Ｅｔｈｅｒｅａｌ| Jake Jagielski

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"No. When they called me today I was certain they had the wrong Scott, and then they told me they had two Scotts and I could take my pick. Honestly, Lucas, fighting in class! Fighting at all!"

"Mom, it's not all his fault," Cassie spoke up.

"Cassie, I would advise you to stay out of this," Her mother warned.

"No, mom, Lucas was defending both of us. Nathan called us bastards. Bastards! What did you expect him to do? The guy was being a jerk!"

"And this is suddenly a surprise to either of you? He hasn't been a jerk before?"

"No, he's always a jerk! But this time was different, it wasn't just me," Lucas said.

"Lucas you don't need to fight my battles, Nathan says crap all the time," Cassie said.

"And why go down to his level?" Karen asked, pausing. "This wouldn't have anything to do with playing poorly, would it?"

"How would you know? You weren't even there,"

"Lucas!" Cassie scolded her brother.

The curly-haired womens statue deflated, at her son's words, placing down her knife and piece of bread. The whole conversation made her lose her appetite.

"I'm sorry. Mom," Lucas said, as she got up from the table. "Mom, I'm—"

Lucas's form deflating as well, at the thought of the effect his words had on his mother.

"Nice," Cassie sighed. When she looked back at her brother she noticed his attention was focused on something outside. When she moved her head towards the window, she saw Peyton standing outside of a magazine shop. The blonde sighed in defeat, and she went over to a trash can and threw away a black folder.

Cassie let out a scoff as she got up from her chair, "Have fun with bitchy," and she went off to find her mother.

~~~

The Scott girl sat on the couch, making a silly face at Jenny Jagielski, as her favorite movie Dirty Dancing was playing; Jake walked back into the living room from the kitchen.

"I really don't think he did that bad, you know? I think it was just first game jitters, but the whole situation I think is really messing with his head," Cassie said.

"He'll get used to it, I think it's just going to take some adjusting," Jake said, plopping down next to the duo.

"She really is beautiful Jake," The brunette smiled down at the laughing baby on her lap.

"She's the one good thing that I've got right now," Jake slid his finger against his daughter's cheek.

Cassie gave him the side eye, "Gee thanks,"

"You know what I mean," He smiled, giving the girl a shove.

"Do you regret it? Being with Niki?"

"No," He responded plainly, taking Jenny from her arms to place the baby in her crib. "Because I wouldn't have Jenny,"

Cassie could never imagine what it's like being in Jake's shoes. Having the mother of your child abandon you both, it broke her heart knowing that Jenny would have to grow up without one. Jake never introduced the brunette to his ex-girlfriend. She only knew what Jake would tell her; that she was older and in college, and that his heart was broken into a million pieces when she left. Cassie walked over to her friend, placing her head on his shoulder from behind him. "You don't give yourself enough credit Jake, you are a great father,"

Jake turned around to meet his best friend's eyes, giving her a smile, which she returned. "Thanks, Cas,"

Before the boy could say anything else Cassie's attention moved onto the tv behind him. "This is my favorite part!" She squealed. Watching the scene in front of her when Johnny is giving Baby dance lessons, and she keeps laughing when he drags his arms down her body. Before Jake knew it, Cassie was singing along to Hungry Eyes, as it played on the tv. Cassie grabbed Jake's hand and started twirling herself and pulling the boy close so they could dance to the song, all while singing the lyrics back to him. There was a moment between them that both of them couldn't ignore, as they looked into one another's eyes. A moment that gave Jake Jagielski hope that maybe, there was something more between them.