Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has or continues to read this story especially Christie, narcolover, and elsewhere405. Hopefully, the WB will release the series on DVD soon but in the meantime, cheers to Kerri Lynn Pratt (Missy) who recently guest starred on House and Logan (Bobby) who is currently starring in the movie Hoot.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Courtney Benedict scanned JR's as soon as she came through the door. Jack had left her a message to meet him here and from the sound of his voice, she could tell it was urgent.
She had no idea what he wanted to talk to her about, but what she did know was that Katie seemed out of the picture. She hadn't seen them together for the past week. And as stupid as it was, she couldn't help wishing that finally it was her turn to be with him.
On this particular night, JR's was busy, but not overly crowded. And though she saw a few kids from Truman, most of the customers were students from the university. Mr. Ride's strong black coffee, it seems, was legendary around campus for getting one through those tough all-nighters.
At last, she saw him wiping down the counter near the kitchen, talking to Marcus. A second later, he caught her eye and smiled, then they both joined her in the booth where she sat.
Her heart dropped. If Marcus was joining them, Jack obviously wasn't about to confess his "undying love" for her.
"Hey," Jack said sliding into the seat across from her as Marcus sat next to her. "I'm glad you guys could make it. I only have a few minutes. I suppose you've heard the rumors."
She had. Jessica McDonald had seen to that, but she didn't put much stock in anything she said.
"What rumors?" Marcus asked, looking from one to the other.
"Apparently Missy is pregnant," Courtney replied with a smile.
"What?" Marcus exclaimed then started laughing. "Where do people come up with this stuff?"
Her eyes trained on Jack, Courtney soon realized that he didn't find the rumors as funny as she and Marcus did.
"It's true," he said.
What, Courtney thought, struggling to grasp the situation. The rumors were true. Missy really was pregnant … with Jack's baby. Suddenly she felt light headed. Breathe, she silently screamed to herself, breathe.
"Huh," Marcus said looking as if he'd been sucker punched.
Not again, she thought. Every time it seemed as if she and Jack were about to get together, something always, always got in the way.
"Miss is pregnant," Jack said softly.
"When did this happen?" Marcus asked.
"I found out a week ago. She went to a clinic in Columbia."
"Are you sure?" Marcus said leaning forward.
"What kind of question is that?"
"Are you sure she's not making it up. Missy's the type to want what she can't have. She breaks up with you, you hook up with Katie, and now she's pregnant."
"She went to the clinic."
"No, she said she went to the clinic. You didn't actually go with her, did you?"
"No, but …."
"So she could be lying."
"Missy wouldn't do something like that, she couldn't. Look I know you mean well Marcus," Jack said tightly.
"Whatever."
"I really need to get back to work," Jack said rising, defeat in his voice. "I'll see you later." He slid out of the booth, went back to the counter, and began filling the salt shakers.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Marcus turned to Courtney and said, "Please tell me I'm not the only one who knows this is a crock of shit."
She shrugged. "You heard Jack. He thinks she's telling the truth."
"Jack has been my best friend since we were thirteen. I can't just sit by and let Missy Belknap get away with this. Are you with me?"
Courtney hesitated. How could Marcus be so sure Missy wasn't telling the truth? "If she's not really pregnant, how could we prove it? And what if she's telling the truth? We'll both look like asses."
Marcus leaned back in the booth, his hands behind his head. "Don't ask me how I know; maybe it's being around Missy all these years, but she's lying. To be honest, I never understood what Jack saw in her."
Courtney hadn't been able to see it either, but some would say she was a bit biased. "Well Matlock, do you have a plan?"
"Not really. Maybe you could talk to her."
"Me! Missy's not going to tell me anything."
"What about girl talk?"
"Marcus …."
"Do it for Jack."
She sighed. "Fine. But she's not going to tell me anything."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Though she normally looked forward to the end of the school day, today Courtney wished it could have gone on forever. She'd promised Marcus she'd see what she could learn from Missy, but how in god's name was she supposed to ask her if she was lying about being pregnant?
She could see Missy at the other end of the hall rifling through her locker. Sighing, Courtney put on her coat, slammed her locker door shut and made her way down the hall.
Why was she doing this? She was never going to get Jack anyway. She just had to accept that.
"Hey," she said.
"What's up?" the perky cheerleader asked with a smile.
"Nothing much," she began. "Well actually … can we walk home together? I really need to talk to you."
"Sure," Missy said as she slipped into her white winter jacket and closed her locker door. Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned to Courtney. "Ready?"
"Yep."
The two girls followed a throng of other students downstairs to the first floor where they exited through a back door. A cool breeze greeted them as soon as they stepped outside. A change was in the air and it wouldn't be long before the stark, grey, dreariness of winter gave way to the budding light of spring. Crossing the teachers' parking lot, neither said a word.
"Well?" Missy asked, finally breaking the silence. "You wanted to talk to me."
"Yeah," Courtney said then loudly cleared her throat. "Ummm, I don't know how to tell you this, but there's this rumor going around."
"Rumor?"
"Uh huh."
"Is it about me and Jack?" Missy asked pointedly.
Courtney nodded.
"Then it's not a rumor."
"What?" Courtney said, stopping and turning to face Missy for added effect.
"I'm pregnant."
"Are you sure?" Courtney blurted out. Missy gave her an irritated look but said nothing. "Stupid question. Sorry. It's just … it's just. I don't know what to say. What are you guys going to do?"
"I guess we'll get married."
"Did Jack say that?"
Missy stopped, her face reddening with annoyance. "What is this about? Why are you asking me all these questions?"
"It's just that this is so surprising," Courtney said breathlessly. Something's wrong, she thought. Like a lighthouse giving off light, Missy was giving off a mass of emotions, the dominant one being fear.
"Yeah, it is."
"It must be overwhelming for you. And Jack. You two are going to be parents."
"I love Jack and he loves me. We'll manage."
"But he's dating Katie."
"Not anymore," Missy said smugly.
"Oh."
"Look, I forgot I'm supposed to stop by Jessica's house," Missy said abruptly. Courtney could see Jessica's house at the end of the street. She still had to walk four blocks in order to get home. "We need to go over some last minute details for the pep squad bake sale."
"Sure. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, bye," Missy said hurriedly. She turned, then headed down the street towards Jessica's house without waiting for a response.
Courtney continued on her way. Maybe Marcus was on to something after all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missy walked the short distance to Jessica's house, stopping on the sidewalk out front. She turned and watched as Courtney walked towards Maple Street. After waiting a few minutes, she strode pass Jessica's house on her way to the McCallisters.
Her heart beat furiously. What did Courtney know? She had to know something or she wouldn't have asked so many questions. But there was nothing she could do about it now. She had to stick to the plan. Phase one had been a success, Jack was no longer dating what's her name. However, she still needed to convince him that she was good for him; but after talking to Courtney, Missy knew time was running out.
As she let herself into the McCallisters' rambling, cluttered house, Missy prayed that Jack was home alone. She hadn't had a chance to spend any time alone with him since she'd begun staying there.
"Anyone home?" she called out.
Silence.
She climbed the stairs to the second floor. When she reached the landing, she could hear the shower at the end of the hallway. Walking into the guest bedroom where she slept, she put down her bag and pulled off her jacket. Next, she padded down the hall to the bathroom and pushed the door open a crack.
"Jack?"
"Miss? I'll be done in a few minutes."
"No rush. Where is everyone?"
"My mom's teaching one of her feminist classes and Bobby's at Warren's."
"Oh."
She inched out of the bathroom and walked back down the hall to the bedroom. A rush of adrenaline coursed through her. She sat on the edge of the bed, then she stood up. Next, she began to pace. This went on for a few minutes until she got an idea.
After stripping off her clothes, she padded back to the bathroom. Quietly, she opened the door and tiptoed over to the shower. She could just make out Jack's form behind the curtain. Then, she slipped in.
"Jack," she said softly. The mist from the warm shower sprayed over her face and body. She was scared, self-conscious, but a little excited too. She wanted Jack to want her, to think she was beautiful again. Tentatively, she reached out and touched his chest. His skin was soft and smooth from the soap, his chest solidly built. She caught her breath as a jolt of electricity shot through her.
Jack jumped back, shock registering on his face. She pushed on, tracing a line down the center of his chest to his stomach.
"Missy," he said grabbing her hand then dropping it. Without another word, he climbed out of the shower. She watched as he wrapped a faded, worn blue and white striped towel around his waist and left the room.
She stood in the shower, cold air coming in from the open curtain, goose bumps beginning to form over her body, stunned.
At length, she snapped out of her daze and made her way back down the hall to the bedroom. She dried herself then quickly dressed. She climbed into the bed and threw the down comforter over her head.
Hot tears began streaming down her face. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she said to herself. There she'd been naked in front of Jack and he hadn't wanted her.
She laid there trembling as the minutes passed by; the only sound her haggard breathing.
Then she heard a soft knock on the door.
"Missy," Jack called. "Miss."
She said nothing, hoping he would go away.
Instead, she heard the door open and Jack cross the room.
"Missy," he said sitting on the bed. A few seconds later, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Missy."
She refused to speak.
He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I never meant to give you the impression …."
"Go away Jack," she finally said, her voice trembling.
"I …. I should have said something sooner."
Seconds passed without either saying a word.
"Missy," Jack said, pulling the blanket away.
She lay there curled up in a ball, feeling vulnerable and exposed, peeking at him from the space between her arms until finally unable to fight it any longer, she sat up.
Grabbing her hands, Jack said earnestly, "You know I'll always be there for you, right?"
"Yeah," she said turning away.
"Hey," he said touching her cheek. She turned to look at him. "I mean it. I won't let you go through this alone."
"Thanks," she said wiping her nose with the back of her hand.
They sat, with her hands in his, until they heard Bobby coming up the stairs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She had to get out. She couldn't stay with the McCallisters, at least not tonight. But she had nowhere to go. She couldn't go home; she couldn't go to any of her friends' homes.
Then suddenly, she thought of Courtney. Sure, they weren't exactly the best of friends, but she was the only one Missy felt she could turn to now.
She got out of bed and walked to the door. She stood listening for sounds in the hall. Hearing nothing, she tiptoed into the hallway and down the stairs. In the downstairs vestibule, she grabbed the cordless phone off the table and snuck back upstairs. Shaking, she dialed Courtney's number.
After the third ring, a male voice said, "Hello?"
"Hello. Mr. Benedict. Hi. This is Missy. Missy Belknap. May I speak with Courtney please?"
"Sure Missy. Hold on a moment." He laid the phone down as he called out to Courtney. A few minutes later, she heard the phone being picked up and Courtney say, "Hello."
"Hi, it's Missy."
"Hey."
"I was wondering if I could crash at your place tonight."
"Something wrong?"
"I can't go into it now, but I really need a place to stay."
"Sure, come on over."
"Thanks."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missy was on her way over here! Did she and Jack have a fight? Stop it, Courtney said to herself. They are having a baby and that's that. Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. She ran downstairs to find Missy standing outside on the porch.
"Come in."
"Thanks."
Courtney led Missy upstairs to her bedroom where the other girl took off her jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. Except for the Mac, stereo, and some posters of Coldplay, U2, and Alanis Morrissette, Courtney's room looked like something out of a Laura Ashley catalogue, pink wallpaper with pale roses and a bedspread that was French country yellow.
"Soooooooo," Courtney said as she plopped onto her bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Although her dad had set up a cot, Missy sat at the window seat instead. "Not really?" Then after a while, "It's just that I don't know what to do about Jack."
"I thought things were great between you two."
"They are, but … things are just harder than I anticipated."
"Oh."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Missy staring out the window into the night sky and Courtney flipping through a copy of Entertainment Weekly.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Missy said rising.
"Okay."
She went into the bathroom. Courtney could hear the flush of the toilet then running water. Minutes later Missy came out.
"Mind if I turn in early? I've had a really rough day."
"Sure, let me wash up first, then we can both go to bed."
Courtney climbed out of the bed and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She walked up to her sink, grabbed the tube of Neutrogena facial cleanser, and began smoothing it on her face. Then she squirted some Colgate on her toothbrush and began brushing. As she stood looking in the mirror, bobbing her head from side to side, a pink wrapper in the wastebasket next to the sink caught her eye. Spitting out her toothpaste, she bent down and lifted it out of the trash. A tampon! Oh my god, she thought as she covered her mouth with her hand in shock. Marcus was right!
After quickly finishing in the bathroom, she took a deep breath, and opened the door. "I need to talk to you."
"What?" Missy said from the cot. She was stretched out on it, Courtney's mother's homemade quilt up to her chin.
"We need to talk."
"Now?" the blonde girl asked.
"Yes."
Missy sat up.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the sound of Courtney's voice, Missy could tell that something was seriously wrong.
"What is it?"
"Why did you lie to Jack about being pregnant?" Courtney demanded.
"What are you talking about?"
"Enough with the lies. I found your tampon wrapper in the garbage."
Missy went white. Fuck. Why didn't I just stuff the wrapper in my pocket? The reason: she hadn't been thinking; throwing it away had been a reflex.
"Do you have any idea what you've done to him?"
"I just … I just wanted him back." Missy's voice trailed off. "I missed him."
"But you were the one who broke up with him."
"I know," she said. "But it was a mistake. I didn't realize how much I loved him."
Courtney turned away in disgust. "Love! You don't know the first thing about love or you wouldn't have done something like this. Marcus was right, you just want what you can't have, you wanted him because he was with Katie."
Marcus. She should have known he'd be involved in this. She'd never much cared for him and she knew the feeling was mutual. She could only imagine what he'd been whispering in Jack's ear about her all these years.
"Coming here was a mistake," Missy said sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the cot. She stuffed her feet into her shoes then stood. She walked across the room to get her jacket when Courtney grabbed her arm and swung her around. Her face was red with anger, her voice raspy and filled with emotion. "You have to tell Jack the truth."
"Let go of me," Missy said wrenching her arm free.
"Either you tell him or I will."
"Mind your own business," Missy said. She turned and rushed out of Courtney's room, down the stairs, and out the front door. Once on the other side, she stared hard at the McCallisters' house across the street. From Courtney's front porch, she could see the light on in Jack's bedroom. When she'd decided to lie to him about the baby all she'd thought about was getting him back. She'd taken it for granted that once they got back together, they'd eventually have sex, and she'd end up pregnant for real.
Instead, Courtney was going to tell Jack the truth and he'd probably never speak to her again. Plus, the whole school would know what a pathetic, desperate, little liar she was.
Oh god, she'd never live this down.
