Chapter 1: Oversteppin' Boundaries
"Exactly how much fun do you plan on having?"
"Tons," Jessi shouted from Christi's closet, "A woman only turns twenty nine once, and my girl needs cheering up. So I gotta double the fun, ya know?"
"Everyone ONLY turns any age once, Jess. Besides, we both know Christi isn't gonna go along with this plan of yours ever so blindly. Trip's off. NO fun for you," Jason laughed, knowing his girlfriend was not going to give up that easily. It was still worth a try.
"You wish. I'm gonna drag her ass on the plane if it's the last thing I do. I'm headed to Vegas, rain or shine. Jealous, much?"
If Jason was anything, he definitely was NOT a jealous person. He was very comfortable in with who he is and his role in Jessi's life. That's just who he was, celebrity girlfriend or not. Jessi knew that. It may have taken her four months to realize it but she did, eventually. Because Jason was just as much comfortable as was their relationship. Their relatioship was nowhere near as serious as Jessi's and JC's was, and that's just the way Jessi liked it. Comfortable. Jessi and Jason had a fun yet monogamous relationship. No pressure from either sides. No I love you's either. Definitely no I love you's. Four months or not. They just were not ready to say the three words to each other. Commitment and companionship is what they had, what they both wanted. Jason was one of those guys who felt love brought on too much pressure, and Jessi simply wasn't sure if she was ready to have her heart broken all over again. They were perfect for each other.
"Should I be?"
"Nope. I just thought I heard some in your voice. That's all. But, you know, invitation's still stands. You're welcome to join us. You'll have soo much fun, too. Oh my-"
Jason had to stop Jessi before she got ahead of herself. He knew she would not take no for an answer once an idea popped into her head. "I'd love to, but you know I can't. I have three deliveries, excluding potential emergencies, scheduled this weekend."
"Can't blame a girl for trying, Jace."
Jessi winced at the nickname. She had been doing that a little too much lately and was thankful Jason thought she was calling him Jase, not Jace. Her slip ups are the reason she allows him to get away with calling her "Jess" and not "Jessi." Mainly due to guilt on her part. Luck was on Jessi's side because neither Christi nor Justin was around at those times. She would never hear the end of it if one of them did hear her.
"But, anyways, there's no such thing as TOO much fun."
"I know. That's what scares me about you," Jason laughed.
"Whatever," Jessi rolled her eyes, knowing he could not see her. "Just make sure you're available for lunch when I get back. You're gonna come with me to meet up with my dad."
"Oh no, I'm not."
"Oh yes, you are."
"Jess, you know I think you should go alone. You haven't seen your father in years, and me being there is not going to help smooth things over between the two of you."
"Too late. I already told him you're coming."
"You're impossible, you know that?"
"I don't know who tells me that more? You or Christi? She-"
"She, what? And may I ask who you're talking to? Because if it's thin air then we're gonna have to get you fitted for a straight jacket."
Jessi stood in shock for a good minute before responding to Christi. She was not supposed to be back already. Jessi had not finished packing Christi’s bags yet. She was so close. Plane tickets purchased, hotel booked, Serena whom had been visiting LA agreed to babysit Kaci and Simba, and Adrianna and Ana on a flight out here. Everything was too good to be true. All she needed was Justin's permission and to finish packing for Christi. "But the stupid boy did not hang up on me, he would know what's going on," Jessi thought to herself.
“Jason. Speakerphone,” Jessi finally spoke, coming out from the closet with an armful of Christi’s clothes.
“Hey Jason,” Christi said before turning her attention to Jessi, “What? You borrowing something?”
“Now, you and I both know I have more than enough clothes for every event there is. Why on earth would I need to borrow something?”
“Don’t know. Just assumed, you know, seeing how you seem to have my closet piled on my bed.”
Jessi tossed the clothes draped over her arm on top of the growing pile of Christi’s clothes and tossed herself back on Christi’s bed. A part of Jessi may have prepared itself for Christi’s reaction but the other eight five percent of Jessi was not looking forward to this argument.
“We’re taking a trip.”
Christi raised her eyebrow, signaling for Jessi to continue.
“Adriana, Ana, you, and I. You know, an all girl’s trip.”
“Well, I see you ladies need to talk. Jess, I’ll let you go, and Christi, I’ll see ya at your next appointment.”
After they both said their goodbyes to Jason, Christi started putting her clothes back in her closet.
“What are you doing? Did you not just hear what I just said?”
“Oh, I heard you alright, but what makes you think I can just pack up my clothes and leave? Did ya even think to ask me? You know, at least, let me in on these so called plans?”
“I knew you’d say no. So I thought I f got the ball rolling and then explained, all you’d have to do is grab your suitcase and we’d be ready to go.”
“Exactly, you knew exactly what my answer would be. Yet, you still go ahead and try to make plans for me anyways."
“Come on, Christi. Just hear me out.”
“Oh, I’ve been listening and the answer is still no,” Christi felt Simba pawing her leg and continued, “Did you forget I have a daughter to take care of? Who I have no clue who you pawned her off on right now? Seeing as she doesn’t see to be running around here causing trouble. And what about Simba? What am I gonna do with him? I can’t just leave him here with no one..."
Jessi's attention was somewhat interrupted by the beep of her phone, indicating she had a text message. Jessi listened half-heartedly as Christi ranted and raved while she read the text. She quickly finished reading the text and shut her phone. "Perfect," Jessi thought.
"...Who’s gonna feed him, give him water, play with him, make sure he’s not tearing up the place, and al that good stuff? Do wish to come home to a house full of dog crap and holey shoes? I don’t think so.”
“First of all, I’m gonna pretend to ignore that remark about not caring about Kaci. Your little girl means the world to me. I would NEVER just pawn her off anyone. YOUR mother stopped by photoshoot today to take her GRANDDAUGHTER to lunch while I finished up. And you’ve been WHERE? Out walking the beach with Simba as you sulk about Justin being away.”
“And you’re ignoring that remark how?”
“Cut the sarcasm, missy. You want answers, I’ll give you answers since you think I haven’t thought about what is affected by you getting on a plane out of here.”
Jessi paused, waiting for Christi to something smart again. But to her surprise, Christi dropped the clothes back on the bed, ready to listen to Jessi’s proposal.
“I’ve talked to your mom and asked her if it would be okay for her to watch Kaci and Simba if I managed to plan this trip. You know, get all the details squared away. I’ve talked to Justin, well his answer machine, and he just texted me back. He gave me the go ahead to bring your ungrateful ass to him so I won’t have to listen to you bitch and moan anymore. After getting his text—“
“We believe you've hit the nail on the coffin there, Jessi.”
Interrupted, Jessi and Christi turned their attention to Ana's and Adriana's abrupt arrival. Jessi sighed in relief at the two intruders. They were her backups. She knew she would need them. As much as she would like to believe Christi would take her word for everything, Jessi knew better. Jessi knew her spontaneity and Christi was not always on the same level. Jessi always has to talk Christi into certain activities. That's why she had to bring in the big guns. Adriana was needed to appeal to Christi's sensibiltiy. Jessi never understood Christi and Adriana when it came to that, but nevertheless, having Adriana on her side couldn't hurt. As for Ana, well, she was, how should I put it, blunt. Very blunt. She calls 'em how she sees 'em. And Jessi needs her just for that. To give Christi the wake up call she needed much like the one she gave Justin after her wedding.
Flashback:
"Stare much?"
Justin cringed at the sound of his neck popping when he turned to match Ana to the voice that brought him out of his trance. "Huh?"
"If you stare any harder, you just might burn a hole through them."
"What makes you say that?"
"The look in your eyes. It's the same look that Jordan use to walk around here with. He was always suspicious of Brian. He didn't trust him with Christi."
"I'm not Jordan."
"Didn't say you were. I was simply pointing out the similar feelings."
Justin wasn't even going to try and deny what Ana had figured out. "Do you ever find yourself suspicious of Christi and Brian?"
"You really don't understand their relationship do you?"
"Actually, no. I've been trying to figure it out since the first time we were here."
"Well, Justin, you're lucky I like you enough to fill in the obvious. There's nothing to it really. Christi and Brian's friendship is strictly platonic. Brian is more like a second brother than a friend
to Christi. People think they're more because Brian and Christi like to just go with it and did little to dispel the rumors. Brian more so than Christi actually. You see, Brian could not like Jordan. So he got some kind of sick thrill in playing mind games with Jordan about stealing Christi away. Christi, on the other hand, did it for the rumors. There's nothing I think she hates more. Her part in it was kind of her own type of mind games."
"Does the flirting ever bother you?"
"No because I know my husband adores me and would do anything for me."
Justin sighed, "But they look so…I don't know…together."
"But they're not. He's just confiding in her."
End Flashback
Christi rolled her eyes but could not stop the grin. She had not seen her sister-in-law and friend in a long time.
"What are y'all doing here?" Christi asked, hugging both of them.
"We're here to get your ass on the plane. That's what. Our husbands are tired of us hearing us bitch and complain about all the bitching and complaining you seem to be doing for half way across the country."
"Shut up. They are not," Christi laughed, rolling her eyes. Ana can be just as or sometimes more dramatic than Jessi.
"We're here to cheer you up. Being depressed is not GOOD for the baby, you know that," Adriana spoke up.
"Flying on a plane is not good for the baby either," Christi retorted.
"You think Jason, YOUR doctor, would allow his girlfriend to whisk you off on a plane if he didn't think you could manage? Didn't think so. Now, Jessi has already explained to you that everything is taken care of. Grab your suitcase and let's go. We're gonna have fun like you wouldn't believe, and you'll get to see that man of yours."
"Now THAT is what I needed all along," Christi thought. Reassurance. Everyone seemed to think that just Justin's being gone for a week was the cause of her suddenly sadness. Partly due to the fact that Christi did not stop them from believing that. What was really wrong is that something did not feel right at the doctor's appointment the other day. Something was wrong. She could see it in Jason's eyes. He was not telling them something. Well, he did tell them something. They are having a boy. Yes, a boy, and the couple is excited about that. But something else was not right in the way Jason kept looking at the ultrasound. Christi was not sure if Justin saw it, but if he did, Justin did not clue her in. The one thing Christi did know was that she saw it, and that was enough to make her worry. Anyways, Adriana's words were exactly what she needed to hear. Jason would not put her in a position that would endanger the baby's health. So maybe she should cheer up and let loose for once.
Christi looked around the room and noticed everyone waiting for her answer.
"What are y'all waiting for? You better help me pack if you want me to go."
"YES!!!" Jessi and Ana high-fived as Adriana simply smiled at Christi.
Christi was all packed to go in under half a hour. After packing, the four women ate out for lunch before their departure to Vegas. But when they returned to Christi's and Justin's to pickup their suitcases, they were met with an unexpected-slash-somewhat unwanted vistior.
****
"JC? JC? Helloooooo? Earth to JC?"
Justin waved his arm in front of JC for another minute and a half before finally gaining his friend's attention.
"Huh?" JC shook his head before stating the obvious, "Hey, man. You're back.You were saying something?"
"Yeah," Justin held up two boxes of Chinese take out, "It took a little longer than expected. They messed up your order so I had them do it over. To top that off, I forgot my phone, but I guess you've already figured that out."
Justin nodded his head at the death grip JC's fingers had on it.
"Huh?" JC repeated, still not listening."
"JC, my phone. Can I have it back?"
JC looked down and realized that he still had Justin's phone. "Oh, sorry about that. It rang, but whoever it was hung up before I coulld get to it."
JC handed Justin back his phone, and Justin warily eyed his friend. "Something's not right with him," Justin thought. Justin looked down at his phone and wondered who could've called him. He noticed he had a missed call as well as a voicemail. Listening to the voicemail, Justin smirked. It all made sense to him now. Justin quickly texted Jessi back saying he didn't mind them coming after hearing Jessi chew him out about hanging up on her and tell him the reason behind her call. Closing his phone, Justin watched a frazzled JC dig through his box of take out before doing the same.
JC and Justin sat in silence, eating, for all of two minutes before Justin could not help but ask.
"Did ya really think you could hang up on her?"
As much as Justin wanted to laugh at the situation, he could not, espcially with JC being quiet and out of all sorts.
"I didn't look to see who it was and before I knew it, she was talking a mile a minute. I wasn't expecting to her voice, you know? And I'm not talking about on the radio or TV. I just froze. I hadn't even realized I had clicked it off. I don't know."
"Man, you sure you're okay? You seem realy out of it. Hearing Jessi can't be that bad. I know it took Jessi awhile to accept, but you? Weren't you the one that broke up with her and was acting like it wasn't anything big? Not the other way around. You've always seemed okay up until now. Jace, man, what's going on?"
"Nothing's going on. It's just, I don't know. Maybe it was hearing her voice like I said before."
"You sure? It seems like more than that."
JC shrugged his shoulders and kept eating. They sat in silence, again, for a little while before Justin could not take it anymore. He had to ask. Two years of not knowing was driving him crazy.
"Jace, tell me if I'm overstepping my boundaries or anything. But why did you break up with Jessi?"
JC set his fork down and pushed his food away. He took one look at Justin, and the words came rolling off his tongue faster than he knew was possible.
Flashback:
After walking Jessi to Christi's room, JC decided on wandering the halls instead of going back to the waiting room. He was sick of sitting in one spot and waiting. And as he wandered, he overheard a conversation that caught his interest.
"…drunk enough run her car into the truck of that girl who was in those tabloids last year."
"Who was it?" JC wondered, knowing that the drunk driver's identity was never revealed to anyone close to Christi. As JC's curiosity got the best of him, he discreetly peeked over the doctor's shoulder to see the file. And once again, JC had not been expecting something as unexpected as finding out Lana, his ex-girlfriend, drunkenly crashed her car into Christi's, his girlfriend's best friend and one of his best friend's sort of girlfriend.
JC noted the room number on the file and started in that direction before the two doctors could even catch on that he had heard the confidential information they were discussing.
Standing in front of Lana's hospital room door, JC cautiously looked around him before ducking into her room without authorization. He walked up to her bed and watched as she laid there unconscious, bruised, and broken. JC didn't know what to feel. Relieved? Sad? Angry? Upset? But he couldn't feel any of those emotions because of the numbing feeling that was overcoming him.
He continued watching her for another ten minutes in silence as his mind reeled before finally speaking, "You are really unbelievable. No I take that back, you are absolutely heartless. How could you be so cruel to intentionally go after someone who hasn't done anything to you? And even if she did do something to provoke you, she didn't deserve what you've done to her. And it's not even just her that you have affected. You've affected more people than your tiny little brain could even comprehend. Come to think of it, she is like you in a way. She has a huge family that loves her. Her brother, sister-in-law, mother, father, best friend, and even friends that she hasn't spoken to in a while; they all care about her. Just like your parents and siblings did you despite all of your faults. I bet you didn't think about her family and friends or yours for that matter. How does it feel to know that you have finally proven everyone that believed in you wrong once and for all? You know, I was one of them once upon a time. So I know how they're going to feel when they receive the call that you're in the hospital and why. They're going to wonder what you were thinking, what could have caused you to stoop so low in doing what you did, and what they could have done to stop you from making such a huge mistake. But for the most part, they're going to feel guilty for your actions just like I do. Because the truth is, if I hadn't dated you and brought you around my friends, no one would have been sitting in the hospital all-day yesterday waiting for the news of his or her family member or friend when everyone would have been celebrating the life of a beautiful one year old. It's because of me that you put Marci through hell and that you intentionally got drunk and drove your car into Christi's truck. And for that I'll never forgive myself. And I'll never stop feeling guilty. I will never forgive you for putting me in such a position. I guess in a way this my final goodbye to you."
JC turned around and headed for the door, but before he could make it out of the room, he heard the unforgettable sound of Lana flat-lining.
End Flashback
Number of reviews: 0
Print:
Chapter or Story