What Do You Want From Me?

All eyes fell on Jessica almost immediately, and every single one of them held a different kind of scrutiny.

Jason's came with an air of satisfaction, as that smug grin of his showed only for her to see. If she didn't know any better, she might have thought it said, I told you so.

Isabel...the fiery Latina had been out for revenge ever since Jessica won their little battle at Joey Greene Field. Judging from the current situation, it appeared she was about to reach her goal, and the expression on her face let Jessica know she was every bit happy with herself.

But that wasn't what really got to the red head. No, it was her parents. They sat on the couch opposite Isabel and Jason, and their expressions were completely and utterly unreadable...to someone who didn't know them. And that, of course, was not Jessica Flaherty. She knew her parents like the back of her hand; all of their likes, dislikes, pet peeves.

Yes, Jessica was very much aware of that look her father was sporting. It was the one that said: You're in huge trouble, missy. She'd seen that very same look hundreds of times throughout her life. One instance in particular that she could remember very disctincly was when she was fourteen. They were all at the school for a parent/teacher conference, and Jessica's eighth grade english teacher informed Jeffrey and Marlene that their daughter had received a B on her last book report. Well, that was just completely unacceptable, and Jessica, having been in the room for the meeting, met her father's eyes; those eyes that gave her the very same look of promise; promise that she'd regret not having studied the information given just a little bit harder.

Of course, the scene in the living room was drastically different than the one in the classroom, but the look in Jeffrey's eyes was not. The only difference was: instead of that gaze letting Jessica know she'd regret having not studied harder, it told her she'd regret ever having lied to them. She swallowed thickly, before showing a small smile.

"Uh, hello. What's going on?" Even though she already sort of knew, there was nothing wrong with playing dumb.

Marlene stood, crossing her arms over her chest. "I think you know already, Jessica. Do you want to let us in on this little secret you've been keeping?"

"Well, considering the look on all of your faces, isn't it safe to say you already know what's happened?"

"I want to hear it from you."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "I'm not talking about anything as long as they're here."

"You'll talk when we tell you to talk," Jeffrey chimed in, standing from his seat. "These two are the only sense of direction you have. I can't believe you treated them the way you did."

"I treated them? They're the one's who've been hooking up behind my back!" Jessica exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at the innocent looking couple still sitting.

"Jessie," Isabel gasped. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Jessica gaped. "Really? Really, Isabel? You want to play that game?"

"What game? Jess, I'm your best friend. I'd never do such a thing to you."

"Oh, my God. You're fucking insane or something. You're all insane." Jessica threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Watch your mouth, young lady," Jeffrey scolded. "It's obvious you've been mistaken here. If Isabel says nothing happened, I believe her, and you should too."

"Uhm, no I shouldn't. I saw them with my own two eyes, last Friday at Brock's party."

Isabel gave a knowing smirk when the elder Flaherty's weren't looking, and Jessica shook her head. "It definitely wasn't us, Jess. We'd never do that. We're worried about you. That's why we're here."

"Oh, I'm so sure that's why you're here, Izz."

"It is." Isabel stood now. "I can't believe you'd think I would do this."

"Yeah," Jason chimed in, finally. "I'm disappointed in you. I thought you and Isabel were so much closer than that. Hell, I though we were closer than that."

"Oh, please. You're so full of it, Jason. The only thing you wanted from me was sex, and since I wouldn't give that to you, you moved on to someone you know would give it up to anyone. Enter: Isabel."

"Hey!" Isabel shouted, and Marlene gasped.

"You are way out of line, Jessica," Jeffrey declared. "I think you two should leave. It's obvious my daughter isn't going to listen to reason at the moment, and you shouldn't have to put up with this."

Isabel feigned tears, and Jason simply shook his head.

"I h-hope you come around, Jess. I don't want to lose you as a friend," Isabel stuttered as she picked up her purse and readied to leave.

"I don't want anything to do with either of you. You both disgust me."

With that, Jessica turned away from them, and walked toward the kitchen. Deep down, she knew everything that had just happened was going to put her in deeper trouble. At that very moment, though, she just...didn't care. Isabel and Jason were turning out to be crazier than she originally thought, and there was no way she was going to let them control her; not after everything she'd done to get away, not after everything Matt's done.

"Thank you so much for letting us know all this. We'll take care of it. Don't you worry, sweetie," Marlene said, and Jessica rolled her eyes.

It was only a few more moments, after the front door closed and pounding footsteps sounded, that her irate looking parents appeared in doorway of the kitchen. The youngest girl sighed, turning her attention to them.

"What?" She asked with a sigh.

"What has gotten into you? I thought you were making real progress, and now, I come to find out you've been deliberately lying to us. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"I don't have anything to say, Ma. It's obvious you two have already come to this sinister conclusion about me, so honestly, what can I even say?"

Jeffrey stepped forward at that, and stood only mere inches from Jessica's face. "Don't you dare take that tone with your mother, you ungrateful witch of a child."

Jessica gulped, staring into her father's cold eyes, but said nothing. Marlene shook her head, eyes filling with tears.

"Have we not raised you correctly? If not, where did we go wrong? And how so wrong that you'd just...abandon all those who truly matter; abandon them for that foul, cruel Matt Sanders and his group hoodlums?"

Jessica looked directly at her mother, an air of surprise about her. "How do you know him?"

Marlene tsked. "Everyone knows about him...and that poor excuse for a mother of his. He's despicable, and I'm ashamed to even stand here in your presence knowing you've been associating yourself with such filth. You should be ashamed."

"I'm not!" Jessica exclaimed in return. "And you're wrong about him. You...all of you have this perception etched into your brain about how he and everyone like him is, when in all reality, you have no clue who he is. He has his flaws just like we all do, but he is a great man, and he's treated me better in the last week than Jason did the whole time we were together!"

Jeffrey raised his hand, and brought it down hard across Jessica's cheek. "Don't you dare compare someone as grotesque as Matt Sanders to someone as prodigious as Jason."

Jessica gasped as the initial sting of the slap washed over her, and blinked back tears. "If you think Jason's so great, then why don't you guys just date him? Better yet, adopt him. I'm sure you'd just love to have someone that perfect as your child, since I'm obviously such a disappointment."

"It's not that you're a disappointment," Marlene intercepted. "We just wish you were different."

"Well, I'm not," Jessica replied icily, and Jeffrey's face twitched a bit in anger. "And I'm going to see Matt whether you like it or not."

"Oh, no you're not."

Jessica looked to her father. A flicker of fear rose inside her; she'd always been afraid of him, and figured she probably always would be. But there came a time in every girl's life when she had to take a stand, and she only hoped this would be that time.

"Yes, I am."

With that, Jessica walked around Jeffrey, and made a dash out of the kitchen. She almost thought she was going to get away clean, but of course, that was just wishful thinking. Pounding footsteps sounded, the same as before, and the eldest Flaherty was back on Jessica in a matter of seconds.

"Who do you think you are?" He placed both hands on the girl's shoulder and shoved her down to the floor below. "What, because you've been hanging out with those crack heads, now all of a sudden you think you can defy me and my orders? Not happening."

Jessica stared up at her seething father, lips trembling, and managed to stutter out: "J-just leave me alone."

"Leave you alone? Sweetheart, I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't ever forget." He stepped forward some more, until he hovered over her. "You're going to listen to me and your mother whether you like it or not, and after tonight, I'm fairly certain you'll never disobey us again."

Jessica swallowed thickly, eyes watering a bit, and Jeffrey raised his right hand into a fist. He brought it down, and everything remotely conscious in the red head's mind went black.