Jessica

The good news is I wrote some yesterday! The bad news is I don't know what to write today. So I am here instead. At least I am using my brain to do something other than clean the house or fold the laundry. So here is part of Jessica's story which I worked on yesterday. Jessica is Laura's cousin. (Laura is the main character in my excerpts published in my previous posts)Jessica is a senior in high school in the beginning of her story, however, I have already developed her story quite a bit in the future from this point and time.


Jessica wondered if Hailey thought of anything else besides boys. That was all that was on her mind these days. Jessica had known her cousin Hailey all her life. In fact, they were practically sisters. And in perfect sister fashion, Hailey could be extremely irritating.
“So I was at a party the other night at Kara’s house – why weren’t you there, by the way? – and I saw HIM.” Hailey said this last word with a sort of breathless excitement.
“Who?”
“You know! Philip Collins! His dad is the new football coach and everyone in school is drooling over Phillip.”
“Hmm. I think I know who he is.” Of course Jessica knew exactly who Phillip Collins was, but she didn’t want her boy-crazy cousin to think Jessica was like all the rest of the girls. And she certainly wasn’t going to tell Hailey that Phillip was going to be her partner for their big government research paper.
“Well, of course, I don’t act like an idiot around him the way others do. I hope he asks me to the prom. He is so funny, Jess. And smart!”
“Smart? I doubt that.” Jessica had been irritated to find out she had been paired with a jock for the research paper. Jessica had already resigned to doing the paper all by herself.
“So why weren’t you at Kara’s the other night?”
“I told you that I was taking the SAT’s the next morning at, like, 8:00 so my mom wouldn’t let me stay out late.”
“I can’t believe Aunt Karen is still treating you like a 13-year-old. You should set her straight.”
“She doesn’t treat me like a child!”
“Okay. Okay. Don’t get all red in the face about it. I’m just saying you should relax some. And your mom should let you. My mom lets me do what I want.”
“Yes, I can see that.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”

Jessica was eavesdropping on Phillip Collins’ raucous account of his Christmas vacation he had in Vail with his brothers. Jessica wished Hailey had never mentioned Phillip. Now Jessica was curious. And she was irritated with herself that she would be intrigued just because all the other girls in her class were intrigued. As if he could read her mind, Phillip at that moment looked directly at Jessica and smiled. Jessica blushed and then felt like kicking herself. Phillip walked over to her. “So you’re Hailey Rutherford’s best friend.”
“Um, yes. Actually we’re cousins. My dad and her mom are brother and sister.” Jessica felt like an idiot. What was she blabbing about?
“Yeah, she’s quite the life of the party.” Phillip quickly looked Jessica up and down and said, “I get the feeling you aren’t exactly like her.” Jessica was at first offended at this statement and looked up at him to vehemently declare that she could have fun just like the next girl. But as she looked up at him, a crooked smile appeared on his handsome, tanned face and Jessica suddenly was dumbstruck. He was cute. She had to give Hailey that. He said, “So we’re going to be partners in Ms. Reed’s class. I guess we should plan to meet up soon to discuss our research paper.”
“Um, yeah.” Jessica never felt more at a loss of words.
“How about tomorrow directly after school?”
“Sure. You can come to my house. I live in Forest Ridge right down the road.”
“Okay. Thursday sounds fine to me.” He smiled again at Jessica and left her feeling slightly annoyed, slightly excited, and slightly confused all at once.

Jessica’s head tilted back as she roared with laughter. She did not remember the last night she had laughed so much in one afternoon. She and Phillip were sitting across from each other at Jessica’s kitchen table. They had two unopened textbooks and two empty cans of Coca-Cola sitting in between them. It was 5:30. They had been talking for two hours and had not even touched their research project.
“Oh you’re kids will be hell raisers! It skips a generation, you see. I have extensive research on the subject, mostly from personal findings, of course.”
“So then you’re parents must have been saints!”
“Yes. And I hear about it every day.” Phillip laughed lightheartedly. Out of the corner of her eye, Jessica saw her family van pulling into the driveway from the bay window of their kitchenette. She glanced at the clock and gasped. “Oh wow. My mom and sister are back from softball practice! I totally didn’t realize what time it was.”
“That’s okay. I guess we’ll have to meet up again though, in order to get our work done.”
“Yeah. Um, whenever is good for me.” Jessica’s mind was spinning. She had never had a guy over to the house before and didn’t know how awkward it would be when her sister and mother walked in. What would Katelyn think? She was in the 10th grade, but Jessica was sure she would know who Phillip Collins was – everyone knew who he was. And Jessica’s mother knew she was studying with someone this afternoon, but Jessica didn’t think her mother would be prepared to see Phillip. Jessica glanced at Phillip and he looked spectacular with his tanned arms crossed loosely behind his head. He had a baby blue short-sleeved shirt that highlighted his eyes and his nicely shaped biceps. Even though Jessica had honestly invited Phillip over to study, would her mom think this was a date, of sorts? And why was Jessica so concerned all of a sudden? Her mother walked in with Katelyn directly behind her. And to Jessica’s surprise, Phillip stood up and walked over to her mother, held out his hand and said, “Mrs. Kenshaw. I’m Phillip. It’s nice to meet you. Jessica and I are partners for our government research project. Can I help you with your groceries?”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that you are partnered with Phillip Collins!” Katelyn later exclaimed while staring at her older sister in awe. “And he was so nice! And he is so very cute!”
“Would you stop already? We are just partners for a boring research paper. That’s it! In fact, I kinda hate I am his partner because I have a feeling I’m going to have to do all the work.” Jessica felt this overwhelming desire to let everyone know she was not interested in Phillip. In fact, she was determined to convince herself as well. What was the point in being interested in him anyway? People like him didn’t like smart girls like Jessica. She could see Phillip dating Hailey. And even though she tried to ignore it, she was irritated by that idea.