Chapter 9
"Break Up and Get Together"
Two new characters are going to be in the story. They are mentioned in this chapter and will be in a lot more chapters to come.
Ashley, 15~ Frankie’s girlfriend
Savannah, 15~ Greg’s girlfriend
A couple days passed. Stephanie and the guys were hanging at the mall. They were in the food court eating lunch. Stephanie saw a sign that said, “New Year’s Eve Dance! December 31. Everyone welcome...New Year’s king and queen will be drawn.” “Hey...did you guys know about that?” she asked the guys as she pointed to the sign. “Oh yeah... we forgot to tell you though.” Jesse said, “Do you wanna go?” “Sure!” she replied. “Cool...you can meet Frankie’s girlfriend, Ashley and Greg’s girlfriend, Savannah...they are going too.” Matt said, “Chirs and I are going solo.” “Cool! Well I guess I should go get a dress then huh?” she said. “Yeah...I guess.” Jesse smiled. “Unless you wanna go nak...never mind!” Chris laughed. They all laughed. “No thank you Chris!!” she said as she stuck her tongue out at him. They all got up and went their separate ways. Stephanie went to Sears to look for a dress, Jesse went to the Nike store, Chris went to Spencer’s, and Matt, Greg and Frankie went to The Dollar Tree.
Jesse was looking around the store. Then he heard a familiar and unwanted voice, “Hey Jesse.” He turned around and saw Kacey. “I thought you were out of my life!” he said. “Well...I was but then I remembered I needed a date for the dance.” she said in a snotty way. “Well I’m not going with you.” he said, “I’m going with Stephanie.” “Oh...her...I thought you dumped her!” she said sarcastically. “No...I didn’t...but we were almost over when she saw you kiss me.” he yelled. “Whatever!” she laughed, “I think you’ll change your mind about taking me to the dance.” “Ha! Yeah right.” Jesse laughed. “Well if you don’t break up with her and go with me...your little Stephanie might just become extinct!” she said seriously. “What...you wouldn’t hurt her just because she is my new girlfriend.” he said sounding a little worried. “I might. If I were you I’d tell her to get lost...or you might lose her.” she said, “So are you gonna do it?” Jesse stood there thinking, ’I know that Kacey would do something like that...she is messed up. I need to keep Stephanie safe. I have to do what is best for her.’ “So what time do I pick you up?” he asked Kacey in a not-really-wanting-to-do-what-he-just-did voice. “Six.” she giggled and she kissed Jesse on the cheek and left.
Jesse went to Sears to look for Stephanie. He saw her go into a dressing room. He went to the door and knocked. “Steph?” he said. “Jesse...don’t look! I don’t want you to see my dress until the dance.” she yelled from the dressing room. He laughed to himself. He really loved Stephanie and didn’t want to break up with her...but he had to. “Ok...when you get done meet me outside the Sears entrance. Ok?” he said. “Ok sweetie.” she replied. Jesse went out and sat on a bench.
After Steph paid for her dress she went to find Jesse. She came out of Sears and saw Jesse on a bench. “Hey handsome!” she said. Jesse stood up and smiled at her. She was about to kiss him but he stopped her because he didn’t know if Kacey was watching or not...and if she was she might do something. “What’s wrong?” Steph asked Jesse. “I have bad news. I can’t...I...we have to break up.” he said sadly. “What? Why?” she said as tears formed in her eyes. “I can’t say...just please don’t cry. I want you to still go to the dance.” he said. “Without you?” she asked. “Yes. Please...just try to understand that I can’t tell you.” he told her. He hugged her and said, “I’m sorry.” as he walked away.
Stephanie sat on the bench crying and in shock. ‘What could I have done? Why does he not have an explanation?’ she asked herself. She sat there and cried for about fifteen minutes. Chris was walking back to the food court when he passed bye Stephanie. He stopped and walked over and sat beside her. “Yo girl...what’s wrong?” Chris asked as Stephanie looked up. “Oh Chris!” Stephanie said as she hugged Chris, “Jesse broke up with me.” “What? Why?” Chris asked. “I don’t know...he wouldn’t say.” she said as she looked up at Chris. “I will ask him.” he said. “Ok.” she said and hugged him again. Chris felt it again. He just held Stephanie in his arms to comfort her.
“Let’s go find him.” Chris said as he got up from the bench. “Ok.” Steph said as she got up and wiped her tears away. As they were walking to the food cart they were talking. “He just said we can’t go out anymore and that I didn’t need to ask why. That is it...he didn’t say if I did anything or what.” Steph said to Chris. “That is weird...because he said he really liked you and that he thought the relationship would go far.” Chris said as they walked up to the table where Matt, Greg and Frankie were sitting. They saw two girls sitting with them. “Hey girls.” Chris said. “Hey.” they said together. “This is my cousin Stephanie.” Matt introduced Steph to the girls. “Hi.” she said. “Hi...I’m Savannah.” the girl sitting beside Greg said. “And I’m Ashley.” the girl beside Frankie said. They shook hands and Steph sat down and the girls stared chit chatting. Chris went over to Matt and the guys. “Hey...did ya’ll know Jesse broke up with Steph?” Chris asked them. “Yeah...we did. He said he had to do it and why he did it and then he left with Kacey.” Matt said sadly. “Kacey! Oh I hate that girl!! Why did he break up with Steph?” Chris asked. “This is kinda scary. He said Kacey said that she would hurt Stephanie if he didn’t break up with her.” Greg said. “Oh man.” Chris said, “I need to tell her why he broke up with her but I can’t tell her that.” “If she asks just tell her something less scary.” Matt said, “I don’t want her being afraid.” “Ok.” they all agreed.
“So are you going to the dance this weekend?” Ashley asked Stephanie. “I’m going with Greg.” Savannah said. “Yeah I was going...but...” Stephanie was interrupted by Chris coming over to her, “Are you girls getting along?” he asked. “Yeah.” they said together. “But Steph said she was going to the dance but...” Savannah said. “Oh yeah...I was going but Jesse broke up with me so. He said to go on and go anyway but I don’t have a date. I guess I’ll just go take my dress back.” she said. “Oh we want you to come so we will have a girl to talk with.” Ashley said. “Yeah but...” she started to say. “You can go with me.” Chris said quietly as he sat down beside her. She looked at him and smiled. “I mean...if you want.” he said. “Ok...thanks Chris. You have been so sweet through everything.” she said smiling. He leaned over and hugged her. “I guess I’m going.” she said to the girls. “Great.” they said. Though Stephanie only knew Ashley and Savannah for five minutes, she felt as if they were her best friends.
“We better get going.” Matt said. “Ok.” Stephanie said. “I need to go find my mom.” Savannah said. “Yeah me to.” Ashley said. They kissed their guys. “Bye girls.” Stephanie said and hugged her new friends. “Bye...we’ll see ya day after tomorrow.” Ashley said. “Bye.” Savannah said. “Bye.” Steph and the guys said. The girls went to find their mom’s and Stephanie and the guys went to the van. “Is Jesse coming?” Stephanie asked as they walked to the van. “Umm...no...he left with someone else.” Chris said as he glanced over at Matt. “Who?” she asked. “Kacey.” Matt said quietly. “Really...is that why he broke up with me? Her. Ugh!” she said loudly and tears started forming in her eyes. “We don’t really know. But he still likes you.” Frankie said. “Well...maybe but I don’t feel to great about him right now.” Steph said with a sigh as a tear fell down her cheek. Chris looked at her and wiped the tear from her cheek. They got to the van and got in.
Stephanie was tired of thinking about Jesse and wanted to think about happy things for a while. “So what time will you pick me up Friday Chris?” Steph asked. “Well the dance starts at seven so maybe around six?” Chris said. “That will be cool.” she replied. Frankie dropped of Matt and Stephanie at their house. They all said bye. Matt and Steph went in. “Are you ok?” Matt asked Steph. “Yeah...Chris is real sweet to take me to the dance.” she said. “Yeah. He’s cool like that.” Matt said, “So can I see your dress?” “Not until the dance.” she said with a smile. “Whatever.” Matt laughed. They went up stairs.
Chapter 8 Chapter 10
