A/N: Dum, dum, dum… new chapter!

NotreDamegirlie: Sometimes my twisted little mind twists the plot in ways that divert (slightly) from Jane Austen's ingenious work. No, there is not Knightly/Emma/Churchill triangle in that book, but there is a Christian/Becka/Chase in my story. My muse just impressed me to write it that way. ;o)

bow2thehippogriff: Well, I posted. See, review do get me moving faster (Hint hint… Aaah, there I go with the blackmail again. Sorry guys)

But I am a review-addict…

Jill: "I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mail-order Jeremy"… Me too.

Thank you all of my other reviewers. I love you all for reviewing :o) You are wonderful, awesome, and all other words basically meaning the same thing

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Chapter 19

Two Epiphanies

Despite the disgusting show at the Halloween party, I had still been noticing Jen casting some longing glances at Elton in Creative Writing, and she'd obviously not let go of that incredibly resilient crush. Today however, she walks into class, and when her eyes fall on Elton, her look is one of actual revulsion. She quickly crosses the class room to where I'm sitting, plops down in the chair to my right, and announces that she has something very important to tell me.

"I've had an epiphany," she says.

"What?" I ask her, though I could almost guess after that look. Only almost, though. I've lost faith in my ability to predict the future.

"I can't tell you now," she says. I think she means by that she can't tell me with Elton in the room. Or maybe she means she can't tell me because class is starting.

I find out later that when she said "I can't tell you now," what she'd meant was, "I can't tell you until you've worked yourself into such a state of suspense and wonder that you're ready to beat the confession out of me."

All day she maintains this air of mystery—through class, through lunch, through me complaining to Christian about friends are supposed to tell.

(My generally incredibly perceptive Christian, it must be said, did not understand this conversation. He kept looking at me strangely and asking me, "What is it you want me to tell you?" And he started getting almost panicky, which made me think maybe he did have something to hide. But then I felt bad and ended up admitting that I wasn't talking about him. I was just trying to coax Jen's big news out of her. And Christian settled down. It was all very strange.)

But back to Jen.

After classes we head straight for my car because she says she'll tell me when we're back at my apartment. But I can't wait. Before I've even pulled out of the school parking lot I start begging.

"Okay girl, spill," I demand.

"I told you," she replies, "I'll tell you when we get to your apartment. Not now."

"Oh, come on! Please, please, please!?"

"Stop light," Jen says coolly.

I hit the breaks. "See, you're secrecy is having a negative affect on my driving," I accuse, scowling at her.

"Your not watching the road is having a negative affect on your driving," Jen returns gleefully. "Anyway, I tell you when we get to your apartment," she repeats. Then she adds amusedly, "If we get to your apartment."

"Oh, ha ha ha," I say dryly. "Now I'm going to have to speed, you know." And I do.

When we get to the apartment, Jeremy is on the couch buried in Quantum Physics. "Hello ladies," he says when walk in. "How's the day been?"

I sit down on the arm of the sofa facing him. "Interested in doing some a detective work, cousin?"

"I don't know," he says cautiously.

I continue cheerfully, "Because Christian flipped out on at lunch when I was talking about secrets, which I think means he must have one. Like maybe he's secretly a spy or a woman or a democrat."

"Or a CIA agent," Jen adds.

"Or a professional thief."

"Or a member of the Denmark royal family, like in that movie The Prince and Me."

"Right," I agree. "And maybe he's just pretending to be an American college student, and—"

"And maybe he was just pretending to grow up in the house across the street from you and to take you to your senior prom and to know you all your life," Jeremy interrupts, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe," I reply with a good deal of mock suspicion. "This raises all sorts of questions."

"Yeah, about your sanity," Jeremy returns sarcastically.

I scowl and him and then say, "Jen and I are going to have a pow-wow in my room in my bedroom. Do not disturb."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replies, returning to his textbook.

So I get up and Jen docilely follows me to my room. I shut the door behind us. We both sit down Indian style on the floor beside each other, leaning against my bed.

"Okay, what's the big news?" I ask.

Jen leans over and pulls something out of her backpack. A stack of papers and this pencil. She sets them solemnly in front of us and looks at me like there's something I should be understanding.

Umm. What am I missing here?

"I don't get it," I admit.

"Becka!" she exclaims. She picks up the pile of paper and sets them in my lap. I start paging through the stack and begin to put two and two together for myself as Jen explains.

"It's all Elton's. You know how we get each other's stuff in creative writing? You know, to write comments on it? I kept copies of everything he ever wrote."

She certainly did—right down to that stupid silver-spoon poem. Wow. I mean, just wow.

"And this," Jen continues, plopping the pencil on top of the papers, "really was his. I borrowed it one time. Never gave it back." She's silent for a moment. I stare at the papers in front of me; she stares at the wall. Then she continues, taking the stack away from me and setting on the floor again, "Anyway, I don't want it anymore." She says that very matter-of-fact, nonchalant, and it's obvious she's is finally over the whole Elton thing.

"I feel like we should celebrate," I say.

"We should like… burn all this," Jen says a little maliciously.

I shake my head. "It's raining and I am not seating my room aflame." Then I've got an idea. "Christian works in the science building. He's got a paper shredder in his office." I smile starts across my face. This could be fun.

Jen is grinning too. "Let's go," she says, rising and grabbing the papers. Soon we're back out the door and heading again towards school.

"Surprise," I say, as we walk into Christian's office. "Working hard?"

"Course not," he says, happy to see us. Christian grades papers for one of the Biology teachers. Generally, there's not much to do, but as long as he sits in his office he gets paid. It's a sorry excuse for a job.

"We have need of your paper shredder," I say, sitting myself down on the desk directly in front of him.

"For what?" he asks.

Jen holds up the stake of papers. Christian raises his eyebrows.

"We're destroying Elton," I supply.

"Aah," he says, trying to keep a straight face while he's looking at Jen. Then he turns to me and I see the corner of his mouth starting to curve upwards. He says, "You wouldn't happen to have a stack of Chase crap you're here to shred, would you?"

Taking the papers from Jen, I hit him over the head with them and say, "No. Bad Christian."

He shrugs. "Can't blame a guy for hoping." Then he breaks into a grin. I roll my eyes.

We begin shredding papers. The process is accompanied by an interesting paradox of solemnity and mirth. Jen and I are giddy at first (it's just as much fun for me to shred these papers as her after all—I actually dated the guy. And then when he tried to kiss me in the car this year. I shudder even thinking about it), but then I start thinking about Jen's sudden turnabout. I mean, she got over Elton remarkably quickly after months of lingering over liking him.

I become quiet and contemplative thinking about this, trying to figure out what could've caused such a quick and drastic change. From my perch on the desk I watch Jen smiling and shredding and bantering with Christian. It's just that she's so happy. And not that that's bad, but really what made the change? Even when I changed my mind about Chase, it didn't happen as fast as this.

Wait.

Chase.

Oh my God.

Think about this.

Jen beaming up at him from the curb when he comes to fix our tires.

The whole day at the mall with them flirting all over place, and then that look she gave him when he came back with her shoes.

Even the way she's been slightly negative about the Chase and me all along.

It all adds up. Jen is in love with Chase.

My eyes must have widened with the epiphany, because soon Christian is looking at me strangely, trying to read what I'm thinking about. Finally he narrows his eyes and just asks, "What?"

I'd almost tell him, but that would give away the whole Chase-and-me-not-having-it-bad-for-each-other thing. Beside, I've got to talk to Jen about this first. Just to make sure I'm right. Although I pretty sure I am.

I shake my head and come back out of my thoughts. "What? Oh, nothing." I notice we're done with the paper shredding. I say, "Anyway, we should probably go so you can get back to his work."

"Right," Christian says, though he still frowning at me, even more concerned now that I won't tell him what's going on. Oh well. Someday, maybe.

Jen's a little reluctant, but I grab her arm and basically drag her out of the office, throwing a see-you-later over my shoulder to poor Christian on my way. Once we're safely out of hearing range I say. "Okay, I figured it out."

"What?" she asks, looking up at me all innocent, like there's nothing I could've figured out because there's nothing she's not telling.

"Why you're so suddenly over Elton."

"Because he's a jackass?" she asks.

"Well, admittedly. But also because you've been developing feelings for someone else."

Jen doesn't say anything, but her expression gives it away. "Haven't you?" I demand, more confident than ever that my hypothesis was correct.

She gives in, looking a little guilty actually, and says, "Okay, maybe, yeah. And I know what you're going to say, Becka. I know it's completely unrealistic of me and probably just terrible and—"

"Hey," I interrupt. "No I think it's great."

She looks at me, surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah," I assure her. "I mean, it's a big step up from Elton. And after he was so heroic for you, how could you not like him?" I add, in reference to the shoe-thief incident.

"Then you're not mad or anything?" she asks, still a little wary.

"Hell no," I assure her. "I'll even tell you a secret. Despite appearances, me and him, it was never going to happen."

Jen grins, completely relieved. We walk down the building in silence and out the door. Chase is sitting on the bench outside. I grin seeing him, the subject of such a recent conversation. Jen and Chase. This is so perfect.

"There's Chase," I say.

"With Sophie Walker," Jen adds. "What is he doing with her?"

I hadn't noticed her before, but now I do and I wrinkle my nose. They're actually sitting pretty close. "She probably attacked him upon seeing him. Poor guy. Maybe we should go rescue him."

"Maybe not right now," Jen says.

"Okay," I comply, completely understanding. We head off towards my car, but I can't help looking back at him just once. This is great. Everything is going to work.