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Chapter 3- Jessica

“Are you ready?” Lindsay asked Jess before entering the office were the guys were waiting. She took a deep breath before answering.
“I’m ready.”
They stepped in and Brian got up from his seat to say hello. She looked around the room and saw Nick sitting by the window looking out. She instantly turned around as he turned his face and looked at her. She didn’t understand his reaction to her, she was not the one who had done anything wrong here.
“We’re eager to hear your ideas.” Kevin said, interrupting Jess’s thoughts, as they all sat down around a big table where Lindsay handed out some papers.
“Well, what’s on these papers is basically what we have in mind for you,” Lindsay said and smiled. “We need to release your single soon since there are a lot of rumours circulating, and songs leaking onto the internet. So today we thought we’d decide which one it’s gonna be and we’ll get in contact with the radio stations. We need you to do some interviews along with the release of the single. We want you guys to be everywhere. It’s gonna seem like it was only yesterday that Never Gone was released.”

Jess sat next to Lindsay not saying much. She knew Lindsay loved every moment of this and the less she needed to talk the better.
“That sounds great,” Howie said. “Which song do you girls have in mind?”
Jessica took over from Lindsay and answered the question.
“Well we thought about Any Other Way, but we thought Inconsolable would be better in the long run. It sounds like the old you but still different. The fans are gonna love it.”
“I was kind of thinking about Unmistakable,” Brian said, sounding a bit disappointed.
“Unmistakable could definitely be a single in the future but we don’t think it has he same power as Inconsolable. Inconsolable will remind your fans about songs like Shape of My Heart and Drowning.”
“I see your point.” He said and smiled.

They were all caught up in the discussion except for Nick. He was just sitting there staring at her.
‘Seeing Jessica is gonna be harder then I thought. Everytime I see her I see Jenn,’ he thought to himself. “But I won’t let her see that. Never.”
“What do you think about this Nick?” Lindsay asked him.
“It seems fine I guess.”
Brian gave him a quick look. He didn’t recognise Nick. He was always full of ideas and was usually never quiet during meetings.
They ended the meeting and Jessica and Lindsay remained in the office after the guys had left.
“Can you believe that they liked all of our ideas? Wow this is going to be great!” Lindsay said enthusiastically.
“I guess,” Jess said. She felt tired. Seeing Nick brought up bad memories. Memories of a winter sitting by her sister’s bed watching her slowly pass away.

“What’s wrong Jess? You’ve been acting all strange since we got this assignment.”
“Nothing,” she said quickly. She didn’t wanna talk about it. Usually she could tell Lindsay anything but this was too hard to talk about.
“If you say so. But I’m here if you wanna talk.”
“I know.”

The rest of the day passed by quickly as they were busy trying to promote Inconsolable as the new single. When Jess came home to her apartment she noticed that she had a message on her answering machine. She pressed the button and heard Ryan’s voice.
“Hi honey it’s me. I’m not gonna be able to see you tonight. I’ve got a new case and I’m flooded with work right now. I’m sorry. Love you babe.”
She sighed with disappointment but realised he had to work.
“I don’t feel like sitting home alone tonight,” she said to herself. “I need to get out and think about something else then work.”

She picked up her phone and dialled the number to one of her oldest friends, Tara. They had grown up together in a small town outside of New York but they were now both living in Manhattan. Tara was working as a model so she was often busy but Jess hoped she would be home tonight. She needed her.
“Please, please pick up.” She said as she heard the signals going through.
“Hello.”
“Hi Tara it’s me. You’re doing anything tonight?”
“Nope, I’m just sitting here bored out of my mind. Please tell me you’re calling because you wanna go out?”
“That’s exactly why I’m calling.” She laughed when she heard Tara’s begging. She could always count on her.
“Yey! I’ve heard that the new place Toxic is great club.” You wanna check it out?”
“Sure. Come over to my place in an hour and we could get some drinks here.”
“That sounds like a plan to me. See you soon.”
They hung up and Jess felt much better. This was just what she needed to get her mind of things. She went into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for a girls night out. Just as she was ready she heard the door bell.
‘Perfect timing,’ she thought and smiled as she went to open the door.

Tara came in and they had some drinks before they decided to leave for the club. Jess told her about Nick since she knew all about what happened before. She had been a friend of Jennifer’s too and she had been there the whole time while Jenn was sick. She had leukaemia but everyone had been hopeful about her recovery. When they found out she wasn’t gonna make it Tara had been there for both Jennifer and Jessica.

“I’m so sorry Jess. I know you don’t wanna see him after all that happened. But it’s been almost four years. You need to let it go.”
“I know, but I can’t. Everytime I see him I just wanna yell at him for not being there. He should have been there. But I really don’t wanna talk about it anymore. Let’s just go out and have fun.”

The club were full of people and they had a great time dancing and drinking. Jessica was totally relaxed and thought about calling Ryan to see if she could come over to his place later. Suddenly she felt Tara’s hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t look but Nick’s here, and he’s coming right towards you.”
“Shit!” Jess turned around staring right into Nick.
“I need to talk to you.” He said, grabbing her arm.
“Fine, but let go of me!” she said and pulled out of his grip.
They walked outside and she stood there waiting for him to say something.
“What can you possible have to say that is so important?”
“I just want to make some things clear.”
“Fine, talk.”
“I know I have to work with you, I don’t want to but I have to. I just want to let you know that after this I don’t want anything to do with you, you got it? Not you, and especially not your sister, ever again.”
Jessica gasped for air as she stood there in shock.
‘What the hell is he talking about?’”she thought.
“What are you talking about? I don’t believe you. How the hell can you be so insensitive?”
“Am I insensitive? I’m not the heartbreaker here. Your sister is. I loved her, and she left me!” Nick yelled.

“How dare you talk about her like that? Leave the dead alone. After what you did to her, you don’t deserve to even mention her.”
“Dead? What are YOU talking about?” Nick asked looking at her with a confused expression on his face.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Jennifer loved you, and when she was sick and needed you the most you weren’t there. She needed you and you left her there to die alone. I hate you!”
Jess turned to walk away with tears running down her face. Nick grabbed her and pulled her back. He looked completely shocked and his eyes were filled with pain and tears.
“She’s dead?”