Jessica slams the front door to her house shut and prepares to soak in today's failure with brownies dusted in salty tears. She finally had the opportunity to talk to Edward one-on-one and it was disastrous.

Jessica's stared at Edward's gorgeous, perfect face from the corner of her eye enough to recognize his subtle facial ticks. He hadn't just looked apathetic or bored. He was...well. He was a little confused, and Jessica doesn't even know where to begin dissecting that, but more importantly, he was unimpressed.

Jessica feels like hanging her head in shame - or just hanging herself. She's never felt this low before.

Is this how Rosalie makes people feel? She wonders, having never had the guts to talk to her.

Jessica launches herself into the kitchen when she sees the bright, yellow sticky note on the fridge.

Went to Portland with your brother to visit Aunt Mack. We'll be back by Sunday.

XOXO, mom

Her bad mood disperses with a fist pump.

"Hell yes!"

The initial plan was to call Lauren and dissect every bit of the interaction she just had with Edward today during detention. Now, Jessica hurtles toward the (newly cordless and no longer stuck in the 90s!) landline her mom had installed six months prior.

Tyler had welcomed her into the 21st century the first time she saw it. Even Angela made a comment about how she was sure that corded telephone would outlive them all.

She nearly jams the buttons with the force of her excitement.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Lauren finally picks up the phone.

"What do you want? I'm painting my nails."

"My mom's in Portland with Nathan until Sunday. Come over and help me throw a party."

"A pity party?" Lauren snorts (if Jessica ever brings it up, she'll swear it was a giggle).

Jessica grins.

"Don't be a bitch, I mean a real party. You did it for Tyler."

She can see Lauren weighing the pros and cons in her head.

"Fine, let's do it. But you have to let me be in charge of the playlist. And I'm coming over in an hour."

Jessica immediately agrees and ends the call. Maybe today isn't a lost cause. Everyone has their failures, after all. Even if Jessica babbles in front of Edward and doesn't know quite what to say to make herself memorable to this living statue of a man, even if all she can do is stare when he appears out of thin air, like a mirage or a perfume ad come to life, her friends are always here to make everything better.

If worst comes to worst, she can chase down the bitter memory of his expression with vodka shots and fruity cocktails. Angela doesn't look it, but she makes a mean bartender.

Jessica puts down the phone and grabs her notebook to begin planning.

Sometimes, you just have to forget about the way Edward Cullen and his freaky deaky siblings look standing in the cafeteria line with dull, brown plastic trays in their hands...and throw a crazy, stupid, small-town rager instead.