The 11th period bell rang and Jessica hurried to her seat. She was an 18 year old senior at Piedmont High School in Northern New York. As she walked in the room half the conversations stopped and eyes followed Jessica as she sat down in her seat in the back of the room. To say she was attractive was hard to ignore. She had shoulder length black hair that always looked perfect and complimented her chocolate complexion. She had exotic features, like her almond shaped eyes, full lips, and long legs. She was a goodnatured person, and an impecable student. Jessica was one of those people who try to please everyone, all the time.

 Jessica slipped her purse and her books under her desk. She was exhausted from ice skating practice the night before. Her coach, Beverly Rivers, had decided to extend practice due to the up and coming UNYAC. The Upper New York Athletics Convention. It was the only one like it. Teams and competitors from all over Upper NY come and compete for a week straight. The winners from each division meet on the last day and are met by representatives from colleges nation wide.

 "Sup, Jess?"

 Jessica yawned as she felt a pat on her back and turned her head towards the touch and voice of her best friend. She left her eyes closed, obviously ready to drift off into dreamland. "Hey...." she yawned again and covered her mouth. "...Nick."

 "You look beat," Nick ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair. He was a very attractive classmate and long time friend of Jessica's. He prided himself at being the starting forward on the Piedmont Bulldogs Varsity Boys Basketball team. He stood at 6'2, which felt like a couple feet over Jessica's 5'4 figure.

 "I am beat. Have you ever spent a whole night spinning till you could barf, and then had to take a calculus test the next day?"

 "Don't worry about it. You know you aced it," Nick pushed the hair that was hanging over her face behind her ear. He was hoping she'd open her eyes eventually. Nick and Jessica had been best friends since the 3rd grade when they sucked it up and got over the whole "cooties" thing.

 "Yeah, I wish, but thanks anyway. Here's a lovely parting gift," she laughed and sat up slowly, throwing Nick a cheezy thumbs up along the way. She blinked a few times before opening her blue-green eyes. Jessica was the only child in her family to have them. Her grandfather had married a caucasian woman, which was unheard of in the time because he was african american. Jessica inherited them from her and loved how it made her just a little bit different.

 She looked to Nick seated next to her and pushed his shoulder when he pretended to be scracthing the back of his head while flicking her off.

 "Excuse me, Ms. Collins but do you think you're ready to start this class sometime soon?" Mr. Lintz asked from the head of the Physics classroom.

 "Whadda huh?" Jessica asked and paused to think. "Do I present today?" she realized in astonishment and was almost ready to cry. She figured she had at least another day. That's why she had agreed to a late practice the night before. Mr. Lintz just nodded and Jessica sighed. She hated physics to say the least. "Shit," she mumbled to herself and stood up, smoothing out her skirt. "Alrighty..." she leaned down and picked up the video she had made as her project. "Well, ok. I did my project on Areo-dynamics. For the lesson I made, on video, you'll all need a sheet of paper. I'm going to be quizzing you on what you know so far. And then there's a quiz at the end to see if you actually learned anything," Jessica spoke clearly as she walked to the front of the room and slipped the tape in the VCR. "So, ready?" she turned around to the room, and looked around. The guys oddly seemed interested in her presentation.

 Jessica rolled her eyes and grabbed the remote to the TV/VCR. She strutted to the back of the room and sat on top of the labstation closest to Nick's desk. She crossed her legs and hit play. Mr. Lintz, who seemed very pleased so far, turned off the lights and then sat himself at his desk, fully attentive to the video.

 The video began to the scene of Jessica gliding across the ice and her voice over the action. Nick smiled as she easily landed an axle. The rest of the class quietly "oohed" and "aahhed" as her video explained her topic. There were many computer aided graphics and fun facts thrown in. Nick looked to Jessica as another set of shots of her attempting jumps came on screen. She was sleeping sitting straight up.

 Silently, Nick got up and took the remote out of Jessica's hands. He eased her into his arms and then sat back down in his seat. Jessica snuggled close to him and drifted into a deeper sleep. When the video had finally finished, the last bell of the day was ringing. Nick grabbed the remote and hit stop.

 "Everyone leave your papers on my desk and I'll give them to Jessica on her way out. Wonderful job, Ms. Collins," Mr. Lintz looked up from the papers being laid on his desk and smiled at the sight. Nick was shaking Jessica gently trying to wake her. "Need help?" he laughed slightly.

 "I've got it," Nick smirked. "She had a late practice last night, so I don't expect her to wake-" he stopped talking as Jessica stirred in his arms and lifted her heavy eyelids.

 "What happened?" she looked up at him and closed her eyes again as everything registered in her brain. "Oh yeah. How was the video?"

 "Very Entertaining," Mr. Lintz walked down the isle of chairs and laid the folder of the classes papers on her desk. "I think you should consider going home and getting some rest over the weekend."

 "I think I'll do that too," Jessica stood up slowly and almost tripped while trying to get her books and purse.

 "Let me get that, Jess," Nick said and gathered his things, as well as hers.

 "Thanks, Carter."

 "No prob, Collins," he flashed her a smile and followed her out of the room and into the busy hallway.

 "Jessica!" Sanya called as Nick and Jessica turned the corner approaching Jessica's locker.

 "Hey, Babes. What's up?" Jessica halfheartedly waved and opened her locker. Nick shoved in her video, books and other notebooks over Jessica's head and looked down with a smile.

 "Well, word around gym today was that Nicole Stevens is going to enter the 'Division I Ladies Figure Skating Competition' at UNYAC," Sanya winced as the words left her mouth and Jessica slammed the locker shut. "I'm sorry, hun."

 Nick began massaging Jessica's shoulders. "What are you two sorry for? It's not like she'll beat me. I'm number one in the state."

 He leaned down and spoke softly in her ear. "She's number two, and you're coming straight off of an injury, Jess. She's got a chance," Jessica shrugged him off.

 "I can handle it. I'm fully recovered and nothing is going to stop me from taking first place," she turned around confidently. "You guys ready to go?" Jessica dug through her purse for her keys. Sanya sighed and looked to Nick who seemed just about as enthusiastic as she. The three of them walked out of the halls and into the crisp air. "Top down," Jessica said to herself as she pushed a button on her keypad and unlocked the doors from a distance.

 Her silver, VW 99' Cabrio was her baby. After receiving it as an early 17th birthday gift, she had it customed with a drop top as an early 18th birthday gift.

 The trio rode back to Nick's house for the afternoon. "Ya, know Jess... you live on the next block, yet you're here more than anywhere else," Nick flopped himself on his couch in the living room.

 "Only cause ya let me, Jolly Double-G," Jessica ruffled his hair and then sat down on his stomach. "Why aren't you at practice today?"

 "It's not till 5. Volleyball got dibs on the gym," he laughed. "Ya know, for being a squirt, you sure are heavy," he barely dodged a smack on the head. "Damn!" he couldn't laugh that hard because of the weight on his stomach. "Gee, I love you too." he said sarcastically.

 "Ha!" she feigned laughter and got up off of him and joined Sanya in front of the TV. "Are you in there, Sanya?"

 "Shh! No. 'Passions'. On. Kids. Quiet. Must. Watch," she was in an almost robotic state.

 Jessica laughed and turned to Nick. "HEY NICK! DID YOU KNOW SANYA'S SOAP OPERA I-" Jessica was cut off by Sanya who tackled her.

 "I have to know what happens to Ethan! Theresa deserves him! They belong together!" Sanya seemed desperate... and psychotic.

 "Ok, Sanya. You just watch your 'Passions' and I'm just going to be quiet. Ok, honey bunches?"

 "Yes. Yes. Quiet. Good," Sanya turned back to the television and gasped as Theresa professed her love yet again for Ethan.

 "Wanna go outside or something?" Nick laughed at the two girls antics. Jessica nodded and got up quickly before Sanya could attack again.

 As the sunlight hit Jessica's face she smiled and headed straight over to the swing set she and Nick used to play on as children that had been renovated several times for Nick's siblings. She sat on one swing and watched as Nick sat next to her on the other. "So, what's new with you since the last time we talked?"

 "You mean since this morning?" he smirked. "Let's see... I really DID fail my Calculus test. I got asked to a dance I didn't even know was coming up..." Jessica raised her eyebrows at him. "I said 'No'."

 "Were you gentle?" she laughed and he pushed her swing.

 "I can't help it if girls find me irresistable," he said cockily and Jessica kicked him playfully. "Hey! Anyways... Umm... I spent Physics with this doll in my arms sound asleep," he said pointedly. "And I think that's about... it."

 Jessica blushed slightly at the doll part. "I'm so sorry about that. I was so tired. But I guess all I needed was a 30 minute nap, cause I'm fine now," she smiled.

 "That's good," Nick leaned back some to get his swing to move. "What about you?"

 "Nothing new here. Same stuff, just a different day, as they say," she spun on her swing. "Life is boring. I've just got practice tonight. 6:30 till 10," Nick nodded. "Why so quiet?"

 "I dunno," he shrugged. "Can you believe in 8 months, we'll be out of here?"

 "Yeah... weird, ain't it?" she got up walked out into the middle of Nick's backyard. Jessica began a running jump and did a rotation in mid air and then jumped up as soon as she touched the ground and did one more.

 "Definitely," he stood up and grabbed a hold of Jessica before could jump again. "Let's go on in. I gotta get my stuff for practice."

 "Fine. Fine," she followed him inside his house, doing split leaps the whole way. "How's 'Passions', Sanya?"

 "Ethan and Theresa just found out they've known each other since they were kids. It's destiny," Sanya sighed like a school girl.

 "Riiiiiiiiight," Jessica laughed and raced Nick up the stairs. She reached his room first and dived onto his nicely made bed.

 "Thanks, Jess. Ya know, I didn't want to sleep there later anyway," he shook his head sarcastically as he got together his things for basketball practice. "Why do I hang around two girls all the time?" he asked himself out loud.

 "Because you can't imagine your life without me," Jessica grinned and got off his bed and jumped on his back. "Don't deny it," she giggled.

 "You're a mess. And we're 18. Aren't WE too old for piggy back rides?" he trekked back down the stairs into the living room.

 "Never!" Jessica laughed as she was thrown on the couch. Sanya was looking at the two of them expectantly. "Oh, sorry. How was 'Passions', Dear?"

 "Wonderful!" Sanya spun around. "Ready to take me home, freak?" she hooked her arm in Jessica's.

 "Don't I always take you home?" Jessica laughed. Nick followed the girls to the door. "Wanna chill at my house till you have to go?" she looked up at him, literally.

 He shrugged. "I think I'm gonna stay here and make a few phone calls."

 "You sure?" she looked at him with a puzzled expression. They always chilled together.

 "Yeah, I'll call you when you get home from your practice. Alright?" he rubbed her arm affectionately.

 "Sure thing," Jessica smiled and leaned up to kiss Nick's cheek. She always did that before she left him. Ever since they were kids. "Laterz!" she waved to him as she hopped in her car with Sanya and sped around the corner.

 Nick waved lightly and then sighed to himself as he went back in his house and ran to the phone in the kitchen. He hit the second speed dial and waited for the other line to pick up. "Hey, man... Yeah, she's gone... I don't know. One second she's my best friend and the next second I see her as..." he paused to think. "Potential. Ya know?"

 Brian laughed. "Just give up the front, bro. You have feelings for your best friend. It's completely normal. Look, when I met you in my senior year I knew you had a thing for her. You were only freshman then. Don't worry about it."

 "I can't help but worry about it. I didn't tell you what happened today. Her like... rival, Nicole, asked me out today. Some dance thing coming up. One, I didn't even know about it. Two, I can't stand the bitch. Three, if I ever considered touching Nicole, Jessica would never talk to me for the rest of our lives."

 "Well, ya said 'No'. That's all that matters. Look, I've got to go. I can hear Leigh coming through the door."

 Nick smirked. "Right, I got ya. When'd she get a key?" he laughed.

 "Yesterday. Yo, I'll catch you later man."

 Nick laughed again. "Bye," they both hung up and Nick rested his head in his hands on the kitchen counter. "I can't believe this is happening."

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