ect, slightly clueless girlfriend. I was always s

, looking my outfit up and down with disdai

"Do you not like it, Jess

in. "She looks great, J

hirp. "Just making an observation.

g," a local dive bar. Jessie always made sure to sit between me and K

hen laugh loudly. "Sorry, Amy, too slow! Guess your pr

ent. "Oh, wow, you'r

med to p

invariably need him to explain a sports rule, or ask his opinion

always including Jessie. A hike to Miller'

cing her tone. "Thought you'd want Kevolution all to yourself." She

e dripping with sincerity. "The more the merrier! Kevin

a trap, but my "Amy" perso

doubt about Jessie, not with Kevin dir

as easy. She was

Jessie has so much energy! I wish I could be that...

ay, I'd sigh and say, "It must be hard for Jessie, seeing Kevin with someon

ture of empat

caused, started to see "Amy" as a breath of fresh air. I never co

– the put-downs, the subtle exclusions, the overt claiming of Kevin

via night where Jessie had been exceptionally

e at my door. "You okay? J

just being Jessie, right? It's kind of endearing, how pro

"Yeah, that's Jess. S

o touch his cheek. "And I would never

nd kissed me, a

he murmured against my

uth. *Understanding is

dea. None o

now included Dave's ex, and another girl who'd been burned by Jessie's "brotherly love"), was

little piece of dirt, every

rs. She had no idea I was playing che