Jessica

Mark has been your best friend since kindergarten. You would go to hell and back for each other! He always had your best interest at heart. And you always knew you could count on him for ANYTHING. When it came to dating, though... He was always one step ahead of you. You were both athletes, in the same wrestling team since high school. You both did well in college, both got successful careers... But what made him different than you was that certain "bad boy" charm that he had. It wasn't malicious. That's just how he is... He always tried to help you out when it came to girls. But you simply didn't know how to cross that threshold between "friend" and "boyfriend". Oh, well... Such is life! Every time you'd meet a girl, it would seem to go fine at first... And then it would end up the same way. You'd think that your luck finally took a turn for the better. You'd get her number, ask her out for a date... And then she'd "casually" ask if Mark was single. Ouch! It was the same thing with Jessica. Or Jessie, as her friends call her... You met her one night when you and Mark went out for a drink at the bar where she was working. It seemed perfect. You talked for two hours, got to know each other... And just as you were about to ask her out for a cup of coffee, she "casually" asked about Mark. Your smile turned bitter. You could literally feel the curtains coming down behind your eyes. "Here we go again...", you thought. You suddenly turned quiet. You got up, paid for your drinks, scrawled Mark's phone number on a piece of paper and threw it on the table. "Let's just cut to the chase! Here's Mark's phone number! Good luck!" you said. Then you turned around and walked out, promising yourself that this is the last time you get your hopes up for nothing. Weeks later, you return to the same bar. Alone. And all you want is a drink...