Breaking Point

Jen's Story

As Maribelle and Anna walked up to Jennifer's room, Maribelle explained Jennifer's situation.

"We left her once, Anna. We can't leave her again." Maribelle said fiercly.

"I know, Belle." Anna replied, unsure.

"No, I mean it Anna! If you're gonna be there for her, do it! If not, leave this friendship now. Jen doesn't need anymore pain than she's already in now!" Maribelle cried, shocking Anna.

"I don't know Belle," Anna answered truthfully. "It's already been almost a year. Don't you think Jen should be getting over it by now?"

"Listen to me: Jeremy was Jen's first love. The only one who was able to make her laugh and smile andenjoy life. She can have as much time as she wants grieving over him. If you don't like it, leave." Maribelle replied angrily. "You know as well as I do what problems Jen had before she met Jeremy. The bullying, the disorder. And he saved her from that. You'd be grieving for this long too if you were her!" Anna merely nodded, and they continued to walk. Maribelle calmed down by the time they made it to Jennifer's room door.

Maribelle knocked on the door and they had to wait for five minutes before Selena finally opened the door.

"Jennifer's in the shower." She informed them. Maribelle nodded curtly, and Anna smiled politely as they placed their bags on Jennifer's bed. Maribelle walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Jen? We're here." She said, and didn't hear anything but the water running for a moment.

"All right." Jennifer called out, in a strained tone. Maribelle walked away and sat on her bed with Anna, pulled out her phone, and opened twitter. She went through her timeline.

An hour, then two passes before Jennifer finally opens the door to the bathroom and walks out, hair wet and looking sick. Maribelle set her phone down and walked over to her, as Anna was having a conversation with Justin and Selena.

"Jen, are you feeling okay? You look sick." Maribelle said, feeling Jennifer's forehead, but finding nothing out of the ordinary.

"I'm fine, Belle." She said simply, not meeting Maribelle's concerned eyes. They went over to the bed and Jennifer towel-dried her hair before brushing it out and putting it into a side braid.

"You look pale, Jen are you sure you're okay?" Anna asked, looking at Jennifer. Justin and Selena both looked at her, seeing that all the attention was on her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jennifer replied, her voice hoarse. Maribelle narrowed her eyes at Jennifer, trying to decide if she was telling the truth. Jennifer merely grabbed her notebook and pen from under her pillow and opened to the next blank page. She stared at it for a bit, avoiding Maribelle's stare, as Anna, Justin, and Selena went back to their conversation on the restaurant and how good their food was.

"Did you enjoy the food, Jennifer?" Justin asked, and Jennifer looked up to face him, a smirk on his face, and nodded.

"It was good." She replied.

"Did you like the dessert?" Justin pressed.

"Yeah." She said quietly. Maribelle glared at Justin, who was busy staring Jennifer down.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and Maribelle could see that Jennifer was getting uncomfortable.

"Yeah. It was really good." Jennifer replied, focused on her notebook, doodling random lines and shapes.