As Taylor looked at Monica, he realized that that night was the first time she had ever smiled at him. He smiled at her again, only to see her turn and walk over to Jamie, ignoring him. What did I do? he wondered.
When Monica arrived where Isaac was staring at Jamie, she asked, "So...what happens now?"
"Huh...what?" Isaac said, still staring at Jamie.
Monica rolled her eyes. "I said, what happens now?"
"Oh. Um...I'm actually not sure."
Jamie stepped in with, "Well, I don't think there's much we can do tonight. Let's just go home. Monica, do you want to come over to my house tonight, since I was at yours last night?"
"Sure. Bye, Isaac. Bye Zac."
As the girls left the restaurant and walked to Jamie's car, Jamie turned to her friend. "Monica, what is wrong with you?" she hissed. "You totally ignored Taylor in there. For a while, it was better. I even saw you smile at him. But then, it was as though you realized what you'd done, and you regretted it. Why are you treating him like this?"
To Jamie's great surprise, Monica burst out crying. "I...can't..." she gasped out.
Jamie sensed that she shouldn't press her friend right now. Monica would tell her eventually, if she wanted her to know. And if she didn't want Jamie to know what was troubling her, then Jamie was not about to try and force her. "Let's just go," she said finally.
"Wait, Jamie." Isaac pulled her back. She looked up at him in surprise. "I'm really sorry about mixing you up with my relationship with Karen. I really appreciate what you did."
Jamie smiled a little and squeezed his hand. "I'll do whatever I can to get her off your back so you can enjoy your life, Isaac. Good night."
"Good night, Jamie," he murmured. Taylor looked at him.
"Did you see what Monica did? She just ignored me!" he said, trying to figure out what had just happened.
"Mmhmm..." Isaac murmured again, not listening to a word his brother was saying.
Meanwhile, the ride home for Monica and Jamie was silent. Jamie kept glancing over at her friend from behind the wheel, knowing that Monica was fighting the feelings inside her for Taylor. Finally, Jamie broke the ice.
"Moni, I know you aren't in the mood to hear this right now, but you have to give Taylor a chance. Just be friends with him. Don't worry so much. He wants to be your friend. He wants to help with this whole situation with Karen."
Monica finally tore her gaze from the window. "I'm scared, Jules...I'm afraid I'm starting to like him."
"Well, join the club. I'm scared too," Jamie murmured, thinking of what Isaac had said to her. "We'll be scared together, okay?" Monica nodded. "Believe me, Isaac and Taylor don't want to see us scared of them. We're just helping them out, okay?"
"I know, but Jamie, Isaac is fal..." Monica started.
"Here we are. Home sweet home," Jamie jumped in. Monica sighed and sat back in her seat. Jamie had too much on her mind to listen to Monica's secret thoughts about what Isaac seemed to be feeling for her. Monica followed her friend into the house, where the message light on the machine was blinking.
"I got it," Monica said, jumping over to the machine and dropping her bag by the stairs.
Jamie went into the kitchen to grab a drink while Monica pressed the play button. "Hello, Jamie...it's me, Karen. Watch your back. I have a plan to get you back for stealing Isaac away from me. I know he likes you. It's so sickening, but just watch your back. You'll be sorry you ever messed with me."
Monica heard the glass drop from Jamie's hand, splattering Sprite all over the floor. She ran into the kitchen, where Jamie was leaning on the counter, her head in her hands.
"Jamie...?" Monica asked carefully.
"Call Isaac," she whispered. Monica nodded and ran to the phone, realizing how things were getting desperately out of hand. She found herself wanting to talk to Taylor instead of Isaac. He'd understand better, she thought as she picked up the phone and drew out the number Isaac had given her. She listened to it ring and heard a quiet, "Hello?"
"Hi, Taylor. It's me, Monica. Listen, we just got back to Jamie's house. There was a message on the machine from Karen. She told Jamie to watch her back, because she has a plan to get her back."
"Oh, man...this gets worse every minute," Taylor said. "What are we going to do now?"
Monica paused. This would be very hard for her to say. She reminded herself that it was for Jamie. "I think we should stay together as much as possible: you, Isaac, Zac, Jamie, and me. I figure, the more people are with Jamie, the less likely it is that Karen can get to her."
"Yeah, that's a really good idea. Should we come over tomorrow, then?"
Monica glanced back to where Jamie was bent over, cleaning up the broken glass. She took a deep breath. "Do you think you can come over now?" she whispered. "Jamie really needs your support."
There was silence on the other end of the line for a long time. "We'll be right there," he said and hung up.
Monica helped Jamie clean up the broken glass and poured her a new glass of water. "They're coming over here right now," Monica told her.
Jamie looked up. "They are?" she asked, quickly wiping her eyes.
"Jamie, we need a plan, okay? They want to help too. They're the ones who dragged us into this. They are the ones who are gonna get us out of it."
"Moni, why do you hate Taylor?" Jamie asked suddenly. Monica stepped back, but before she could say anything, the doorbell rang. She ran to the door to escape Jamie's question.
"Is she here?" Isaac asked the minute Monica opened the door.
"Yes, she's in the kitchen. I saved the message for you guys," she answered, letting the three of them in. Taylor looked at her as he passed her. Monica turned away and closed the door, avoiding his blue eyes.
Monica pressed play on the answering machine, and all of them gathered around to hear it again. Jamie closed her eyes nervously, and Monica put an arm around her shoulders. Isaac looked over at her and started to reach out, but stopped himself.
"What are we going to do, guys?" Jamie asked quietly after the message finished.
Isaac looked at her, wishing he had never done what he did. "We need to think of something...something that will make Karen leave all of us alone permanently...but what?"
Zac looked thoughtful. "What if we..." he was interrupted by the phone.
Jamie looked scared. "Should I get it?" she asked. "What if it's Karen?"
"I'll answer it," volunteered Isaac.
Jamie straightened up. "No, Isaac, that's okay. I need to get it myself. If anyone else gets it, she'll know you're here." She started over to the phone, only to be pulled back by Monica.
"Jamie, let me answer it," she pleaded. "It won't matter if Karen knows I'm here."
Jamie wavered for a minute. Then she saw Isaac out of the corner of her eyes, and that decided her. "Moni, I need to do this. Please understand," she begged. "I don't want to get you involved in this."
"Jules, I'm already involved. And I don't want you to be hurt any more. Please, let me answer it."
"Someone, just answer it already! Geez," Taylor broke in.
Monica turned to glare at him, which gave Jamie time to break free and pick up the phone.
"Hello?" she said nervously.
"Jamie, honey, are you all right?"
Monica watched Jamie collapse into a chair with a sigh of relief. "Oh, hey, Mom. Listen, Moni's gonna..."
"No, Jamie, I asked if you were all right."
Jamie darted a quick mystified glance at Monica. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Your picture is all over the paper."
Chapter 10
Forbidden Angels
Story Page
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