“Ugh no,” Jessica refused, backing away from the offer.

“What? You seemed pretty open to drinking on Christmas,” Anthony smirked.

“Oh shove off- someone spiked the punch. I know that much.”

Anthony wiped off the counter. “One would think you’d like it by now.”

“Anthony- Christmas was a month ago. Get over it. I am officially forever sober.”

Her co-worker laughed. “Whatever you say.”

“Damn what is that smell?”

“Cooks probably messed up again,” he dismissed.

“It’s been happening a lot.” Jessica lurched. “Excuse me.” She ran as fast as she could to the bathroom.

“Man what’d you guys do?” Anthony chuckled. “Fifth time she’s barfed.”

“Sorry,” Jon called back. “Things happen.”

“If you keep that up there won’t be any customers!”

Jon shook his head and turned back to his cooking.

*-*-*

“Ugh…this is disgusting,” Jessica muttered, pulling herself off the bathroom floor. “Either they’re drugging the food, or I’m going crazy.” She looked up at the mirror. “I’m going crazy.”

*-*-*

JC sat back and looked up at the sky.

“You know I never thought stargazing could be so much fun,” Ally said.

“Lance said we should try it.” JC chuckled.

“What?”

JC licked his lips before continuing, “Two months ago, Jessica could probably care less about Lance…but look at them.”

“Shows my handiwork,” Ally muttered.

JC twitched. ‘Handiwork?’

“What are you talking about?” JC asked, sitting up.

“Nothing Jace.”

“No tell me. I heard you, but I’m not sure I heard you right. Now c’mon,” he said, pulling her up.

“Watch it.” Ally brushed off her back.

“So?”

“So what?”

“Spill it Ally.” JC grew nervous. Handiwork…

“It’s nothing Jace.”

“Ally I KNOW you said something, tell me what!”

Ally stared back at him. “It’s nothing…just that I kinda helped get them together.”

“What are you talking about Allison?”

She gulped. The only time JC called her by her full name was when he was mad. “That night…we played Truth or Dare.”

His eyes narrowed. He prepared for the worst. Did she dare her to ask him out?

“And Jessie picked Dare,” Ally said slowly. “So my dare was for her to ask him out…”

“WHAT?”

“…andbehisgirlfriendforthreemonths,” she said quickly.

JC’s jaw dropped. Then he shook his head. He shook his head and started to back away. “I can’t…I can’t believe you’d DO that Ally.”

“That’s how it was at first JC! It was just a dare! She really does like him!” Ally said, jumping to her feet.

“How do I know that’s not a dare either? How do I know you’re not lying?” JC asked.

“Because I’m not!”

“I gotta go.” JC turned around and made for his Jeep.

“JC wait!” Ally grabbed his shirt and pulled him. “Please. You have to wait! It’s only 5 more days JC! Just see if she breaks up with him! You’ll see!”

His blue eyes bore into her brown ones, and he sighed. “Fine. But if she breaks him she is dead.”

“I know she won’t.”

“You’d better be right…” JC muttered. “Can we reschedule? Tonight’s not the best night.”

She gave him a sad smile. “It’s ok.”

*-*-*

“Jess,” Anthony said, standing her up. “Jess, that’s the 10th time I’ve seen you barf. What’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t know,” she murmured, holding her stomach. “It just hurts…”

“Ok that’s it. Hospital. Now.”

“AnthoNY!” she cried as he pulled her up and out the door.

“I’ll be taking a break boss!”

*-*-*

“Anthony you didn’t have to-”

“YES I did Jess.” Anthony held her up as she walked in through the hospital doors.

She groaned and hurled again.

“Jess? Oh god…can I get a new shirt? Someone?”

*-*-*

“Can’t you go through a DAY without talking to her?” JC teased as he watched Lance type up an email to Jessica.

“Nope.”

JC stared with a half smile. ‘He really likes her. I’ll be damned if she breaks up with him’

“Just three more days…three…”
*-*-*

“WHAT?!”

Dr. Louis smiled. “You’re pregnant.”

Anthony caught her just before she hit the ground. “A little help here Doctor?”

She smiled. “Of course. She can stay until she wakes up.”

“Thank you.”

The doctor smiled and walked out.

“Man Jess…who’s the lucky guy?”

*-*-*

“God what am I gonna do Tony? I can’t just go and say, “Mom, I’m pregnant,” she panicked. “What am I supposed to do?!”

“Calm down. Now think. Wait a second, who’s the father?” Anthony asked, crossing his arms.

She mumbled incoherently.

“What was that?”

“Lance,” she whispered.

“LANCE?” his eyes widened. “Lance BASS?!”

“You’re not helping!” Jessica shouted at him.

“Sorry.”

“God…how do I do this? ANTHONY HELP ME!”

“Jess,” he wheezed. “Let go of me.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled, letting go of his neck. “Lance doesn’t even know we did it, how can I say that I’m pregnant?”

“Abortion?”

Jessica’s eyes narrowed. She poked his chest with her finger. “If you *poke* EVER *poke* EVER *poke* say that again *poke*, your head will be on a silver platter *poke* in my room for my *poke* viewing pleasure!”

“Ok I get the idea,” Anthony said, shrinking back.

“Good.” Jessica sat down and sighed. “Lance…”

He softened and sat down next to her. “You really like this guy don’t you?”

She smiled. “Would I be this nervous if I didn’t?”

“Guess not.”

“He’s great, really. If I didn’t know better I’d think I love him,” she said softly, leaning against her friend’s shoulder.

Anthony smiled. “You see, that’s how you’re lucky. You’ve got someone.”

“I guess. I just hope I’ve got him long enough to tell him!”

“What?”

“By the time I tell him he’ll probably have passed away and been reborn!”

He chuckled softly. “Jess you are somethin else.”

“Should I take that as a compliment?”

“You know what I mean.”

“No. Enlighten me,” she said.

“Since when have you become such a smart ass?” he asked, amused.

“Ever since my life has become a living soap opera.”

*-*-*

She stared at her reflection. Tonight was the night.

After much thought, she figured out what she was going to say. The night was going to be fine.

She hoped.

After redoing her hair for the fifth time, she finally decided to call Lance.

Jessica dialed the familiar number and waited.

“Hello?”

“JC is Lance there?”

“He’s in the bathroom. What do you need?”

“Can you tell him to meet me under the big tree at the park? It’s really important.”

*-*-*

“…It’s really important…”

JC froze. Searching his memory, his eyes widened. She was going to break up with Lance. ‘SCREW THIS!’

“Park? Uh yeah…sure.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah.”

JC closed his eyes. “Dammit.”

“What? Who was it?”

“Oh that was Jessie. She wants you to meet her at the park.”

“Yeah?” Lance started to reach for the phone.

“Lance,” JC interrupted, putting his hand on the phone before Lance could get to it.

“What gives J? Gimme the phone!”

“Not until I get this out.”

The blonde stared at his friend. “Fine. What?”

“It was a dare. Her friends dared her to ask you out and be your girl for three months. Guess what? Today’s the end of three months!” JC said in a rush.

Lance blinked. Then he laughed. And laughed. “Alright who put you up to this?”

JC stared in shock. “I’m not lying! Ally told me last week!”

Now it was Lance’s turn to stare. “JC…what gives? No, no wait I get it. You’re jealous.”

That socked him hard.

“WHAT?”

“You’re jealous.”

JC threw his arms up. “Fine. Believe what you want. She said to meet you at the big tree at the park. Have a nice day James.” He stormed out of the room, leaving Lance staring after him.

He shook his head and grabbed his coat.

*-*-*

She shivered and pulled the Columbia coat closer to her body. The wind didn’t make her job easier in any way.

At last she saw Lance walking up the sidewalk from his car.
“Lance!”

The lone figure looked up and smiled, jogging the rest of the way over.

“Sorry I was late- JC was just spazzin out over nothing.”

She just smiled. Then her nervousness started to kick in.

“So what’d you have to talk to me about?” he asked.

“I think you should sit down,” Jessica said, letting out a long breath.

Lance’s eyebrows furrowed and he couldn’t help but think…

“Why? I think I’m fine standing up.”

She just nodded. “I never thought I’d have to say this to you…”

“What is it?” Lance asked, getting impatient.

“It’s ok if you’re gonna be mad at me…it was my fault,” Jessica said hurriedly.

JC’s words echoed louder in his head, and he was angered. “WHAT were you going to tell me?”

“Lance I…I…”

“No. Just stop. I don’t wanna hear it from you,” he said, shaking his head and backing away.

“Lance what-”

“Don’t Lance what me,” he said, now feeling the hurt deep within his stomach. “You’ve known this whole time…and you didn’t tell me?”

“Lance-”

“You LIED to me? How…when…dammit I gotta go. Goodbye,” he said, turning around and walking away.

“LANCE! Wait! Why are you so mad?” she asked. “You haven’t even heard me out-”

“I don’t need to hear. JC told me everything,” Lance said brusquely.

“What? How-”

“Ally told him. ALLY.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I know all about your little dare Jess,” he said darkly. “You played me for a fool all this time.”

Her eyes widened and her fear took over. “NO! That’s not right!”

“So you’re saying they lie?” Lance demanded, stepping farther away.

“That’s how it started but LISTEN to me-”

But she was cut off again.

“NO. YOU listen to ME,” he said, anger rising again. “I was in LOVE with you. Do you know how much it hurts to have you…USE me? For some DARE?”

“NO! Lance no! Please just listen-”

“Jessica…” he said, using her full name. “How do I know you’re not lying to me now?”

“Lance,” she pleaded, tears of frustration coming to her eyes. “I swear that’s how it started, but it changed. Really I-”

His green eyes blazed. “Jessica, I’m sorry. I can’t…I can’t trust you after this…how do I know you’re even telling me the truth? All this time…I thought you actually LIKED me! What do you do this for?! Some little THRILL?!”

Jessie was full out sobbing now. “Look I’m SORRY! But that’s not why I asked you to come here!”

Lance just shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Bye.”

“LANCE! LANCE WAIT!” she cried hysterically. She grabbed his coat.

“Get off of me,” he said in a calm voice.

That just made her break down.

“No just listen!” she cried.

“LET GO!”

“You don’t understand!”

“I understand perfectly.” Lance shook her grip off. “I’ve got to be going.”

“Lance PLEASE!” She was in hysterics. Why wouldn’t he LISTEN to her?

“Just stop. Jessica STOP,” he said, tears enveloping his eyes.

When she didn’t let go his anger flared up again. He slapped her.

Jessie made contact with the icy cold ground and she sobbed. Not from the slap, but from her shattered heart.

“Lance please…” she whispered, curling up on the pavement. “Come back…”

But he was already in his car, wiping away his tears.

“How could she?” he whispered to himself, resting his head on the steering wheel.

Regaining some of his composure, he sat up and revved the engine- then drove away.

Jessie cried harder as she watched his car drive away.

“I love you.”

*-*-*

“God dammit,” Lance cursed, his tears coming faster than they could be wiped away.

How in hell could she do this to him? After all this time…he felt like he could smash something.

Why didn’t he believe JC? His own best friend…so blinded…he couldn’t even see…

Which proved true- his tears were flooding his eyes. He blinked almost 8 times a second to be rid of them.

The lights of the cars passing by were only circles of bright white. It was a miracle he could stay on the street.

Finally when he could take the soaking of the tears no more, he bent down to get a tissue.

He heard the horn of the car. Too late.