(written by: Michelle) Jess stared down into the spiked punch she held in her hand. She couldn't believe that Jade had actually agreed to come to AJ's party with her; but then again, Jade could never turn down a party. After a couple of hours of arguing about coming or not and Jade trying to get the puffiness out of her eyes, they finally showed up--fashionably late. Jess had immediately noticed Brian when they walked in. He was looking quite attractive in his t-shirt and jeans; the only thing he did wrong was have LeighAnne on his arm all night. She hadn't left his side for one second; she even went to the bathroom with him. It was like she had her radar set on Jess's presence and until Jess was gone, Brian wouldn't be let out of her sight.
Jess still couldn't believe she was here, though; a few hours ago she couldn't stomach the thought of being on the same block as Brian. Now, here she was not more than 10 feet away from him. Jade jabbed her elbow into Jess's side and pointed her head in the direction of the house. Jess didn't even have to look up to see what had caught Jade's attention. Kevin. He had walked through the door with some girl on his arm. It was obvious to Jess, though, that he didn't want her there.
Jess watched him, entranced with the way he stopped to talk to everyone. She could tell Jade was doing the same by the way her eyes followed his every move. She watched as he stopped talking when his eyes met Jade's. Jess could even hear Jade stop breathing for that brief second. Kevin quickly broke the gaze as he drug his girl over to where Brian stood with LeighAnne. "Why don't you just go talk to him?" Jess asked Jade, as she chugged the rest of her punch. "You saw what happened last time I tried to do that," Jade reminded her best friend as the tears threatened to fall. "That's because you let him get a word in, and you know how he is with talking. If you let him start he'll never stop."
Jade smiled at Jess's comment. Kevin was like that, he loved to ramble. "Maybe you're right. I'll make you a deal: I'll talk to Kevin if you talk to Brian," Jade said. Jess stopped drinking her punch, which was quite good by this point. "Why would I want to do that?" she asked, refilling her glass. Jade put her hand on Jess's to stop her actions, "Because I saw the way you were staring at him all night, and it's obvious to me that you still love him." Jess shrugged her shoulders and brushed Jade's hand away; she knew that this drink would put her over the top but she needed it if she was going to talk to Brian so that her best friend could have a chance at happiness.
Slamming her plastic cup down on the table, she grabbed Jade's hand and pulled her to where Kevin and Brian stood, now alone. "Kevin," Jess stammered, "Jade needs to talk to you right now and I don't want to hear any objections, you got it?" Jess ordered him, pointing her finger in his face. He nodded his head and followed Jade away from the party, the last thing he needed right now was to cause a scene. "And you Mr. Littrell," Jess said, turning her attention to Brian, "I need to talk to you!!" Brian didn't know what to do, he wanted to bust out laughing, but that would only make her angry so he just shook his head and lead her into the pool house. "What do you want Jess?" Brian asked, sitting down on the plush couch.
"I want to talk to you about us, about what I'm feeling right now," she said as she staggered over to the spot next to him. "Feeling drunk?" he asked. "So not funny," Jess told him. "Brian I still love you," she blurted out. Brian stopped laughing and let the words soak in. She had said the words he had been wanting to hear for what seemed like a lifetime now. But he realized she was drunk and not in control of her actions; but then again, she wouldn't say them if the thought wasn't there, would she?? "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Jess asked. Slowly, she could feel her eyes cross and her stomach turn as multiple Brians appeared in front of her. "I...," was all Brian got out before Jess flew into the bathroom to relieve herself of her stomach contents. "Oh boy," Brian muttered.....
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