Bradin really was absolutely ready to tell Jessica how he felt. Really, he was. It wasn't his fault that Jason kept tagging along on Saturday. God, he was annoying. How could she stand to be around him?

Bradin was sullen all day. He had expected to get at least a little one on one time with her but that just wasn't the case. It didn't help matters when Bradin saw that tell tale glint in Jason's eyes. He liked her. It was pretty obvious, but at least for now it looked as if Jess couldn't tell. They were both just friends with her. Would she go for Jason?

He was flirting incessantly. Incessantly! And she didn't exactly seem to mind. Or did she really not notice? He was practically hanging off her, how could she not notice? Or was Bradin just jumping to conclusions?

When evening came, Bradin was beyond frustrated. Jason was not leaving any time soon and Bradin felt somewhat ignored. Perhaps that was partly because he was keeping to himself and not doing much to be much more than invisible, but her smile aimed towards Jason, her laugh at some moronic thing he said, the way she seemed so utterly comfortable around him… it drove Bradin mad.

Finally, when Jason had left for a moment to buy a drink, Bradin blurted out, "Do you have a thing for Jason?"

Jess looked really surprised at the question and merely blinked in response. She gaped, "Uh…well…" And then Jason sidled back over, preventing anything else from being said.

Her discomfort was enough of an answer. Bradin muttered something about having to go; fake smile plastered on his face, and left the two. No hurried reassurances. No rushed 'of course not!' UGH! Bradin kicked a trashcan over and swore.

He was sick of this. The waiting, the worrying… It had been, what, a full month and a half since he'd last been with a girl. He was holding out for Jessica but he was going insane. Call him a typical guy, but girls were throwing themselves on him…and it was getting harder to push them away.

That night, in his pissy mood, Bradin was wallowing in self-pity and not exactly secure with himself anymore. So when a girl from his Physics class skipped over to him on the beach, all happy to see him, cooing and awing… Bradin gave in. She was so thrilled to see him… so Bradin kissed her. The joy it gave the girl kind of gave him a smug feeling inside and he got a little high from it… so he didn't stop.

Over the next few weeks, Bradin's spiral of depression escalated and he kept making himself feel better by using the same tactics. He had way too many flings to count and you could count on him making out with a new girl every few days. It wasn't long before he became firmly established as a player.

This change in Bradin did not go unnoticed by Jessica who finally said something after she saw yet another girl walk away from Bradin's locker with tears in her eyes.

"What the hell is with you?" she demanded angrily.

"What are you talking about?" he drawled.

"You know what I'm talking about! God, do you even care that you've broken the hearts of basically half the girls in your grade?" she hissed.

"It's just some fun," he shrugged, "Its not anything serious, they get that."

"Oh yeah, I'm so sure Lisa over there is crying over something else," Jess said sarcastically. "You've got to stop doing this. When did you become so heartless?"

"Why do you care?" he muttered.

"I care because you're totally not yourself, clearly you're very upset about something or another and seeing as though we're friends, yeah I care! What you're doing is wrong. These girls don't deserve to be crushed by you." Jess said.

"You know what, you're right. I do have shit going on in my life. Maybe if you weren't so busy flirting with Jason all the time, you'd realize what that is," Bradin snapped. "And please, like I seek out those girls?"

"Why do you always have to yell about Jason? No matter what we're talking about, you just have to bring him up, don't you?" Jessica fumed. "Why does it bother you so much that I have other friends? I don't know what the hell your problem is because you won't talk to me! Bradin, you were the only person here I could talk to. The only one I could go to. But now you're a completely different person. It's you that's shutting me out; it's you that won't listen to me. I don't know if what you have against Jason is a jealousy thing, but if it is, suck it up! Don't be such a bastard!"

"Maybe if you would let me talk to you without Jason hanging on to our every word, I wouldn't shut you out. He's like a freaking puppy for Pete's sake!" Bradin retorted.

"And you continue to rant about Jason," she sighed. She shook her head and turned away. "Obviously I'm not getting through to you."

"Wait," he exclaimed in a softer voice, "Don't walk off."

"No, I think I will. When you're ready to stop avoiding the situation, when you actually want to be honest with me, then we'll talk. As for now, I don't think I know you anymore, Bradin. The Bradin I was friends with would never have such ease in ripping out the emotions of others. If you don't want my lectures, fine. I'll just stay away from you; leave you alone with your 'fun'. Good luck finding a girl who will trust you after all that you've done." She said coldly.

"Whatever, honestly, these girls are begging me sleep with them. It's not as if I go out and trick them. They're so in need of fucking me that the inevitable dumping doesn't register." He spat back.

"You really are a perverted, sick, jack ass." Jessica shook her head in amazement before walking away.


A/N: Cruelty, yes. Cackle Don't worry, Bradin won't be sucha man-slut later. I just couldn't help but make him venture back into his ass-like side. Especially after his stupid moves on the actual show tsk He was being too nice, time for a nice little breaking point