Anger, Love, and Loss

Thursday, October 1st, 3:00 PM

I walk home, and into my living room. Jessie is sitting on the couch, with her back to me. "Hey," I say.

"Hey," Jessie says.

"Where's your dress?"

"Linds has it."

"Oh, is Nikki coming over tonight? I invited her."

"I don't know." I sit down next to Jessie.

"Jess, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing is going on. Jess, I know you. I know that you are a happy, outgoing person that loves her sister and hates secrets and drama. Why are you so full of it?" Jessie stands up. "Jess." She storms up the stairs.

"Leave me alone!" She screams.

"Hey, what's going on?" Mom asks, walking into the room wearing an apron and stirring a something in a mixing bowl.

"Truthfully, I don't know," I say plopping onto the couch. She goes back into the kitchen. When she comes back her apron is off and she put the bowl down. Mom sits down next to me.

"Talk."

"Jess has been avoiding me. I don't know why. She didn't sit with us at lunch today. She's giving me half sentences. She seems sad and I just don't know why. I just want to help her."

"Is there any reason for her to be mad at you?"

"Well, I promised her I'd go dress shopping with her for tomorrow, but I had to take a raincheck. I promised to pay her back, though."

"Pay her back?"

"Yeah. Thirty bucks. Twenty for the cost of the dress and ten for not going with her."

"Oh. I see. Well, sometimes it's the memories that hold the value of an object, not the price."

"Where did you get that, Mom?"

"A greeting card." We laugh.

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna' go talk to Jess," I say, standing up.

"Okay hun, love you."

I walk upstairs. Jessie's door is closed. I open it just enough to peek my head through.

"Knock, knock," I say, walking inside.

"What do you want?" Jessie asks. She is sitting on top of her bed with a laptop.

"Here's your thirty bucks." I hand her the money. She takes it and puts it in her back pocket.

"Thanks." I sit on her bed and take a peek at her screen. She lowers it.

"What ya' working on?"

"Homework." She stands up and grabs a nail filer.

"I'm sorry I couldn't go dress shopping with you. I should have hurried to class. I shouldn't have risked detention. I should've gone with you. And I'm sorry. You know how much this meant to me too. It breaks my heart that I couldn't go with you."

"Don't you have an essay to write?" She asks. I grab her arm.

"Jess!"

"Don't call me that!"

"You know what?" I storm out of her room, slamming the door on my way out.