When I woke I glanced at the clock near her bed, another hour of sleep. My head falls back on the pillow and that's when I notice Jessie's arm is around my waist. Ahhh Kill Me Now. I wake up completely, slowly move Jessie's hand off of me even though my mind is screaming at me for doing so. She wakes a little while later, smiles and sleepily says good morning in such a cute voice. I smile back, amazed by her and how she can look beautiful in the morning. We don't talk much the rest of the morning, I don't have breakfast as usual and Jessie looks confused.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"I haven't eaten breakfast for years. I always wake up late and that makes me late for school so I forget about it and now I'm just used to it," I reply back dismissively waving my hand.

"Oh," she looks at me and smiles, "ok." After everyone is done with their breakfast I make Karen some dressing as promised, we get dressed and I hop back in my car to go back to my house. What else is there to do on a Saturday morning? I take a cold shower a few minutes after I settle back into my room since its really hot out and then go back to laying on my bed. Just as I'm about to be lost in my random thoughts the phone rings…

By the third ring I pick it up figuring if they really wanted to talk they would be persistent and I figure the third ring is persistent. This is what I call insane-logic. Jessie's gotten used to it by now and finds it amusing.

"Hello," I ask into the phone, mostly everyone I know wouldn't be bothering calling me this early. I mean its eleven o'clock on a weekend.

"Katie, its Sarah. Did you want to get together later?" she asks quickly.

"Ah, hi," I reply groggily, after all I was about to zone out for another hour until lunch.

"Hey," she says happily, overly happy it seems, "You want to get together in a while?" she continues.

"I'm actually busy and I just got in the house so I have some things to do."

"Like what?" she questions but still seems overly cheerful.

"Laundry, eat the remainder of food in the house, grocery shopping once I accomplish that, random things I decide to do off the top of my head like that," I say in a non interested voice since I'm getting bored of my own voice.

"Oh, why don't you give me a call after you're done with all that stuff?" Sarah says back.

"I have plans later tonight."

"Really, what are they?" she questions nosily.

"Just plans I have to do," I respond getting somewhat annoyed at how she's pushing to get together and hang out. Hanging out with Sarah involved pointless things about who's wearing what to school, how bad they looked and the latest gossip. After five minutes of that my brain wants to explode and I even pray in my head that I can return back to my books, but that was before Jessie.

"Are you avoiding me or is it because of that little anorexic Jessie that's gotten you so busy?" Sarah says harshly with a cruel and bitter tone. There's the Sarah I know, the abrasive comment reminding me that she couldn't be happy to talk to me and not want anything behind it.

"No, I'm just busy with what I said I had to do. My parents are out of town, I have to do some grocery shopping and then some daily things such as breathing…walking and sometimes eating," I say back sarcastically.

"You know what Katie, I think you should be more appreciative of the fact that I called, I mean, I'm a true friend. You've only known Jessie for a few weeks, she's younger so she's more immature. So choose, me or Jessie," she demanded in a vindictive tone.

"Ooook, I'll get back to you on that one, the doorbell just rang," I said, thanking something high above or down below. "I gotta go, bye," I say quickly, pressing the off button and dropping it on the couch not wanting to hear Sarah's goodbye. At this point I would have preferred a telemarketer to have called. I checked out the peephole just to make sure it wasn't Sarah on her cell to surprise me. Luckily, it wasn't. a happy Jessie was standing in my doorway with a bag I apparently forgot.

"Hey," I say excitedly causing Jessie to break out into a smile. Sometimes she's so insecure I think she's unsure if I'm excited as she is.

"Hey back," she says pulling me into a hug. Her mom drives away after she waves goodbye. Naturally I wave back and Jessie makes her way up to my room. I guess I can do laundry and grocery shopping later I figure as I follow her. She's comfortable in my house, even though she hasn't met my parents yet, considering they're never here. She lays down on my bed and I do the say.

"So how are you," she asks with true consideration. Sarah never asked me how I was doing, she never really talked to me about anything. She just got the mixed message that I liked her. She kissed me and for a split second I kissed back. The kiss itself was only a few seconds long but Sarah became more…attached I think is the world after it happened and I couldn't bring myself to tell her I only liked her as a friend and now…some friend she was turning out to be.

"Hello-earth to Katie," Jessie says waving her hand in front of my face.

"Oh, I'm sorry I was…thinking," I say slowly.

"I can tell, but who knew you actually think on occasion? It's not just witty remarks and humor in there," she says smiling the whole time. She always likes it when we talk and even if I drift off.

"Um..Sarah just called," I reply cautiously. I didn't know how I was going to explain all the things Sarah told me, "She's ah upset..that I spend time with you and how I'm not being a good friend to her," I say slowly, unsure of my words.

"Oh," Jessie replies, becoming tense.

"What?" I ask unsure of why that's her reaction to Sarah.

"She…ever since the play she always says little things to kind of lash out at me. She constantly tells me that she's your friend and that you'll get bored of me…sooner or later," she says uncomfortably.

"Whoooa," I say cutting her off, "she says I'm going to get sick of you? What he hell, Jessie, you know I'm not going to get sick of you, right? I skip classes to come see you sometimes…"I say trying to defend myself.

"I never thought you'd get sick of me, sometimes her comments hurt though," she says looking away from me. This is so painful. I can't believe I was ever friends with Sarah and that she could be so cruel to Jessie. She didn't do anything. I mean what the heck, she's done more just by existing than Sarah has done trying to do things and be closer to me!

"What did she say…if you don't mind my asking," I say calmly even though I want to yell at Sarah for being such a bitch for lack of a better word.

"That you wouldn't want to spend time with someone who cares so much about her image..and how when you hug me you probably think you're hugging a twig," she says choking up. What the hell! Immediately I hug Jessie after that. She chokes up even more and almost starts to cry but holds back as I rub her back slowly. I release my hold on Jessie and look into her eyes, they look more blue now.

"Jess, I want you to know when I hug you…I feel…better about..everything..I feel..whole," I say hesitantly in case I'm coming on too strong with my emotions but I figure its better to be honest right now than anything else. Jessie starts to cry again, quietly but calmly "Are you ok? I'm sorry about what I said..if it bothers you," I say in a whisper. This moment seems so fragile…as if raising our voices would ruin it, our small world we seem to be in.

"No Katie, I've been happier since..we've become friends. I mean I don't hate school so much anymore, but the truth is there's some…truth so what Sarah said," she says through small cries.

"Jessie, nothing she said was true. She's manipulative and all she cares about it gossip and trivial crap," I say raising my voice knowing that Sarah got under Jessie's skin.

"Katie, she was right about the twig thing..I used to be..I used to have an issue with eating. I mean..I'm recovering from anorexia. That night you saw me at the party, by the pool I was struggling and I felt like no one cared about me or noticed me, but then you did and I have to thank you..so much. I'm happier because of you, but I can't depend on you for happiness," she replies with deep breathes.

"Jessie, you're not a skeleton. Anorexia is not a problem with me, I mean its not…good. I want you to be healthy but I sorta get a part of it…I used to not eat..years ago when my parents didn't even care if I was home or out till three in the morning and I was fourteen. It's not about having a certain image. Sarah is just stupid and I know you're not obsessed with how you look…its about..feeling empty and not eating because you get used to that feeling so you don't want anything in you..that's how I felt anyways. Please don't feel bad, please. You're beautiful," I whisper the last part.

"Katie," Jessie says hugging me.

"And Jess," I say quietly, "you're not depending on me for happiness. Its what friends do, as cliché as it is..that's what friends are for," I say pulling back and smiling at her. She stares at me for a long time, wipes the water away from her eyes and starts to laugh.

"You know, you're such a dork. Only you would say this is cliché and use the line-that's what friends are for," she says lightly laughing through it all.

"Hey! I admit I am a dork but You Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way!" I respond raising my voice then I start tickling her until she can't breathe. I don't even have to tell her she screams Uncle!

We're lying in my bed side by side and I have to tell Jessie the full truth.

"While Sarah called…she asked me to choose between you and her," I say flatly.

"I don't want you to choose," she says, trying to seem fair.

"I choose you," I respond, dead set on my answer. Jessie turns over to look at me, smiles and lays back down. Right now I couldn't ask for anything more.

Hours later Jessie has returned home and I rush to do the laundry, grocery shopping while I ran the laundry, came home, put everything away and got ready for the party. I needed to save my energy to get through talking to drunken people and singing to usually crappy music to amuse myself so I skipped getting clothes from the dryer once it went off. I got ready in fifteen minutes, which is good for me and got in the car to head to the party.

Once at Tad's I noticed all the jocks that seem to tag along together stood in packs, the girls stood off to the side commenting to each other on their butts so I went to the kitchen. Tad's choice in music is pretty awful unless I put something in. Tad was in the kitchen and he greeted me happily. We hug briefly, I punch him in the arm and he tries to mess up my hair but I put my fingers to one of his pressure points that we know makes him fall to the floor. Before he gets a chance to fall he puts his hands up, backs away slowly and laughs like a dumb brother from another family which is pretty much what he is.

"So Tad," I settle in, getting myself a drink, "How many people are going to show up tonight?"

"About fifty I guess. Luckily my dad just finished the patio in the backyard, has some chairs and a couch," he says proudly, likely thinking to himself that he'll make out with some girl on it later.

"Not bad. I'm gonna make a round to see if Jessie's here yet. Don't come up to me unless you're sober or can make coherent sentences," I call back half joking as I leave the kitchen. I make a slow round through the house, a few people stop me to give me hugs and ask if they can get a beer or something, while pointing to my wine cooler.

This is one thing I can't stand about people. They talk to you just to get something out of you. It's rarely ever to try to know someone plus I hate beer.

Though I think these girls are actually trying to hold a conversation with me because I'm me, best friend of Tad and people seem to like me for some odd reason. I quickly point them in the direction and head around the house some more.

I spot Jessie at the doorway. Grace is with her, probably to keep an eye on Jessie or to keep an eye on other people to make sure nothing happens to her either way. I'll admit its nice of her but Jessie has a black belt so I guess Grace is happy to be here since she leaves Jessie alone once she spots me.

"Hi again," I say to Jessie happily. She looks amazing in a light blue tank top and dark jeans. It's amazed how she can make jeans look..well..amazing.

"Hey back, I haven't seen you in ages," she jokes. We hug and then walk around the house saying hello to people while we make out way to the kitchen where Tad is still trying to be a bartender. I laugh at Tad since he's gotten a lot of the beverages on his shirt.

"Thaddeous, I think you missed the cup a few too many times and your shirt didn't deserve to be made into a poor victim,'' I tease him, screaming loudly across the room so everyone can hear. This is our game, who can embarrass who more. Plus his jock friends get a laugh.

"You're right Katie," he screams over the people just as loudly. He quickly takes off his shirt and the rest of the girls nearly squeal with joy. This could make me vomit, not because Tad is disgusting looking, he's in shape, but he's like a brother.

"Tad for the sake of my eyes, put your shirt back on," I scream over the girls who are fawning over him.

"For the sake of my eyes, take your shirt off Katie," one of his jock friends scream. The guy laughs and so does everyone else around him. Before I can even flip the guy off, Tad is on him in a second.

"Dude, don't say that shit to Katie or I'll have you doing pushups for the whole practice," Tad threatens him. I smile at Tad and he smiles back. Tad being the captain of the football team comes in handy and he enjoys using his power. Nice touch I have to admit.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the dumb jock says looking at me on the first apology and then the floor at the second one.

"Oh, it's no problem," I say back to him casually. He smiles a little as if he just pulled one over me, "but next time you ask a girl to take her top off, slip some money into her underwear because that's the only way that's going to happen for you is if you go to a strip club," I say with an icy tone with a bit of venom underneath.

His smile fades quickly as everyone around him starts laughing at him and some of his friends push into him. At that I leave the room and take a big gulp of my wine cooler. Jessie is to the right of me a second later and starts laughing.

"That was great Katie," she says excitedly.

"It happens," I respond, though still somewhat annoyed. This is one of the reason I won't date guys.

"Hey, I have to go change the music, Tad's choice in talentless crap is too much to take," I say to get a laugh out of Jessie. I go over to my bag and get my I-pod, flip through it to one of my playlists and Jessie ventures off by herself. I finish off my drink and grab another before I head over to the stereo.

I few minutes later, my drink is nearly gone and I have the killers playing, then the shins, some spoon, the headlights, weezer, rolling stones, beck and others as people start to respond energetically to the changes. I make my way through the house again trying to find Jessie. But the time I've been through the entire downstairs of the house I've been here for almost an hour and I drink the last remains of my cooler. I head to the kitchen to get another and stumble onto Grace.

"Sorry about that Grace, you ok?" I ask embarrassed for running into her.

"Yeah, no problem."

"You enjoying yourself?" I ask honestly wondering. Grace seems so tense in school.

"It's not bad. My friends are going to be here in a while so I'll get a break from the stupid popular girl-," she says then catches herself at the end of her sentence. "I didn't mean you're stupid Katie," she says quickly, also embarrassed.

"Heh, we're even. I ran into you after all, but have you seen Jessie around?" I ask growing tired of standing in the middle of the corridor and getting knocked into people in the process.

"Yeah, she's out on the porch with Tad and I really am sorry about the comment Katie. I didn't mean it towards you," Grace calls as I walk away.

"It's no problem," I call over my shoulder warmly as I head to the back door.

As I open the door I realize no one is there except two people and I expected more. It's cool out here and stuffy inside.

The second I step two feet onto the porch I realize Tad is kissing some girl. Not what I wanted to walk in on, but as I turn to leave the girl is wearing a blue shirt and…it's Jessie! I can't believe this. Ok maybe I can because Jessie is straight and I'm in love with her, but it hurts. The only thing I can think of is I can't believe this, it's a little shocking. I didn't know I had actually said it out loud until Tad and Jessie turn around and see me.

"I have to go," I say quickly and leave as fast as possible. I walk quickly through the door and accidently run into Grace. Again! Stupid me! I need to watch where I'm going! I quickly apologize then run into the room and grab my I-pod and bag and hastily leave after putting in a CD that Tad left out before jogging to my car.

In about ten minutes, I'm back home sitting on my bed screaming in my head for falling in love with my friend and how stupid I am. I guess Grace was right.