Jessica Burnett walked into her best friend, Ashley Hiller's house for their going away party. She couldn't believe she was actually going to Waverly. Sure, at first she didn't want to go, but what could be better then starting a new life at boarding school? Nothing.
Ashley's housekeeper took her jacket and purse, and she quickly examined herself in the mirror. Not bad. She thought for the first time in a while. Her dirty blond hair was straightened and she was wearing a black and white polka dotted dress. For once, she thought she looked pretty.
She walked into the room, the called it the party room, and heard the shop boys, party like a rock star, blaring from the speakers. All of their friends were there, probably more dancing and hanging out.
"Oh my gawd, I miss you already!" She turned to face one of the girls from her clique, Jennifer Jurke. "It isn't going to be the same without you guys!"
Jessica hugged her, surprised with herself. She never hugged anyone.
"You have no idea how much I'm going to miss you too!" Jessica said. "Where's Ashley?"
Jennifer pointed towards her, "Over there with Grace."
"C'mon! This is the last night for a while we're all going to be together!" Jessica yelled, running towards Ashley and Grace Phyer.
Grace smiled. "I can't believe you guys are leaving us here."
Ashley laughed. "We're not leaving forever, we'll be back on breaks and stuff."
Jessica wondered if they actually would come back during breaks, or if, like in her dreams they'd stay there with their new friends, or go with them on vacations.
Dream on, girlie!
"Where's Laura?" Ashley asked drinking from a red plastic cup. "Haven't seen her all night."
Laura Uckman was the other girl in their tight clique.
Jennifer looked around nervously. "She, uh, couldn't come."
"Why not?" Ashley asked whipping out her black Motorola razor dialing her number.
"She's hanging out with, Shayla."
"Jenn say whaa?" Jessica said.
Jennifer laughed. "Yeah…they called her before she knew about the party, and like, she didn't want to ditch them."
"What the fuck?" Ashley screamed, calling Laura.
"This can't turn out good," Grace said with a nervous laugh.
"Damn right, nobody, I mean nobody fucking ditches Ashley Hiller" Ashley started screaming. "without living."
"Uh-oh." Jessica said slowly, then laughed.
Laura was definetly going to get the third degree from Ashley.
"Hey Laura!" Ashley said sweetly, "What are you doing?"
Angry that even if they turned the phone on speaker phone, they wouldn't be able to hear, the girls starred at Ashley, trying not to erupt into giggles.
"What the FUCK are you thinking?" Ashley screamed, "You're supposed to be our friend, our BEST FRIEND. And you go, ditch our going away party for some fucking hoe bags who are the reason we're leaving in the first place? Save it, shut the fuck up. I hope you die."
Ashley snapped her phone shut and sighed. "She's so fucking dead to me."
Jessica looked around the room, nervously, looking for signs of Ryan Flitcher, her crush since she was younger. She didn't see him, but why would he of come anyways? He hated her, or so he said.
"He's here." Ashley whispered to her friend, "I invited him."
Jessica was surprised Ashley read her mind just like that, she was probably the only one who could.
"I totally wasn't looking for—"
"Yes you were." All three girls said at the same time.
"JINX!" Grace screamed.
"Hun, we know you were, you always do." Ashley said with a laugh, "There's no hiding it."
Jessica immediately turned beet red. "Is it that obvious?"
The girls nodded their heads.
"Shit." Jessica hissed.
"I need a smoke." Ashley said, sounding like her father. "Anyone else?"
Grace shook her head a polite no, but Jessica and Jennifer said yeah.
"Here." Ashley said pulling out a pack of cigarettes and her lighter.
"Thanks." Jennifer said lighting her cigarette.
"So." Jessica said blowing a puff of smoke out of her mouth. "This is really happening…"
Ashley sighed. "Yeah."
"I wish you guys didn't have to leave." Jennifer said. "I know, I've said that a lot tonight but seriously, who will we hang out with?"
Jessica shrugged, "There's other people."
"Who will I hang out with that's fun like you two?"
"You'll manage." Ashley said with a smile. "Plus, we'll talk to you somehow. They won't cut us off from the world."
Jennifer nodded slowly. "True."
A slow song came on through the speakers, and Jennifer got up.
"I'm going to go find Damien I guess." She said naming her long time crush, and current guy best friend.
"Good luck." Jessica said.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Ashley said with a wink.
Jennifer laughed while she walked away. The slow song meant the party would be coming to an end soon, which meant tomorrow, it was really happening, they were going to Waverly.
"And I…" Ashley said with a dramatic pause. "Am going to go find Mike."
Ashley was sad about leaving Mike. Sure, he was just a friend now. But he was her first love. And one of her best friends.
Jessica sat there, in the same spot watching her friends dancing. She wished she had someone to dance with. But, she never danced with anyone at dances, she never had boyfriends, and the guys thought she was pretty and all, but not enough to date her. Or dance.
"Can I have this dance?" A deep voice behind her asked.
She turned around to face her crush, Ryan. Standing there. He looked so adorable. She was so shocked he asked her to dance, they were supposed to hate each other.
"Sure." She said nervously.
They were swaying to the music and Ryan said, "So…Waverly."
"Yeah." She said sweating from being so close to him.
"Wow." He shook his head. "Now who will I make fun of all the time?"
She laughed, "You'll manage."
Yeah, she thought, he'll manage and forget who I am.
He shook his head. "You know, I'm sorry…for always being so, rude, to you."
"It's fine." She said, surprised of herself, she didn't forgive people easily.
"No." He said shaking his head. "It's not fine. I, uh, just. I don't know."
She laughed, he was nervous too. But why?
"No really." She said. "It's totally okay."
Jessica looked into his eyes, wondering what he was thinking about. She wanted ask him, but she didn't have the guts to.
The song ended all to soon, and he said. "Thanks for the dance."
"Yeah." Jessica's voice was but a whisper. "No problem…"
They stood there starring at each other for a while. "Ryan?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you keep in touch with me, while I'm gone?" She asked, worried he'd say no.
It took him a while to answer, like he was really thinking about it. Then he smiled.
"Sure." He nodded, "You know my number?"
"No." She said handing him her phone, "Add it?"
"Well, I guess this is good bye for now." Ryan said
"Bye…" Jessica said.
Before she knew it, he kissed her. Lightly on the lips. To shocked to say anything she just stood there.
"Goodbye, Jessica."
She stood there, watching him walk over to a few of his friends, and leave. She couldn't believe he just, kissed her! On her last night in town too, her luck. Why was this happening?
"Well, didn't you two look cozy?" Ashley said, out of nowhere.
Jessica jumped. "Holy shit."
"Too bad," Ashley said. "He waited until you and I leave."
Jessica nodded her head. "Yeah."
"Well, it's time to start packing." Ashley said looking down at the floor. "Man, I'm going to miss Mike."
"Anything happen?" Jessica asked while they walked to the door.
Ashley nodded, "He said 'No matter how far you are, I will always love you'"
Ashley smiled to herself, knowing that he actually would always love her. She felt lucky.
"Well, I'll see you later." Jessica said opening the door.
"5 hours. I figure two hours to pack, 2 hours and 59 minutes panicking, and 1 minute to sleep." Ashley said with a nervous laugh.
As Jessica walked across the street to her house, she wondered what all she would need at Waverly. And what her and Ashley's futures held for them there. If Ashley was nervous, then she was beyond nervous.
She was absolutely terrified.
