A/N: Okay, no one reviewed last time! and yet I'm still updating!

please note: Jo's last name is pronounced : eh-mAy. okay? good! on with the next chapter!

Chapter 5: Calling Home

Jo sat alone on the couch in the Loft. It was late at night and Mark had opted to go to bed early so he could wake up at six for his job at Buzzline. Roger and Mimi were down at Mimi's flat doing god-knows-what. So that left Jo sitting on the not very comfortable duct-taped couch in her long flannel pajamas and slippers. It was cold inside the loft but that didn't bother Jo due to the fact that flannel was a good fabric for keeping warm. As she sat, Jo reflected on the day's events. That morning, after talking with everyone about her life, Mark had taken Jo to a quiet park where they sat under a tree while Jo sketched her surroundings and Mark filmed Jo and some homeless people who happened to be passing by. Afterward, the pair met up with Roger and Mimi for lunch at the Life café. Jo couldn't believe Mark's behavior in the restaurant. Both he and Roger wouldn't stop making faces at the manager! When Jo looked over to Mimi she found that the Latina was encouraging the boys. Finally, Jo asked if they were trying to get kicked out. She was greeted with three mischievous grins and a chuckled "maybe" from Roger. After lunch, or rather after they were asked to leave, the four friends headed back to the Loft where they made plans for the next day's party in which Jo would finally meet and be introduced to the rest of the Bohemians.

The clock in the living room struck 11 pm. Jo got up off the couch and made her way to the fire escape, taking her chunky cell phone with her. She closed the window and sat down near the railing. She then dialed the familiar number.

The phone rang a few times before someone answered.

"Hello?"

Jo smiled to herself, "Hey Amber,"

"Jo?" Amber gasped, "Ella! Lena! Kaila! Get over here! It's Jo!" Jo could hear her friends' distant voices as they raced over to the phone. "Here, I'll put you on speaker. . ." Amber told Jo. A click from the other line signified that she was talking to everyone.

"Hey Jo!" Kaila greeted.

"How is everything?"

"Did you find what-his-name?"

"Have you been eating?"

"What's the weather like?"

"Have you met anyone?"

"It feels like forever since you last called."

"Where are you staying now?"

"We got your pictures."

"New York must be beautiful!"

"What part of the city are you in?"

"Do you need us to send you anything?"

"¡Chicas! ¡Silencio por favor! ¡Ay caramba! Ustedes necesitan calme abajo y quiero hablar." Jo cried out in Spanish.

There was a silence on the other line for a few moments before Jo started laughing.

"Oh god," she giggled, "I can just see your faces in my head." The girls started to laugh too.

"Sorry about that Jo, it seems we got a little carried away . . ." Lena apologized, her voice hinting that she was glaring at the other residents.

"It's okay," Jo said, "That's to be expected with you four."

"So, what's going on?" Amber pried.

"Well," Jo paused for a moment to add dramatic effect, "I found Mark."

A squeal of excitement erupted from the other line, courtesy of Amber.

"Ha! I knew it!" she cried joyfully, "I knew you'd find him!"

"Um, there wasn't really a question of whether or not she would find him," Lena pointed out, "It was more a question of where and when would she find him."

"You shut up, you!" Amber said to Lena.

"What? I'm just pointing out that- . . ."

"Okay children!" Kaila interrupted, "We're talking to Jo now. You can argue later!"

Jo let out a giggle, "God I've missed you guys."

"We've missed you too Jo." Ella replied, "It's . . . not as colorful here without you to brighten up the room."

"That was poetic."

"Thanks"

"So anyway Jo," Amber brought everyone's attention back to their friend. "How is Mark? What does he do for a living?"

"Mark's doing pretty well. He's a filmmaker and works part-time for this show called Buzzline. He lives in the lower east side of Manhattan with his roommate and roommate's girlfriend."

"That's . . . interesting . . ." Kaila was choosing her words carefully.

"Ooh! How did he react to seeing you?" Amber asked.

Jo hesitated, "Well . . . he thought he was seeing a ghost."

"A ghost?" Lena asked, "What? Did he think you were dead or something?"

Jo sighed, "That's exactly what he thought. Apparently everyone here in New York thinks I'm dead."

"That's ridiculous! Why on earth would they think that?" Ella cried out.

Jo paused. "Because I'm not actually supposed to be alive right now. . ."

There was a long pause on the other line. " . . . what?"

"Well, I left Scarsdale to start a new life, right? Well, that wasn't my original plan for after high school but something . . . happened . . ." Jo took a deep breath, "I was kidnapped on my way to the store when I was 17. According to my sources, my kidnapper drugged me and tried to kill me. He gave me that scar on my arm. But, two good Samaritans saved me before I could bleed out. The police found the blood I had lost and declared me as deceased." Jo explained slowly, "I don't remember the actual incident but I know enough about it to make sure no one knows my real name so they won't turn me in to the police and send me back home."

"Wait," Kaila interrupted, "Your real name's not Jo Emay?"

"No, it's Josephine May. Josephine Eva May is my full name."

"That's not much of a difference." Lena pointed out.

"I know but I wanted to stay close to my roots. It's subtle, I know. But no one'ss made the connection yet."

Ella was the next one to ask a question. "Do your parents know you're alive?"

"No," Jo sighed, "And I prefer to keep it that way." She said almost harshly.

The girls took that as a hint to drop the subject.

"So. . ." Amber was thinking of something to say. "You're not coming home yet?"

Jo sighed, "No, not yet."

A/N2: Please Review! The next chapter will be up soon I just need you to review for me so I know what I'm doing is not pointless!

Thanks,

Patsy