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Fan Fiction

 Title: True love
Author: Trang
Genre: Romance/Drama/Humour
Started: 29. July 2001
Finished: 06. November 2001

CHAPTER 16 - Troubles in paradise

"Oh, Jess, today is Paddy's birthday and I can catch him on the phone!" Marie told Jess.
"Keep on trying!" Jess advised her.

Later that night, Marie picked up her eleventh rose at the doorstep. "Jess! This one has a note!"
Jess walked over, checking her appearance briefly in the mirror.
"What does it say?"
"It says, Dear Marie" Marie read. "To find the person who sent you the roses, please go to the small café in downtown 'Mama mia'. It's just called Café, and it's a small brown building. The mystery person will be holding the other rose. Please meet him there at nine."
"It's in third person" Jess observed. "Like he didn't write it."
Marie checked her watch.
"It's eight thirty now… I can't wait. You'll come right?"
"For sure" Jess nodded. "What if he's a psycho?"
"Or better yet, Brian." Marie laughed. "I can't believe you can stand him everyday. Last time when I was there he flirted with me all the time."
"Enough, let's go get an outfit." Said Jess.

Marie and Jess entered the café. Marie looked around, and Jess sat at a nearby booth. She saw the rose and a person wearing a hat with a black jacket.
No idea who it is, Marie said nervously to herself. But I guess I should find out.
Marie walked over to the booth.
"Excuse me?" she asked quietly.
The person turned around with a smile.
"What are you doing here?" Marie asked, her voice quiet. Tears of happiness slowly welled in her eyes. "Aren't you busy tonight?"
"Not tonight." Paddy said with a smile.
Marie smiled and he stood up, then pulled her close. 

Jess grinned and walked over to where Paddy and Marie were sitting.
"Hey, Marie, I'll meet you back at the house."
"Hey Jess" Paddy said.
"Hey" she replied. She turned and left.

Marie smiled at Paddy. "I can't believe it was you. You're the best, Pad."
"I love you" he replied.
"I love you, too." she answered, a feeling of dread casting over her as she looked in his eyes. "Is anything wrong?"
"I just realized how hard it's going to be to say good bye again" Paddy told her.

"Hello?" Angelo asked.
"Angelo, hey." Jess replied.
"Nice to hear you but we are sort of busy… We don't know where Paddy is."
"Try Cologne." Jess laughed.
"He's there?" Angelo asked in disbelief.
"At the café with Marie" Jess replied. She heard Angelo breathe a sigh of relief. "Do you mean to tell me that he didn't tell you that he was coming."
"Nope" Angelo said. "He didn't. I can't believe him."
"I couldn't either." Jess agreed.

Paddy stood up, and took Marie's hand. "It's time again."
"When will I see you next?" she asked.
"Christmas, definitely Christmas!!" Paddy answered.
"It's your birthday and I have nothing for you."
"Marie, it's ok. All I want is you. I love you, Marie."
"I love you too" Marie said kissing Paddy.

"Fa la la la la, la la la la" Marie cut in, walking into the room. "Merry Christmas Eve!"
Jess grinned and sang some more. "It's the most, wonderful time… of the year."
The phone rang and Jess picked it up. "Merry Christmas!"
"Jess" a woman's voice flowed over the phone.
Jess's smile faded when she realized whom it was.
"Hi."
"Darling, your father and I would like to invite you to Christmas Eve at our house." her mother replied.
"Mom, Marie and I are busy tonight." Jess replied.
"Then don't say we don't try, sweetheart." her mother answered, then hung up the phone.
"My mom always ruins my day." She placed the phone on the cradle. "Oh well. What's on the agenda today?"
"Christmas movies" Marie replied immediately.
"I love Christmas!" Jess grinned as the phone rang again. "Merry Christmas!"
"Jess!" Angelo's voice came over the other end.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "Where are you?"
"Home" he replied. "We're all meeting at your house tomorrow morning, and we are saving the presents for each other to give then too, alright?"
"Sure" she answered. "I can't wait to see you guys again."
"Same here" Angelo replied. "Talk to you later."
"Alright" Jess replied. "See you." She turned and smiled at Marie. "I love Christmas!"

Marie opened an eye.
"Let me sleep." she grumbled.
"Marie!" Jess shrieked. "Get up! It's Christmas!"
Marie opened her other eye and lazily sat up.
"Alright, alright. I'm getting up."
The doorbell rang downstairs.
"That's them!" Jess jumped off the bed, and ran downstairs. 
Jess swung open the door, and heard Marie coming down the stairs. "Hey!"
"Hey Jess" Angelo said, with a grin. Paddy, Maite and Jimmy taking some bags out of the trunk of their car. Joey was standing beside Angelo.
"Come in" she said. "Marie just woke up."
Marie walked down the stairs. "Merry Christmas."
Angelo hugged Jess tightly and pulled back with a quizzical look on his face. He looked at her closely.
"Have you lost weight?"
Jess widened her eyes, then shook her head.
"No. Why would you say that? Did you think I was fat? Because, Angelo I really…"
"No" he replied, cutting her off. "Never mind."
The rest of the guys hugged each of the girl's hello, and they all walked in the living room.
"Jess, wait." Angelo pulled Jess back into the kitchen.
"What?" she asked.
"What's wrong with you?" Angelo asked. "You have huge bags underneath your eyes. You're clothes are hanging off of you. Am I the only that noticed?"
"Angelo, you're being silly… if anything was wrong, Marie would have noticed. You're just…"
"No" Angelo shook his head. "No offence, but you look awful, Jess. I'm surprised that no one else knew. I can't believe they didn't notice. Give me your arm."
Jess took a step back.
"What are you talking about?"
"Give it" Angelo told her. He reached over and took her arm before she could pull it away. He pushed up her sleeve then took his thumb and middle finger and reached around her forearm.
"Look."
"What?" she asked, rolling her eyes.
"How come I can fit my hand around your arm?" Angelo asked her seriously.
"I'm naturally skinny." Jess told him, trying to sound convincing.
"Liar" Angelo told her. "You are. You know it. You aren't a toothpick… you're thin, but you're not normally like this."
Jess shook her head. "Let me go into the living room. They are going to wonder where we are."
"What have you ate in the last few days?" Angelo asked her.
Jess hesitated.
"Lot's of stuff."
Angelo pushed past her and walked into the living room.
"Marie, can I talk to you for a second?"
Marie threw him a questioning look.
"Sure." She got up and walked over to Angelo. "Is everything okay?"
Angelo took her into the kitchen while the group resumed talking in the living room. Jess followed them. "Marie, ignore him."
"What's going on, Angelo?" Marie asked.
"What has she been eating?" Angelo asked her, pointing to Jess.
"Same as me" Marie told him. "Why?" She looked at Jess, who looked away.
"Look at her closely. You probably haven't noticed because you are with her all the time. I haven't seen her in a month, and now she's this." he gestured towards Jess.
Jess shook her head. 
"You know what? You can accuse me of whatever the hell you want. But the thing is, I've been eating just as much as anyone. I am not starving myself!"
"Well, then what happened?" Angelo countered. "Let me guess… Is last nights dinner in the toilet?"
Jess widened her eyes, the glared at him.
"I'm not taking this." She stormed out of the room.
"I think we have a problem." Angelo told Marie, watching Jess run upstairs.
"Don't tell the others" Marie confided in Angelo. "I don't want them to worry. Maybe nothing is wrong."

Jess looked at her reflection.
"Lost weight?" She laughed to herself. "More like gained." She took off her oversized sweatshirt, wearing a fitted tank top underneath. She turned sideways and stared at her reflection. She pinched at her stomach and sighed. Then she took off her tank top to put on a different T-shirt.
"What are you doing?" Jess asked angrily, pulling her T-shirt over her head.
Jimmy stammered.
"Jess, I… Sorry." His face flushed a deep red. "I just came up to see how you were."
"Fine!" Jess replied. "I was changing you know."
"Yeah, sorry." Jimmy replied. "Listen, I just wanted to ask you something, and now I have some proof."
"What are you talking about?" Jess asked him.
"I overheard Angelo and Marie talking to you in the kitchen" Jimmy said, gently. He reached out his hand and took hers.
Jess shook his hand away.
"Nothing is going on!"
Jimmy nodded and stood up.
"Alright. But if you want to talk I'm here."
"No" Jess replied. "There's nothing to talk about."

"That was great!" Paddy said, placing his glass of water down on the table. "I mean, really good."
"Thanks" Jess grinned. "We made it together."
Jimmy nodded in agreement. "Quite tasty."
"Alright, that's enough" Marie said, starting to laugh.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom." Jess put on a fake smile and walked down the hall to the bathroom. She shut the door tightly, and immediately went through the same routine that she had been doing for the last month.

"Now can we do the present thing?" Marie asked them again. "It's been two more hours. I can't wait much longer, it's seven o'clock on Christmas day and we still haven't opened all our presents?"
"Some, we have" Jess replied, referring to her and Marie exchanging earlier.
The group sat down in the living room, and began to trade their presents to each other.
Jimmy grinned.
"Here." He handed a gold wrapped present to Jess, who smiled back at him. Everyone else distributed their presents to each other until everyone had a small pile of gifts from the others in front of them.
Jess opened it carefully, and looked up at him with a quizzical look on her face.
"How did you know that I use this?" She asked Jimmy, referring to the Dior perfume she opened.
"I just remembered" he said softly.
Jess looked at him with a small smile. 
A few seconds of silence passed.
"Alright!" Joey said loudly, breaking the silence. "My turn!"
He picked up a present in front of him and shook it gingerly. "And who is this from?"
"Me" Angelo told him. "I swear, Joe, I had no idea what to get you."
Joey opened up the small box and laughed.
"Thanks, Angelo." He held up a magazine, and two tickets fell out. "What's this?"
Angelo grinned. "I heard that you have a small fetish for the ballet?"
"Ballet?!" Joey repeated, then he read the tickets. "Liar. Thanks, this is killer." He said, referring to the two front row tickets the Rolling Stone, Joey's fave band.
"Are we doing this one by one, or what?" Maite asked. "Because I can't wait much longer."
"One by one" Jimmy told him. "Then we can see what each other got."
"This sure is a weird Christmas!" Marie said softly to Jess. "I mean, presents at 7pm, one by one, by ourselves…"
"I'd rather spend it with you then my family." Jess smiled.
"Thanks." Marie smiled back.
Some CDs had been bought, some sweaters had been thought about…
"Who's next?" Marie asked.
"I'll go, since I started before and Joey cut me off" Jess threw a smirk at Joey.
She opened her second gift. It was from Joey.
"Um, Joe?" She asked. "Okay, what's this?"
"Duh!" Joey replied, mimicking a valleygirl. "It's a Super Jess."
Jess laughed and pulled the Super Woman doll out of the box, then held it up. Joey had written Jess across her cape.
"Thanks Joey, this is something I sure will treasure."
"No problem" he said, laughing.
She opened up all her other presents. Paddy had bought her a shirt she had shown them all a month earlier in the mall. Angelo gave her a book… Maite tossed her an envelope. Jess opened it up.
"Oh, my gosh" she looked up at Maite. "Thank you. Thank you so much." She held up two rows of tickets.
"What are they?" Marie asked, looking at them closely.
"Theater tickets to 'Dance with Vampire! They are so unique!" Jess replied. "Thanks Maite. Thanks everyone."
"Can I go?" Jimmy asked impatiently. He took his first present, and opened it.
"What's this?" Jimmy looked up at Jess.
"Just some memories… A collage type thing." She shrugged. "There's a real present underneath." 
"No, this is great." Jimmy told her, smiling. He opened up the rest of his presents, and then Angelo and Maite opened theirs.
Marie opened hers from everyone, and finally got down to one last box.
"Paddy" she said. "I thought we said we weren't going to buy anything."
"I just bought wrapping paper and a box" Paddy replied honestly. "Open it."
Marie opened the box, and her eyes opened wide. 
"Your sweatshirt?"
"You always tell me how much you like it and…" He grinned.
"But Pad, you wear it like, everyday." Marie protested. "I can't take this." Marie pushed the box towards him.
"I want you to have it." Paddy said, pushing the box back to her. "Alright?"
She looked at him for a second, then smiled. "Alright."
Paddy reached over and opened his presents from the guys and Jess, then got to Marie's. "Bought?"
"No" she replied. "But you might want to open it later."
"Now!" Joey cut in. "You have to open it now."
"It's only fair." Maite told them. "Now we know it's something juicy."
Paddy ripped open the box and smiled. "Your bear?"
"Loser!" Angelo laughed. "You want a teddy bear?"
"It has significant meaning" Paddy said softly, staring at the bear in the box. It was the bear Marie had forever, the bear she got when she was little.
He always sat with it when they were in her room. When she was in the hospital, he slept with it.
"Thanks Marie" he said, his voice still quiet.
"I love you" she whispered, kissing him on the cheek gently.
"I love you, too."

"Angelo, have you seen Jimmy?" Jess asked Angelo a few minutes later.
"I think he went outside" Angelo replied.
"In the snow?" Jess asked.
"I think so, I don't know why." Angelo told her. "In the backyard."
"Thanks!" Jess said. She walked outside and saw Jimmy sitting in his winter jacket on the back step.
"Jimmy?" Jess asked tentatively.
"Hey."
"What are you doing out here?" Jess asked him, not moving from her place in the doorway.
"Thinking" he replied. "Can I ask you the same?"
"I came to talk to you." she told him. "Mind if I sit down?"
Jimmy shifted over, and Jess sat down beside him.
"What did you want to talk about?" He asked, taking gloves outside of his pocket in his jacket.
"Stuff" she said, looking at him. She looked away. "Us."
"That's what I've been thinking about."
"What's going on Jimmy?" Jess asked him. "I mean, what do you want?"
"What do I want?" He repeated. "The same thing I've always wanted."
"And that is…" Jess prompted.
"You" he told her, not meeting her eyes.

Marie picked up the Sports sections from the paper, absentmindedly flipping through it. She heard someone come in behind her.
"Hey Angelo." 
"How did you know?" Angelo asked, sitting down beside her.
"Assumed" she replied. Marie put down the paper. "How are you?"
"I'm alright!" he told her. "But I want to talk to you about Jess."
"Okay!" she said. "What's going on?"
"About her eating." Angelo said. "I think she's bulimic."
"Bulimic?" Marie laughed. "No. No way. Jess always eats. And she's really thin. She wouldn't do that."
"Logic, Marie. I know how Jess is. But the thing is, I also know how she is lately. She's really thin. I talked to Jimmy and he said he saw her in her sports bra and she looked really skinny. After each meal, she goes to the bathroom. Next time, we'll go."
"Fine" Marie said, exaggerating his eye roll. "We'll listen. And you'll see that Jess does not have any sort of eating disorder. Satisfied?"
"Very" Angelo nodded.

"I'm sorry," Jimmy told her.
"Why are you sorry?" Jess asked.
"Because, I shouldn't have told you and…" Jimmy began.
"Why shouldn't you have told me?" Jess asked him. 
Jimmy hesitated.
"Do you feel the same way?"
"Of course I do."
Jimmy's face broke out into a smile. "You do?"
"For so long."
"I really want to be with you, Jess. It's so hard to stay without you. I always think about you, and I don't know what to do, and…" His voice trailed off, and he leaned in and kissed her.

"This looks great." Jess commented on Joey's and Maite's dinner creation. "What is it?"
"I don't know. Some rice thing. Just try it, it looks and smells good at least."
"It's great, Joe. Congrats." Jess took a bite.
"Thanks!" he grinned and took a bite of his own. "Not bad."
"What do you guys want to do tonight?" Jess asked.
"I don't care." Chris told them. "What are we going to do on New Year's?"
"Marie was saying something about downtown party." Paddy replied, taking a sip of his milk.
"Yeah, they have a big party downtown every New Year's. I figured we can go, and if we get separated, we'll just meet up at midnight." Marie said. "But it's just a suggestion."
"That's what I would like to do." Jimmy told them. "I think it would be fun."
"Me, too!" Jess agreed. "Let's do that."
They finished up their dinner, and Marie cleared the table. 

Jess rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to the bathroom." She stood up and walked into the bathroom.
"Be right back!" Angelo said to the others. He walked down the hallway and stood beside the door. He heard the water running, and then heard what he had been waiting for.
"Jess" he said quietly, knocking lightly on the door. He heard he her cough, and a few minutes later, open the door.
"What, Angelo?" She said, holding a towel in her right hand. Her left hand was placed on the door. "I'm going to the bathroom."
"I want to talk to you." he said. "Will you come with me?"
"Fine!" she put the towel in the hamper and flushed the toilet. "Where are we going?"
"For a car ride!" Angelo told her. He took the keys from the front table. "Let's go."
Angelo told the others they were going for a ride, and pulled Jess into the car. He turned on the heat and they coasted down the road.
"What do you want, Angelo?" She asked, staring out the window.
"I heard you." he said. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" Jess asked, trying to play dumb.
Angelo turned right, then pulled into a parking lot. "Don't be like that, Jess."
"Fine, Angelo. What do you want from me?"
"Tell me" Angelo said. "Open up."
"I can't!" she said. "I can't tell people how I feel. It took me so long to talk to Joey about how I was feeling about Marie. I'm not like that, Angelo. I'm not doing it."
"And we aren't going anywhere." Angelo said, turning the keys towards him so the engine was off, but the heat was running.
"What do you want to know, Angelo?"
"I want to know why you are making yourself throw up." Angelo replied bluntly.
Jess hesitated, then took off her seatbelt. She removed her jacket, and lifted up the end of her shirt.
"See this?" She squeezed some of her stomach. "That's why."
"It's skin" Angelo told her. "You are really thin."
"No" she said. "Don't say it, it's not true."
"Why don't you believe me?" Angelo asked her. "Seriously, what made you start this?"
"Angelo, please!" Jess begged. "I don't want to talk about this. Please don't tell the others."
"The others know." Angelo replied. "Well, at least Marie and Jimmy do. I'm sure they are telling them where we are."
"Jimmy knows?" Jess groaned. "I hate this so much. I hate it."
"Hate what?" Angelo asked.
Jess coughed and shook her head. "Can we go home?"
"Jess, I…" Angelo started.
"Please?" Jess interrupted him.
"Fine" Angelo relented, starting the engine back up. "We'll go."
"Thank you" Jess replied, leaning back in her seat.

Jess and Angelo walked in the door in silence a few minutes later.
"Is everything okay?" Marie asked, walking up to the door. "You guys just took off."
"Everything's fine." Jess quickly assured her before Angelo could say anything. Angelo shook his head and walked out of the room.

A few days later, Jimmy knocked softly on the bathroom door.
"Jess, you've been in there for about twenty minutes... I really need to shower. We're going downtown soon, it's already seven o'clock."
"I'll be out in a second" Jess replied. She opened the door.
"Thanks!" he said. He hesitated. "You alright?"
"I'm fine!" she replied, forcing a smile. 
Jimmy nodded and kissed her on the cheek.
"Okay." He walked into the bathroom, and took his toothbrush out of his holder when something caught his eye.
"Jess..."
"What?" Jess asked, walking back into the bathroom, and picking up her hairbrush.
"What is that from?" He asked, pointing to a few specks of blood on the white counter.
"My, um... my arm was bleeding" Jess told him, pulling the brush through her hair.
He raised an eyebrow. "Okay..."
"You don't believe me?" Jess asked. "What's with all you people? Why don't you take my word for anything? Come on, I didn't do anything, and you're all just not believing me and... Ugh, I can't take this anymore!" She coughed.

"Jess!" Jimmy said gently. "I didn't say I didn't believe you."
"Hold on" she said, in mid cough. Still coughing, she leaned over and began to vomit blood into the sink.
Jimmy's eyes widened.
"Are you alright? Oh, my gosh, Jess..." 
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes and slowly shook her head.
He gently wiped her mouth with a towel, then pulled her close for a hug. She leaned on his chest, and softly cried.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Jimmy asked Jess fifteen minutes later.
"I'm sure!" Jess assured him. "Don't worry, okay? I'll be fine. Tomorrow, we'll figure out something. But tonight, let's party!!"
"Okay, but if you want to go home just tell me okay?" Jimmy smiled.
"Everything will be fine." Jess assured his uncertainty.

Angelo watched as Jimmy sat on a barstool, sipping a vodka cooler.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine, just a little worried about Jess" Jimmy forced a smile.

Jess rested her arm loosely around Paddy's waist, the other arm, in the air. He was holding her close and the danced to the fast paced music. A large group around them laughed and cheered on their display.
"Want to go sit down for awhile?" she asked.
Paddy nodded, and they walked over to a couch.
"You guys were great!" A girl came over with a guy.
"Um, thanks." Jess looked at Paddy.
"See you around!" The girl laughed and walked away.

Jimmy looked over at Angelo and Marie, in deep conversation. He sighed. It was New Years, and he was sitting in a bar with his brother and friend, worried about his girlfriend, and bored.

Marie looked seriously at Angelo.
"Look, I'm really sorry of what's been going on. You were... Always there for me, and I just wish we had that back."
"I do, too!" Angelo told her. "Come on, it's been easy for us to get back before. What about now? Why not just forget everything?"
"We've done it before!" Marie replied. "And we still drifted apart. Angelo, we were so incredibly close... I just..."
"Marie" Angelo said gently. "We'll get back to how we were... It'll happen. But now, let's party. Come on."
Jimmy walked over.
"Guys, I'm bored." he announced. 
"Us, too." Marie agreed.
Jimmy looked at the bartender.
"Three beers, please."
The bartender slid three beers down the bar and Jimmy passed two to Marie and Angelo.
"To friendship, and to busting out on a day that only occurs every thousand years."
They clinked glasses, and Angelo and Jimmy sipped theirs. Uncertainly at first, Marie hesitated, then began to down her drink.

"Want to dance again?" Jess begged Paddy.
Paddy nodded and stood up, grinning. He flexed his muscles, and opened his arms. "Come here, baby."
Jess giggled and walked over, dancing along the way. The moved fast, and the room felt as though it was spinning. "I've never felt so out of it in my life!"
"Same with me." Paddy agreed. "Doesn't it feel great?"
"For sure!" Jess replied, getting closer to Paddy.
The room spun. And spun.
"Paddy..." Jess said, bringing a hand to her forehead. "I feel like, I'm spinning or something."
He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.
"I won't let you fall."
Paddy stared in her eyes. Then slowly brought his face closer to hers.

Joey and Maite lost somewhere in the crowd.

Marie looked at Jimmy and Angelo, both visibly drunk.
"Um, guys? Maybe we should go meet the others..." Marie suggested.
Jimmy looked over at her. "In a few minutes." He laughed, then walked out to the dance floor.
Angelo followed Jimmy. Marie sighed, and stared at her glass.
"You lonely?" A male voice said from behind her.
Marie turned around, and screamed, but her voice was drowned out from the loud thumping music.

Jess pulled away, breathless.
"Electricity..." she whispered.
"What?" Paddy asked, his face lingering in front of hers.
Her legs felt weak. "Electricity" she repeated. "It's…"
"What I felt?" Paddy finished.
Jess nodded, and looked down.
"Suddenly, the night just seemed to get ten times better."
"Definitely" Paddy lead Jess over to a dark doorway, and continued what they started on the dance floor.

"Where is she?" Jimmy asked Angelo.
"No clue" Angelo stumbled across the floor. "Let's go meet the others."
"Alright!" Jimmy told him, and followed Angelo out the door.

Paddy pulled away, smiling.
"Jess, it's getting late... I think we should find the others"
"For sure" she said; her face still close to his. She leaned up and kissed him again.
Paddy kissed her back. Reality set in Jess and she pulled back.
"Paddy. Stop... Marie..."
Paddy's eyes opened wide, and he looked at his watch.
"We have to meet them..." He smiled drunkenly. "But I would rather be here with you."
"Marie!" Jess shrieked. "Your girlfriend!"
Paddy stopped and looked at her.
"Marie."
She nodded vigorously and grabbed his hand.
"We have to go." She said.

Maite and Joey stood in front of the store where they all would meet, waiting for the others.
"Hey" Angelo said, to them. "Where are Paddy and Jess?"
"No idea!" Maite said.
"Hey" Jess said, walking over to them. "Where's Marie?"
Angelo and Jimmy looked at each other.
"She took off or something."
Jess looked at them all guiltily, feeling as though she had been caught.

Marie looked around. "Where the hell are you bringing me?"
"Don't you ever be quiet?" Jean sighed, and dragged her through a dark alley between to alleys.
"Jean" Marie pleaded. "Come on, my friends are going to wonder where I am. And how come you are out of jail?"
"I'm on parole." Jean replied. "And I came to look for you. Funny how I stalked you all night and you didn't even notice. I'm expecting a New Year's kiss at midnight, baby."
Marie shook her head, and yelled again for someone to help her. She began to scream bloodcurdling screams.
"First of all, no one is going to hear you!" Jean rolled his eyes. "And second of all, if they do, you are going to deny it and say it was a joke."
"Jean, I…" Marie began.
"No" Jean shook his head. "You're with me now."

"Jess, you okay?" Jimmy asked her, taking her hand.
"I'm alright!" she said faintly. She didn't feel all right. In fact, she felt sick, faint. Like she was going to fall over, and vomit.
"You're really pale!" Jimmy said. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.
"Are you drunk?" Jess asked.
"Are you?" Jimmy countered.
"I asked you first."
The crowd began to count down. "Ten!"
"Where's Marie?" Paddy asked, looking around.
"Nine!"
"Maybe she went home" Maite suggested.
"Eight!"
"She'll show up." Jess shrugged.
"Seven!"
"I'm glad we're all together."
"Six!"
"Five!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Happy New Year, guys" Jess said.
"Two!"
"Happy New Year" Angelo and Paddy replied in unison.
"One! Happy New Year!"
Paddy looked at Jess helplessly, and licked his lips. Jess looked at him, and then at Jimmy. She kissed him gently.
Angelo threw his arms in the air. "Happy New Year!" He screamed.
Jimmy looked at Jess worriedly. Jess leaned over and vomited blood in the street.

Marie pushed Jean away in disgust. "Don't touch me!"
"Kiss me, baby, or you'll regret it." Jean warned her.
Marie kicked him in between his legs. "Will I regret that?"
Jean doubled over in pain, and Marie sprinted away from him.

"Jess!" Angelo exclaimed, grabbing her by the arm, trying to keep her steady. "Are you okay?"
Jess nodded. 
"I think we should go back to your house." Jimmy said concerned.
"No" Jess protested. "Then I'm ruining everyone's night. I'm fine."
"No you aren't." Jimmy shook his head. "Let's go."
Jess shook off his arm. "No."
"But…" Jimmy began.
"I'm fine" she said, exasperated.
"Alright. Then we'll stay." Angelo shook his head.

Marie looked around, not seeing anyone recognizable. She walked for a few steps. 
"Don't do that!" a voice said beside her.
"Jean!" Marie exclaimed. "Damn you, leave me alone!"
Jean smirked and shook his head. "See that apartment building?"
Marie looked up and nodded.
"That's our new house." he smiled evilly.
"You're insane." Marie tried to pull her arm away.
"Correction: I was going insane. But now that we are together, everything is right!!" Jean smiled.

Jess opened her eyes slightly and moaned. Her head was pounding, it felt like someone put sand in her eyes, and her room reeked of vomit. Jimmy sat on the end of the bed, watching her. 
She smiled slightly, not moving.
"Hey. What time is it?"
"Three" Jimmy replied. "You doing okay? You threw up four times last night."
"I'm alright" she muttered.
"I'm taking you to the doctor." Jimmy told her.
Jess shook her head, trying to ignore the pounding in above her eyes.
"No."
"You have a problem" Jimmy told her.
"Leave me alone" Jess muttered, turning so her back was facing him.
Jimmy threw up his hands.
"Whatever." He left the room.

Angelo walked in the room.
"Paddy, have you seen Marie?"
"No, was she with us last night?" Paddy asked.
"You were so out of it!" Angelo laughed. "No wonder you have no idea what you did. Marie wasn't there."
"What did I do?" Paddy asked.
"You weren't with us."
"Who was I with?" Paddy panicked, waiting for the answer.
"Jess the most of the night." Angelo looked at the clock. "Well, I am a little worried about her."
Reality set in Paddy.
"So you haven't seen her since when?"
"Like, eleven last night." Angelo sighed.
Paddy's eye's widened. "Well, we have to look for her."
Angelo nodded. "I'll go tell the others."

"Hey" Jimmy walked in the room where Jess was lying. He sat on her bed and gently began to clean her face. "You have blood all over you."
Jess's eyes filled with tears, and she instructed herself not to cry.
"Jimmy, you don't have to do this."
"Why not?" Jimmy asked sincerely, stopping.
Jess couldn't shake the guilty feeling away from her.
"I... don't know."
"Jess, listen to me." Jimmy said. "We need you to stop making yourself throw up."
"I know I have to. But I can't."
"I can't relate." Jimmy replied. "But I'm here for you. And if you don't want to go to the doctor, then we won't. But I want to help you beat this."
"Thank you." She said.
"Always" Jimmy whispered, kissing her on the forehead.

Marie sat on the couch in front of the large apartment building, with Jean watching her from the kitchen.
"What would you like to eat, darling?" Jean asked her.
"I would like for you to let me leave." she begged, trying to pull her wrists out of the tight knot on the chair. She stared out the window.
"Nice try" Jean said, looking in the fridge. "How about something to drink?"
"I don't care!" Marie said. She watched as a small car drove slowly down the street. "Actually, can you make me a tea?" 
"A tea?" Jean sighed. "That takes so long... Fine."

"Marie! What are you doing?!" Jean roared, rushing into the room.
"I knocked that over." Marie used her elbow to gesture to a small table.
"Where's my vase?" Jean asked her, looking around.
"I think it went through the window." Marie shrugged.
"But it was closed." Jean told her suspiciously.
Marie smiled innocently.
"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Stop the car!" Angelo exclaimed.
Paddy slammed on the brakes.
"What was that?"
Angelo took off his seatbelt, opened the car door and stepped outside.
"There's glass all over the ground, but it's not from our windshield. I have no idea what it was."
Paddy pulled the car over to the side of the road and got out. He looked up and saw two figures in an apartment building three floors up.
"Could that be Marie?" Paddy asked, pointing with his left hand and shading the sun from his eyes with his right.
"Let's go upstairs and see." Angelo looked up.

Paddy knocked on a door, and Angelo knocked on another down the hall. He immediately recognized the face in front of him.
"Hello" Jean smiled. "What would you like?"
"Do you recognize me?" Paddy asked. Angelo walked up beside him.
Jean shook his head.
"Should I?"
"I believe you have something of mine!" Paddy smiled sweetly. "And I have something of yours."
Jean looked at him suspiciously.
"And that would be..."
"This" Paddy held out a plastic bag.
"My vase!"
"Give the man a prize." Angelo muttered.
"What do I have of yours?" Jean asked.
"Marie" Angelo said.
"She belongs to me, boys. Now, run along." Jean began to shut the door, but Paddy stuck his foot in it.
"I don't think so." Paddy said, pushing open the door.
Jean lunged for them, but Angelo pushed him out of the way. Paddy ran over to Marie, untied her, and the three ran out before Jean had a chance to recover.
"I'll find you!" Jean screamed down the hallway.
But the three had already taken off.

Chapter 17 - I wanna be with you