Justin reached out and ran his hand through her velvety tresses, admiring the way it felt in his fingers. Her face, set in sleep, was utterly beautiful. The spring sun had already darkened her skin to a light bronze, a rich contrast to her pearly white smile.

Her head was in the space between his chest and arm, her lips millimeters away from his tender skin. She sighed in her sleep as he kissed her forehead gently, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheek. Everything she did was perfect, where she put her head, the way her lips would gently graze his skin, her sleepy little smile.

She rolled over and yawned, her eyes still closed, her mouth forming a silent O. "Morning Jus," she murmured, her voice low and raspy from sleep.

He grinned, hitting her with a pillow and shattering the moment. "Mornin’ Jess."

She frowned, closing her eyes and stretching her arms over her head.

"So what are you doing here?" Justin asked, as he rolled over onto his side to face her.

"Roxy had a party and I needed to study," she replied as she twisted the blue bed sheets between her fingers.

He nodded. "I get it, you just use me as a library."

She shook her head in protest, her dark eyes wide with contained laughter. "No, I ate all your food too," she said casting him a kooky smile.

"What would you have done if Raine was over?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, a slick grin on his face.

"I would’ve waited until you guys fell asleep and then massacred her," she answered, her voice light, a smug smile on her face.

He laughed.

She smiled back. He thought she was kidding.

"So do you miss JC yet?" he asked, as he followed her into the bathroom. He rubbed, his palms into his curls, his eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room.

She nodded as she brushed her teeth. "I just wish he’d come home. And that he wasn’t producing a CD for three blonde bimbos," she muttered, spitting into the sink.

"Hey!" Justin said defensively. "One of them has brown hair…"

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "You know what I mean. It’s like JC this and JC that. I mean they walk around in short little skirts and tiny little tops with their massive boobs popping out and you expect me to like having my boyfriend be around them? Have you ever seen them together? ‘Oh JC! You’re so talented!’" she screeched, her eyelashes batting as she swayed her hips. "Give me a break."

Justin laughed, his eyes darting over to the clock. Raine was coming over in a half an hour. There was no way in hell the two of them could ever be together with Jess there.

"Hey Jess…um…Raine is coming over a little bit, and since you like her so much, can you maybe leave?" he asked, as his face twisted into a painful little frown.

She grinned. The past three times Raine had come over, Jess had managed to spit in her drink, dye her hair pink, and shave her toy poodle completely bald.

"Sure Justin, let me just go eat breakfast and I’ll be out of your hair…" Hair. Hmm.

A knock came at the door causing Justin to race down the stairs. Jess followed calmly, popping a stick of gum into her mouth, smiling, completely satisfied with her brilliant idea.

There Raine stood in all her glory, perfectly groomed as usual. Every inch of her was immaculate. Perfect golden hair flowed down her slim figure and framed her flawless face. Her nails were painted bright red, not a scratch or chip marring her long acrylic nails or neatly groomed toes. She was wearing a short baby pink skirt, her long, shapely legs peaking out from the short hem.

Jess looked in the mirror as she continued her journey down the stairs, groaning inwardly. She was a complete mess, her thick, jet black hair set in her unruly natural waves that clung limply to her face. Her eyes were tired and puffy, not an ounce of makeup on her face. She was dressed in Justin’s basketball shorts for God’s sake, she fought off the urge to hit herself as she realized what she was thinking. It was Raine, who cared what her pathetic little mind thought. She pushed the thought out of her head as she skipped down the remaining stairs landing beside Justin.

"Justin, I’m actually going to skip breakfast…" she said as Raine entered the house, and stood beside Justin.

Jess hurried into the kitchen and grabbed a bottled water and walked behind Raine for a straw, smiling towards her.

"Bye Justin! Have fun," she said with an evil little smile.

She shut the door and heard a blood curdling scream. "JUSTIN! SHE PUT GUM IN MY HAIR!!!"

"But I miss you…" JC whined into the phone as Jess sighed.

"JC! You are such a baby!" Jess laughed. "I swear you’re a nerd. It’s not going to kill you to be away from me for two more days." She twisted a piece of her coal colored hair between her slim fingers, examining the tips as she spoke loudly, her rich voice illuminating the modest bedroom.

JC pouted, a frown marring his handsome features. "So I take it you don’t miss me. I mean since you’re SO busy."

"Why can’t I just come home now?" he continued whining as he leaned into the back of his chair and kicked his legs up onto the table. When it came to Jess, he had no will power what-so-ever. He craved her, her laugh, her smile, and despised the days that he had to do without them.

At times, he questioned the man he had become. He was weaker than his former self, more of a docile home-body. His every ounce of happiness weighed on her shoulders; it relied on whether or not a thin smile would creep over her lips at his words or if she would snuggle close to his chest before they fell asleep. He had never fathomed that there would be a day when he would rather spend a night with watching his slumbering girlfriend than hang out with the guys, or that the day would come when he rather do laundry with her than go to a extravagant party.

"JC, you’re crazy…" she murmured, echoing his thoughts. She knew full well how hard these trips were on him and tried her best to be strong for him. But recently, the trips were equally hard on her. She found herself busying herself with extra house work and counting the days until she saw him again.

"I know, but that’s why you love me right?" he asked as he grinned. She laughed softly, making his smile broaden.

She too was surprised at the woman she had become over the past few months. Her argument with Justin had opened her eyes to just how impossible it was to retain his attention at all times. Third grade was over; he wasn’t going to come running at the drop of a dime nor would he love her the way he once had before.

She found herself making more time for JC and less for Justin, and liking it. The days she spent with JC opened her eyes to something far greater than she had ever anticipated. He was more wonderful than she had previously given him credit for, more beautiful than she had ever imagined possible. The way he blindly loved her astounded her endlessly, causing a remarkably foreign amount of love for him to reign her heart.

"Yeah I guess…Well I gotta go JC," she said after a few seconds. "I’m meeting Alex for dinner."

"Fine…" he sighed, letting out a chuckle. "Ditch me for a girl…"

Jess shrugged, "she’s nicer anyways," she said as she smiled softly. "But seriously, I gotta go sweetie. Love you. I’ll call you later."

He grinned. He loved it when she ‘I love you’ first. "Love you too, babe. Talk to you later."

She still couldn’t decide what to do about Raine. Was it even her business? That was something she was torn about. And honestly, if she said something to Justin, would he even believe her? Raine’s spell was much too powerful for Justin to comprehend even the possibility of her infidelity. He would most likely blame Jess, something that could start a world of hurt for both parties.

And she didn’t know if she wanted him to know. As much as she hated Raine, she loved Justin. And he loved Raine. Raine sparked a wonderful light inside of Justin, a happiness that she hadn’t seen in so long.

She groaned as she plopped back into her pillow and rubbed the bridge of her nose with the palm of her hand.

She was never going to be able to tell him.

She sighed, and got out of bed, throwing on a T-shirt before heading down the hall. She reached Roxy’s room and knocked gently before opening.

Roxy’s eyes met Jess’ as she frowned. "Dude, don’t just come bargin’ in here like that. I could have been having some kinky sex or something and you would’ve seen it all…"

Jess laughed then made a face, her eyebrows raising. "But you’re not. And who would it be with? Your stud Joey?" she giggled, thinking about her currently blonde friend.

Roxy stuck her tongue out at Jess, a laugh resounding from her throat. "That man is FINE!" she said, a childish giggle filling the room.

Jess grinned. "Roxy loves Joey.. Mrs. Roxy Fatone…You know you’re thinking about it."

"So when are we going to tell Justin about Raine?" she asked, cheerily, ignoring Jess’ comment. The thought of crushing her arch nemesis’ world was just too peachy for her to pass by. "I mean it’s our duty. We wouldn’t want his entire world to be a lie…" she said using an important voice and frowning generously.

"We’re not…" she started.

Roxy rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, tape it and I’ll watch it then…I don’t have to be there if you don’t want…"

"No, I’m not either. I can’t," she said softly. "He’s not stupid, he’ll figure it out…it’s just a matter of time."

"He’s not the brightest crayon in the box, let me just say that and the boy’s in love," Roxy said as she tapped her pencil against her paper. "And not that I really care, but I think Justin deserves to know the truth. He’s too good for her."

Jess’ eyebrow raised. "Really?" she asked as she brought a smile to her lips. "…but not that you really care…"

Roxy rolled her eyes. "I’ll give you four days, and if you don’t tell him, I will," she said honestly. "I’ll never forgive Craig for cheating on me, and I refuse for someone else to go through it blindly. Justin deserves to know."

"Tell him, or I will."

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