoping against all odds that she wouldn't hit all wall or something on the way. With all the thumping of the hard wooden floor, and the small gusts of wind flowing by her, her mind wondered what this other girl was doing. Only when she felt something cold and watery touch her hand did she notice it was a piece of towel of sorts. She flinched at the minor stinging but soon relaxed and allowed the other girl to continue her ministrations.

"You're lucky you don't have any shards of glass stuck in there," Jessie informed as she continued to intently clean out the wound. "Okay, I'm gonna wipe it with alcohol, wouldn't want your hand to get infected."

'Alcohol!' An alarmed Katie thought, sadly before she could voice her thoughts, she no longer felt the minor sting, but was replaced by immense pain in which she squeaked just a little.

"Oh my gosh, am I hurting you? I'm so sorry, I swear the stinging will be over soon." Jessie tried to soothe, though a little too late.

'Don't you think it's a little too late for sorry?' Katie thought grudgingly, but the always polite dirty-blonde just mumbled a soft, "I'm fine."

The blonde continued in her patching up, pulling random bandages out of her bag. Another minute or so passed and Katie was finally nice and patched up… as in her hand.

"Done." Jessie smiled at her handy-work.

Katie took her right hand into her left and touched the bandages, "thanks."

Jessie packed her bandages back into her bag, her back turned towards the other girl. "It's okay, you getting injured was partially my fault anyways." For the first time, Jessie actually 'looked' at Katie, her eyes scanning over the long slightly wavy dirty-blonde hair, then skimming down to the smooth skin and the high cheekbones of the other girl. She had an extraordinary eye colour; not quite blue not quite green. To top everything all off, she had light freckles just across her nose. 'Wow. She looks kind of like a model.'

Shaking her head, and mentally slapping herself for staring, "Oh, after that slight little accident, I'm not sure I'd want you to know my name." The blonde said jokingly, and the other girl just replied with a chuckle of her own, "But if you must claim insurance, I'm Jessie," she extended her hand.

'Oh… you.' Unaware of the already extended hand, the older girl offered her own hand out, "I'm Katie."

Jessie frowned a little at the other girl's hand, but took it into her own and shook it politely. Then realisation came crashing down on her when she released the hand. "Wait, you're Katie? As in Tad's girl best friend, Katie?"

Being her playful nature she replied, "The one and only. But I seriously have no idea what you're say…" as if contemplating for a second, she continued "Wait, is that guy going around telling everyone again that I'm his girl best friend? Because I can tell you this, I'm his only friend."

Jessie laughed at the response, 'I like her laugh…' the dirty-blonde thought before she followed suit with the laughing.

Calming down a little, the blonde noticed something unusual, it seemed that the other girl was looking her way, but not quite looking at her.

Katie for her part felt the eyes on her, and knew this was the exact moment to explain, "Oh, just in case you're wondering…I'm blind."

'Okay… that was a bit blunt', Jessie quirked her brow at the information, "Oh, sorry."

"Sorry? For leaving your bag there, or sorry that I'm blind?"

"I dunno."

Katie smiled, "Well firstly, I'm blind not because of you, and secondly leaving your bag lying around technically isn't your fault – how were you to know I was coming over right? And plus," she lifted her hand up between their faces, "this is just a small injury compared to what ever else I've gone through."

Right at this moment, Tad walked through the front door, "Jess, I'm back!" he called. Once he neared the 'scene of the accident' he called out again, "What on earth did you do? Wrestle with yourself?" He walked to his kitchen to find the dust pan.

"No, you idiot, it was my fault." Katie leaned on the doorframe to the entrance of the kitchen.

"Hey Katie, you're here already." He got up to give his friend a bear hug.

"Well technically, it was my fault for leaving my bag in such a hazardous place." Jessie popped up from behind them.

Letting go of his friend, he looked between the two girls, "well I guess you two have met already."

They both nodded their heads in reply.