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11:06 AM

NOTORIOUS

On Mondayto find out where Jonathan had spent the rest of the weekend Jessica didn&039;t believe it at first - it sounded too much like a rumor to be the truth - but his empty desk and the stares in second-period physics said it all

It was true He was in jail, and it was all her fault

There were a lot of versions circulating, but everyone seemed to know that Jonathan had been busted in the coirl in record time Most people seemed surprised to see Jessica here in school, as if they expected her to be rotting away in her own jail cell She caused a stir everywhere she went, with everyone (except those few clueless teachers ere eternally i to knohat had happened

Thankfully, Constanza ca classes and filling her in

"It&039;s like this: Someone&039;s aunt, or mother, works as a dispatcher, or deputy, in the sheriff&039;s departht in News travels fast in Bixby What were you guys doing, anyway?"

"Just walking"

Constanza nodded "Breaking curfew That&039;s what I figured But so into a car, or a drugstore, or both"

"None of the above But why did they take me home and him to jail?"

"Well, everyone knows - at least as of this- that Jonathan has been in trouble with the police before Like a million times His father has too In fact, I heard that Jonathan, or his father, maybe, anted for arhter, which is why the two of them had to move here in the first place"

"Are you absolutely sure about all this?"

"Absolutely not But you have to knohat people are saying, Jessica"

"Yeah, of course Sorry"

A few fresh near Jessica&039;s locker, and Constanza shooed theot her books for study hall Jessica picked through her locker, feeling the stares of people passing by, trying to decide if she wasor physics

She could still see Jonathan&039;s empty desk, the final confirht Jessica couldn&039;t believe how things kept getting worse Everything that could have gone wrong, with the possible exception of being eaten, had

Jessica Day: darkling rabbed her trig book and slammed the locker closed

"I heard you tere kissing when the cops showed up," Constanza said

"No, eren&039;t"

"What, you were out there just to hold hands?"

"No" Jessica paused "Well, actually, ere kind of holding hands" She rubbed her wrist, which was still sore Hanging on for dear life required et much exercise

"So you and Jonathan are an item?"

Jessica felt her face heat up "No I don&039;t know Maybe" She barely knew Jonathan, but she&039;d never felt a connection with any guy the way she had with hiht had ended "Probably not, after what happened," she finished

Constanza put her ar her toward the library

"Me, I think that the curfew is a stupid law I think I&039; to write an article about it for the school paper,hands&039; "

"Just leave me out of it, please"

"I wouldn&039;t use your real nah "Great idea, Constanza No one will ever figure it out Just change my name to Jess Shady"

Constanza smiled "Not bad I like it"

They entered the library as the late bell rang Ms Tho," she said, one eyebrow raised She looked as if she expected a good session of gossip to ani," Jessica said, then groaned inwardly as she saw the long table The rest of Constanza&039;s creere already settled in, ready to hear the scoop

She turned to Constanza and said, "I really have to study trig What withdone this weekend"

Constanza smiled "Oh, I wouldn&039;t say that, Jess Shady Sounds like you had fun But don&039;t worry You get your studying done and I&039;ll work on setting the record straight"

"Thanks, Constanza I really appreciate it But, u to use?"

"How about a ? And no previous criuess Try not tohere in Bixby for a while"

"Not a proble Which is not to say that you were boring"

"Thanks"

"In fact, what are you doing this Friday?"

"Being grounded"

"That&039;s too bad So a party out at Rustle&039;s Bottom"

"Rustle&039;s what?" Jessica said

"It&039;s a dried-out lake bed A good place to park a keg, you know? It&039;s over in Broken Arrow County, officially outside the dreaded curfew zone I&039;m not sure if Jessica Day would have wanted to coreat tirounded until October"

"Too bad Anyway, see you at lunch" Constanza hugged her "And don&039;t worry, this story&039;s only prime-time news for a week, tops"

She swept back to the long table, and Jessica sank into the corner chair, grateful that Constanza would be filling in for her on the gossip circuit At least someone was on her side

Jess realized that Dess was in her usual place across the table

"Oh, good I was hoping you&039;d be here"

"I wouldn&039;t miss my favorite period," Dess said

"What, the tutor-Jessica-in-trig period?" Jessica asked hopefully

Dess s will cost you"

Jessica groaned "Not you too"

"Don&039;t worry, I don&039;t want to hear how you got busted Your la to lanced at the long table Constanza had them all spellbound

She turned back to Dess and nodded

"Isn&039;t it excellent?" Dess said