Inside the Storm

Elizabeth's Journal
I don't know what to do. I'm supposed to be in love with Conner, but I'm slowly developing some sort of feeling for Todd-but I don't know exactly what it is. But whatever it can be, I don't like it. Not one bit.

Jessica's Journal
Why did I kiss Will? It just wasn't in my plans. I never, ever, EVER planning, hoping, or wishing to even hold Will's hand! And what did I do? Played tongue hockey with him.

Will's Journal
I kissed Jessica, and she KISSED ME BACK! I don't exactly know how that happened, but we did. I guess I'm finally over Melissa whole-heartedly and for good. Hopefully.

Conner's Journal
Lately, Liz has been acting distant. As if she were thinking of someone else. As if she were… In love with some one else. I know Elizabeth thinks that she's covering it up really well, but she not. Everytime I relate some of my problems, she makes me repeat every sentence I say at least once. Something is wrong, and I'm going to find out about it someway, whether or not I'd like what she's thinking about.

Chapter 1-Elizabeth
As I entered SVH, I felt a rush of fond memories flow through me. Meeting Todd after school, talking to him before Homeroom, cheering him on in basketball games…

I sighed. Why was I thinking like this? I was supposed to be in love with Conner, and not opening the scrapbook on Todd once again.

"Okay. Liz, you are in love with Conner and Conner only. Sweet, deep, and yet mysterious Conner. Not Todd."

Not understanding, affectionate, sunny and reliable Todd? A terribly irritating voice echoed in my brain.

I was close to agitated tears. "Not TODD!" I cried in the middle of the hallway.

Everyone turned to look at me.

I turned bright red and hurried down the hall as people resumed talking.

"Uuuugh." I mumbled. Then I crashed into Jess, who went to school ahead of me with Lila.

"Hey, Jess." I said sadly.

"Hello, Liz." Jessica said in an equally sad voice.

"Guy problems, huh?" I asked.

"Yup." Jessica nodded mournfully. Then she looked up and pulled me to the CR. When we were inside, Jessica spilled out, "I kissed Will behind Jeremy's back!"

I stared at her in surprise.

Chapter 2-Jessica
I soon realized that Liz and I practically had the same problems, only I had already kissed the other guy.

Liz's situation was as bad as mine. Her boyfriend really needed her help now, considering his family situation. Meanwhile, I had kissed the one at the side.

Hmmm. Well, they say twins stick together until the end.

But I never heard of sisters with the same problems!

Chapter 3-Melissa
I had just broken up with Jonah, but he had taken it pretty well. As for me, I am still pining over one certain guy. But I'm not the baby who clings to what she can't have. I know that's what I was in the beginning of Senior Year. I know that I had also ruined Jessica Wakefield's life…but the past was the past and I can't change that. But now, all I want is to be with Will again, or at least to be friends with him. I glanced up and saw a small crowd of old SVHers There was some guy doing crazy antics. I had to admit he was pretty funny.

"Egbert, you are crazy!" I heard Will cry.

"I told you, man. That guy is, was, and will be the class clown of SVH." Todd Wilkins said, laughing.

"I believe you now, Todd." Josh Radinsky said.

"Winston, aren't you getting tired doing all that stuff?" Ken Matthews asked.

I took a few deep breaths as I thought, If you weren't such a bratty girl, Will would have probably stayed with you.

But as terrible as the past was, it's something I couldn't change.

Even if I wish with all my heart that I could change it.

Chapter 4-Conner
I had just arrived home from school. I had stayed late to help Liz with the newspaper, so Megan went home ahead, too tired to help us. Then I heard two voices both yelling.

"Mom! Why did I find an empty Vodka bottle in your room under your bed?" Megan cried.

"I don't know, Megan." Mom replied, her voice a few octaves higher.

I raced upstairs and found them face-to-face, so close to each other that if one of them went forward three inches, their noses would be mashed.

"Mom, this is yours! I could smell it on your breath!" Megan shouted.

I shook my head. Wow. I could tell this was serious. Megan never spoke to mom like that.

"So what?" Mom yelled back. "Don't accuse me of anything you're not sure of!"

Megan's hard expression softened. "That's just it, mom. I'm sure of what I'm saying."

That was it. I took action. I leapt up the stairs and saw them in the hallway. I took mom's arm and dragged her to her room. Megan followed.

"Megan, search the room." I ordered her.

Megan nodded, starting to dig in her bed. We found two more bottles of beer, both empty. "Stop that, Megan!" mom hollered, trying to wring out of my grasp, but I proved to be too strong for her. Megan stepped to mom's bureau and found three bottles of Tequila. And lastly, we found one bottle of beer in her closet.

Megan's face looked like mine; carved out of stone.

"Well, mom? What do you have to say?" I asked softly, letting her go.

Mom's eyes traveled from my face to Megan's and back. Her face was contorted in shame.

Without another word, she fled out of the room, sobbing.

Then we heard the front door slam.

About two seconds later, Megan started to cry.

I wanted to cry too, but that wouldn't help anyone. I simply hugged Megan, saying, "It's going to be okay. We'll fix this, okay?"

"No it won't be okay, Conner!" Megan stepped away from me. "Our mother is a drunk. That is not okay!" And I couldn't say anything to deny that.

Chapter 5-Tia
About two hours after I arrived home from school, the phone rang.

As usual, Jessè got it, hoping it was for him. (I think he wanted the caller to be a girl.)

"Hello. Ramirez residence." I heard him say. "Oh. Oh. Yeah, she's here. Yeah, I'll get her."

"Tia!" he yelled. "Phone! Conner!"

"Okay!" I bellowed as I picked up the cordless. "Hello?"

"Tia!" It was Conner, alright. Then I heard a click that meant that the other phone was already on the receiver.

"You have to come over." He said.

"Moì? You're asking me…? Just kidding. Okay. I'll be there in…20 minutes." I giggled, trying to break the tension.

Conner grunted. "Fine. Just hurry up." I sighed as I hung up.

Conner's Journal
As I analyzed the situation, I realized that in all this mayhem, my love for Liz was slowly dissolving.

I knew that we were together for more than three months already, but somehow all the confusion had sucked in all the other feelings I had-including love.

And I knew I was going to have to break up with her sometime soon and stop masquerading.

Chapter 6-Jessica
I promised myself that I'd be honest with Jeremy, even if it would cost us our relationship, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell him that I kissed Will.

It's already December 1st, and I was hoping that Maria would come back soon. I sat still in my room. I looked around the mess, and recalled junior year of high school. What a wild year that was!

Suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"Jess?" it was Lila. "C'mon. We're going to the mall."

"Okay!" I wanted to go with them, but I just couldn't be too perky with my relationship with Jeremy hanging on the line.

I grabbed my coat-from somewhere in the bottom of my pile of beautiful clothes. (Joking)

Chapter 7-Will
For some strange reason, I felt like I was STILL torn between Jessica and Melissa, though Melissa didn't feel anything for him any more-he "knew" that.

I smiled. I decided I was going to Jessica's house and pay her a visit to settle-uh-important matters. Who cares if I was released from the hospital last week and the doctor told me to rest for more time than that?

I walked out of my door, already practicing my lines.

Chapter 8-Elizabeth
I was bored, and I had just finished writing in my diary about…uh, never mind. Maria was out with Ken. They invited me along, but I didn't want to be the third wheel. Winston wasn't home, Jessica was with Lila, and Megan was with her sophomore friends.

I opened my window curtain and saw a very interesting sight. Shocking, depressing somewhat, but still interesting.

There were Jessica and Will outside the house, talking.

Chapter 9-Jessica
Lila was late, as usual, and I was out on the lawn. Then a car rolled by, and I stood up, expecting it to be Lila. But, nooooo. It was Will's car…

"Will?" I cried, hurrying out of my garden.

Yup, it was him, all right. In the flesh…and what flesh!

Waitaminute. What in heaven's name am I thinking?

The car stopped and Will came out and walked towards me in smooth, long strides.

When he was inches away from me, he stopped walking.

"Jess." He said huskily.

"Umm…" was all I came up with.

"So, how's things with you and Jeremy?" he asked.

I stared at him. He was very, very blunt. "Uh, good." I lied. "Great, even."

Will narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing me. "Did you tell him?"

"No!" I cried.

"Oh…are you planning to tell him?"

"Please, Will! This hurts enough! I'm guilty to death!" I said.

Will sighed and looked into my eyes. I tried to look away, but he held my chin firmly in place. I watched, unmoving, as Will slowly leaned closer to my face. I knew what he was about to do, but I don't why I wasn't pulling away.

Is it because you want him to kiss you? A voice rang in my head.

I took a deep breath as his face got closer…

And our lips met in an explosion of passion. I still don't know why I didn't wring away from him at that point, but I didn't. I just responded to his kiss, and I wound my arms around his waist. My skin tingled at every place his skin touched.

I was in heaven.

Chapter 10-Elizabeth
I watched Will and Jess, totally terrified. They were talking. I couldn't hear them that well. Will was saying something like, "Did you tell" or something like that. Then Jessica's eyes widened and she shook her head.

I looked away from my windows for awhile, and breathed deeply. Then when I turned back to my window, my jaw fell three feet down to the floor.

Jessica and Will SIMMONS were lip-locked, and Jessica had her arms around Will and as for Will…I never knew he had such active hands-they were all over Jess's body-her back, her face, her arms, her neck, holding her hands. I was grossed out beyond belief. Jessica? And Will? Kissing? No way. To prove all that writing and crying was making me hallucinate, I hurried down the stairs to the front door and swung it open.

Chapter 11-Jessica
"Will…" I whispered as we kissed. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't stop.

I felt his hands cup my cheeks as our kiss grew deeper.

Then suddenly the front door burst open. I tried to pull away, but it was too late. I let go of Will, and he let go of me.

Liz stood there, her mouth open and her face steadily got paler while mine, in contrast, got flushed.

"Liz. I-I-I can explain! We-I-he…" I covered my mouth and ran off, leaving Will and Elizabeth face-to-face.

I didn't have anything to say to either of them. I just hope neither one tells Jeremy because I still care about him. I still love him.

Chapter 12-Todd
Alyssa and I were on the beach, but we weren't touching or talking. It was awkward. We just stared at the sun.

Then I turned to her, and she turned to me.

"Alyssa, I-I'm sorry." I ventured.

Alyssa narrowed her eyes at me. "Huh?"

"I want out of this relationship. I'm sorry, but I want to break up."

Oh no! Looks like Liz and Jess are in deep trouble! Will Liz and Conner break up? Will Todd and Liz pair up? Will Jessica and Jeremy break up? But what about Will's and Jessica's kiss? Ooh boy. Trouble, trouble, trouble. What's going to happen? Find out in
Part 7:No Storm Can Stop Love.