If there was one thing JoJo hated doing, it was choosing an appropriate outfit for an occasion. Which is why she usually chose the one that would stand out the most. Tonight, she had two goals in mind: Pissing off her mother and embarrassing Terry. She thought of both things as a sport she had perfected over the past year of their union - if you could even call it that.

Thankfully because of her fortunate genes - a curvy physique, ample chest, long legs, and a pretty face - she was able to get away with pretty much any ensemble that she threw together. Tonight it was a purple spaghetti strap lace top, a black skirt, and three inch heels. Yes, it showed off too much of her smooth olive-ish skin, but she knew how much her mother hated that and wished her skin was never showing at all, so yes, she was happy about the chosen outfit.

She let her long brunette hair fall down over her shoulders and ran a brush through it a couple of times. The curling iron was out. Dinner with her mother and Terry wasn't enough of a reason. Just thinking about the routine angered and bored her. Listening to him talk about his day. Watching her pretend to listen with a stupid half smirk on her face until she occasionally muttered "oh" and "uh huh". Then sitting through the rest of the dinner in silence while trying not to vomit as he would take her mother's hand across the table.

But she had to go. If she didn't, Tess would never leave her alone and that's all she really wanted. To be left alone and able to do what she wanted when she wanted to do it without being told how. It was quite a reasonable request considering they'd been living in a hotel for two years.

Sure, it had it's perks. A lot of them actually. She and Tess lived a the Bellagio for free because of Terry… she was convinced this was only because of a tax write off, but had been unable to prove it thus far… and she got free meals, drinks from certain bartenders, and admission to all of the events around town. Though, Terry was unaware of the drinks. But all she had to do was drop his name and they were taken care of. She could even get a free room at the MGM Grand or the Mirage if she wanted one. Knowing Terry Benedict was kind of like knowing God as much as she hated to admit it. That's how Vegas viewed him.

As she puts on the last coat of the cherry lipgloss, her eyes inadvertently move to a photo of she and Nick sitting on the vanity. She pushes it down with a vengeance, trying to ignore the memory altogether. The dance last year in the school gym. She wore that stupid dark pink corset that she pretended to like because he'd spent so much time picking it out. Or so he said. Nick lied like he breathed, so it was hard to tell what was true.

He was a nice guy, but he was a player, and she knew it from the moment she saw him. He also had no common sense. His father basically owned a third of all the hotels on the strip, and had been a friend of Terry's for years. They used to be business partners back in the day before they both got too competitive to continue their business relationship. Now they just do each other favors when needed. None of them were legal, most likely.

Nick having all that money had also turned him into a degenerate gambler. Well, that and his obsession with thrill seeking which was actually what they had in common. He played illegal card games in the back of every bar or club within a thirty mile radius. Once they drove a hundred miles just to get to a game in Arizona. He convinced her that she was his good luck charm and that he would lose all of his money without her. They came back with sixty-five bucks. Not even enough to cover gas. Some good luck charm. JoJo sighed deeply, kicking herself for staying with him (again) after last week.

JoJo was supposed to go out with her friend Abby for a girl's night, but decided to stay in instead. She spotted Nick with Rena in the hotel bar. He and Rena had been going to the same private school together for eight months. She was blonde and busty and sounded like she was from Orange County. Everything JoJo wasn't. She had never liked her. So when she saw Rena all over him at one of the tables, and saw Nick doing next to nothing to stop it, she just snapped.

She wanted to walk away, knew she shouldn't have given either of them the satisfaction, but she walked up to them, yelled, shouted, threw some lady's glass of wine in Nick's face, and walked towards the elevators. Jealousy was never her forte, but there was a first time for everything. It's not like she'd never made him jealous unintentionally before. Guys had always like to look at her and to try and touch her before she corrected them. But she never liked any of them. Nick was the only one she wanted. And now he didn't want her.

"What are you doing?" Nick said, drenched, as he followed a few steps behind her.

"Leaving." JoJo spat and pushed the elevator button at least five times. But he was already standing next to her. All she heard was ringing in her ears. When she heard him say something and felt his hand on her shoulder, she glared over at him. "Touch me again and I'll cut it off."

Nick chuckled. She could smell alcohol on his breath. "Cut what off exactly, crazy?"

"What did I say about touching me?" JoJo said again when he moved closer and went in for a kiss. He got more aggressive and pushed her against the marble wall. "Don't- Nick-" She smiled through her muffled words when his mouth covered her own. "Nicky..."

"Nothing happened. Rena just likes to touch things that don't belong to her."

Cut to twenty minutes later. They were in her dark bedroom doing what people in a relationship of sorts do in dark bedrooms. He was trouble from the start. She knew it then and she knew it now, but still let him suck her back in every time. All in all she really did care about him and didn't want him to get hurt. He would eventually if he kept gambling. He promised he'd stop.

JoJo made her way into the kitchen, trying to keep him from her mind. All of Terry's health crap was taking up both sides again. He had an entire suite upstairs to himself, plus a ten bedroom home where he was most of the time. Why was his stuff crowding everything? She moved it all aside and grabbed a Red Bull. She turned and noticed a note waiting for her on the counter.

Come by the gallery. I want to show you something. - Mom