"Hey Jade! Wait up!" Jade turned around to see Jessica running towards
her down the hall.
"Hey, Jessica!" Jade said brightly as she smoothed down the hem of her
jean skirt. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to see that you were okay, you seemed pretty upset,"
Jessica said concerned.
"No, it's okay Jessica. That was two days ago. I'm fine," she said
smiling cheerfully.
"Are you sure? That was pretty low what Evan did to you."
"It was pretty bad, but I'm over it Jessica. Did Evan send you here or
something?"
Jessica looked at her hurt. "Jade you're my friend, I wanted to see if
you were okay. If you need anything...I just want to help. I know
you're not okay. I know how it feels to be hurt by someone, okay? You know
what helped? My friends. Having a gossip or movie marathon with Liz or
Tia. It gets better, I promise."
Jade looked at her friend and she almost relented. She almost burst into
tears telling her how horrible it had been and how she wanted Evan to
come back. But Jade knew if she broke down, then that would be the end.
She had to be strong and move on.
"I'm going to be fine Jess. I finally realized that if I stay out of a
serious relationship then I won't get hurt."
"Are you sure?" Jessica asked quietly.
"Yes," Jade said harshly. "I would be fine if everyone just stopped
trying to psychoanalyze me."
Jessica stepped back, obviously hurt. "Okay, if that's how you feel,
then I'll leave you alone. But if you need anything, just call."
Jade watched as Jessica walked away. Jade just wanted to call out to
her and cry and tell her everything that was horrible in her life.
She needed to be strong.
She needed to show her friends that she was all right.
But most of all she needed to show Evan that she was over him.
Suddenly she saw Evan coming down the hall right towards her. She
quickly turned to Mike Wurner who was at his locker. She started to flirt
with him and when Evan walked by her, she noticed that he looked kind of
sad. But she knew she couldn't go back. Evan had hurt her once, and he
could always do it again.

Evan stood at Conner door. Mrs. Sandbourne opened the door and smiled
at Evan. "Hey, Evan. Conner's in the den. Do you want something to
drink?"
"No, I'm okay. Thanks." He walked to the den where he saw Conner
stretched out on the couch watching Spongebob Squarepants.
"Spongebob?" Evan asked laughing.
"Liz used to watch it when she lived here and I got hooked."
"Whatever!" Evan said sitting on the chair. "You're still watching a
show about a talking sponge."
Conner flipped the TV off. "So what's up? Why are you here?"
"I went to talk to Jade this weekend and our fight started out with me
standing her up, but she twisted it into me still having feelings for
Liz and that fact that I didn't love her."
"That's girls for you," Conner said simply. "They love to mess with
your mind. She made you feel like a jerk, huh?"
"The biggest. But I want her back. But I don't think that's going to be
happening."
"Why?"
"Well, she told me she wanted to go back to playing the field," Evan
said sullenly.
"Good for her!" Conner said grinning. Evan glared at him. "I mean, not
good. Very bad. It's just I think it's easier to date around
sometimes."
"Why? You don't have a connection with the person you're dating, and
you have to to that first date stuff all the time. Sounds like a pain."
"You know what?" Conner said sitting up. "We need to go to the Shack
and pick up some hot girls and just have fun for a night."
"What about Alanna?"
"Forget her, it's my duty to help you get over Jade. So what do you
think?"
Evan sat up. "Get your keys and lets go."