Chapter 2: Mr. Brightside

"No! Geez! What in the world would compel you to think that I would ever do you a favor?"

"Come on Jess! I gave you your job here! It's not like it wasn't crowded enough without you here! If you weren't such a good writer you'd be out of here!"

"Well, if I had known I would be constantly reminded of it, I wouldn't have moved in!"

"Come on! Please! Just come with me! My girlfriend and I-"

"Oh! Your girlfriend! Well excuse m-"

"Shut up! I'm sick of you moping around here! You need to get over this girl, whoever she is. She doesn't want you, and you have to get over it! She only came to you because she was pissed off at her boyfriend! Now, you're coming with me, my girlfriend is bringing her heartbroken friend, and you will talk to her! You will have a good time with her, and you will forget about this other girl!" fumed Matt.

Silence. Nobody, with the exception of Rory, had ever left Jess Mariano speechless before, until now. Matt, red-faced and panting, was glowering at Jess. As Jess glared back, challenging him to continue to verbally berate him. Matt's gaze faltered, and he focused on the ground. The air between them seemed to sizzle with anger from both parties.

"You don't know her. It's not that easy," Jess said humbly, looking at Matt with a tired expression on his face.

"I have to say, from what she's done to you, I'm not sure I would want to know her," Matt joked with him, but Jess just stared at him blankly. 'Yep, I thought we might be able to actually get along today, but I guess not. Jess has now officially gone back to his old reserved self… what am I supposed to do? If the shouting at him doesn't provoke him to spill his guts and be friendlier, I don't know what will!' Matt thought to himself.

"It's not going to get any easier if you don't try," Matt said, back in his persuasive mode. 'Maybe he learns from example'

Jess slightly rolled his eyes and nodded reluctantly. "I'll go, but just because I'm such a good friend," he sighs, giving in. He was grateful to Matt for giving him the job, and being decent to someone for a change might not be half bad. 'Besides,' he thought, 'maybe Matt is right. Maybe I do need to get over Rory.' It was then that Jess Mariano promised himself to get to know this other, heartbroken girl, and to be halfway civilized to Matt and his girlfriend tonight.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself!" exclaimed Matt, apparently satisfied that Jess was cooperating as Jess went to change into some nicer clothes.

A/N: Hey guys, hope you like the way the story is going so far! Soooo sorry that it's short, but we promise, the chapters will get longer as soon as we get Rory and Jess in the same room. We think there will be two more short chapters, and then the longer ones! Hold on with us!

Oh, and also—199 hits with only 5 reviews?? PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!!

Thanks to all of you five that did review- we are glad you like the story so far. We have lots more ideas, so stay tuned!