Montana Mansion

Heartbreak

Jess's POV:

I snapped the curtain's open in Amanda and my room, causing light to stream across her bed. 

"Jess!" she shrieked, yanking her blanket over her head. Philby appeared in our doorway, tired, disheveled and still in his pajamas. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Willa," he panted. "She. Won't. Stop. Crying." Philby looked like he was going to start sobbing himself. "I've been up for 3 hours." He raked his left hand through his hair. "Thank heavens you guys are up. I was about to loose my mind."

"Why didn't you wake up Charlene?" Amanda and I asked as we dashed down the hall. "They're BFFs."

Philby glanced at me disparagingly. "Have you ever tried to wake that girl up? I asked Willa, she said last time she got socked."

Amanda chuckled. "Poor Willa."

I sat on the edge of Willa's bed. She was laying down, curled up with her pillow, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm going to bed," Philby announced, "but I'm here if you need me."

As soon as Philby shut the door behind himself, Willa started sobbing. Amanda pulled her onto her lap and stroked her hair, shushing her gently.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked tenderly, resting a hand on Willa's knee.

"He," Willa choked, "likes Charlene." Willa buried her face into Amanda's chest.

Amanda furrowed her brow. "Who? Finn?"

"Him too." Willa's voice was muffled and hard to understand. "But I don't care, because she likes him back. But she doesn't like," Willa trailed off and started wailing.

Amanda shook her gently. "Who likes her? Maybeck?"

"Duh." Willa sounded pathetic when she finally answered.

Amanda met my eyes and mouthed, 'Philby'.

"Philby likes Charlene?" I exclaimed. Willa responded by crying louder.

I dragged my palms down my face in frustration. "This has gone too far, y'all. Is she trying to break everyone's hearts?"

"Of course not." Willa had now rolled over and was facing me. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "It's not like she does it on purpose." Willa punched a pillow. "I hate pretty people."

Amanda stroked Willa's arm. "It's just a crush, babe. It'll pass. He likes you."

Willa started weeping again.

"That's it," I stood up. "I'm going to go talk to her. Maybe she can do something."

Willa started to protest, but Amanda hushed her. "It can't hurt to let Char know. Maybe Jess is right and she can do something."

"You can't let her know that I'm feeling bad because of her! It's not her fault. And," Willa glanced at me and her voice softened. "Remember what she told you? The skating thing and her dad and..." Willa trailed off.

"Charlene has to grow up, Willa." Amanda chided. "She'll be fine. And I have no idea what you're talking about." Amanda looked at me. "Go."

Willa tried to stand up and stop me, but Amanda held her back as I dashed out of the room and walked into Charlene's. I flicked on her light switch and she growled, rolling over but not opening her eyes. "Finn?" she asked.

"No, slut," I snapped.

She pushed herself up to learn against her headboard and squinted at me. "Jess? What the hell are you talking about? And why are you in here so freaking early?"