Impossible

Bad Liar

Emily spent winter break learning to play the new ukulele Jessica and her mom got for her. Angela gave her some lessons on the chords and Emily decided to learn to play the High School Musical soundtrack. Jessica had some regret when she was subjected to Emily's strumming every day but it made her sister happy so she just had to grin and bear it. She was going to scream if she had to hear Breaking Free one more time though.

Jessica hadn't seen much of her friends for most of the winter break. Angela and Lauren were still figuring out the thing with Jacob. Jessica was still trying to wrap her head around the whole wolf thing but she supposed since they weren't hurting anyone and didn't have much a choice on being what they were, there was nothing bad about being a werewolf. And she loved her friends so she was just going to have to get over it.

The Newtons were having their yearly New Year's Eve party at their house that everyone went to. Jessica was excited to be out of the house and get to see Mike again. She bought a new dress for the occasion and spent extra time getting ready. Even Emily was excited to go and wanted to show off her progress with the ukulele to Angela.

They arrived at the Newtons' house on Lucken Road and hurried from their mom's car to the front door, not wanting to linger in the snow long. Catherine Newton let them in and told Jessica that Mike and the other 'kids' were upstairs in his room. Emily asked about Angela but the Webers hadn't arrived yet. Her sister pouted and followed their mom as she talked to the other guests.

Jessica made her way upstairs and found the room at the end of the hall. She knocked on the door and let herself inside. Mike was playing on his new PS3 with Eric. Tyler was watching them and eating a big bowl of chips they'd probably stolen from downstairs.

Tyler saw her first. "Jess! You made it!"

She smiled and entered the room, taking a seat next to Tyler on the bed. He gave her a one-armed hug. "Hey, Ty. You seen Lauren around?"

"Nah. Just the guys so far," Tyler threw a chip at Eric and Mike. "Hey, losers. Jess is here."

Mike didn't even look at her. "Hey, Jess!"

Eric wasn't much better. "Sup, Jess?"

She sighed and took a chip from Tyler's bowl and bit into it. Lauren knocked on the door a few minutes later, looking pretty as always in a black dress.

"Hey, Lauren!" Tyler and Jessica greeted her.

The blonde joined them on the bed and explained she had brought Jacob with her to the party and Angela was trying to explain to her parents that Jacob was technically dating both of them. Apparently it wasn't going very well. Angela and Jacob finally escaped the interrogation downstairs and joined them, carrying a tray of more snacks. They cheered when they saw Jacob was able to swipe a bottle of tequila from the kitchen.

Jacob poured a cup and handed it Jessica. "Last time we talked I was a bit of a..."

"A dick?" Jessica suggested, smiling innocently.

He conceded. "Yeah, a huge dick. Sorry about that? I'm a little overprotective when it comes to the girls."

That was an understatement but Jessica understood. She was overprotective of them to. She offered Jacob chips and he smiled and took a handful. That was one hatchet easily buried.

Jacob wasn't a bad guy. He played Call of Duty with the boys and it wasn't long before they were talking smack at each other. The girls just rolled their eyes at the display but there was some comfort in knowing the boys never changed. The world may now be bigger and stranger than they knew but some things stayed the same.