Test of Your Sanity

�Oh come on!� she wailed.
He remained silent, looking out the bus window.
�It wasn�t that bad of a joke,� Justin sided with her. �It was just to teach you a lesson. You did kinda make this mess.�
JC glared at Justin. �Since when have you been my friend?�
Justin smiled sheepishly. �Jessie did it for a reason. For that, I don�t remember anything.�
JC rolled his eyes and looked back outside.
�JC�baby please?� she begged, giving him her puppy dog face.
JC looked away from her eyes, knowing if he looked into them, he�d give in.
�JC!� she whined, hitting his shoulder. �Come on!�
JC smiled on the inside. This was exactly what he wanted�well, maybe not EXACTLY.
�JC�I�ll give you that kiss,� she reasoned.
His eye twitched. Then he said hesitantly. �Promise?�
�You have my word.�
�When has your word been any good?� JC teased.
She pouted.
JC patted her cheek reassuringly. �Just playin� witcha.�
Jessie smiled and leaned in to kiss him, but he leaned back.
�Hey!�
JC smiled. �Had to getcha back.�
She sighed. �Why even try?�
Then she stood up, ready to walk away. JC knitted his eyebrows and pulled her back, kissing her passionately.
�So it worked� she thought smugly.
***
Heather sighed in her makeshift �home�. The officers were talking especially loud, so she heard that AJ was coming to the station. She was ready to erupt anytime soon, and she was kinda hoping it would be when AJ was there. He was gonna get it alright.
But besides anger, she felt that infringed her rights. She felt hurt in that way. He didn�t even trust her enough to let her live her own life. She felt betrayed and foolish. There was a faint glimmer of understanding of why he had taken this kind of action, but she didn�t understand why she couldn�t have been able to say goodbye to her friends. True she hadn�t been talking much, but she still felt their presence and comfort. They deserved her gratitude.
Heather decided that she would try to act normal, yet cold. Kinda hard to do. But Heather was Heather. And Heather can do anything if she tried.
***
�Nick, ready?� AJ asked, standing up on the crowded plane.
�Yeah I�m comin�,� the younger man said, picking up his bags.
They got off the plane and looked around for the policemen who were supposed to pick them up. They finally found them in the corner eating donuts. How predictable.
�Hello?� AJ called out, waving at them.
The officers jumped up and became so called �professional�.
�Good morning Mr. McLean,� he greeted, extending his hand. �I�m Joshua.�
AJ nodded slowly then walked toward the exit, Nick behind him.
They all got into the car outside that was waiting for them.
AJ and Nick got in in a hurry, anxious to see their long lost friend.
The car lurched, signaling their arrival.
�I�ve gotta warn you though,� Joshua said, �she�s very pissed at this stage right now.�
AJ snickered when he heard a police officer say the word �pissed�. It was highly irregular, but he bit his tongue and got out of the car, facing the large stone building. They took a breath and entered the building.
��you stupid freak! It�s just one frickin� phone call!� she raved, hitting the bars.
�Uh, hi Heather,� AJ said uncertainly, shaken at her outburst.
Her blue eyes pierced his and she relaxed-about an inch. �Hi.�
�Hi,� Nick said softly.
Heather noticed him and softened even more. She looked down at the cement floor. �Hi,� she greeted him just as softly.
Nick stepped closer, uneasiness and passion coming over him. �Heather, I had no idea this was going to happen to you.�
Heather still stared at the ground and slowly sunk down to the floor, feeling the anger surface in her system. Not at Nick, since he just confirmed it, but at AJ.
The blonde kneeled down and looked at Heather guiltily. �Heather�please. Believe me. I had nothing to do with this. I was trying to stop him.�
Heather felt a pulling in her heart and it was unbearable. She put her hand through the bar and touched Nick�s hand. �I believe you.�
Nick still looked at her, concerned. �Heather�look at me please.�
She refused, not wanting him to see the tears that were forming in her eyes. She refused to let him see her this vulnerable.
Nick, somehow sensing her reluctance, just squeezed her hand. He then looked at AJ, who just stood there, at a loss for the right words.
Heather�s mind and heart were racing in nervousness. What should she do? What should she say? She thought that she was prepared. But in reality, she didn�t know a thing about what to do when she felt this emotional. Nick meant so much to her, and she didn�t know how to react to him when he reacted like he did. Her plan was to ignore him with little acknowledgement, but that plan had backfired. Now she was weeping on the floor of the Sacramento Police Station, thinking pathetic thoughts. She scolded herself for letting herself break down.
Meanwhile, AJ was just staring at them. Despite his strong words of letting her go, his heart for some reason, still shattered into irreplaceable pieces. But he knew if she didn�t feel the same way, she wasn�t for him. He could see that for himself, just looking at the two on the ground, only separated by object not emotion. His mind told him that there were so many other women, and one for him, but his heart told him otherwise.
�Heather?� he called out.
�What?� she asked, her head still bowed.
�I�m sorry.�
AJ could hear her sniffle. �For what?�
�You know. For having them take you away like that. I was just so worried about you, I guess I took drastic measures.�
She didn�t say anything for only a few seconds, but that seemed like an eternity to AJ who was waiting for her forgiveness or reaction. Then she raised her head, and he could see 2 tears running down her cheeks. �It�s�it�s ok.�
AJ smiled. Then he looked over at Joshua, who was watching the situation closely. �You can let her out now.�
�Whatever you say,� he said, grabbing the keys at his belt. Then he put the key into the hole and unlocked the door.
Heather pushed it open and ran out, into Nick�s awaiting arms.
AJ stared at the two, feeling the emptiness in his chest. But he knew that Nick had to go through hell breaking up with Heather. He knew he had to let her go. He�d still love her, but as a friend. An incredibly good best friend.