Yup-yup! Back to it!

((JTLib=3))

She could not believe that she was telling him all of this. Even though her head was screaming 'Shut your mouth before it gets you in any more trouble', Liberty's heart was desperate to make its story heard. JT was willing to listen, and she just prayed that he would never use this knowledge against her. It was all she could do, after all.

JT looked somewhat surprised. "You mean there was Nothing?! No feeling at all? Man, that guy does NOT no how to kiss."

"Great, so my first kiss was from an inept kisser. That's just wonderful. Now can we please get to work?" Liberty pressed, holding up the heavy packet she had created.

"Ok, ok, so what were you saying about Viola?" JT asked, taking the packet out of her hands and flipping through it.

"Maybe we could make Viola oblivious to Olivia's obvious come-ons. And you know that part where Olivia gives her the ring? We'll work with that so that Viola doesn't get it. We could make her a complete ding-bat in other words." Liberty said confidently.

"I like it!" JT exclaimed.

((JTLib=3))

After about an hour of work, Liberty asked if JT wanted anything to eat or drink. JT replied that soda would be fine if she had it, so Liberty went into the kitchen to get the drinks. Five seconds later, the telephone rang.

"JT, can you get that?" Liberty called from the kitchen. JT picked up the phone.

"Hello? Um... Van Zandt residence."

"Uh, can I speak to Liberty, please?" came a very familiar voice on the other end. JT's anger rose one layer below the surface.

Devon.

"Sorry, Devon." JT spat. "We're working on your project right now. And I'm sure she doesn't want to talk to you anyway."

"Hey. Hey! Who is this?!"

"Oh, it's just Liberty's little pipsqueak buddy, JT. If ya don't mind now, we have to get back to work. You understand, right?"

JT didn't wait to hear Devon's reply. He hung up the phone as soon as he finished that sentence.

Devon.

He has some nerve calling after what he said. He should get shot. He should be hung from a tree, then shot. Sonova Bitch. What the hell is he thinking? What, does he think she's just gonna take him back without thinking twice?! He should be murdered. As JT's temper simmered, Liberty came back in with the sodas.

"Who was it?" she asked.

".... Devon." JT answered. Liberty stiffened.

"Well... ok, JT. Thank you for answering the phone." She sat down with her soda, but before she could grab her packet, JT grabbed her arm.

"JT, what the-"

JT looked straight into her eyes, making sure she wouldn't look away. He had to get this out of the way. Before anything else, he had to be sure.

"Liberty... You're not... still into Devon, even after what he said, are you?"

"Of course not!" Liberty answered. "I don't think I was ever really in to Devon at all. I was just trying to get over y- someone else."

Searching her eyes, JT saw that this was nothing but the truth. He let her arm go and let her grab the packet. She smiled, shaking her head.

"C'mon, JT. I'm not stupid. You know that."

"Yeah, I know." JT answered, grinning. "Now, where were we? Ah yes..."

JT, much to Liberty's shock and amusement, wrapped his arms around her extended leg.

"Oh, my darling Cesario! I throw myself at your feet!"

"Don't throw things at my feet." Liberty countered. "They can't catch!" They both laughed so hard that Liberty ended up falling into JT's lap, and neither cared in the least.

"Oh, Cesario, my darling! We're perfect together! We'd be a hit at those parties daddy loves throwing so much!" JT said in a feminine voice.

"What's with everybody throwing things?! You must hold such hostility against each other! Your father throws whole parties? Wait, how can he throw them?" Liberty countered, enjoying playing the part.

"Throwing parties? It's simple!" JT said, making a flippant gesture.

"I mean, do you pick up the people one by one, or do you pick up the whole room? Either way, your daddy must be very strong." Liberty said in a ditzy voice. That was enough for JT. He burst out laughing.

"You're a good actress, Liberty. Really, that was great!" JT said, still laughing.

"Naw, I'm no Oscar-winner. I'm just good at being a ditz. It's just a matter of making fun of what I'm not." Liberty reasoned, looking up at JT.

The phone started ringing.

It was right about then that they both realized Liberty was in JT's lap, and JT had his arms around her waist. They looked at each other in pure bewilderment. Finally, JT snapped out of his daze.

"Well... I'm not gonna ask exactly how this happened... but...."

"Yeah." Liberty said, standing awkwardly. They both looked at each other, a little confused. Liberty looked at the phone, a little wary. Then she looked back at JT. His eyes pleaded with her to just cut the phone line. They were both frozen for a moment. JT pleading with the phone to use its secret telekinetic powers to hang up itself. Liberty pleading for this decision to just go away.

Finally, JT strode to the phone, picked it up, and hung up without saying a word. Then, he turned to Liberty with eyes that seemed to question everything. Liberty's eyes said it all: I'm not strong enough yet. I can do this project, I can make fun of him, I can talk about it, but I can't talk to him... No. Not yet.

JT nodded in understanding.

"Now, what was I saying about Cesario?" JT said, trying to break the uneasy silence.

"Um, I don't remember. But that doesn't matter. Let's talk tomorrow. It's like nine 'o clock. I think it's a good idea if you head home."Liberty said, picking up the neat pile of papers she'd made for JT. Reluctantly, JT took them, and walked out the door and back home in silence.