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Chapter 41 - Backlash

---Sam's POV---

Rowan sat in my office, scrolling lazily through her phone. I rubbed my fingers absent-mindedly over my scars and nearly jumped when Jessie knocked on the door. I was slightly anxious for them to meet, considering one was my Best Friend who seemed to think she was replaced by my closest new friend.

"Come in!" I called to Jessie, pulling my sleeve over the back of my hand.

"Hey, what's up?" With a glance over to Rowan, who returned it, Jess sat on the end of the couch.

"Is this Jessie?" Rowan asked me, giving sideway glances to the girl.

"This is giraffe girl, right?" Jessie sounded teasing, but the face Rowan pulled told me she wasn't in the mood.

"I thought I would introduce you guys considering you're my two closest friends!" Oh God, this is awful. Why must Rowan be so aggressive?! Time to break the tension. "So, Jessie, this is Rowan. She really likes giraffes if you can't tell." Rowan's poorly-disguised scowl slipped into a small smile. She slowly pulled up her giraffe onesie hood because she had decided to wear it... again. "Rowan, this is Jessie. She really likes dinos."

"Dinos?" Rowan gasped, looking from me to Jess. "I like dinosaurs!"

"Rowan likes a lot of weird animals."

"I can tell. She'd have to to be your friend!" That earned a laugh from all of us, and a sigh of relief from me. Maybe they'd get along after all. "I need to go get some drinks made for the lot of 'em, but it was nice to meet you, Rowan."

"You too, Jessie." Rowan gave a small wave and a nod, turning back to me after Jessie had left.

"I'm not totally sure I like her."

"Why?" I groaned, slouching back in my chair. She gave me a guilty frown, curling up into a ball. "Seriously? Because of Smith? I didn't think Ross had told you." I let out an exasperated sigh, putting a hand to my face.

"Ross basically explained the whole thing to me and you know how I get!"

"Yes, yes I do. AND ITS WEIRD!"

"I can't help it, Abby!" She grunted angrily and fell backwards, hands covering her face.

She does this everytime. Whenever she gets a crush and that crush likes someone else, she goes a bit protective. Not in a "If I can't have him, nobody can." But in a "You hurt him, but he doesn't hate you, so I'll hate you for him." Not entirely sure when it happened last, but there was definitely at least one time. However, since Ross had obviously explained the majority of the Jessie and Smith situation, there was going to be some Jessie and Rowan issues. Just wonderful! Because this totally isn't the first time Rowan has hated one of my other friends, either.

"Just don't be mean, alright? You know how to pretend to like people."

"But I hate it so much!"

"Please, Rowan, for me?" I gave her best begging face, knowing it would make her cave into my bidding.

"Don't look at me like that! No, Abigail. No! NO! AGH! Fine." With a heavy sigh, she sat up and started looking through her phone. "You're lucky I love you," she grumbled, giving me a reluctant smile.

"I know!" Giving her a smug smirk, I turned back to my computer and started to edit some things.

---Jessie's POV---

So that was.... different. Rowan seemed nice enough, but something told me she didn't like me very much. Oh well! Maybe she won't be here for long. Or maybe it was just the circumstances... Either way, I still need to get some work done.