CHAPTER FIVE.

Randy spent the entire weekend confused. He wasn't sure what had happened between himself and Jess, but he knew that she was mad. He'd called her house three times during the Sunday after the barbecue and each time, Veronica had told Randy that Jess wasn't up to taking any phone calls.

That Monday, Randy walked over to Jess' house to pick her up so that they could walk to school together.

Veronica came to the door, looking sleepy. "Hi, Randy."

"Hi, Mrs. James, uh… Veronica, sorry." Randy corrected himself. Veronica had been making all of the kids call her Veronica ever since Mr. James had walked out on the family. "Is Jess ready to leave?"

"Oh, sorry, Randy," Veronica shook her head, "Jessica went to school with Nick. He gave her a ride this morning."

Randy looked confused, "Is Jess okay?"

Veronica hesitated, "Well. She doesn't really want me to say anything… something happened at the barbecue on Saturday though. She won't tell me what but… something got to her."

"Something got to Jess." Randy repeated, looking somewhat stunned.

"Well, that was my reaction." Veronica nodded. "Jess is usually just like rubber, everything bounces off her, but, Randy… something's up with her. She wouldn't tell me though. I'm sure if you talked to her at school today though…"

"Yeah, I'm not so sure about that, Veronica." Randy muttered, "Thanks anyways."

"No problem," Veronica nodded, "Have a good day at school."

"Thanks." Randy said again, and then made his way towards school.

Randy walked into the English classroom, and found Jess sitting by herself, reading her book.

"Jess."

Jess looked up, and saw Randy looking at her with a serious expression, "You got a drive to school."

"Nick offered." Jess said softly, looking back at her book.

"And you didn't tell me because?"

"We left early, I didn't know if you'd be up yet," Jess still wasn't looking at him.

"Jessica. What the hell is going on with you?" Randy asked.

"I can't tell you." Jess murmured.

"Why not?" Randy wrinkled his eyebrows. "Jessie, we've been best friends for thirteen years, we've seen the best and worst of each other, I think we're past the point where we don't tell each other stuff."

Jess nodded, "You're probably right."

"So?"

Jess gnawed on her bottom lip, before saying, "I can't tell you, Randy."

"Did I do something?" Randy asked slowly.

"No!" Jess exclaimed, suddenly looking at him with wide brown eyes, "It wasn't you. I swear to God, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why are things so weird between us?" Randy stared at her.

"I don't know," Jess went back to staring at her book, "I'm sorry things are so weird."

Randy shrugged and sat beside her, "Are we going to talk about whatever happened on Saturday?"

"I'd rather not." Jess' voice was barely a whisper.

"Fine." Randy was in a bad mood now, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared straight ahead, wondering when things were going to become okay with his best friend again.

Just after the last bell rang, Ms. Waller cleared her throat, "Class, I would like you to help me in introducing a new exchange student. This is Milo Diacos, and he's just joined our class from Barcelona, Spain."

Randy looked up and found a tall boy with dark hair, even darker than Jess', and tan skin standing in front of the class.

"There's a free seat beside Ms. James," Ms. Waller said, smiling.

Jess raised her head, and her eyes widened as she watched him come over and sit beside her. It was only then that Randy realized that the entire female population of his English class were staring at Milo.

"Hello," Milo nodded at Jess, "I am Milo."

"I'm Jess." Jess said, smiling slightly. "Welcome to Detroit."

"Thank you," Milo smiled, and Randy felt an unfamiliar twinge in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew that he didn't like it, and he was quite sure that he would not like Milo

"So, you don't speak much English?" Jess asked Milo as they sat outside for lunch.

Milo shook his head, "No."

"That must be tough," Jess remarked, "Coming to a place where people don't speak much else but English, and you don't know exactly what you want to say,"

Milo nodded, "This is exactly what I think,"

"Well, if you wanted, I could help you sometime," Jess offered, smiling slightly.

"Yes, that would be very nice," Milo smiled brightly, "Is this, um… what do you Americans call it? A date?"

"A date?" Jess repeated, her eyes wide, "Um, well, I don't know about that…"

"Oh." Milo's face fell, "You have someone already?"

"No," Jess shook her head, "No, no."

"You mean… that boy who was beside you… he was not your… uh… special someone?" Milo asked, looking confused.

"What boy who was sitting beside me?" Jess made a face, and then said, "Randy?"

Milo nodded.

"Oh, no." Jess shook her head, "We aren't… we're not like that."

"You aren't?" Milo looked surprised.

Jess shook her head again, "No, no, we're just friends."

"Just friends," Milo echoed.

Jess nodded, "Yeah. He lives in the house next to mine, we've been best friends for years… nothing like that though."

"Oh," Milo nodded slowly and then said, "So it is a date?"

"I'm not so sure about that," Jess said, looking down at her feet, "We'll just see how it goes before we decide if it's a date or not, okay?"

Milo nodded, and then said, "I think I would like to date you, Jess James."

Jess blushed dark pink and smiled shyly, "But you don't even know me yet."

Milo shrugged, "I can see that you are a good person. And that is what is counting, no?"

That Saturday, after an awkward week between Randy and Jess, Jess agreed for Milo to come over and she would help him with his English.

"A boy." Veronica repeated, her eyes wide.

"Yes, Mom."

"A boy is coming over here?" Veronica sounded as though she couldn't believe her ears.

"Uh-huh," Jess nodded.

"A boy… and it isn't Randy." Veronica said slowly.

"Yes," Jess nodded again, "He's an exchange student, and I'm helping him with his English."

"Is that what kids are calling it these days?" Veronica raised an eyebrow.

"Mother," Jess groaned.

"Okay, okay," Veronica waved a hand, "What's his name?"

"Milo." Jess replied.

"And where is Milo from?"

"Spain."

"That's nice," Veronica said absently, "And is he… good looking?"

"Mom." Jess rolled her eyes.

Veronica made an innocent face, "It's a normal question, Jessica, I was just asking."

"Well, for your information," Jess' voice grew quieter, "Yeah. He is."

"Very good looking?" Veronica looked at her, smiling.

"Yes," Jess mumbled.

"Uh-huh," Veronica nodded, "And would you say he's… interested in you, Jess?"

"Interested, like, what? Like… that?" Jess asked, and then started to shake her head, before saying, "Um, well. Maybe."

"Maybe?" Veronica looked interested.

"Well, he said that he thinks he might want to date me." Jess said, "But I don't know if he actually meant it."

"I'm sure he did, Jess." Veronica nodded, "Who wouldn't want to date you?"

"Mom, you're supposed to say that. You're my mother." Jess remarked.

"And since when does me being your mom mean I have to act like your mom?" Veronica asked.

"That's a good question." Jess nodded.

Veronica smiled slightly, and then said, "So, do you think you'll date him?"

"I don't know, Mom, I mean. He's a nice guy, but I don't know if he'd like me once he got to know me." Jess said.

"Well, sweetheart, you'll never know until you try."

Thank you guys so much for your reviews, they make my day (: So this definitely wasn't my favorite chapter to write, I don't know why but it wasn't fun to write for me. I promise the next chapter will be much more interesting though. Please read and review! (: