Author's note: I know some people feel like I should have just had Jenny kick Tom to the curb but I feel like there was such an emphasis on how long the two of them had been together in the books that it would be doing the characters an injustice. For me it needs to be a long drawn out thing to stay in character. I mean, Jenny is a moron and picked Tom over Julian more than once. It stands to reason that she is going to continue to act like a freak and hem and haw over this decision too. Not to mention what a piece of work Tom is. I always felt like Tom viewed Jenny as a possession somewhat. And now that Julian opened his eyes to what Jenny is Tom has to kick himself for a while. Even though he's doing the right thing by breaking up with her…it still has to hurt.

Disclaimer: I'm naming this disclaimer Bob. Bob wants everyone to know that I do not want to be sued by anyone and that I appreciate the recognition that I own nothing and am not profiting by it.

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"Tom…" Jenny began.

"No, Jenny! It doesn't matter what you say. You can say we need each other and that we've been through so much together, and those things and all the other ones you can think of are true. But they cannot erase the truth. They cannot eliminate the fact that Julian happened. That he came and changed everything for everyone. They cannot cancel out the fact that you and I are different people now, going separate ways. We will always be in each other's lives, Jenny. It just won't be like we thought."

He was right, of course. What he said was correct regardless of the fact that Jenny had not been about to protest this whole conversation and beg him to stay like he thought.

"But I'm an idiot and a jackass."

Whatever Jenny had been about to say died upon hearing that proclamation.

"Say what?"

He shook his head and refused to look at her, obviously going through some internal struggle. Jenny focused on threading and unthreading her fingers together while she waited for him to decide upon his course of action.

"Though I suppose if I were to get technical I would have to label myself a masochist."

She looked up as he spoke, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Why do you say that Tom?"

"Because I should just walk away. I know that's the smart thing to do. Instead I'm going to stay here and ask you a question I know I don't want to hear the answer to. But part of me is just dying to ask. It's obviously the part that longs for the men with the nice white coats to come and take me away post haste, because I'm pretty sure if I hear the answer I may very well drive myself insane with the knowledge."

Oh brother! No pressure here or anything! What in the world was he going to ask? Jenny was just as sure as Tom that the smart thing to do would be for him to not ask whatever question was tormenting him.

"So don't ask me."

Her voice was both hopeful and worried. He smiled at the tone she used.

"The only reason I am is that someone else is bound to do it sooner or later and when they do I'd rather have the answer already so I can just tune out the rest of the conversation."

Despite assuring herself that she had no clue what Tom was going to ask the part of Jenny's brain that remained in the present at all times was fairly certain not only of the subject of Tom's question but of the actual question itself. At the moment Jenny hated that part of herself.

She kept her frightened gaze on him as she waited for the dreaded question.

"So Jenny, what I want to know is what feelings did you develop for Julian?"

"What?"

It was out before she fully processed the question. If she had processed it she certainly would not have been inviting Tom to explain what he meant.

Even though that treacherous part of her brain was rejoicing in her innate intelligence in guessing the subject it was as shocked about the question itself as the rest of Jenny.

No. No. No, he did not just ask me that.

Tom took one look at Jenny's face and sighed. Her features were frozen in a horrified, shocked expression. He took a small measure of comfort in the knowledge that perhaps Jenny had really thought she hadn't given any indication of even having feelings for Julian. Though he realized it would be too much to ask that perhaps she really didn't have any feelings for him and was upset that he even suggested such a thing.

"Oh come on Jenny. I may have just admitted I'm an idiot but I never said anything about being a blind idiot."

"What?"

At the moment Jenny didn't know if she would ever be capable of any response beyond 'What?' ever again.

"Do you really want me to explain?"

No, she really didn't but before she could find her voice he continued.

"First there was the kiss. Then there was the whole crying, no wait, make that sobbing over his death. Next there is the fact that you still wear his ring. Also it's obvious that you continue to think of him. I can always tell what it happens, too. You get this look in your eyes, this faraway look. I can't explain it better than that. I just know without a doubt that you're thinking of him. Finally let's not forget the whole calling out his name after your dream thing, not that I can."

At this point Jenny's brain had finally made it past its paralysis and was ready to speak. She was surprised at the level of anger she felt towards Tom. But she felt justified in it. She recognized that a lot of her anger was due to the fact that she wanted to keep her feelings about Julian to herself. Tom asking about them was an invasion into the most private part of her self. But back to Tom. Who the hell did he think he was? They break up and then he demands to know her feelings for Julian? What gave him the right to demand anything?

Jenny got ready to tell Tom that it was none of his damn business what feelings she did or didn't have for Julian. But just as she opened her mouth her mom popped her head in the room.

Noticing the grim looks the two teenagers before her were wearing Mrs. Thornton's smile left her lips.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. It's just that it's almost dinner time. Tom, will you be joining us?"

Tom sighed and turned to face Jenny's mom. He barely managed a small smile.

"No thank you Mrs. Thornton. I have to get home and finish up my work for tomorrow."

He made his way to the door and turned to face Jenny as he pulled the door open.

"I'll see you in school Jenny."

"Goodbye Tom."

They looked at each other for a long moment.

"Goodbye Jenny."

As Tom left Jenny went to go upstairs and clean up before dinner but her mom's voice stopped her.

"Sit down for a minute; I'd like to talk to you."

Jenny did as her mother asked; silently dreading what was to come. Her mom sat down on the couch beside her.

"Did I interrupt a fight between the two of you?"

"Not exactly a fight."

She gave Jenny's face a piercing look, silently evaluating what she saw. Finally she nodded to herself.

"I think I understand and I want you to listen to me and try not to fly off the handle, ok?"

"Ok."

Jenny was sure her mom had absolutely no idea what she was going through. But as all children eventually learn it's best to just let your parents do their thing. It makes them happy and your life more bearable. She decided to just let her mom talk.

"Maybe this 'not exactly a fight' is exactly what you need."

"Exactly what I need for what?" Ok, so she was actually going to converse. It looked like an inevitability seeing as her mom was making zero sense.

"You may very well spend the rest of your life with Tom; I'm not saying you won't. All I'm saying is you're smart."

At that Jenny looked up at her mother in confusion. Her mom laughed at the look Jenny gave her.

"Yes, you heard me. You're smart. And smart people investigate all their options before making such a huge commitment. Take college, for example. You're looking at all the schools before making a decision. Now I don't want you to take this the wrong way but your father and I are glad that you and Tom are considering some separate colleges."

"Why is that?" Jenny asked feeling more confused than irritated. She thought her parents loved Tom.

"We just want you to be sure Tom is the one for you. And while you may have a gut feeling about him we don't. So I guess in a way we want to be sure about Tom. And it's not that we don't trust your feelings or you in general, it's more that we would like to at least see you with some other guys to help us be sure. Can you understand that, sweetheart?"

Oh Jenny understood alright. She understood that her mom really had no clue as to the current situation. But she nodded at her mom anyway. Not out of an actual desire to keep this talk going, mind you, more out of a desire to see it end as quickly as possible.

At Jenny's nod her mom continued.

"Good. I'm not suggesting you break up with Tom or anything like that. I just want you to be open to new friendships and new people. College is a time when you will have interactions and experiences beyond anything you can imagine and I just want you to be receptive to it."

Oh mom, you'd be surprised what interactions and experiences I've already had that were way beyond anything I could have imagined, Jenny thought.