Three's Company

1.12 | The Wrong Right Reputation

    "Fascinating." Jessica interrupted. "Shouldn't we be talking about something other than your fat ego for a second, Meek?"

    "Hey, at least I'm contributing to the conversation."

    "Hardly."

    "Well," Nova interjected, "I think that Ethan's right. It's like a Romeo and Juliet kind of situation, and that can have lasting effects on the brain and on the heart."

    Felix could tell Jessica was fighting back the urge to say something snarky.

    Nova and Ethan continued to talk about their characters and Jessica turned to Felix.

    "Alright Brannon, what do you think?"

    "Well," Felix began, "It isn't necessarily asking about Romeo and Juliet. They couldn't date because their parents hated each other, and then Romeo killed someone and it was all a mess. Dating someone you shouldn't doesn't have to be that extreme. What if this pertained to someone who was dating someone in a lower social class than themselves in the times of kings and queens?"

    "That's true," Jessica nodded, "A princess dating a peasant was unheard of."

    "Exactly." Felix nodded. "Or, relating it to more modern times, dating someone from school who is below or above you on the social spectrum. There are unsaid rules against that which could tarnish the reputations of both parties involved."

    A palpable cold air hit the room when Felix said that. He knew what he had just said, and he knew that the only reason he had said it was to gauge Jessica's reaction to it; was she open to dating a nobody? He couldn't see her being into the idea. But at the same time, he wouldn't know unless he asked. And this seemed like as good a time as any.

    Jessica thought for a moment before speaking.

    "I don't know if that's the same thing." She said, and her voice was full to the brim of caution and worry. "Dating someone who is below you in school wouldn't be a terrible thing. Popularity doesn't necessarily determine worth."

    Felix couldn't help but laugh.

    "What?" Jessica asked indignantly.

    "It's just that you can't possibly believe that." Felix answered. The most popular girl at Capital High School had just said she wouldn't mind dating someone below her in popularity. As much as Felix had wanted to ask the question, he hadn't expected that answer.

    "Of course I believe that." Jessica replied. "I said it, didn't I?"

    "Yes, but who's to say you actually believe that? Or would actually act on it?"

    "I would!"

    "Fine." Felix felt himself going too far, but he couldn't stop the words from leaving his mouth; it was as if the part of his brain that filtered stupid things from leaving his mouth was suddenly gone. "If you would be open to the idea, why don't you do it? If you asked out anyone in the school, they would say yes."

    "I don't ask people out." Jessica replied. "They ask me out. I'm not a tramp."

    Felix shook his head.

    "Exactly."

    "Exactly?" Jessica seemed to be getting far more worked up than Felix had anticipated.

    "Yes, exactly." Felix said. "You won't do it."

    All at once, Jessica's face fell and she sat in her chair silently.

    "You're right." She finally spoke, "I won't."

<><><>

    Jessica Anastos sat on her bed, confused out of her mind.

    What had she done to Felix to make him think that she would never date someone beneath her? She had decided to try and go for something with him, but then he had thrown that in her face like it was nothing; like she should have been expecting that response. From him. From someone she had begun to be close with.

    She picked up her phone to check the time. 8:21. She had sat in her room, eating and watching TV while periodically stopping to ponder what she had to Felix to make him think so low of her, for almost five and a half hours. It was pathetic. It was disgusting. She needed to get a grip, and she only knew one way to do that.

    Jessica opened her phone and went straight to her contacts, moving fast enough that she wouldn't feel the need to stop herself from doing it. She went to the "B" section, scrolled to the bottom, and clicked on "Brannon".

    It rang.

    It rang again.

    A third time.

    After the fourth ring, Felix's voice came on the other end.

    "Hi, you've reached Felix Brannon. Leave me a message and I'll try to--no, Lindsey, go away. You're going to make me have to redo this whole voicemail thing again--I'll try to return your call. Bye. Lindsey, stop--"

    It cut off and beeped, signaling Jessica's turn to leave a message. She paused for what felt like an awkward amount of time before speaking into the phone.

    "Hi Felix, it's Jessica. Jessica Anastos, from school. I was just...I...you know what, nevermind. I'll see you tomorrow."

    She hung up quickly and threw her phone across the room, embarrassed and angry with herself. How could she have thought Felix would have answered the phone to her? As far as he was concerned, she was just a popular brat who wouldn't date anyone because they were all "below" her.

    And in a sense, that was the reputation Jessica Anastos had been trying to build for herself ever since she had entered high school. But for some reason, there was no pride that came with finding out she had achieved her goal; instead there was a lingering sense of regret.

    She headed downstairs and picked up some more ice cream from her freezer, settling on the couch to watch whatever show was on. After sitting for a few minutes, the doorbell rang.

    "Can someone get that?" Jessica called out, "I don't want to get up."

    No answer came, and Jessica wondered why they even bothered with hiring servants if they never did anything for the Anastos family.

    She pulled herself off the couch and dragged her feet towards the front door, unlocking it and preparing herself to yell at whoever had had the audacity to come to her door at 8:30 at night expecting her to be in any state of attractiveness.

    Jessica pulled open the door and looked up at the person standing in front of her. Her heart started pounding just a little bit faster.

    "Felix. Hi."