"Elizabeth and Jessica are coming?" Todd
questioned Ken.
"Yeah, I invited Jess and she said she'd get Liz to come."
"Great, I haven't seen Liz in a while." Todd took a sip of his
coffee.
"How did you here about this thing anyway?"
"Uh, this guy I know from the El Carro football team said that this
guy was pretty good. Plus another guy, Josh something or other,
is having a party after this."
"This place is okay," Todd said looking around. "But it's not
the
Dairi Burger."
Ken nodded. "I hope Jess gets here soon."
Todd gave his friend a funny look. "She's not your date…is she?"
Ken shifted uncomfortably. No, of course not. I'm just helping her
with a project."
Todd shook his head. "You like her."
Ken dropped his head onto the table. "It's that obvious?"
Todd nodded, "You've had your eyes glued to the door since we
came in."
"Do you think I have a chance with her?" Ken asked hopefully.
Todd was silent for a moment. "She's never been known to stick
with one guy."
"But she was serious with that Sam guy!" Ken protested.
"Yeah, but after he died, she kind of went back to her old ways."
"Look, I know I don't stand a chance with her, she even likes
somebody else," Ken said quickly. "But whenever I see her…"
"I'm not saying you shouldn't ask her out. If you want to have a fun
time, then there's no one better than Jessica. But if you really like
her, then don't ask her out because you're just going to get your
heart slammed.
"Are you telling me this because you don't like Jessica," Ken said
wryly.
"Partly," Todd said smiling.
Suddenly a pair of hands covered Ken's eyes. "Guess who?"
cooed a sugary voice.
Ken turned around. "Jessica!"
"Hey," Jessica said smiling. Lila and Elizabeth stood behind her.
"I got your coffee," Ken said smiling adoringly at Jessica.
"Thanks, you're a sweetheart," Jessica said looking around the room.
"I got your coffee too," Todd said giving Elizabeth a quick kiss on
the cheek.
"Thanks," she said dully.
"Did anyone get my coffee?" Lila demanded.
"I'll go get it, Lila," Jessica said. "I wanted to get a
muffin."
"I'll get it," Ken volunteered.
"No, I can get it," Jessica said getting up. She walked up to the
counter and stared at the muffin list. There were ten kinds of
muffins! How was she ever going to make up her mind?
"Are you ready to order yet?" a deep voice said, startling her.
Jessica glanced at the guy. He was very handsome and if she
wasn't so interested in Jason, then this guy would definitely be
date worthy. He would have to settle for flirt worthy.
"No," Jessica said giving him a big smile. "There are just so
many
choices."
"What's a pretty girl like you to do?" the guy said teasingly.
"I'm trying to decide between blueberry and spice."
"Go with the blueberry. I see you already have plenty of spice," he
said looking into her eyes. Jessica felt a slight jolt and looked away.
"Well you what they say, girls are made of sugar and spice." Jessica
said.
"Stop with the bantering and take the order! You're holding up the
line!" a girl with blue hair barked.
"One blueberry muffin," the guy said.
"And one latte," Jessica added. Jessica paid for it and weaved through
the crowd to their table.
"What took you so long?" Lila complained
"I bet it was a guy," Elizabeth said with a slight smile.
"Why does everyone assume it's a guy?" Jessica complained.
"Because it usually is!" Todd, Lila and Elizabeth said at the same
time.
Jessica pretended to grumble and then she nonchalantly asked Lila,
"Is Jason coming to night?"
"No, my boyfriend isn't coming tonight," Lila smirked.
"He's not really your boyfriend," Jessica scoffed. "I hardly
call
one date-"
"Two dates," Lila corrected.
"Whatever, you know he totally wants me, Lila. He's just using you to
get information on me."
Lila choked on her coffee. "That's the lamest thing I have ever heard
you say, Jessica. Why can't you admit that he doesn't want you?"
Jessica eyes flared up and Elizabeth chose that moment to intervene.
"Jess, Lila's right you have no right to go after Jason. Why can't you
two
ever be happy for one another?"
"What's the fun in that?" Jessica said.
"Jess, there's sure to be a ton of hot single guys at this party,"
Lila
offered. "What's the guy's name?"
"Josh," Ken said. "A bunch of guys from the football team know
him. He
supposedly throws a good party."
Suddenly the lights dimmed and Conner walked onto to the small
stage.
Elizabeth looked away and tried to hold back tears.
"Lila!" Jessica squealed. "He's a total babe!"
Elizabeth tried to tune out Conner but he had such a beautiful voice
and he sang and played with such intensity. And all his songs were
so personal, Elizabeth felt like she was really getting to know that
real Conner McDermott.
After Conner's set, Elizabeth walked behind the stage
where there
was a door. She knocked on it.
"Come in!" Conner's voice bellowed.
She walked in. "Hey," he said surprised. "You came?"
"Yeah, I'm here with my sister, I didn't know it was you until after I
got
here or else I wouldn't have come."
Conner raised his eyebrows. "You came back here to tell me that?" he
said putting his guitar in his case.
"No, I came back to tell you that you were…moving."
"Couldn't you have just clapped?" he said slamming his guitar case
closed. "I really don't want to deal with you tonight."
"I know," Elizabeth said quietly. "I just wanted to tell you how
sorry I am. I
never meant to hurt you."
"Then you shouldn't have gotten involved with me…you shouldn't have
made me feel…"
"I know I was being selfish and mean."
"Yeah, you really were. And not just to me, either. I wonder what your
boyfriend would think if he knew what you did."
Elizabeth was silent. "I know I messed up. But why should it matter
to you?"
Conner turned around and looked at her coldly. "It matters because
you lied to me!"
"Why do you care? You were going to dump me anyway. I was just
another one of you whores!"
"How…"
"A little birdie told me," Elizabeth sneered. "Turns out not only
was
I not girlfriend numbers 1 through 40 but I also didn't mean anything
to you!"
Conner hesitated, she was right that she wasn't anywhere near his first
girlfriend this month. But he really cared for her. And if he told her that
then she would probably want to be with him again. Conner couldn't
lie to himself that he wanted her. Badly. But he couldn't do that.
Elizabeth had to stay loyal to her boyfriend, because sooner or later
she would go back to him anyway. He needed to cut their ties, here,
tonight. He needed to end it. "You're right," he said staring into
her
eyes, his heart aching. "I was going to dump you eventually. You
meant nothing to me."
Tears began to run down her cheeks. "You bastard," she choked out
and she turned and run out of the room. Conner stood there, hating
himself for his stupid integrity.
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