Chapter 6

It's been a week and a few days since the dinner breakup between Jessie and Mark. Jessie hasn't gone back to the house yet to get her things. She was still heartbroken, locked herself up in Taylor's room, and cried the whole week.

Eight years of her life with him were gone.

A knock was heeded on the door and Taylor's voice was reaching out to Jessie who was under the blanket crying and munching on a box of chocolates.

The sound from the TV filled the entire room. Jessie sighed repeatedly as she focused on what she was watching.

Taylor slammed on the door again and called out to Jessie but no reply from her. Taylor got scared. She hasn't been home in a week and anytime she called Jessie, Jessie always said she was okay.

After that night she had gone to pick Jessie up at the restaurant, Jessie had refused to go back home to get her things. She said she couldn't face Mark or speak to him. She felt guilty for whatever had happened between them which made Taylor more worried about her. She allowed Jesse to stay in her place for as long as she wanted.

She picked up her phone out of her pocket and dialed Jessie's number. Jessie picked up and opened the door after speaking with Taylor.

When Taylor entered, she was shocked to see how scattered the room was. Boxes of chocolate on the bed, scattered wrappers of chips and cookies. She glanced at Jessie whose hair wasn't combed and if her guesses were right then Jessie's hair hasn't been washed since the breakup.

Taylor strolled to the bed and picked up a wrapper of chips from the floor. She carried it up for Jessie to see. "When did you eat this?" Taylor questioned but Jessie didn't respond. She just stood there and looked at Taylor speak. Taylor lowered her hand to her side. "When was the last time you had a bath? Be honest with me."

Jessie placed her hand on her hair and scratched a little. "Three days ago," she replied.

"What the hell?" Taylor yelled. "Three days? No wonder this room is like this." She shook her nose with her hand. "Don't tell me you are in the same panties?"

Jessie shook her head. "No. I am not wearing panties right now." she pointed towards the bed. "It is there." Taylor followed Jessi's hand. She could see the pants but it wasn't even placed on the bed but hung on the nail beside the portrait of Zac Efron. Taylor's obsession.

Taylor gasped. "No Jessie, not Zac!" She flashed at her friend. Her left brow was raised as she frowned. She understood her friend was going through a lot of things so she tried to calm herself down and spoke sensibly. "Look, Jess, you have to snap out of this. Okay? I know that relationship meant a lot to you but Mark would have probably moved on so get your shit together and go into the bathroom and get yourself cleaned up." Taylor looked at her friend from head to toe. "I will assist in cleaning this place up." She felt sick as she looked at the room.

"But you don't know how I am feeling." Jessie's sad voice uttered.

"I do babe, trust me. I knew you canceled the gig you were supposed to deliver tonight. You have to clean up and dress up." Taylor pointed to her bag that was seated on the table. "I got your ticket to Las Vegas. The party is tonight. Let's go there and have fun and get over the asshole that made you feel this way."

Jessie sighed. "He is not an asshole," she said under her breath.

Taylor heard what she said. "All right. Just go and clean up first and we will talk about this when you are done." Taylor pushed Jessie gently toward the bathroom.

Jessie entered. She gasped as peeped through the opened door. "I do not have a dress, I remember, I do not have a dress, Taylor," she said.

"I assumed you would say that but don't worry, I've got you covered."

Taylor watched Jessie nod her head as Jessie closed the door behind her. She could hear the sound of the shower as she started arranging the room. She came across more wrappers that were kept under the bed. What was her friend eating? She took the broom and began to sweep them out, parked them at a spot, and placed them into the bin.

She went to the bed, and used the long broom to bring down Jessie's pants that were hung on the nail. She had believed every word Jessie said over the phone when she said she was fine but Taylor didn't notice any sign of being fine since she entered the room.

She placed the pants on the table and focused on the bed. She rearranged the bed and when she was done cleaning the room, she sprayed some air freshener to improve the scent of the room.

Taylor placed the broom back in the place she had picked it up earlier and stood in front of the door, smiling and admiring how nice-looking the room was.

Jessie opened the door and stepped out. She was delighted with what she saw. She glanced at Taylor then back at the room. "This is amazing, Taylor. You are so fast." She moved towards the bed and sat on it. "Do you know, I never thought this room would ever look like this. Thanks for helping me clean up."

"It is my room, Jess. You of all people should know I do not like it when my room looks like trash but I understand what you are going through so I will let you off the hook this once." She moved to her closet and opened it.

Jessie glanced at Taylor. "Are you sure you will see a dress for me? What I mean is you like black things and I like flashy things."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Blah blah, I am aware you are high maintenance and it all began when you started going out with Marco Anderson." Taylor removed the dress that was still attached to the hanger. "I think this will fit." She showed it to Jessie.

"Sliver," Jessie pressed her lips together. "I like it already." She reached for Taylor and received the dress.

Taylor grabbed a black short gown. She shut her closet and placed the dress on the bed. She glanced at her friend who was rubbing lotion on her body. "What will you do about the pants? I don't think that one over there is clean." she pointed at the pants resting on the table.

"Don't worry about that. I don't need to wear panties anyway."

"All right and luckily for you, we use the same shoe size so take anyone you want from the rack."

"Thank you, babe," Jessie let out. She picked her phone up and checked the time. "When did you say the party was again?" Jessie asked.

"It starts at six-thirty. Why?"

Jessie showed Taylor her phone. "This is four-thirty."

"If we go by five, we should be there before or after eight. That is perfect." Taylor said as she went into the bathroom. They only have thirty minutes and a few seconds left to get ready.

Jessie unzipped the dress and tried it on. It was her perfect size. Ugh! She had forgotten what perfect felt like in the past week that went by. She was dirty and eating too much fat. Something she couldn't do when she was still together with Marco.

Her eyes found the ring that was placed near the nightstand. She constantly stares at it at least three to four times before going to bed and wakes up to look at it again.

Taylor had instructed they should sell it the night Marco ended things with her but she couldn't bring herself the courage to do so.

Jessie had stared at her phone over and over again and hoped he would call her or his name would pop up on her screen but it never did. Not even once.

She highlighted her face and set her makeup on but this time, not too much but normal. She used her red lipstick as usual and painted her lips. Jessie's eyes couldn't look away from the ring. It got to the extent that she had to stand up, strolled toward the ring, picked it up, and shoved it into her purse so she wouldn't keep staring at it.

Maybe Taylor was right. If she sells the ring, she could use the money to do something better. The ring was already useless and she and Mark had ended things and it was not like she was going to wear it again.

It was not like she was ever going to wear any ring again. Maybe in the future but not today, not tomorrow, and not the day after tomorrow.