This (I think) is going to be a three-part story. I hope y'all enjoy. and I love feedback :)

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Part I: Janet's Day

Janet certainly hadn't been expecting this sudden turn of events. First the shocking news that Cindy - Cindy! - was pregnant. She hadn't even finished processing that bit of information when Jack then decides HE should marry Cindy!

And that's when it happened. That sinking feeling in her stomach, the pounding of her heart against her chest, the prickly feeling in her eyes that told her she was about to cry. All of that had rushed over her so quickly that for a long moment she had just stared at Jack, until he waved his hand in front of her face and said, "Earth to Janet."

Then she'd mumbled some lame excuse about needing to go to the bathroom and had locked herself in the tiny room.

And so here she was.

"Janet, what are you thinking?" she asked herself in the mirror. "No, you're not thinking at all!" she pointed accusingly at her image. "Oh, great, now I've really gone insane - I'm taking to myself!"

Why had she reacted like that when Jack had mentioned marrying Cindy? Cindy was her friend, and she was in trouble. She should be glad that a great guy like Jack wanted to help Cindy with the baby. But she wasn't, not really. Why?

Oh, who was she kidding? She knew why.

She looked around the small bathroom, as if she suspected someone could listen to her inner thoughts. She'd never said it, not even to herself. She wasn't sure exactly when she'd realized it, but it was true. Boy, was it true! Today had proven that.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. It didn't do much to calm her down.

She loved Jack. There. She'd said it. Well, sort of. What good did it do now, anyway? She could never say anything to him. She couldn't do that to Cindy. Cindy needed Jack more than she did and --

"Janet!!" Cindy's panicked voice made Janet realize she was still in the bathroom.

She quickly unlocked the door. "What's wrong, Cindy?" She peeked out into the living room, and didn't see Jack anywhere. "Where's Jack?"

"That's what I need to talk to you about!" Cindy said urgently. She pushed Janet into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Okay, calm down," Janet said. "Tell me what's going on."

"Calm down?! I can't calm down, Janet! Jack just asked me to marry him!!"

For a moment, Janet couldn't feel her legs. She held on to the wall, and swallowed, "H-he did?"

"YES!" Cindy confirmed, loudly. "I can't marry Jack! Janet, what am I going to do??"

Pushing aside her own feelings, Janet tried to remain rational. "But Cindy, you said yourself that a baby should have a father."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Cindy," Janet said carefully. "I know."

"Know what?" Cindy's forehead was furrowed in complete confusion.

"That you're pregnant!"

Cindy's eyes grew wide as saucers as Janet's words sunk in. "I'm not pregnant!"

"You're not?!"

The door of the bathroom swung open and Jack stumbled inside. "You're not?!"

Janet reeled from the news. She regained her focus after a minute and realized she was the only one standing in the bathroom. Jack and Cindy were now in the living room.

Cindy kept turning her head from her to Jack. "I can't believe either of you thought that I was pregnant! I know how to take care of myself! And to ask me to marry you, Jack! You know what I think?"

"No, what?" Janet and Jack asked together.

Cindy broke out into a big grin. "That's just the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me!"

"Well, you know me, I'm a nice guy," Jack joked.

Janet just half-sighed, half-laughed in relief.

Cindy hugged them both for a moment, then let go, still grinning. "Well, I have to get to class! Bye!" She bounced out the door, and was gone.

Without a word, Janet and Jack both walked over and plopped onto the couch.

"That girl's got energy!" Janet said.

"You can say that again," Jack agreed.

Janet looked over at him, suddenly nervous. Was this her chance? Should she tell him how she felt? There was nothing stopping her now.

All this thinking was making her head hurt. Taking a deep breath, she decided it was time to DO something. It was now or never. "Jack?"

Jack turned his head her way. "Yeah?"

Before she lost her nerve, Janet leaned over and planted a passionate kiss on Jack's mouth. After a few intense seconds, she broke the kiss and waited for him to say something.

Jack's mouth was hanging open. "Janet. you kissed me."

Janet almost laughed, but she could barely even think with the loud pounding in her ears. "Yeah. I'm in love with you, Jack."

Silence.

Janet was getting the feeling that she had made a really big mistake.

"You're wha-?"

"Oh, Jack!" Janet turned and ran into her room, closing and locking the door behind her. She crawled completely under the covers of her bed, mentally kicking herself.

What had she done? This was why she never took chances. How could she face him again? She couldn't, she decided.

She had to move out.