Jessica stared out the window of the bus. The past few days had been
miserable. Jeremy was out of her life and Ryan was keeping his distance.
She never realized how much she cared and depended on Ryan until he was
gone. She couldn't believe she had screwed up so badly. In college she
had a reputation as a flirt but that had all changed when she had
stared to date Ryan. After they got together she had never even considered
going out with another guy. But she had never thought that Jeremy would
come back into her life either. But Jessica had to admit that Jeremy
had changed. He seemed to date a girl for a week then move on. What had
happened to her sweet, thoughtful, considerate Jeremy from high school?
Had he changed when she started dating Melissa?
The bus stopped in front of Jeremy's apartment. When she had broken up
with him she never thought that she would come back here. But she
wanted to talk to Jeremy. Tell him she still cared and wanted to be his
friend. She slowly climbed up to his apartment and opened the door. As she
walked in, she didn't see any signs of him. She heard a moan from his
bedroom and she went in through the slightly open door.
She gasped when she saw what was happening. Jeremy was in his bed with
a dark hair girl. "Jeremy?" she choked out and fled the apartment in
tears.
Jeremy got up and followed her into the hall.
"Jess, what's wrong? I thought we were cool."
Jessica stared at him. "I know we're over but it still hurts."
"Jessica, you're a great girl but we were just having fun. Melissa's
my-"
"That was Melissa?" Jessica shrieked.
Jeremy nodded. "She found me last week. And she doesn't have a
boyfriend." Jeremy turned around and left Jessica standing there crying.

"What?" Lila exclaimed. "With Melissa?"
Jessica nodded miserably. "Can you believe it? Only five days after we
broke up!"
Lila shook her head. "What a jerk. And you haven't heard from Ryan
either?"
Jessica shook her head. "I miss him so much, Li. I should never have
fooled around with Jeremy."
Lila stared sympathetically at her friend who was sitting on her bed.
"Maybe Ryan will change his mind," she said hopefully.
"I doubt it after what I did to him. I messed up pretty badly."
"You guys have been dating for a while it would be a shame for it to
end," Lila said rummaging through her closet.
"Yeah," Jessica sighed. "Hey, Li, wanna go to a movie or something?"
"Todd's coming over," Lila said as she emerged from her closet wearing
a black lace dress.
Jessica whistled at her friend. "You look awesome Lila!"
Lila adjusted the neckline. "Are you sure it's not too much?"
Jessica gave Lila a look. Lila liked things over top. "Come on, Lila.
Todd is going to drool."
"He is, isn't he?" Lila said softly examining herself in her three-way
mirror. "But it's a little too much for pizza." Lila reemerged wearing
a white miniskirt and a orange off the shoulder top. Jessica couldn't
help but notice how happy her friend was. A far cry from how Jessica was
feeling. Jessica choked back a sob.
Lila turned around and stared intently at her friend. She sat down next
to Jessica on the bed and put her arm around her. "Are you gonna be
okay, Jess?"
Jessica sniffled. "I don't know…maybe…"
Lila was at a loss for words. True she herself had been in love before.
There was Beauregard Creighton from summer camp, Bruce Patman in
college and now Todd Wilkins. In high school if anyone had told her that she
would be dating Todd Wilkins, she would have laughed. If they had told
her she would have been engaged to him, well, she would probably have
committed them. Todd was always the cute but dull boyfriend of boring
Elizabeth Wakefield.
But the summer between sophomore and junior year of college Todd
changed. Or Lila, she really wasn't sure. That summer on vacation in Hawaii
she had run into Todd. He had never looked better and Lila discovered
that he was not so boring anymore. Interested in taking over his father's
multi million-dollar company Lila saw a man just like she had always
dreamed of. But it was more than the shared interest in success. Within a
few weeks Todd had swept Lila off her feet.
After college Todd had taken over his father's company and merged it
with another company forming of the largest corporation in the state. And
now they were engaged and Lila couldn't be happier.
She turned her thoughts back to Jessica. Lila knew Jessica was a mess
and she really didn't have any idea how to help her. "Things will be
okay," she said weakly.
"What if they're not?" Jessica sobbed.
Lila stroked her hair. "Then you will find your self and move on,
Jessica. You're strong. And Ryan will come back."
"What if he doesn't?"
Lila was at a loss of words when suddenly the doorbell rang. Happy for
a diversion Lila walked downstairs and answered it. Todd stood there
looking just as gorgeous as always Lila noted.
He stepped inside and gave her a long, lingering kiss.
Lila grinned up and him. "Hey you." She observed how nicely her curves
fit with his body.
"Let's go upstairs," she said tugging on his arm.
Todd raised his eyebrows and tickled her. Lila giggled and they
stumbled into her room.
"Hey Jess," Todd said surprised when he saw Jessica sitting there.
"Todd," she said acknowledging him gloomily.
"Jessica," Lila said brightly. "Why don't you come with us?"
Todd kicked Lila. Jessica didn't seem to be very good company tonight.
Thankfully, Jessica shook her head. "No thanks, I'd like to be alone."
Lila nodded, concerned. For once she didn't have a clue of what to do.
"I'm gonna go get my makeup on," she said to Todd.
Todd stood there awkwardly not really sure what to say to Jessica.
"You really like her," Jessica said breaking the silence.
"Lila?" he said surprised. "Yeah, she's the greatest. She has great
energy and passion."
Jessica smiled weakly. "I guess the fact that she's pretty doesn't
hurt."
Todd laughed. "Of course not!"
Jessica nodded. Lila soon rejoined them and wrapped her arms around
Todd. They were so wrapped up in each other they forgot Jessica was there.
When Todd's hands moved up her shirt, Jessica cleared her throat. "As
much as I hate to miss this, I really should be going."
Because being around Lila and Todd made her jealous because they had
something that she didn't have.

Conner stood backstage nervously. Conner wasn't used to being nervous
but he had never done an interview on television before. He had hardly
heard Jay Leno's monologue. He only was appearing on the show because of
Elizabeth. Elizabeth refused to admit it, but she had a tiny obsession
over the Leno show. Every night she stayed up till twelve thirty to
watch it. She never, ever missed it. So he knew she would be watching.
Suddenly he heard Jay say, "Our next guest is multi-platinum singer and
songwriter who is currently up for two Grammy's. Please welcome Conner
McDermott!"
Conner walked onto stage and the audience screamed and applauded. The
interview progressed fairly smoothly. Jay didn't ask any personal
questions to Conner's relief. They chatted about his album, the Grammy's,
dream collaborators. Finally Jay said, "Conner is going to play a song for
us now. Tell us what we're going to hear."
This was it. "Well," he stared. "I wrote this back in high school for
this girl I really loved and I want her to know I still love her."
Conner grabbed his guitar.

Elizabeth was having a bad day. After getting yelled at work and having
some jerk almost crash her car, she just wanted to fall into bed. But
she flipped on the television to see that last of Jay Leno. Usually
Elizabeth watched the entire show but tonight she had been soaking her body
in the bath.
Suddenly, Conner McDermott's face filled the screen and he began to
play.

You catch a glimpse of her sun-streaked hair
Flashing across the room
She's hotter 'n Santa Anna winds,
Cool as iced perfume

Elizabeth's heart squeezed. She had tuned out the rest of the words
that she had long ago memorized of Conner's song for her, 'Stone Heart'.
Conner still cared about her she knew it now. Conner played the last
chords and the audience burst into applause.
Elizabeth burst into tears.