When Jessie and Katie got to Jessie's house, they immediately went upstairs. They got up into her room and started talking.

"I don't know why Sarah would do that Jess. I have no clue what her problem is," Katie sighed. "She's just a bitch I guess. There's nothing more to it."

"She's your friend and you don't know what she's thinking?" Jessie scoffed, incredulously.

"Yeah? Well, you're my girlfriend and I never have any idea how you feel!" Katie had yelled it out before she had time to think about it and it shut them both up. It was the first time anyone had used the term girlfriend.

Jessie just sat down on the bed and looked at her hands. "I'm your girlfriend?" She looked up at Katie, who just stared at her. She noticed Katie's uncertain expression. "I am," she said simply with a smile.

Katie smiled back and sat down next to Jessie, completely forgetting whatever it was she was yelling about, temporarily postponing the conversation. "You are," she gently whispered in Jessie's ear.

Their cheeks were pressed together and Katie was able to feel Jessie's smile. She pulled away and looked into Jessie's eyes. They both smiled and Katie leaned in this time, putting her arms around Jessie's waist. Their lips met and, this time, their kiss was more passionate than their previous one from the other day. This kiss had enough intensity to burn bridges and they didn't pull away, not even to breathe. Instead, they just paused long enough to take in a quick breath before continuing.

Katie and Jessie were laying next to each other on her bed staring at the ceiling. They had been talking, but the conversation died down and now they were just enjoying each other's presence.

Jessie rolled over on her side, propping her head on her arm and looking at Katie, who turned to meet her gaze. "Do you believe in fate?" Jessie asked seriously.

Katie really didn't know how to respond to the question. "Well, if you believe it, then it must be true," she smiled.

Jessie rolled back over and groaned, throwing her arm over her face. "That's not an answer," she uncovered her face to see Katie staring at her with tenderness. "What if I told you I believed that evil lawn gnomes lived under my bed?" She asked, successfully trying to keep a straight face.

"Well," Katie said, pretending to be contemplative. "Well, then I would say that we should grab our rifles and hunt the bastards down," she was failing at preventing a smile from creeping on her face. Jessie lightly pushed Katie over and busting out laughing. This caused Katie to join in.

Jessie rolled over completely onto her stomach, resting her head on her folded arms, but still staring at Katie. "I'm serious though," Katie smirked. "Not about the gnomes dumb ass," she rolled her eyes.

"I found you, didn't I?" Katie said, a soft smile on her face. Jessie returned the smile. "It was either fate or pure dumb luck that I saw you in the auditorium that day after school. I was immediately attracted to you," she said sincerely, lowering her eyes.

Jessie stared at her and smiled. "Me too. Only to you, not myself," she added the last part sheepishly, to avoid confusion. Katie disregarded the last part and gave Jessie a puzzled look. "It took me a while to realize it," she smiled and Katie returned it, slipping Jessie's hand into her own.

Katie smiled wistfully. "I never felt like this before. I want to scream it from the rooftops," she said softly, grabbing Jessie's attention.

"No! We can't!" She hissed, sitting up straight, releasing Katie's hand...and gaze. Katie was confused and hurt. "I just mean that I'm not ready to tell everyone about us yet," she said more calmly. This only mildly eased Katie's steadily increasing list of anxieties.

"I understand," Katie sighed, earning a slight smile from Jessie. She looked at her watch, "I have to go." She stood up and looked down at Jessie. "See you tomorrow," Katie said, gently brushing her hand over Jessie's and leaning down for a quick kiss. "Bye," she said, reluctant to let go of Jessie's hand.

"Bye," Jessie said, sad to see Katie go and knowing she was to blame for it. She got up too, to follow her out the door.

They descended the stairs in silence. The silence was broken by Katie. "I'll see you tomorrow," she was unsure of what to do now. She didn't know if she should kiss her, hug her, shake hands or what. So, she just said, "Bye."

"Bye," Jessie said, waving as Katie left. She sighed, feeling like a total asshole. Upon turning around, she was face-to-face with Grace. "What?" She was a little unnerved by her very presence.

"What were you and Katie fighting about?" Grace asked, maybe a little too bluntly.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Jessie said unsurely, shifting her weight and avoiding eye contact.

"Cut the bullshit," Grace whispered. "I know about you and Katie. I heard you guys arguing. Now, what happened?" She pried.

"How...what...when...how?" Jessie groaned, trying to regain her verbal skills before pursuing an actual conversation. "How did you find out?" She seethed.

"It was kind of obvious," Grace said, rolling her eyes.

"How obvious? Grace, who else knows?" Jessie whispered, the urgency still evident in her voice.

"Relax. No one else knows. I could just tell. I have good intuition," she beamed, Jessie just rolled her eyes. Grace cleared her throat, realizing she was impressing no one. "Anyway. I could tell by the way she looked at you and vice-versa."

"Oh," Jessie said, relieved. She sat down in the living room. Grace followed and sat next to her.

"I won't tell anyone. I know that has got to be part of the reason you're upset," Grace offered.

"Apparently that's part of the problem," Jessie scoffed in a self-depreciating way and looked at Grace. "That's what Katie and I were arguing about. I can't tell anyone Grace, especially not now. As if people don't already think I'm a big enough freak."

Grace looked at Jessie, appraising her expression. "I know you can't. Eventually though, you will have to tell people, your parents at least. I'll keep your secret as long as you need me to, okay?"

Jessie looked at Grace and realized she was sincere. "Thanks Grace. You have no idea how much I really appreciate that," she smiled genuinely at her for the first time in a while, got up and hugged her before heading back upstairs. Grace leaned back and sighed. She still had to talk to Jessie about what happened at school today. This is going to be hard. Between both the gay thing and the school thing, Grace had a lot to talk about with Jessie.

"Grace," Jessie began as she approached her stepsister in the hallway at school. "Can you take me to therapy today?" She asked tentatively and quietly in the hall while looking around to see if anyone heard.

"I can't," Grace said apologetically. "The dress rehearsal for the play is tonight," she studied Jessie's expression a moment. "Can't Katie take you?" Grace didn't know why Katie couldn't take her.

"I haven't seen her all day. I usually see her in the morning, but I didn't today," Jessie said, a little upset.

"If I see her, then I'll ask her, okay?"

Jessie nodded and smiled weakly. "Thanks," she said before heading off to class. She whipped around. "When is the play anyways?"

The question caught Grace off guard. "It's, uh, in three days," she said through her curiosity. "Why?" She asked suspiciously.

"What, you didn't think I was going to come see you?" Jessie asked incredulously. "I might have to bring a camera. You know, for blackmail purposes," she smirked.

Grace laughed. "No. We would be about even with the amount of dirt we have on each other."

That wiped Jessie's grin right off. "Pictures are the form of torture that keep on embarrassing."

"Well, then I guess you wouldn't mind if I shared your little secret now then," Grace retorted.

"Yeah, well, you're a butthead," she mumbled, unable to come up with a good comeback.

Grace chuckled. "I'll talk to Katie if I see her." They smiled before going their separate ways. From nearby, she heard people gossiping and she rolled her eyes. But then, she heard what they were talking about...Jessie.

"Yeah, that's what I heard too. I heard she totally tried to off herself. If I were her, that's what I'd do too," one girl said. Both of the girls laughed.

Grace stomped up to them, fully prepared to rip them both a new ass. "Who are you talking about?" She asked, in an overly-friendly tone.

"That girl, you know, Jessie Sammler," the second girl said. "We heard she tried to kill herself, I mean wouldn't you," the two giggled again, sounding like complete idiots.

"Now, why would you want to do that?" She asked, growing very angry, using her every ounce of self control not to kill them.

"Well, I mean, she's, like, a total loser. I also heard she's heard she was totally anorexic," the first one said.

"Oh, well, did you also hear that I'm her stepsister," Grace ground out lividly. The girls shut their gossipy traps and became incredibly uncomfortable under Grace's glower. "I want you both to get lost before I kick both your asses back to the hole you belong in," she hissed with her voice dangerously low.

"I'm sorry, we didn't know," the second one defended weakly. The other nodded her head and they both took Grace's advice to amscray. Grace sighed and went to English. This is going to be a long day. Grace walked into her English class to see Katie already there. She didn't know what to say, so, she just went over and sat right next to her.

Katie looked over at Grace and let out a low groan, expecting the worst. "Oh, God. What?" She thought Grace was going to accuse her of something or something equally aggravating.

"Jessie was looking for you this morning," Grace said carefully. "Are you avoiding her or something?"

"No. Why would I do that?" She saw Grace's confused expression. "I had a dentist appointment. I forgot to tell Jessie yesterday, you know, with everything."

"Yeah. She just thought you were avoiding her or skipped or something," Grace rolled her eyes. "Oh, can you do me a favor?"

Katie didn't know what to expect. "Depends on what it is," she said suspiciously.

"Can you take Jessie to therapy today? I can't because of rehearsals," she whispered so as not to draw anymore unnecessary attention to her stepsister's problems.

"Yeah, of course," Katie chuckled in a 'well, duh' tone and rolling her eyes.

"Thanks," Grace said before the bell rang and class started.

"So, Jessie, how are you, really?" Dr. Rosenfeld asked carefully, fully informed of all recent events.

She had been looking out the window and his words brought her out of her thoughts. "Better I guess," she said simply and sighed.

He quirked an eyebrow. "You guess? Are they getting better for real or are you trying to get me to drop the subject?" He was quick, this one.

"A little of both," she smiled slightly. He gave her an expression that urged her to continue. Jessie groaned and rolled her eyes before looking at him. "Well, things are still messed up and I know that nothing's going to get resolved overnight. I have to try and resolve this crap on my own. Blah, blah, blah. Happy?" She asked in a frustrated tone, obviously not sincere.

"You started out fine, but near the end of your little discourse, you lost me," Jessie giggled despite herself. "How are things still messed up?" He asked seriously.

Her giggles stopped and she looked at him. "Things are really awkward," he gave her a questioning expression. She sighed and lowered her voice, as if talking to herself. "Everyone acts as if they are walking on eggshells around me. I know they are only trying to help, but it feels strange."

"How does it feel weird?" He asked, Jessie piquing his interest.

"Like, my family will be talking in the kitchen. I'll walk in and they all just stop and turn their attention to me," She rolls her eyes. "'Hey Jess. How are you?' 'Are you feeling okay Jessie?' 'Everything okay Jess?'" She mocks in a contemptuous manner.

"This bothers you? Their concern bothers you?" He was really curious now that Jessie was opening up to him.

"Yeah...no...It's not that," she grunted in frustration. "They all avoid me and are all cautious when they're around. Then they ask stupid questions just to relieve their guilt from avoiding me in the first place," she says in one breath. Jessie inhales. "That's what bothers me."

"I see. What else is there that's messed up?" He wondered.

"Everybody," she sighs, remembering yesterday. He gives her an inquiring look. "Somehow this girl found out that I..." she took a breath and looked down. "That I tried to kill myself. Well, she doesn't like me and she thought that it would be fun to tell the whole school about it. Now everyone is talking about it," she tried to hide her miserable expression. It didn't work.

"Oh. Do you know who it was? Was it your stepsister that doesn't like you?"

"No, it wasn't Grace. She and I get along now," Jessie smiled at that. "It was this girl named Sarah. She is...was one of Katie's friends."

Dr. Rosenfeld seemed to be taking this all in. "So, you and Grace are getting along now?" He asked with a smile and earning one from Jessie.

"Yeah. She's been really great lately. She's really been a lot of help. We've talked to each other. Grace hasn't been judgmental or snide, but helpful...surprisingly," she giggled.

"That's good. What about you and your mom?"

"She and I talked through some stuff and we were able to sort out some of our issues," she had the same pleasant smile on her face.

"What about everyone else?" Jessie looked strangely at him. "Eli, Rick, Zoe, Lily. How are you getting along with them?"

"Aside from the walking on eggshells?" She checked and then thought a moment. "Dad has avoided any conversation other than asking how my day was. Lily only asks if I'm hungry at dinner time," she pauses and smiles at everyone's stupidity. "Eli plays his guitar and only talks to me if I cross his path in the kitchen. Zoe, well, she just kind of looks at me and smiles, but doesn't actually talk," she rolls her eyes, maintaining the grin.

"So, things are strained at home," he says with a slight frown.

"Like I said, eggshells," she shrugged. "They get uncomfortable. I think they're afraid that they'll say the wrong thing and I'll try and off myself again."

"Would you?" He started to chew on his pen cap.

"No. I just wish I could, you know, talk to them again. I feel like I can't anymore. Whenever they look at me, they have these sad expressions on their faces. It' like I'm not even there, like I'm an illusion."

"How so?" Intriguing. I never heard that one before.

"It' like they don't look at me, they look through me. It's like I am dead and they are just reminiscing," Jessie sighed.

"I think that if you give it some time, then they'll come around," he offered.

"When their ready to talk, then we will I guess," she sighed and looked at the clock. "I'll see you Thursday," she smiled and left. Dr. Rosenfeld smiled back.