It was the same scenario all over again. Jessie sighed and put her head in her hands. After pouring her heart out to Pattie, Jessie was still disappointed. It would teach her. Trusting people so easily.
She was at the precinct again. And she had been waiting for Pattie for about an hour and more. Her word could allow Jessie to bail him out. Since apparently, she didn't know what a kidnapping was. Note the sarcasm.
Jessie sighed again and put her head up. She had told the officer she had a witness, to put it that way. But now that Pattie was refusing to show her face, she really didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, someone approached her. It was the rude officer of the day before. His ever brooding frown was present. Jessie did not know if he didn't like her, or he was just a moody person.
"Sign these papers," the officer said, brusquely putting some papers in front her.
Jessie looked up to ask what the papers were for, but the annoyed look on the man's face discouraged her. She looked down again at them and a huge smile grew on her face when she saw it was bail papers. Theo could finally be bailed out!
She signed wherever was necessary as quickly as she could and sent the papers back to the officer. He looked through them and went back from wherever he came from.
A few minutes later, which actually felt like a few hours later, Theo was walking out. Jessie tried to control herself but her feet would not listen. She found herself running towards him.
She literally jumped on him and he put his arms around her. It was obvious to any onlooker that both of them cared deeply about each other. Maybe it wasn't the love they were professing, but it was something deep.
"Did you miss me that much?" Theo asked with a teasing smile playing on his lips.
"Just a little," Jessie replied, smiling too.
"Just a little? You sure?"
"Maybe a little bit more than a little," Jessie admitted, then she put her head into his chest and inhaled his scent.
Theo lifted her head gently and they looked at each other for a few seconds before exchanging sweet smiles. They were apparently in their own world.
Theo bent to kiss Jessie and a few seconds before their lips touched, Jessie turned her head and Theo's lips touched her cheek. He furrowed his brows, but did not comment, assuming she was hesitant to show affection in public.
After receiving confirmation from the officer, they walked out. As soon as they stepped out, Jessie stood still and widened her eyes.
How were they going to get back home? She had forgotten about that. Theo stopped too and turned to her with a confused frown on her face.
"Jessie, is everything alright?" he asked and Jessie burst out crying.
He rushed towards her and held her in his arms.
"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Theo asked with a worried frown.
"I'm so useless," she replied, sobbing.
"You're not," Theo said sternly.
"But how are we going to get back home now? I didn't even think of that," Jessie replied, looking up at Theo with misty eyes.
"I'll call a friend," Theo replied with a smile. Jessie returned the smile hesitantly, hoping that the friend wasn't Gracie.
***
Turned out that the friend was not Gracie and he was very pissed about being kept in the dark with all that had happened in Theo's life.
"Wait, so this girl came to your house. You fell in love. You got into a fight with her ex. Got arrested. And it's now I'm getting wind of all this?" He asked and Jessie turned her head towards the window, preferring to look at the scenery.
It didn't matter that this man, whom she didn't even know the name, was Theo's friend. He was just another person on the long list who disapproved of her.
"James cut it out," Theo said tiredly. That was exactly what had happened, but agreeing with James would've been like a betrayal to Jessie.
"I'm just trying to understand. I honestly thought we were friends. And all of a sudden, some girl comes into your life and you drop off the face of the Earth," James replied, not caring about anything else than making his feelings known.
Jessie sniffed a little, then wiped her tears, making sure not to let any of the men see the action.
"Did you come to give me a moral talk or did you come to give me your support?" Theo asked.
"I can't give you my support when I don't even understand what is happening," James exclaimed, his eyes leaving the road for a few seconds. "And wait. What about Gracie in all this?"
"What about her?" Theo asked with furrowed brows.
"Seriously Theo? You're going to pretend you never knew the girl was pining over you?"
Theo frowned in confusion and looked back at Jessie who was still staring out of the window. Was that why Jessie felt so insecure?
"Perfect! Now we have a love triangle on our hands. In my opinion, you should stick with Gracie. Not with some girl who probably just wants a thrill off you."
Jessie held her breath, waiting for Theo to come to her defense. But he stayed quiet and Jessie's heart literally got broken. And if you listened carefully, you almost would have heard the pieces fall.
***
They had finally reached "home" and all Jessie wanted was some comfort. But she didn't know where she stood anymore with Theo. After his friend's words in the car, and no response from him, the last thing Jessie wanted to do was jump into his arms. In fact, the last thing Jessie wanted to do was see him.
Theo noticed Jessie lagging behind and furrowed his brows. "Is everything alright?" He asked, when he reached her.
Jessie gave a smile that was clearly fake and nodded her head. Theo was tempted to push, but James called his name at that moment and after a few seconds of hesitation, and a small smile at Jessie he went towards his friend.
Jessie sighed and went to "her" room. She sat on the bed, staring into nothing then stood abruptly. She opened the drawers took out a piece of paper and a pencil she had randomly found. She scribbled something on the paper and placed it on the table.
Jessie took out the phone she almost never used, dialled Pattie's number and waited till she picked up.
"You owe me one last thing right? I need your help."
***
"I need to go check on Jessie," Theo said, a bad feeling going through him.
"Check on Jessie? What if she? Five? Come on, Theo," James scoffed, then rolled his eyes when Theo persisted. "Fine. Fine. Go and check on Jessie. You're becoming a lunatic, man."
Theo went to Jessie's room and knocked. He waited a few seconds before knocking again. And again. Then some more. He turned the knob and frowned when he noticed the door was unlocked. He went in carefully and James who was behind him, followed.
"Jessie?" Theo called out uselessly. Unless she was in the closet, which was very doubtful, she wasn't in the room.
Still Theo moved towards the closet and opened it. It was a desperate move but he was worried.
"Uh, Theo?" James said, making Theo look at him sharply.
"What?" he barked at his friend.
"You might want to come take a look at this," James said softly, not taking his eyes off the piece of paper in his hand.
Theo stalked towards him and took the paper from him.
Theo,
Maybe we're just not meant to be. I'm sorry,
Jessie.
Theo stared at the paper blindly for a while, then whispered brokenly, "She's gone"