I'm so sorry it's been so long guys! I've had a lot going on, with exams, and a lot of homework. But this past week I've been on Spring Break, so I've had some time to get a LOT of writing done, so here, finally, is an update! I OBVIOUSLY don't own the excerpt from Romeo and Juliet, that's in this chapter. It belongs to William Shakespeare (:

Thank you SO much for your reviews, please keep it up!

CHAPTER THREE.

Right after school on Friday, Randy brought Jess home, so that Jill could start working on Jess' dress, which would mean that Randy and Jess could finish their project faster, and then they could get to what they did every other Friday night: watching movies until one of them fell asleep.

"Okay, Jessica, I have a few ideas of how to do your dress, but I want your input before I start it." Jill said to Jess, who was sitting alongside Randy in the kitchen.

"How about not a dress?" Jess said, grinning slightly. Things had not changed much since she was four-years-old in the way that she couldn't stand wearing dresses, or dressing up.

"Well, sweetie, I would tell you that you could be Romeo, and Randy could be Juliet, but I don't think your teacher would be very impressed." Jill said.

"That, and Randy totally doesn't have the legs to pull off a dress," Jess said, her grin growing.

Randy mocked laughter and then said, "Don't worry, Jess, I'm sure my mom can make it so that your chicken legs don't look so… chicken-y."

Jess elbowed him, and Jill said, "Randy, don't say that, Jessica doesn't have chicken legs."

"And I'm sure Jason Morgan would agree with you, Mom." Randy nodded, receiving another nudge from Jessica's elbow to his ribs.

Jill narrowed her eyes at Randy, and in an attempt to change the subject said, "So, I was thinking I would make it a similar approach to the dress that the real Juliet would've worn… sound good?"

Jess made a movement that was a cross between a nod and a shrug. "As long as it isn't pink, you can go to town, Mrs. Taylor."

"Well, how about green? I think green would like nice."

"Sure." Jess nodded.

"I thought you'd like that," Jill smiled, "So I already bought the material, I just need to start taking your measurements."

"Okay," Jess stood up and walked around the counter so that she was standing beside Jill, who pulled out a measuring tape and began taking Jess' measurements.

"So, what scene are you two performing?" Jill asked.

"The balcony scene," Jess and Randy responded together.

"Oh, that is the sweetest scene in that entire play!" Jill exclaimed, "Are you guys ready?"

"Sort of?" Randy offered as a reply.

Jess rolled her eyes, and Jill raised an eyebrow, "And by sort of, you mean…?"

"Randy's looked over it once," Jess responded for him.

"Not once," Randy said, looking offended, "More like twice."

"Oh, God, sorry about that one." Jess said sarcastically.

"Well, why don't you two practice for me?" Jill looked at them expectantly.

Randy looked at Jess, who shrugged, so he grabbed his battered copy of Romeo and Juliet, cleared his throat, and began.

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou her maid art far more fair than she,

Be not her maid, since she is envious;

Her vestal livery is but sick and green,

And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.

It is my lady; O, it is my love!

O, that she knew she were!

She speaks, yet she says nothing: what of that?

Her eye discourses, I will answer it.

I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks,

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,

Having some business, do intreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.

What if her eyes were they, they in her head?

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,

As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!

O, that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek!"

Randy looked at Jess who sighed dramatically, and said but two words, "Ay me!"

"She speaks:

O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art

As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,

As is a winged messenger of heaven

Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes

Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him,

When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds

And sails upon the bosom of the air."

Randy passed Jess the book, as Jill watched them, and Jess began.

"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

Randy grinned slightly. It was so strange for him to hear his best friend speaking so properly, but he continued on with his lines, "Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"

Jess opened her mouth to continue when the phone suddenly rang. Randy walked over and picked it up, "Hello?"

"Hi, Randy? It's Lauren."

"Oh, hey, Lauren!"

"So, remember how the other day you asked me to let you know when would be a good time for us to work together on that article?"

"Yeah."

"Well, how does tonight sound?"

"Um, tonight? I don't know, Lauren, I mean… I've kind of got plans already."

"Oh. Well, this is the only night I'm free for awhile…"

"Really? Well, one second." Randy covered the phone and said, "Lauren wants to work on our article together tonight… it's the only night she's free for awhile…"

Jill made a vague motion with her head, and Randy looked at Jess, who shrugged, "We can work on our project later,"

"Thanks, Jess." Randy grinned at her, "Hey, Lauren, where do you want to meet up?"

After Randy left to meet up with Lauren, Jess stayed at the Taylor's for Jill to finish working on her dress.

Jess was standing up in the middle of the kitchen, as Jill pinned the dark green fabric exactly where she was going to sew it, and Jill said, "So, how have you been lately, Jessica?"

"I've been okay, I guess," Jess responded. "With Jack gone off to university, though, it's kind of weird."

"Well, I can understand that," Jill nodded. Jess' oldest brother had been accepted to Princeton that summer, and had packed up and gone off to university late in August. "How does he like it?"

"He loves it, apparently," Jess said, "He says he's met all kinds of new people, and has made all kinds of new friends,"

"That's good." Jill smiled, "Did Nick decide where he wants to go yet?"

Jess shook her head, "Nick's still holding out. He thinks he's going to be a star soccer player, get discovered at some game, and never have to go to university or college. Jack keeps trying to tell him that just isn't realistic, but he won't listen."

"I'm sure he'll pick a good college," Jill said. "And how are you?"

"The same." Jess responded, "Still the baby, still a tomboy, and still being stalked by Jason Morgan."

"You lucky girl, you," Jill said sarcastically, causing Jess to grin. Jill paused, but then said, "It was awfully nice of you to let Randy go out with Lauren tonight. I know Friday nights are kind of your thing, and I also know that you want to finish that project."

Jess shrugged, "It's for the paper, and it's important to him, right?"

Jill smiled slightly, "You're an awesome friend to him, you know that, right?"

"Well, I know that," Jess nodded, "I just wish he would say so, once in awhile, you know?"

Jill nodded to show she understood, and then said, "He really does appreciate you, Jessica. He wouldn't know what to do without you."

"Yeah he would," Jess nodded, "He'd be fine. He'd be able to go hang out with his friends from the paper, or Lauren." Jess hadn't meant for the venom to escape in her voice.

Jill raised her eyebrows, "You don't like Lauren?"

Jess hesitated, but then said, "No. Not really, Mrs. Taylor."

"Well, maybe you should talk to Randy about it," Jill suggested.

Jess shook her head, "No, thanks," She caught the questioning look that Jill was giving her and she said, "If I talk to Randy, and tell him that I don't like Lauren, he's going to want to know why."

"Well, why do you, sweetie?"

Jess looked clueless, "I don't know, actually. I just don't get a good vibe from her, you know? And I can totally tell that she hates me. But if I tell Randy that, he'll think I'm being delusional, or he'll get it into his head that I'm jealous."

Jill looked at her and said, "Jessica… are you jealous?"

"No!" Jess looked at her with wide brown eyes, "No, no, no!" She shook her head, "Randy's my best friend, and I love him, Mrs. Taylor, but like a brother, you know? Once you know so much about a guy you can't really get past that."

Jill raised an eyebrow but remained silent. She personally had always thought that Randy and Jessica would be perfect together one day, and had really been thinking that they would get married, or at least date, since the first day she saw them playing together.

And she wouldn't complain if Randy one day came home and announced that Jessica was his girlfriend, and she knew for a fact that Tim wouldn't mind one bit either.

"There you go, Jessie, your dress is finished," Jill patted the green material and smiled.

Jess turned and looked at herself in the mirror, "Wow, thanks, Mrs. Taylor! This is going to be great for the presentation!" She hugged Jill, and Jill smiled faintly.

"No problem, sweetie." Jill hugged Jess back, "And, you know, if you ever need anyone to talk to about these problems… You know I'm here, right?"

Jess nodded, "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Mrs. Taylor." She picked up her bag, "I'll probably see you tomorrow."

"Have a good night, Jess." Jill sighed as Jessica walked out of the house, and next door.

She always felt bad for the youngest of the three James kids. Jessica didn't really have anybody at her own home, her mother, Veronica, was often so out of it that she didn't even realize she still had two kids living at home.

Sometimes she just wished that she could take Jess and keep her at their house, but she knew that she couldn't do anything to help her except be there for Jessica.

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