Criteria {on hold}

❥11: Reality Check

*unedited* please kindly point out any errors if you see them!

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RECAP:
Jessie spends her day watching Netflix while Nick hangs out with his girlfriend, and later Jessie heads over to Nick's apartment to watch yet another Will Ferrell movie. When she arrives, Jace is nursing an awful hangover.
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"Jessie, wake up!" I faintly heard someone call as I was shaken awake. I squinted my eyes open as the sun beamed down from the window to my left.

"Hmm?" I mumbled, brushing my hair out of my face with my fingertips as I slowly sat up.

"Jess, it's already 9:00 AM." I heard the person who has awoken me speak. How dare they wake me up! What's going on?

"What do you want...." I drawled out, my eyes still shut as I reached to my bedside table for my phone, only to tap someone's shoulder instead.

"Wait, where'd my bedside table go?" I asked the stranger as I opened up my eyes. I gasped.

"Well good morning, sunshine!" Nick rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Oh, hi Nicky!" I smiled. "Wait, why am I in your room? Did you kidnap me?" I rushingly asked. "I mean, I like you and all, but this is kinda strange..." I muttered. This only caused Nick to laugh. Why is he laughing at me? Ugh, it's too early in the morning for this.

"No, I did not kidnap you," He laughed again, "You must've fallen asleep on my futon last night by accident."

"Your futon is very comfy." I said in contempt as I smiled lightly and shut my eyes again, snuggling back into the futon. Hey, a girl needs her beauty sleep, am I right? I felt myself slowly drifting back into my sleepy euphoria and heard Nick sighing as his footsteps descending out of the bedroom.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" I faintly heard Jace questioning Nick in the hallway.

"Yeah, that's why she's here. I'll just let her sleep for now, I guess ." I opened my eyes hesitantly to see Nick motioning in my direction and running his hands through his honey-brown hair.

"What do you mean, man, wouldn't your girlfriend be jealous?" Jace asked again, an eyebrow raised.

"Nah, Brooke asked me to befriend Jess since her only friend at this school just moved across the country. She's okay, I guess, nothing special. Hey, anything to please the girlfriend, am I right?" Nick said as he grinned and shrugged.

Then it hit me--like a hammer over the head, and I felt more embarrassed and ashamed than ever. My cheeks flushed and I gulped as I tried to hold in the tears that had threatened to spill.

I shot up and out of my current resting place and grabbed my cell phone and car keys, prepared to do the walk of shame as I slowly headed over towards where Nick and Jay were now chatting in the kitchen.

"So that's why I'm here, huh?" Both of their heads turned to face me, Nick's facial expression like a dear caught in headlights. "Am I some sort of pity case to you?!" I was fuming, cheeks red with anger and eyes searing with salty tears. I could tell by Jace's raised eyebrow that I probably looked like a disheveled mess, with bed head and all, and I was only making the situation more humiliating then it already was.

Nick ran his hands through his hair with a pained, guilty expression clear on his face. "No, Jess, it's not like that, it's just--"

"Save it." I snapped. I know that it was rude to not give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'd heard him loud and clear, and I wasn't having it. I practically stomped over to the door like an angry child and walked right on out of the building.

I'd known that there was something off about this friendship, it had been happening to fast. I guess that girls and guys don't just suddenly spring friendships out of chance meet ups at a Starbucks. Life simply doesn't work that way.

Brooke was the first thought on my mind. Why would she humiliate me like this?!

And this entire time I had thought: maybe someone actually wants to be my friend, simply for who I am?

Upon reaching my car, I snatched the Criteria list out of my backpack, scanning it over as the tears slowly rolled down it's laminated surface. Sure, Nick had passed, but did that automatically mean he was really that great?
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A/N: *evil laugh* enjoying my cliffhanger? I've actually been planning that one for awhile, and hopefully it was a surprise to you all. :D Well, lovelies, here's two back-to-back updates! *woot woot*

Thanks for reading! Vote and comment if you're enjoying the story. xx

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Xoxo,
Alex