Good Girls Going Bad

"Jess I can't believe you got me out in this blizzard. It must be zero degrees out and my ass is frozen solid," I said, standing outside in the drab Baltimore road.

"Oh stop your complaining Kris and just look at how beautiful it is. I used to take walks with my dad in the snow before Billy came along."

Looking at her beautiful face with her cheeks turned pink from the cold, I said, "Come on Jess, we got to get back before it gets too late," considering it was almost three in the morning.

"I can stay out here forever," she says, looking up at the falling snowflakes.

I watch her climb through her window and wait for her wave good-bye before I go back to my bed next door. Jess and I are next door neighbors, and, of course, best friends. Passing off as sisters is a breeze, we look alike, talk alike, and walk alikeÐ'...it gets kind of creepy sometimes. Like normal people, we are different in our own ways. You look at Jess and you see the perfect girl. She doesn't show it, but she hates her family and hates her life. Most people say she shouldn't be so ungracious, considering that she is stunning, has decent grades, is athletic, and is wealthy. Behind all that, she has an autistic brother, Billy, and lots of money that her parents use as a substitute for attention and TLC. She truly deep down loves her family, but sometimes she can't stand them. They leave her every night to baby-sit Billy so her old, lazy ass nanny can go home. I even tell them that they are wasting their time and money with her, but "she has been with us for too long," they say. Yea, yea, it's a bunch of bull, Jess sends out too many cries for help that go unanswered. If I got a nickel every time I heard her say, "I hate you", and "Get the fuck away!", I would be rich. They just don't get it.

I woke up to Jess knocking on my window hysterical.

"What happened now?" I asked sort of sarcastically.

"I hate them! They promised me that they would be home tomorrow! Its Lauren's surprise party that I put together and I can't even go!"

"WHAT!? WHY?!" I shouted

"Because Dorris, that fat bitch, has to go home again and they are going out to dinner with the Autism Research People. Of course that means that I have to stay home." She was balling.

"Jess, your parents have been working so hard for the Autism people to talk to them, years and years of hard work. It is only a coincidence that the same night they have their dinner, you have your party. You know that they would reschedule any other time," which was totally not true. They would never reschedule something for a promise to Jess.

"Bull shit! They would never reschedule and you know it. Stop changing the subject! My point is, is that they promised me that they would be home. It is the third promise this week that they have broken. They are professionals at breaking promises, of any kind."

"Jess calm down, I can take care of Billy for you tomorrow, but this is the last time. You know I was a part of this party too." I had too, I was worried she might run away, for real this time.

"No Kris, I won't let you do that. It's wrong for me to use you. They should be the ones to suffer not you. How can I ruin their night?" She was serious too.

"Jess, stop, you can't ruin their night."

"I sure am, and you can't stop me. Are you in or not?" she asked.

"Wait! What about bringing Billy? That would be the best resort. This dinner is about him anyways." Brilliant Kristen, brilliant!

"We will try it. I Doubt it will work."

After cleaning Jess up, we walked over to her house to speak to Nancy and Greg.

"Greg, Nancy, we need to talk. You know how important this party is for Jess, she worked so hard to put this together, and she is so proud of herself. You totally shattered her confidence by making her stay home. Considering that the dinner tomorrow is about Billy, can't you just bring him with you?" I tried my best to make them feel guilty.

"Well, Kristen I don't know about that. You know how Billy gets when he is in Mum's and with a bunch of new people. Also he has been acting up lately, it must be his hormones or something," Nancy responded.

"This will be a good chance to show the Autism research people what life is like with an autistic child. I am sure they have seen plenty, but Billy is special, you know that."

"Okay we will try it, I guess. You always get me, Kristin, you have that charm. And also at dinner Billy never gets out of hand," Greg answered.

Jess's face lit up like I have never seen before. We walked into the kitchen for some breakfast.

"I am glad I could help," I said.

"Thank you so much Kris, really, thank you."

"Any time you know that. Hey get me four eggs, I'll make us some omelets."

"You are going to make me fat you know. When we are old and supposed to be married with grandkids, I am going to be the fat divorced one stuffing her face with omelets," she cracked.

"HahaÐ'...that'll be the day." Jess was skinny as could be, strong and toned.

We went outside to make a snowman after our omelets. It was the best snowman yet, Jess perfected it. "We will call him Frosty. So original, I know."

The door opened and out came Billy. All jumpy and hyper, he jumped right into Jess's perfect snowman.

The tear was there again. Jess's tear that she had when she was so sad she couldn't cry. It was like seeing her life get jumped on by Billy. Crumbling to the ground. Staring in awe, motionless, silent, she stood there.

"What the hell did you do that for Billy!? Go inside asshole!" she sadly shouted.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out effortlessly, out of habit and obedience.

"Go inside Billy," I said.

The door slammed, just like Jess. I have never seen that extent of sadness in Jess before. She stopped crying,

...