Chapter Eighteen

Jessica woke up with knots in her stomach. She was so nervous, and she felt sick. She'd decided to go to school, tell Casey to cover for her while she met Dave and then, after their meeting she'd go back to school. She didn't have anything planned out though, so she was just going to see what happened. Jessica had told Katie about the letter and that she would be meeting Dave at 10am so Katie had woken her at 7am this morning and Jessica was now getting ready. She'd just slipped her jacket on when Katie came into her room.

"Jesse, mom's home. How are you going to get away with this without her knowing or finding out?" Katie asked.

"I'm going to just go with it. Act like nothings up ya know. Just promise me you won't say anything at all."

"I promise. But if he upsets you at all, Jess I'm gonna kick his ass."

Jesse laughed. "Katie, he's 6'6 and 300 pounds. You ain't kicking his ass. But I gotta go. So come on lets go I'll tell mom I'm walking you to school."

Katie and Jessica left the house with no problems. Donna had smiled and waved them goodbye and they'd walked in the direction of the school.

"Ok, I'm going to find Casey or Dean. He's mad at me but he might help me out if he knows it's because of Dave. I'll see you later sis."

Katie smiled. "Good Luck." She said before walking towards a group of her softball friends.

Jessica went into the school to find Casey. She knew she'd be in the library studying like she always was so she made her way there. Once she got to the library she saw Casey and Dean both sat at their favorite table. She didn't want to talk to Casey with Dean there, but she couldn't make excuses.

"Hey guys." She smiled sitting down.

"Hey." Casey said looking up briefly and then going back to her book. Dean didn't even look up or say anything to her.

"I need you're help with something Case, I need you to cover for me for a while."

Casey and Dean both looked up then.

"Having a secret meeting with Randy again?" Dean asked with a tone Jessica didn't like.

"No, and my meetings with him aren't a secret. He's been to my house and met my family if you must know. I need to you to cover for me because I'm meeting Dave."

"The brother who left you?" Casey asked.

"Yeah."

"Why would you want to meet him. He caused so much trouble for you."

"There are reasons he wants to tell me and I need to know what they are. It's just something I have to do. So will you help me?"

"Yeah. But be careful." Casey smiled hugging her friend over the table. "I need to go. Call me later."

Jesse nodded and waited for Casey to leave.

"So, will you cover for me too?" She asked Dean.

"I don't know Jess. You've changed and I don't know you anymore."

"What has that got to do with covering with me. What is you're problem lately?"

"Look, I'll cover for you. But only because I know it's because you're seeing you're brother. Other than that, don't talk to me about Randy or anything in you're life anymore. It's obviously got nothing to do with me, and you obviously don't think you can tell me about things that happened in you're past. Even if I have known you for my whole life."

Dean walked away from her again. Jessica sighed. He was impossible right now. She didn't need his drama right now, but she needed help.

"Dean wait. I need you're help. Can I borrow you're car?"

"Jessica, you can have my car as long I know you're safe. Just be careful."

"I will. Thanks, I'll bring it by later."

Dean handed over his keys and left the library. Jessica looked at the clock. It was 9am already so she had an hour to get across town and to find Dave's room. She ran from the library and out to find Dean's car. She didn't want to be late and Dave think she wasn't coming.