Untitled
By TammyAN:Yep, I wrote this ff way back when I was 13...14?..can't remember. Any who, I must have named it something, but I didn't write it down...and yes, now I can't remember it. So until a snazzy one comes along, it will remain untitled.
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, they all belong to the creator of SVH, as do the first couple of paragraphs. The song lyrics belong to Fiona Apple. They are not mine, nor am I suggesting that they are mine either.
* * *
Jack gently lifted my chin, as if he were going to kiss me. Then he tore my heart in two. “Jessica, I’m in love with your sister Elizabeth.”My knees buckled, and Jack steadied me with a hand on my arm. I shook my head, incredulous. I must have heard him wrong! But the pity in Jack’s eyes was unmistakable, even in the moonlight.
“ I’m sorry, Jessica,” Jack whispered helplessly. “ I should have told you sooner. I didn’t realize you felt so strongly….”
To my horror I burst into tears. Then I shook off his hand and ran wildly down the damp, cold beach.
Jack didn’t follow.
I threw myself on my bed crying. How could I have lost Jack, I loved him. Why didn’t he love me? ‘Because he loves Elizabeth’ I thought to myself. How couldn’t he, she’s so great and I’m….
Another wail rose out of my mouth.
~ Half an Hour Later ~
“I hate Jack, I hate him!” I screamed at the wall. I knew I wasn’t angry with him. I mean I’ve lost guys before, but…ugh, not to my own sister! I knew whom I hated at that moment, Liz. But I couldn’t hate Liz. She’s just, well, too lovable. Maybe that’s why Jack fell in love with her, or fell out of love with me or…This is way too confusing. Anyway, I can’t blame Jack, how could he not like Liz?
“I hate having a twin sister!” I yelled again, this time hitting a wall. The vibration of my fist sent a tremor up my wall until it hit my shelf. A few old, beaten purple notebooks fell off, one of them revealing what I just said.
Friday night
Dear Diary,
I hate having a twin sister! Especially one who does not even realize how lucky she is! I mean, hello, am I the only normal person in my family who sees two boys fighting over you as something great? First of all she has Jeffrey- sweet wonderful, incredibly sexy legs…whoa, what am I saying? This is like your sister’s boyfriend! Well, actually ex-boyfriend. (And, he does have great legs!) I still don’t know how she could still dump him after what he did last night! I mean, he had to love her to show her the note planted by Courtney.
But then again, Todd does have money. And connections with Lovett boys. What am I saying? How can you forget your last disaster so quickly, Wakefield?! Oh well, like they say, ‘Better to have love and lost, then never to have loved at all’ Let’s point one thing out Diary, I did not lose Sheffield. In fact, I was trying to get rid of him before the night was over!
Well, before I go to sleep I better imagine Jeffrey’s legs again! You know, to help me get over Sheffield!
Thursday afternoon, one week laterDear Diary,
Oh my gosh! You would not believe the stunt I did today…
“Looking good, Wakefield,” Jessica said to herself that morning. She looked in the mirror again. Jeans, a sweatshirt with the SVH logo, and subdued eye makeup. Normally she wore more daring clothes, but today was different. “And a touch of lip gloss will finish the look up. Today the day, Mr. Right is going to notice you”
“So who’s Mr. Right this week?”
Jessica looked up to see her mirror image, ironically, in the mirror. She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it and blushed instead.
“C’mon, you can tell me. I’m your twin, remember. And by the way your dressed, you sure look like it today. What’s with the zipped lips anyway, planning another twin switcheroo? I’d like to know, so if I do decide to cover for you, I know when.”
“ I’m not planning anything” Jessica looked in the mirror again. Then she looked at her sister. Her sister was wearing a green sweater, and jeans.
“Whatever. I want to make it to school early, I have some proofing to do before school. So be ready in, like 3 minutes. Or in Jessica time: 15 minutes!” Elizabeth breezed out of the room.
Guiltily, Jessica looked in the mirror. ‘Wait a minute. I don’t have anything to feel guilty over. I mean I’m just going to ask Jeffrey out, nothing is wrong with that. I mean Jeffrey and Elizabeth are like ancient history. But then why am I dressed like Liz?’, Jessica thought to herself. ‘ Or maybe you know that Jeffrey is still hooked on Liz, and that the only way he will go out with you is if you change your name to Elizabeth.’
“Let’s go, Jess!”
“I’m coming. Give me 5 more minutes!”
… Diaries if you thought that was bad, wait until you hear what I did at school.
“Earth to Jess, come in Jess.” Lila said to Jessica, “ If you don’t turn over you aren’t going to tan evenly.” Lila and Jessica were in the quad, trying to get the last rays of September, before winter came.
“ I’m turning, I’m turning.”
“What’s with your clothes today?”
“Don’t even go there.”
“ You can tell me,” Lila probed.
“Gosh, why does everyone think that there is something wrong with me simply because I show up in jeans!”
“Not jeans, jeans that don’t show off your figure!”
“Forget the tan, I’m out of here.” Jessica hoped that her I-don’t-care-what-I’m-wearing-I-still-look-good attitude was working. She knew she had to pick a fight with Li so she could leave and talk to Jeffrey.
Oh diary, I am such and idiot. As I walked up to Jeffrey, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Then his eyes faded as he realized it was me. I knew then that there was no way in hell I was going to ask him out. Only one problem, he already smiled at me, and he has the best smile.
“Hi Jess.”
“Yeah, hi.”
“So?”
“So…..what?”
“You came over like you were going to say something.”
“Yeah, I was..” ‘Think, Wakefield, think!’ “ Um, do you have yesterday’s history notes?”
“ You don’t take my history class.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I want them for Liz.” Bad move.
“Well, I’ll give them to her in history.” Bad thinking.
“No, that’s okay. I think I heard her wrong anyway.”
“Okay, bye”
“Bye.” I don’t know whether it was just me, but I noticed a look of relief in his eyes.
Diary, am I a bad person? Just because I really like a guy and he just so happens to be my sister’s ex-boyfriend. Or is it because I know he isn’t over her?
Saturday nightDear Diary,
I think this is the first Saturday that I haven’t been out on a date. Well, there have been a few. But that’s when I’ve been grounded or didn’t want to be out with my friends or a guy. But this time I do, I really do. Only…only. I’ve had feelings like this before, but I was able to control them from fear of hurting Liz. But now she’s out of the picture, I think. I mean, who knows how she will react when she finds out I’m going out with—wait a minute girl. You aren’t going out with Jeffrey. At least not yet, anyway. Gosh, what is wrong with me!
Wednesday night, real lateDear Diary,
I better get over this guy quick. My family and friends think there is something wrong with me. But I don’t want to get over Jeffrey.
Sunday nightDear Diary,
You would not believe what happened today! I am soo happy! Okay, here’s the story. It all happened today after school. You see I was waiting for Liz out by the Jeep…
“Hi Jess.” Jessica turned around to face the voice.
“Uh, hi Jeffrey.” ‘Oh, god Jess, don’t blush!’ Jessica thought.
“Where were you last night at the party? I missed you.”
‘He missed me!’ Jessica thought, but aloud she said, “ You were at the party?”
“Yeah, why not. I’m not all work and no play.”
“Well, I just meant…um… Who did you go with?”
“What is this twenty questions?”
“No, I just meant… Forget it.”
“No, really. You can tell me. I won’t laugh”
‘Yeah, I bet you wouldn’t.’ Jessica thought.
* * * * Elizabeth called over her back, “Olivia! Let’s talk later tonight on the new column, okay?”
“Sure. Bye Liz!”
“Bye!” Elizabeth started towards the gym where the cheerleaders were practicing. She looked around, but couldn’t find anyone. So she headed over to the locker room. “Hey you guys, where’s Jess?”
“She ran out of here ten minutes ago. She said she was going to be in major trouble because she was supposed to meet you at 4:30, and it was five when she left,” Lila said, “Why do you ask?”
Elizabeth glanced down at her watch. It said 4:35, but the second hand had stopped ticking. “Oh, man.” She groaned. She decided to start heading out to the car.
~ Back in the Parking Lot ~
“Ooo, now I’m kicking myself for not going to that party. I would have loved to see Li’s reaction when Winston spilled red punch on her new white dress!” she laughed hysterically.
Jeffrey joined her laughter and said, “ And then you should have seen Winston’s face when Li dumped the whole punch bowl on his head! And then Bruce’s as he saw Winston dripping in punch over his mom’s Persian rug!” The two continued laughing, oblivious to Liz who was walking over to them.
Liz was fiddling with her watch, trying hopelessly to make it work when she was interrupted by laughter. She looked up and saw Jessica and Jeffrey laughing. ‘What is going on here?’ she thought, ‘That’s my sister and my boyfriend!’
“Are you sure you don’t need a ride home?” Jeffrey asked Jessica, “When Liz gets hooked on a story, she’s oblivious to everything, including time.”
‘I’m not oblivious to this, Jeffrey’ Liz thought, boiling with anger. That’s when Jess caught her eye, giving her a guilty look. ‘ Yeah, you should look guilty.’
“No, that’s okay. Here she comes now.”
Jeffrey looked over at Liz, with an even guiltier look. “Well, I guess I should be going.”
“Thanks for keeping me company.” Jessica got into the jeep, and started the engine while replaying the last ten minutes in her mind.
“What was that all about?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Liz.”
“Oh yes you do. How could you hit on my boyfriend!”
“First of all, it’s been a month since you two have broken up, meaning that he isn’t your boyfriend anymore. Remember Todd, tall, dark, handsome and rich. Second of all, it’s been a month. Meaning that he is fair game to all who wish to play!”
“Game! Toying with my emotions is just a game!”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that! Thirdly, I was NOT hitting on your boyfriend! Er, ex-boyfriend.”
“Yeah right, Jess. I’ve seen you in action before. Remember Todd, tall dark, handsome and who wasn’t rich when we first met him?”
“That was like ancient history! How can you bring that up? That happened like three years ago! C’mon, Liz. Give me a break, and start to trust me.”
“Trust, you don’t even know the meaning.”
“Fine, whatever.”
Diary, I didn’t really do anything bad. Did I?
~ Back at the Wakefield House ~
Ring…ring…ring. The telephone rang through the empty house.
“I’m coming, I’m coming. Hold your horses.” Jessica picked up the phone on the fifth ring. “`ello?”
“Hi is Liz there? This is Olivia.”
“No, she stormed out of here like an hour ago.”
“Can you tell me where she is?”
“Yeah, she’s probably at Enid’s baking like 3 pounds of chocolate chip cookies. I really have to go now, I’m expecting an important phone call.”
“Sure, thanks Jess. Bye.”
“Bye.” Jessica hung up the phone, thinking about the lie she just told. ‘Well, it is partly true, only I’m not expecting a call. More like trying to work up the nerve to call.” She thought.
“Okay, one more time.” She said to herself. She looked down at the number she had scrawled out on a scrap piece of paper. She punched in the numbers and waited for someone to pickup.
~ Enid’s House ~
“Liz, don’t you think we’ve baked enough cookies? Normally you talk while we wait for them to bake, but today you haven’t said a word. So I say now we sit down, talk, and eat our masterpieces.”
“I really don’t feel like talking right now, Enid”
“Then why did you come over. And why did we spend the last three hours baking hundreds of chocolate chip cookies?”
Elizabeth looked over at the piles and piles of cookies. She started to open her mouth and Enid smiled. “Well, you see…” Before she could talk, she was interrupted by the phone.
“Great.” Enid said as she picked up the phone. “It’s for you.”
‘Maybe it’s Jeffrey.’ She thought. “Hello? Hi Olivia. No I’m fine. Can we talk about this at school? Okay, I understand. No, it’s okay. Bye”
“What was that all about?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. Can I take some of these chocolate cookies home with me?”
“Yeah,” Enid sighed, “ Just promise me you won’t eat them all in one sitting.” Liz managed a weak smile as she left the house.
~ The Wakefield House ~
“Hello? Is Jeffrey there?”
“Yes, this is his mother, may I ask who’s speaking?”
“Tell him it’s … Lila. I want to know whether he knows how to get punch out of a dress.”
“Hold on.” Jessica could here Jeffrey’s mother relaying her message to Jeffrey.
“Hello?” ‘No, doubt about it, Jeffrey has a very sexy voice’ Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice again.
“Hello? Jessica?”
“Um, I’m right here.”
“So what’s up?”
“Well I was wondering…” ‘Spit it out Wakefield’ “wondering whether you wanted to go to the new James Bond movie this Friday.”
“You mean like in a big group?”
“Yeah, if you wanted a big group.” ‘Guys are so clueless when it comes to girls. Of course, I don’t want to go in a big group!’ Jess thought.
“Do you?” ‘Definitely clueless!’
“Not really, I’d rather not.”
“Okay, what time?”
‘He said yes! He said yes!’ Jessica’s brain screamed. “Whenever.”
“How about seven?”
“Sure. See you then.”
“Bye.” Jessica hung up the phone, still seeing stars.
Then she ran to the top of the stairs and yelled, “ I’ve got a date with the cutest guy in the whole world!”
“Who’s that?” said her Liz from the foot of the stairs.
“Ken.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” A look of relief washed over her, “Where’s mom and dad?”
“Dad took mom out to dinner.”
“And you didn’t go?”
“Duh, I’m here silly.”
“I’m sorry, Jess. You know about before. I should have realized that you would never go behind my back and you would never lie to me. When are you going out with Ken? It’s great that you are going out again. I mean I was worried when you didn’t go to Bruce’s party. Personally, I don’t think you missed much.”
“Um, we’re going out on Friday, you know to see the new James Bond movie.” ‘Oh please forgive me for lying to you” Jessica thought in her head.
“Oh really? Maybe the four of us could double date. I’ve been wanting to see a new movie.”
“Uh, no thanks. I think Ken wants to be alone with me anyway.”
“Oh, well, maybe another time.”
“Sure.”
Later that nightDear Diary,
I hope I know what I’m doing. Obviously Liz isn’t over Jeffrey yet. Oh why did I make that date with Jeffrey? Now not only can Liz get hurt, but so can Jeffery and me. Or maybe I’m reading too much into this. Jeffrey probably doesn’t even think it’s a date.
Friday night, so late it’s SaturdayDear Diary,
I’m ecstatic! I am head over heels in love with Jeffrey! I am soo happy! Just wait until you hear what happened tonight! I think this was the first date I was ready on time! Well when you think about it, this is Jeffrey. Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself…
“Wow, you look really nice. If I had known, I would have dressed up more.” Jeffrey looked down at his jeans and T-shirt, the same ones he had worn to school.
“That’s okay, this is old anyway.”
“Ready?”
“Yep”
… Let’s just say that things got better from there. While during one of the slow parts in the movie, I looked over at Jeffrey. Only to find him staring at me! Good thing that theatre was dark, or he would have seen me blushing! The best part was at the end of the night when he was dropping me off…
“That was a great movie. I’m really glad you asked me. I guess I needed to get out.” Jeffrey said to Jessica before they got out of the car.
“Oh, yeah. Pierce is soo cute when he’s all sweaty from killing bad guys!” The two laugh.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you Monday.”
“Yeah, Monday. Jeffrey..”
“Yes?”
“I’m really glad I went with you.”
“Me too.”
…and that’s when he kissed me. Well it was only on the cheek, but I mean he’s a gentleman and all. I am soo happy!!!
MondayDear Diary,
He hasn’t asked me out yet. But every time we bump into each other. He smiles and blushes. I can’t wait until he does. Oh god, what will I wear?
Wednesday nightDear Diary,
I hate my twin! It’s not fair at all. You see, she and Todd had another fight. They’ve been having a lot fights. Only this time they broke up. And guess whom she runs to? Jeffrey. My Jeffrey.
Thursday nightDear Diary,
Well I guess Liz and Jeffrey are now going together. Well it looks like he’s happy at least. But I know I could have made him happy! Life just turns on you as soon as you’re happy.
WednesdayDear Diary,
I hate this. All these guys keep asking me out, and I keep turning them down. I don’t want to go out with anyone. I want to go out with Jeffrey.
Saturday morning or afternoonDear Diary,
Oh, I feel so bad for Jeffrey. Liz got back together with Todd. And just left Jeffrey just like that. I was so mad that I picked a fight with her
“What is wrong with you?” Jessica said as she walked into the bathroom. Liz was obviously getting ready for a date with Todd.
“What are you talking about?”
“How could you do that to Jeffrey. I mean aren’t you supposed to be the sensitive clone?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about. Are you talking about when I went to Jeffrey for advice on Todd?”
“Advice, advice!” Jessica said, her voice growing louder. “You call turning someone’s emotions on and off just because you feel like it, advice? And after you talked to me about toying with people’s emotions! What is going on in your head?! Why are you trying to hurt Jeffrey?”
Elizabeth’s hand started to shake as she put her earring in. “All the lecturing I go through from you on dumping advice. ‘Jess, he really likes you, put him down gently.’ ‘Jess, can’t you be a little more considerate of other people’s feelings?” Jessica’s voice started to grow shrill and each word brought more and more tears to her eyes. “Don’t you have anything to say?”
“Jess. Do you have any idea how hard it is to be me?” Elizabeth’s voice growing calmer and stronger by the minute, “Don’t you think that I don’t know what I’m putting Jeffrey through? Did you ever think that maybe, when I needed comforting, my twin was off with her friends? That maybe I still love Jeffrey and I don’t know what to do with my excess feelings. God, Jess, you have such an easy life. Your problems are trying to figure out what bracelet looks best with your dress!”
“That’s not true, and you know it” But there was no stopping Liz.
“Your problems are trying to figure a way to spend $330 on mom’s credit card without getting caught. Your problems are trying to find a way to dump your childish problems on ME! Heck, you don’t even know what love is! The most you have ever been with a guy is what? Two dates? So don’t you dare raise your voice to me. I do not need to justify my actions for you! Why do you even care about Jeffrey anyway? Weren’t you the one rooting for Todd because he could introduce you to Lovett guys? Can we get any more shallow?” Elizabeth looked over towards her sister, only to find her crumpled on the floor crying. “Oh gosh, Jess. I didn’t want to make you cry. I, I just, oh, I don’t know anymore.” She knelt down to the floor to put her arms around her sister.
“Don’t you touch me!” Jessica yelled. Stunned by her sister’s reaction, Elizabeth stood dumbly. “Just leave me alone!” And with that she stalked off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
“Jess, Jess. Let me in.” But her calling was to no avail. Nothing left for her to do, she left to find her purse.
~ Half an Hour Later ~
“Jessica, don’t you want to come down and join your father and I for dinner?” The twin’s mother called. “Jessica? Jessica? Answer me.” The only response to her calling was the radio getting louder. Alice looked down at her husband and shook her head.
“Here, let me try.” Ned said as he went up the stairs. “Jess, open the door, it’s me. If you don’t open it I’m going to have to try to break the door down. And you know I’ll break my arm trying to do it.” Ned waited a few moments and then saw the doorknob turn. He opened the door to find his daughter on the bed. Her eyes were red and several boxes of tissues were on the floor. “Hey, why are you crying? Another guy break your heart?”
“Something like that.” Jessica mumbled.
“You hungry?”
“No.”
“I got Chinese, your favorite. There’s too much for me to eat all by myself. What do you say you help me?”
“If it okay, I’d rather not.”
“Of course it’s okay. This just better not be one of those new diets, where you don’t eat your favorite food, and cry yourself to a new weight.” But even his joke couldn’t break Jessica’s somber attitude. He kissed her forehead and left the room.
“So? What’s the matter?” Alice said.
“Don’t know. Maybe we should ask Liz when she gets home.”
“That’s a great idea.”
~ Later that Night ~
“I had a great time tonight.” Elizabeth said to Todd as they stood on the front porch.
“Me too.” As they leaned in towards each other for a good night kiss, the porch light went on.
“I think that’s my cue to go inside” Liz quipped.
“Okay. Goodnight. I love you.”
“I love you too.” They leaned in for another kiss and the porch light began to turn on and off like a strobe light. “Bye” Then Elizabeth slipped into the house. She faced her two parents, both in their bathrobes.
“Oh my gosh. Did my watch stop again?”
“No, no, no. We just want to know if you can help us” Alice started. She guided Elizabeth over to the couch. “Honey, do you know why your sister could be upset?”
“Upset?” Liz squeaked. “I mean, yeah, I have an idea.”
“Great, because we’ve been trying to figure it out all night, and we still have no clue.” Ned said.
“It’s me.”
“What!” Both parents almost fell off the couch.
“Well, she came in while I was getting ready for my date and well, she started talking to me….”
“Yes..”
“And she brought up a very sensitive subject. And I guess I got defensive, so I started to yell at her. And them I guess I didn’t want to sound like the bad guy so I started to make fun of her. I didn’t know what I was doing until I was done. Then I tried to apologize, but she was too upset by then to talk. Oh man, I really hurt her, didn’t I?”
“I think you know what you have to do.” Alice probed.
“I know what I have to do, but how is Jessica going to react?”
~ Back in Jessica’s Room ~
…. Oh, diary. What’s wrong with me? I’m just a big pile of emotions. Why can’t I be, oh, I don’t know who I want to be. It’s my fault I picked that fight with Liz. It’s not like she can help how she feels. I mean, come on, even I’m in love with Jeffery. There’s a knock on my door. I better go so no one finds out about you.
Jessica opened the door to find Elizabeth looking at her. “Can I come in?”
“Sure”
“Jess, I’m really sorry about before I didn’t mean what I was saying. I was just spouting off. Oh, gosh Jess, you look horrible. I didn’t know I had such an effect on you.”
“It’s okay”
“No it’s not okay. I was wrong to get mad at you just because I have a problem with dysfunction in my life.” Jess cracked a smile. “What? What did I say?”
“Dysfunction? It’s hard to imagine you with dysfunction.” Even Elizabeth had to laugh. “It’s okay Liz. I was spouting off too. Only I guess, I thought I had more of a reason because I was doing it for Jeffrey. But I suppose, I was just pretending I was mad at you for that. I guess, well, Liz you’re so lucky!”
“Me, lucky? You are talking to the girl who gets ‘You will die tomorrow’ when she shakes a magic eight ball.”
“No, really. I mean, how many girls have two guys who are totally, completely in love with her?”
“It’s not as great as you think.”
“I’d be happy with even just one guy in love with me.”
“Don’t you see? That’s what I want. One. Just one. One guy to love me, so I only have one problem to deal with at a time. And one sister to forgive me.”
“Well, I can’t solve the first problem. But I can forgive you. Whoa make that, will forgive you!”
~ One Hour Later ~
The two girls were still in Jessica’s room talking over anything that came to mind. Jessica looked at the clock. It flashed 1 A.M. “Good thing this is a Saturday. Oh, the bags under my eyes I will have!” Jessica moaned.
“So tell, me, why did you feel so strongly about what I did to Jeffrey? The truth, Jess” Liz said.
“Well. Would you be upset if someone went out with Jeffrey?”
“I don’t know. Probably not, I mean it has been like three months.”
“Really? You aren’t just saying that?”
“Jeez, Jess. Why would I lie about something like that? Wait a minute, you aren’t planning to set him up with someone are you? I mean there must be plenty of other guys that you could use your matchmaking skills--.”
“No, no, no. I was just… well, checking I suppose. You see…”
“It’s okay Jess. Jeffrey can go out with anyone he chooses, and it wouldn’t bother me one bit.”
“That’s great!” Jessica said with a sigh of relief, “Because, you see, I really wanted to go out with Jeffrey. And since you say, it wouldn’t bother you. Wow, this is great. I was going to talk to this to you…”
“Uh, that’s okay. We can still talk about this” Elizabeth said, interrupting Jessica.
“No, that’s okay. Besides, you are already so busy and all. Gosh, Liz. You must be the best sister in the whole world! Now out of my room. I need to make a phone call tomorrow, so I need my beauty rest.” She gave her sister a brief hug before she pushed her out the door, into the adjacent bathroom.
‘Yes, I must be the world’s greatest sister. Especially since now I will have to see my very own sister going out with my boyfriend!’ Elizabeth thought
~ Noon, the Next Day ~
“That’s great Jeffrey! I’d love to go on a picnic with you tomorrow. I’ll have to cut cheerleading practice short, but that’s okay,” Jessica said over the phone. “So tomorrow at 2. Great. See you then. Bye.”
“Going on a picnic?” Jessica dropped her bagel, clearly startled.
“You scared me. And yes, I am going on a picnic. Jeffrey’s coming by to pick me up after practice.”
“Sorry.” ‘Yeah, I’m sorry I told you it was okay to date Jeffrey.’ Elizabeth thought.
“Are you sure about this. I mean, you aren’t upset?”
Elizabeth plastered a fake smile on her face, “No, of course.”
“Good. Can I borrow your green knit dress?”
‘Why not, you’re already borrowing my boyfriend’ Elizabeth thought, but aloud she said, “Sure.”
“Thanks Liz.”
~ 1 P.M., the Next Day ~
“I can’t believe she is actually going out with him! My own flesh and blood. Well, she’s not going to get my green dress.” Elizabeth said to herself. She tried on the dress and went inside the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, ‘Gee, with my hair down, I look exactly like Jess.’ Elizabeth suddenly got a yearning to see Jeffrey again. ‘I know. When he gets here, Jess will probably be running late. So that means that I can apologize to Jeffrey. Perfect.’
~ 1:30 ~
The phone rang through out the house. Elizabeth went downstairs to get it. “Hello?”
“Elizabeth? Is that you?” Jessica said.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“I need you to do me a big favor. Do you think you could call Jeffrey and tell him to come over for me at 2:30?”
“Sure, no problemo.”
“Thanks, see you soon.”
Elizabeth hung up the phone and called Jeffrey’s house. “Hi, is Jeffrey there?”
“This is he.” Elizabeth melted at the sound of his voice. “Who is this?”
“Uh…it’s Jessica.”
“Oh, hi. Is something the matter?”
“No, everything is great. Practice ended early so I can leave now if you want.”
“That’s great. That means I get to spend more time with you, Jessica.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet.” ‘Or it would be if you called me Elizabeth.’ Liz thought.
“See you soon.”
“Bye.” Elizabeth said. Suddenly, she realized what she had done. ‘Oh, no. How am I going to figure a way out of this one? I know. I’ll write a note saying that Jeffrey couldn’t go.’ After Liz finished writing the note, she heard the doorbell. She opened the door to find Jeffrey, holding a bouquet of daises. ‘Great, I’m allergic to daisies.’ Liz thought. Suddenly she sneezed.
“Oh, no. I thought it was just Liz who was allergic to certain flowers.”
“Uh, no. I am too.”
“That’s okay, you can throw them out.”
“No, no, no. I’ll just put them in the kitchen.” Liz said as she walked into the kitchen. She hurried back. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
~ 3 Hours Later ~
Jeffrey and Liz sat near Secca Lake on a blanket. The two were deep in discussion.
“So, like I was saying. You should have seen Mr. Jaworski’s face in history when--.” Liz started before Jeffrey interrupted her.
“Wait a minute, don’t you have Mrs. Ryan for a history teacher?”
“Well, I um…”Liz mumbled. ‘Great, Liz. You blew it.’
“And I thought you didn’t hang out with Olivia,” Jeffrey stated. “And I thought you never wore a watch. Oh my god…”
‘Oh, no. Here it comes.’ Liz thought.
“Is this your idea of some sort of sick joke?!” Jeffrey yelled. “Do you and your sister have fun screwing up other people’s lives? Oh, god! And after what Jessica and I talked about at the movies. Or wait was that you? Do you do this with Todd? Or am I the ‘special’ one?!”
Elizabeth started to cry, “ I didn’t mean…I mean Jessica..”
“Don’t try bailing Jess out this time, Liz. She dug the hole herself.” Jeffrey got up and began to gather his things. He threw them in the backseat of the car. “Get in. I’m driving you home.”
As the car screeched to a stop in front of Elizabeth’s house, Liz looked over at Jeffrey, only to find him crying.
“Jeffrey, I’m sorry. I had no idea you had such feelings for..” She leaned over to touch his shoulder, but he brushed away her arm before she had a chance. Then he leaned over and opened the car door. Elizabeth had nothing to do but get out. “Goodbye Jeffrey.” She called in a whisper, long after he was gone.
Sunday AfternoonDear Diary,
I can’t believe Jeffrey canceled out date. But I suppose he had a good reason. I mean, why would he have reason to lie to me. Especially how we talked all Friday night about being open and honest about our feelings. But then again, three days later he clung to Liz right after her breakup with Todd. But he told me over the phone that… oh, well. I guess I’ll just have to wait until Monday to talk to him. Gee, I wonder if I can still catch Cara before she goes out to ice cream with the other girls?
Monday AfternoonDear Diary,
Oh my god, Diary. I’m sorry to get tears all over you but… Jeffrey and me broke up today. And the trouble is, I don’t even know what I did wrong! It all happened when I saw him sitting under a tree at lunch. I walked over to him...and oh…
“Hi Jeffrey! It’s okay, you don’t need to apologize” Jessica said as she walked over to him.
“Excuse me?” Jeffrey said, incredulously.
“For not meeting me yesterday for the picnic, silly. What kept you away anyway?” Jessica sat down next to him.
“As if you don’t know,” Jeffrey’s voice hardening, “How could you do that to me?” Jeffrey’s voice was no longer hard, just sad.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb Jessica!” Jessica sat shocked, as if she had been slapped. “What was our time together? Just a game?!”
“Jeffrey, I don’t---.”
“Save it Jess. I don’t want to hear your excuses. Just stay away from me from now on.”
“Jeffrey, this is not a funny joke.”
“I should think not, since I’m the butt of it.” And with that he walked off.
“But, but……” Jessica whispered.
~ Meanwhile ~
“Elizabeth. Elizabeth. You aren’t paying attention to me.” Enid said as Elizabeth looked off in the direction of Jeffrey. “You aren’t having trouble with Todd are you?”
Elizabeth turned around, “No, why do you ask?”
“Because you keep staring at Jeffrey, the way you did when Todd and you broke up for a while.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just out of it. What were you saying?”
“Well, I was saying I recorded a really great song off the radio. Do you want to hear it?”
“Sure.” Elizabeth put her ears to the headphones and listened:
- I’ve been a bad bad girl
- I’ve been careless with a delicate man
- And it’s a sad sad world
- When a girl will break a boy
- Just because she can
Elizabeth gasped and threw the headphones down as if they had bitten her.
“What’s the matter Liz?”
“Uh, nothing.”
“No, it’s not Liz. When you have replaced yourself with the old Liz, I’ll come back, but until then you are going to have eat lunch by yourself.”
“Enid.” But Enid was already gone. Elizabeth looked over at Jeffrey, only to find him walking away. She looked at the tree again and saw one lone figure. It was her sister, and she was crying.
…oh god diary. What did I do, what did I do?