Jessica turned to looked at Javier. Her heart was galloping like a racehorse.

“You have a girlfriend?” She asked turning to Javier.

“It's complicated” he replied looking anywhere except at her.

“Well explain it to me because I'm not that stupid!”

“Why are you getting so upset?”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Maybe I should go” Logan interjected

“Yes you should” said Javier frowning at him.

“Stay!” Jessica ordered him.

“Whoof!” Logan replied holding his hands up like dog paws.

“Fine then I'll go” said Javier standing up

“Fine!” Said Jessica

She watched as he grabbed his jacket and stormed out slamming the door behind him.

“Well that was entertaining” said Logan

“Go home Logan” she said in a defeated tone.

“But you said I could stay” he protested

“I only said that to make him upset” she explained

“Well I feel so used” he said placing his hand on his chest.

“Close the door on your way out”

She walked into her room and slumped back against the closed door.

Why does life have to be so confusing? Why do I always find myself attracted to the wrong guys?

She heard the front door close indicating Logan had left. Now she was alone.

What else is new. I feel like I've been alone for most of my life. Why can't anything go right? Why does everyone leave?

She opened the door and walked over to the wall that her pictures were mounted on. Reaching up she took down the picture of her parents she brushed her finger across it at the same time a tear ran down her face and dripped on the glass frame.

I miss you guys so much. I could use a dad's hug and a mother daughter talk right now. There's was no one around to teach me about boys. No wonder I have no luck with them.

Is this what my life will continue to be like? Hurt? Forever alone?

She hugged the picture to her chest as sad tears made their way down her face. She walked over to the couch and sat down. She didn't even bother to look up when she heard her front door banging open. Only one person would ever think about doing that.

“I bring peace offering!”

Logan.

He sat next to her on the couch and put bags of food on the coffee table in front of them. She didn't bother to move away when he leaned closer and pull her to him in a tight hug. She went willing and curled up to him. Sometimes you just need to be held, right now was one of those times for Jessica.

“I'm sorry. I thought since you guys are hooking up he at least told you about her.”

“How long have they been dating?”

“They are not dating”

She pulled back and looked at him feeling confused.

“But you said…”

“She's his girlfriend? I know"

She watch him reach for a chick-fil-a and pull out a chicken biscuit. He passed one to her but she shook her head, no.

“If you're going to get any information out of me, you need to eat. I didn't slave over breakfast just to eat it alone.”

Before she could point out that he didn't actually slave over breakfast another biscuit was being pushed close to her face. She sighed and took it and nibbled just to please him. Before she realized it, that biscuit was finished and she was reaching for something else.

“OK so Bethany is his girlfriend. Well kinda, it depends on if you want to call it that. She certainly calls herself that. I swear she is the most mean, nasty, overbearing, venomous, vicious, vindictive, wicked…”

“Logan I get it she's a total bitch”

“Yup and she's not afraid to show it. Anyway she's the speed bump that's standing between Javier and a fat check to becoming a millionaire.”

“How can she do that.”

“Javier's grandfather, even from the grave he controls us. The old man was best friends with Bethany's grandfather. Before he kicked the bucket he he added a sneaky clause to his will to get Javier to do what they want him to do.”

“What was the clause? If Javier wants the gallery, which his grandfather knew how much that place means to him. He would have to marry Bethany within three years of taking over ownership. Once he marries her they get the money that both those old men pooled together in a bank account. First half of the money is released at the end of the first year of their marriage. The rest is released the end of the second year.”

“What happens if they don't get married?”

“Javier loses the gallery and forfeits getting the millions. He loves that place, don't ask me why because I have no idea why he would want to stay in a place that boring all day, but he loves it. Bethany is dying to marry him. She's always loved him since we were kids I heard.”

“You heard? You mean you don't remember?”

“No. For some reason I can't remember my life before I was twenty.”

Her brows creased together when she realized he wasn't actually joking around about that. That's strange.

“How does that even work?” She asked him

“It doesn't,” he turned to look at her then. His eyes looked troubled and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She scooted closer to him and wrapped her arm around him and leaned against his hand.

“Sometimes I feel like a stranger in my own life. I look at all these pictures from my past and nothing fits. I have no idea who I am. The worse part is I know everyone including Javier is keeping stuff from me. Stuff that maybe I should know but they don't want me to. So for the past seven years I just became someone who I felt comfortable being.”

She wondered if all this had anything to do with the way she had caught Javier scowling at Logan. For now she would keep that to herself.

“Did you know the girl that he loved?” she asked curiously.

“You know about Isabella?”

So he did love her, interesting.

She leaned away from his hand and looked at his face and nodded.

“Yes. I saw her picture in a draw in his office.”

“I think I'm suppose to know her but I don't remember. The only reason I know about her is because I found a box of photos in my parent's attic. They were all photos that included her in them. All along I only ever saw photos of me and Javier and Bethany together growing up. Whenever I use to ask about Isabella everyone would go tense then tell me she was just someone from my past.”

“They're hiding something” Jessica whispered

“Yup” Logan replied popping the P.

“Where has Bethany been all this time?”

“She never moved out of Brinton city”

Jessica jumped off the couch so fast she was sure she resembled a jack in a box.

“What?” Asked Logan

“I'm from Hillwood.”

“That's like a thirty minute drive out of Brinton city!”

“Yup” she replied mimicking his earlier response.

"Hmm" they mumbled as they each reached for some more food.