Chapter 12 - An Affair To Remember

Because it was just three days before the birthday party, Holly decided to invite all of her friends, including her newer friends Rosie and Gabriel. Holly had gotten friendlier with Rosie because Merry and Sam hung out more through Jessica, and while Sam was with Merry, Rosie would be with Jessica and Holly.

Once everyone came over, Pippin and Jessica immediately started gossiping in Holly's room. Apparently Jessica and Gabriel became quick friends and Holly was a little jealous because Holly and Jessica hardly hung out anymore. Holly, Frodo, Sam, and Rosie were off in the kitchen talking and drinking tea. Merry and Gabriel were bonding in Merry's room.

"So, Jess…how's life with Merry?" Pippin asked sadly.

"You're talking as if I'm married to him! Pippin, you'll always be my friend and first love." Jessica winked and laughed. "Come one, cheer up Pip, you've got a very beautiful girlfriend there."

"She's not my girlfriend…" Pippin said, debating whether or not to add the "yet" to the end. He decided against it and started to edge his way closer to Jessica.

"I was wondering…why did you say those horrible things about me to Merry??" Jessica asked.

"Oh…those things…I know I got a bit carried away…but I just don't like your style…I was expressing my opinion and Merry defended you." Pippin looked nervously at Jess, hoping she'd understand. He still had feelings for her somewhere in the back of his heart.

"Well, maybe if you thought once in a while, you'd actually speak nicely and intelligently…and you'd get a girlfriend a lot quicker." Jessica laughed.

"Hey, I don't talk that stupidly! Besides, who needs intelligence when they've got strength and dexterity!" Pippin posed in a manly way and made Jessica laugh even more.

"I have to say, you're quite the unusual hobbit." Jessica said. She then smiled and was rather caught off guard when Pippin closed his eyes and moved in to kiss her. Pippin had forgotten all about Gabriel and for the moment Jessica forgot about Merry…that is until he burst in.

"Hey, Jess…Pip…can I ask for your…JESS??" Merry walked in and noticed them kissing. He was angry, sad, and confused all at once, and turned to leave, tears starting to well from his eyes.

"Merry, wait!" Jess ran after him and out of Holly's hobbit hole, leaving the rest of the hobbits extremely confused. Pippin walked out, not really sure of what he just did. Once he heard the exchange of words outside the hobbit hole, he burst into tears and realized what he had done.

"Hey, Jess Pip can I ask for your...JESS??" Merry walked in and noticed them kissing. He was angry, sad, and confused all at once, and turned to leave, tears starting to well from his eyes.

"Merry, wait!" Jess ran after him and out of Holly's hobbit hole, leaving the rest of the hobbits extremely confused. Pippin walked out, not really sure of what he just did. Once he heard the exchange of words outside the hobbit hole, he burst into tears and realized what he had done.

"What's wrong, Pippin?" Frodo asked. He went up and comforted his friend.

"I just kissed Jessica...I didn't realize what I was doing until it was too late." Holly and Frodo finally got Pippin to calm down.

"Slow down, Pip! Take a deep breath and calm down. Now, I'm sure Merry will understand! I mean...it's not like this was the very first time you kissed a dating girl." Holly said, and then Frodo looked at her and wondered what she meant.

"Oh, it was nothing, just a small kiss. I was drunk when it happened." Pippin explained.

Frodo started backing away from Holly when he heard this. "How come you never told me??"

"I didn't think it was that important. I didn't kiss back, I promise!" Holly started crying when Frodo turned so that he would not be able to look at Holly or Pippin.

"Oh come on, Frodo, it was nothing more than a mere peck on the lips, I promise!" Pippin said.

"Sam, please tell Pippin that I cannot hear a word he or Holly says." Frodo said.

"Pippin, Frodo-" Sam began, but was cut off.

"I can hear him perfectly Sam, no need being a mediator." Pippin said. "Please tell me, as a fellow boy and dating hobbit...would you not say that the conditions I was under, mainly being drunk, would be enough to say that the whole kissing thing meant nothing??"

Gabriel was listening to all of this and then realized she was only going with Pippin to the party as friends. The way he was talking seemed to show he still had feelings for Holly, and the kissing incident showed that he still had feelings for Jessica. "Well, Pippin, I'm going home. When you decide that you're finally over those two girls, stop by, I'd be happy to see you again." Gabriel said coldly and left. She couldn't believe that she was being dumped like this.

Frodo turned to Holly after hearing this. "Listen, Holly...I'm not really that mad that you didn't tell me...considering that you seem to be telling the truth...just next time something like this happens and I won't be as offended!"

Holly nodded. She kissed him on the cheek and whispered something no one else could hear. Frodo laughed and smiled. Holly then turned to Sam. "So, Sam, if you could judge our cases, whose side would you favor?"

Sam held his head in his hands and shook his head. "I don't know what to do anymore...Rosie, can we please leave? And you've been awfully quiet lately."

"Yes, well I have a reason to be, this argument didn't concern me and I wanted to stay out of it." Rosie said. She then took Sam's hand and was about to leave. "So, how about a nice stroll through the Shire and picnic in our usual place?"

Frodo, Holly and Pippin heard this and laughed. "Looks like spy time!!"

Meanwhile...

Jessica ran after Merry. She caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder. He pushed her out of the way and blindly walked on. "Please, just listen to me, that kiss meant nothing to me...NOTHING!! N-O-T-H-I-N-G!"

Merry just said nothing and kept on walking. Jessica stopped in her tracks and watched as Merry kept walking, not to any one place in particular, but just walking.

"How did I get myself into this mess?" Jessica asked herself. She walked back to her hobbit hole and waited for Sam to come back. She debated the many things she should do to win Merry back and finally decided on one. She would go with Pippin and pretend to like him, and then on the day of the party, she would leave her latest wood carving on Merry's bed with a note attached. Maybe then Merry would understand the pain she would be going through when he sees Jessica with Pippin.