I know, I know. You hate me because I too such a long time with this chapter. But now you're going to love me again because I made it extra long--only chapter five is longer. I've had a lot of schoolwork, especially with exams, and you guys are lucky to be getting this today because I have chemistry and economics tomorrow. Wish me luck. For the record, I have no idea how the technical caller ID stuff works, so just go with it. I think you guys might hate me after this chapter...I'm not sure, but I think so. Or you may just mildly dislike me. You'll know why once you've read it. Have fun.

My cast was itching like hell. I tried to snake in pencils, pens, spoons and even sandpaper, but none of it worked. I spent all day lying on my bed, my arm twitching every so often as I fantasized about the nagging sensation ceasing.

Paige had gone out again, this time to put in some hours at The Dot. She had lovingly used up every one of her sick days to take care of me, so she was stuck working nonstop until summer break. If she happened to catch a deadly illness between now and then, she wouldn't be able to get out of work. Her last words would be "Would you like fries with that?"

The phone ringing pulled me out of my most likely painkiller-induced thoughts. I grabbed the blaring piece of plastic and pushed the 'on' button.

"This is Alex."

There was hesitation on the other end. "Hey, it's me." I immediately recognized the voice as Jay's, and although my first instinct was to hang up on him, his somber and quiet tone stopped me.

"Jay. Pleasant surprise." I was sarcastic, but not viciously.

"Yeah." He paused, then continued somewhat awkwardly. "How are you doing?"

"Interesting question, coming from you."

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry. About everything."

I didn't speak for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"Listen, I didn't call you about that. Lexi, it's horrible here. I got a black eye on my first day and I've gotten jumped pretty much every other one. I can't live here much longer."

"I hate to break it to you, but it's not exactly my fault."

"Yeah, but you can get me out of here. Look, I know I'm the last person you want to have anything to do with, but I need you. I'll go insane in here…do you really think my mood swings are going to go away in jail?"

"Jay, you assaulted me. I can't just up and forgive you, act like nothing happened. I mean, what do you want me to tell you?"

I heard him sigh, then he was silent. "I don't know. I just want…I need--you to know that I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you. Maybe I was myself, maybe I wasn't, but please know that I'm sorry."

I was stunned. I had never seen this side of Jay before. But what scared me was that I believed everything he had just told me. He hadn't given me excuses for what he had done, only apologized for it.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but Jay beat me to it.

"I have to go. I get one call a day and my time's up. Thank's for listening, Lexi."

"Wait, Jay!" I yelled into the phone, not meaning for my voice to be so loud. I could still hear him on the other line so I continued. "I have a lot of thinking to do, and I'm not sure how I feel about you right now. So here's the deal--I don't want you to call me unless it's an emergency or you absolutely need me."

"Got it--" was all I heard before the line went dead. I could imagine a prison guard pressing the hang-up button on the payphone with a smirk on his face because he had nothing else for entertainment except interrupting people's conversations.

I shook my head to clear it, wondering if these random thoughts were side effects of the meds I was on. After putting the phone back on the side table I closed my eyes and pressed my palms to them. This godforsaken decision on my plate had to be made by the end of the week, and I wasn't even close to making up my mind.

"Are you serious?" I tilted my head back in fake agony at Paige's announcement that she was throwing a Get Well Soon party for me. Apparently she had already invited everyone, which included Marco, Spinner, Ellie, Craig, Ashley and Jimmy. They were all coming over on Friday night, and since that was my deadline for my decision concerning Jay, Paige was driving me crazy in her planning frenzy. What I really wanted to do was just lie on the couch and think, but she would often burst into the room and begin talking fifty miles an hour about decorations, food, blah, blah, blah.

Time wasn't on my side, either. While the seconds dragged on when Paige was blabbing about the party, the clock took hour-long leaps when I finally had time alone. Friday came way too fast, and by the time people started arriving I was so stressed out that I had completely forgotten about my itchy arm. It wasn't in the sling anymore, and now the cast was plastered with stickers and covered in graffiti--half of it from my doodling away my boredom and the rest from various friends who had added their signatures with dramatic designs.

Despite my anxiety about Jay, I actually managed to have a little fun. I participated in conversations, acted like somewhat of a hostess, and I even beat Craig at Guitar Hero. I hated myself, though, because I was almost expecting Jay to call. I couldn't say I wanted him to, but I was still anxious like I had been since our last conversation.

When the phone did ring I was lounging on the couch while Jimmy drew a Squatch design on my cast. I jumped and made to sit up, but Paige appeared.

"No, no, you sit, I'll get it."

This was the first time I wished that the phone was in the room. Since it was in the bedroom, I couldn't hear what Paige was saying. I strained my ears over the noise of the party, but she returned within a minute.

"Hey, who was it?" I asked.

"Just a telemarketer," she replied, pushing a few buttons on the phone before setting it on the table.

"Was it that Japanese guy that called last week?"

"I'm not sure," she said, grinning. "Whatever accent it was was so heavy that I could only make out 'special offer' and 'nineteen ninety-five.'"

"That's a shame. They usually make for great conversation."

She laughed and shoved some chips into her mouth before heading to the kitchen for some more soda.

After the food was gone and countless guitar battles were fought, everyone finally started heading home. Only Jimmy stayed behind to put the final touches on his cast art. I could hear Paige washing dishes in the kitchen. Did she ever do anything unproductive?

"So," Jimmy began, speaking in his trademark quiet, calm voice. "Paige told me about your situation with Jay."

Figures. I guess Paige having a big mouth was sometimes a bad thing. "What do you know?" I meant this in the literal meaning.

"That you have to decide by tonight whether or not to press charges." He paused, his eyes leaving his drawing and looking into mine. "Have you decided yet?"

"Surprisingly, no."

"Why do you say that?" How 'Jimmy' of him. I say something meant to be sarcastic, and he keeps asking questions.

"I don't know," I answered lamely. I was holding back in my answer, and I think he knew that because he didn't say anything. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He called me a few days ago. He said it's horrible there, and he doesn't know how much longer he can take it."

He once again said nothing, and the words began tumbling out. "On the other hand, if I just give him therapy I'll feel like I forgave him in a way. I don't know if I'm ready to do that."

"Why aren't you?"

Such a simple question, yet I felt my eyes burning with forming tears. Stupid eyes.

"He hurt me," I replied, letting out a small laugh. "That seems like a pretty damn good reason to me."

"You don't think you should give him a second chance?"

Figures that he would be the one to ask me that. It also figures that I have no idea how to answer it. I thought about it.

"Would you give Rick a second chance?"

Jimmy looked back down, his jaw muscles clenching. I got nervous when he didn't answer.

"Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

I was about to get up when he put his hand on my arm. "No, no, it's okay." He hesitated for a moment, but gave a small sigh and looked into my eyes again. "I would. He didn't know the truth about what had happened, and he didn't know I was innocent. I can't blame him for that."

He rolled back in his wheelchair to admire his finished work. "Listen, I gotta go. Thanks for the party, it was fun. As he made his way toward the door I jumped up and opened it for him.

"Thanks, Jimmy." I hesitated. "You really are the wisest person I know." I cracked a smile. "Thank you, o wise elder for sharing your wisdom with me." We both laughed and I shut the door behind him.

Out of curiosity I picked up the phone off the table and scrolled though the caller ID list. I frowned when there was nothing in the call log from when the phone rang during the party. I thought back and remembered that Paige had pressed a few buttons before setting it down, and guessed that she had erased the call from the phone's memory. But why would she do that for a telemarketer?

I put the phone back down and ventured down the hall, where the other phone sat on a small table against the wall. I knew it also had caller ID so I picked it up and looked through the calls log. My heart jumped when I saw it.

Yeah, that's right. Cliff-hanger for Kelsey. The reasons I suspect you guys might hate me right now are one, because she still has not decided. I figure I'll stretch it out as long as possible, just to keep you guys reading. Two, because I wrote a cliff-hanger ending. I had originally typed a longer ending that was not a cliff-hanger, but then I read it again, and I was like "Oh my gosh. I should totally end it there." And so the cliff-hanger was born. Let me know what you guys think. Let's see if we can get up to sixty reviews. That's "60" if you prefer numbers over letters. I have a feeling this wasn't my best chapter, although I had fun with the Jimmy/Alex conversation. It was fun to write for the Jimster, just because he wasn't Paige or Alex or Jay for once. Adios, and I hope you had a pleasureful reading experience. Wow, that sounded smart. Pounds chest twice and makes a sideways peace sign