Jess (part 2)

He turned around, to be met with the familiar dark haired girl beaming at him with those unforgettable pearly whites.

'How have you been?' Jess asked, walking closer.

Pete felt his heart stop in it's tracks. Her face almost looked the same as the day she left, she was still smiling, still gorgeous. Except he couldn't deny that he felt his heart wrench for all the nights he spent alone missing her. Wishing she would be here.

Luck never seemed to be on his side though, as this moment he had so highly anticipated came at the worst possible time.

'WHY NOW?' screamed his head, raging at just his luck.

Again, Pete was knocked back into his senses with the laugher of the two girls.

'You know, Pete was always like this, just daydreaming all the time,' said Jess, speaking to Chloe.

'So how'd you deal with that? Look,he still looks stunned to see you. Should I be jelous?' laughed Chloe, looking at Pete.

Pete was dumbfounded. This was nothing like he had expected. Not the type of meeting, not the type of conversation. Where was the bitchfighting and hairpulling over him? Instead, his two loved ones were now joking about him.

'I'm still here you know,' grunted Pete in dismay. His perfect day now felt ruined.

Chloe laughed once more whilst saying,'Babe, we should check in for our plane,' gently.

Pete nodded dumbly, acting like a complete stoner. Despite him having so much to say to Jess, so many questions, so much emotion, right now... all he felt was nothing.

He couldn't find the right words for anything, so instead, he just briefly mumbled to Jess saying "Nice to see you again" before starting to walk off.

It wasn't before Jess got the upper hand once again, as she quickly slipped him a note in his palm.

"Don't forget to call!" she shouted as he already started walking away.

..................................................................................

During the whole plane ride, Pete kept thinking about the stupid meeting that he just had with Jess.

He felt so stupid, just standing there doing nothing. He felt like he had just stepped back into the shoes of the high-school boy he had once been, shy, quiet and unnoticed.

Chloe was asleep next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

There was another 6 hours on the plane, and with nothing to do, Pete knew that his thoughts would eventually trail back to the dark-haired girl who was once his life.

Opening the scrunched up piece of paper, it only read, '0423 193 013'.

Assuming that was her number, he felt annoyed.

'Could she just summon me to contact her whenever it pleases her?' he thought angrily.

No. He refused.

He chucked the piece of paper into his bag and decided to stop thinking.

Closing his eyes, Pete counted fat sheep in his head until he eventually fell asleep.

....................................................................

[Meanwhile]

Jess left the airport, flustered after seeing her old high school best friend.

Despite his new haircut, change of fashion and girlfriend... even seeing him for that moment and even recognising him seemed to bring back memories of their past.

His girlfriend, Chloe (was that her name? She thought) was gorgeous. She was very bubbly and pretty, but even so, she felt that her prescence had been unwelcomed. By both of them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her name called out.

"Jess!", greeted Logan, pulling her into a tight hug.

His strong, mucular arms pulled her into a tight bear hug.

"I've missed you so much!" he said, whilst continuing his attack.

"Agh your suffocating me," she managed.

Stupid Logan, never changing, she thought jokingly.

"I swear you're going to kill me one day like this! Stop thinking you're still that little skinny 15 year old! " she said.

"Sorry J," he said, laughing.

He took her bags and motioned her towards his car.

"Let's get you home," he said warmly.

...................................................................


"0423 193 013", he typed into the handset.

Yep, he was so going to be doomed for this. Yet he could not help himself from discovering what happened all those years either.

"You will regret this Pete", warned his head.

Taking a deep breath in, he pressed dial.

Brring Brring.

No response. That's okay, one call. It probably hasn't even connected yet.

Brring Brring.

Ok, ok. Are you ready? Any second now.

Brring Brring.

Any second now. For real.

Brring Brr-

"Sorry, the number you have dialled is switched off or unavailable. Please leave your number, or try again".

WTF?

He had to admit, he could feel the adrenalin pumping whilst anticipating her picking up. But almost as if he knew it was too good to be true, she didn't pick up.

Well did she ever?

Here he was, standing in the bathroom of the hotel dialling the number of a girl he used to love whilst Chloe was waiting outside for him. He felt definitely like that high-school boy again, except this time he also felt guilty because he knew he still had feelings.

"I hate girls," he sighed before walking back outside to his girlfriend.
..............................................................................................................................................

To be continued....

Jess

As Pete was packing away the cluttered belongings in his room into cardboard boxes, he came across an old photo now covered with dust. Blowing off the evidence of the time that has passed by, Pete looked at the two smiling faces in the photo. The girl was smiling cheerily, showing off her pearly whites and her black hair gleamed in the sun. The boy on the other hand smiled with his mouth closed, leaning his head slightly towards hers. They had been the best of friends, sharing important moments of their lives with each other.

Pete fingered the large crease in the photo, bringing him back into his old school, where the phoo had been taken during their graduation.

'Omg Pete just give me a smile!' she had said, nudging him playfully with her shoulder.

'What's there to smile about?' he replied grumpily, sulking about the fact that graduation only meant it was 1 week until Jess would go to America for university.

With his finncial situation, he knew the likelihood of visiting her would be close to nil.

Caving into Jess's bubbly smile, Pete smiled grudingly whilst she happily snapped away on her camera.

'I'm gonna miss you sooooo much!' she had said, putting emphasis on how much she would miss him.

He rememebered the way she locked her arm around his, so naturally... So instinctively.

'Yeah, miss me my ass.' scoffed Pete bitterly as he threw the photo carelessly to the floor.

'The bitch didn't even bother to contact me once, once she left.' he thought angrily, feeling the familiar rush of hot anger and cold realisation that she didn't care about him.

He waited 3 years for her.

3 years of staying in this hole. Staying local whilst everyone else moved on to do greater things. Yet he was still here, like a fool, waiting hopelessly for her to return, or at least contact him.

'Not a fool anymore', he thought, as he continued packing to move to Sydney.

From the side of his vision, the photo seemed to burn a hole through the floor, drawing all the attention from him. He felt guilty for pretending that he didn't care, but he didn't want to feel the pain. He didn't want to feel lonely anymore.

He walked over to pick up the photo once more, holding it close to his heart.

'Girls are seriously all bitches,' he thought bitterly whilst still holding the photo fondly.

He felt so confused, so betrayed. So torn between how he felt, and what she had meant to him.

'Why did I love her for this long? Why did I waste all those stupid years moping over her when she clearly did not reciprocate?' he kept thinking.

He felt disgust and annoyance at both himself and Jess.

He no longer wanted to feel like a miserable wreck, a pathetic boy who had a high school crush.

'No, it was all her fault', reasoned his head, dismissing any remnants of care for her.

It was all her fault...

..................................................................................

2 years later

..................................................................................

Pete was laughing happily with his girlfriend Chloe, walking hand in hand into the airport to celebrate their one year anniversary.

'Babe, I love you so much,' she said, smiling.

Pete felt absolute bliss. This girl was perfect and everything he had wanted, and now they were about to go on a holiday together.

There could be nothing better.

"Hey Pete", came a voice from behind.

The silky smooth voice, one that he could never forget.

"Babe, there's a girl calling for you," said Chloe.

He turned around, to be met with the familiar dark haired girl beaming at him with those unforgettable pearly whites.

'How have you been?' Jess asked, walking closer.

.................................................................................................................................................

-To be continued-

A/N: should he pretend to not know her or reconcile?

PMS

Ever feel like this tacky plastic tiara?
One girl, one guy, perfect relationship? I think not!

For the girls...
How many times have you wished that the 'perfect guy' would magically appear in front of you, sweeping you helplessly off your feet into his strong arms. And how many times do you wish this perfect guy to be handsome yet smart, sweet yet sexy, who must fufill all the requirements of being a gentlemen yet taking initiative in the relationship? Of course, he will love only you, look only at you and no other women, buy you presents on all the occassions and also surprise you when you least expect with little gestures or gifts?

Now... what must you do in the relationship?

Of course, absoultely nothing except look beautiful and wait for all everything to come to you. If you are the romantic, maybe you can chuck in a few love letters but certainly not pay for him, because... that's the guys job! As well as protecting you and acting manly.

Maybe if you are like this, or less exaggerated, you have in fact PMS. Princess Malnutrition Syndrome.

And for the guys...
Now your girlfriend or partner is acting grumpy. Yep, it must certainly be that time of the month. P.M.S.
Yes, it certainly is that 'time of the month', but no I do not mean the female menstruation cycle. It is the time when men should buy all their princesses presents, or act extra nicer, just because.... well you are men.

Just like you feed your dogs and cats, you should now allocate a part of your monthly, weekly or better yet, daily earnings to feed your princess everything that she needs to be the bright, beautiful, bubbly girl that she deserves to be.

How much you say? Or wait, you are just another blundering high school student who does not have a job yet and is just facing the many stresses of the HSC?

Sadly, you are still not exempt. If you do not have the money, no fear! You may always resort to:

a) Finding money off the ground, to 99% no avail
b) Saving your lunch money, yes that $7.50 that you may spend at the canteen is now not yours anymore
c) Sell your video games for that extra bit of cash.
d) Sell your soul

... in order to please that lovely princess of yours.

And how may you sell your soul?

Why, simply sign up for a beautiful, sweet, romantic love today ;)

AN: Idealism is stupid. Read the Great Gatsby for an example.