New Girl

Jealousy, Turning Saints Into the Sea

Bella wasn't kicked out of the play because of her broken ankle. That would be mean. She was still allowed to be part of the ensemble as a non-speaking background character. The costumes hid her cast and she limp slowly offstage without the audience noticing with the aid of Tyler or Eric.

Bella wasn't happy about no longer being Juliet. She had actually been visibly excited which surprised Jessica who didn't think Bella had the ability to look that joyful. Bella and Edward both had the same morose disposition most of the time. Bella had the excuse of being a teenager. And Edward was just old as dirt.

Jessica was trying to cheer up Bella as they made their way to the gym for rehearsal. Bella limped like a skinny Quasimodo, clutching her copy of the script that she didn't really need anymore. The brunette had wanted so badly to act with Edward on stage. Instead, all her dreams had fallen away like Emmett's poorly constructed balcony.

"You would've have had to kiss Edward," Jessica pointed out. "It would be like kissing your grandpa."

Bella gave her a disbelieving look. "No, it wouldn't."

"Bella, he's over a hundred years old. His breath practically smells of moth balls."

"His breath smells...very nice," Bella protested. "And he's seventeen."

"There's no such thing as being eternally seventeen. That's not how time works–"

"But look at him. He looks seventeen." Bella pointed to where Edward was standing on stage with Mr. Monroe. "You're making it sound like he's an old man."

"He is an old man!"

Jessica winced when she realized how loud she had exclaimed that. She got looks from their classmates and she smiled at them to assure them that everything was fine.

She turned back to Bella and continued in a lower voice, "Don't you think it's a little bit creepy that a guy who's older than your grandparents wants to date you? Why can't he date someone of his species whose closer to his age?"

"Edward said he hadn't been interested in dating and it's not creepy that he wants to date me," Bella insisted, her brown eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Are you just upset because he prefers me over you?"

Jessica sputtered, "That's not it at all."

"You already have everything else, Jess. You're even Juliet. Why can't you let me have something for once?"

"I–"

Jessica paused as Bella's words sunk in. Jessica hadn't been trying to sabotage Bella because she wanted Edward for herself. Her stupid crush was futile and buried in the ground after finding out that he was a literal creature of the night. She only wanted to protect Bella because she had promised Charlie that she would and Bella had grown on her like a fungus.

"I was just trying to protect you," Jessica explained. "That's it."

"I never asked you to and I don't need your protection. I've been taking care of myself for years and I would appreciate it if you would stop butting your head into my business."

Jessica kept her mouth shut as Bella hobbled away to get up on the stage. Edward helped her up the steps. Jessica felt her stomach sinking down to her feet. She didn't know what to feel.

Jessica took a seat on a plastic chair nearby and avoided looking at the stage. Rosalie came over and took a seat beside her. The blonde was writing notes on her copy of the script. Jessica wanted to leave the gym and skip rehearsal but every day there was no time for a meltdown.

"Jealousy is an ugly emotion, isn't it?" Rosalie remarked, unprompted. "It can tear even the closest relationships apart if left unchecked."

Jessica glared at her. "What's your point?"