A/N: I know it took a while, but I was working on so many updates for other stories and first chapters/prologues for new stories (some of which I already posted) that I just didn't have time to get this update done. Anyway, enjoy reading!

Threats, Rushs and a new Friend

3. Getting to know each other

On their way out they told Mel that they would spend some time outside.

"Okay, but be back for dinner!" Mel called back, causing the three girls to roll their eyes.

Once outside they quickly headed toward the park. When they had reached their destination they sat down on the grass near a small pond and started talking.

"So, Jess... Trace said you like dancing?" Evie asked after a moment.

Jess smiled cheerfully and nodded,

"Yeah, actually I love it!"

Evie gave her a questioning glance, waiting for the younger girl to tell them details. Seeing the curious expression on Evie's face Jess told them,

"Well, I started doing ballet when I was about three years old. Then like four years ago I also started with hip-hop."

"You're good at it?" Evie wanted to know.

Before Jess could reply Tracy exclaimed,

"You're kidding? She's amazing!"

Evie raised an eyebrow, giving Jess another questioning glance, seeking confirmation of what Tracy had said.

Jess smiled and shrugged,

"I won't say amazing, but according to my instructors I'm apparently pretty good..."

Evie smiled and requested,

"You'll have to show us."

Tracy nodded eagerly in agreement with her friend,

"Definitely!"

"Sure." Jess stated and the girls exchanged a smile.

They remained silent for a while then Tracy asked,

"Will you go to school with us?"

"Yeah, actually I'm now in your grade." Jess replied.

"You skipped two grades?" Evie wanted to know.

Jess nodded and said,

"I wasn't challenged enough in fifth grade so they decided to put me in the sixth. But I was still bored and they let me skip sixth grade as well..."

"So you're a genius?" Evie inquired.

"Well, I'm above average intelligent but I'm not sure if I'm in the IQ range of a genius..." Jess trailed off.

"Oh come on, wonder child, you were always damn smart! You had started talking by your first birthday and started reading by two." Tracy pointed out with a grin.

"Seriously?" Evie all but exclaimed, eyebrows raised.

Jess shrugged,

"It's no big deal. Though it has its advantages - I'll be done with school earlier and have more time for fun stuff because I'm a quick learner and get usually done with homework and stuff rather quickly." At the last part she smirked.

"That's cool." Evie said, grinning.

"I guess..." Jess said, smiling slightly.

They remained silent for a while then Evie asked,

"So, what other stuff are you into? Besides dancing and music, I mean."

Jess thought for a moment then she replied,

"Well, I really like acting, and sports, and arts..." She smirked slightly,

"Actually there are a lot of things I like doing..."

"What sports?" Evie prompted.

"Running, swimming, cheerleading, parkour, tennis, soccer... It's a long list." Jess replied.

They remained silent for a moment as Evie and Tracy were wondering what to ask next. Eventually Tracy broke the silence and, remembering when Jess had arrived, she asked,

"Since you like Nelly, you're into Hip-Hop music?"

"Actually I love most kinds of music, though usually I'm listening to stuff I can dance to." Jess replied.

Like that the afternoon past as Tracy and Evie kept asking Jess questions and Jess asked them about their lives in return.

Back at the Freelands', around 7:00 PM:

As it had started getting time for dinner the three girls had reluctantly left the park and headed back home, just like Mel had requested. When they got there Mel wasn't there, according to Mason she had gone to get dinner. After some consideration they decided to enjoy the remaining sunshine and eat outside so Tracy went inside and got an old quilt, which she spread out on the ground in the small lawn in front of the house, and they sat down on it.

While waiting they continued their conversation, continuing to get to know each other. By the time Mel arrived and parked in the drive-way Tracy and Evie knew almost everything about what Jess liked.

Her favorite musicians were Usher, Nelly, Maroon 5, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Cobra Starship and countless others and she loved too many songs to name them all. She loved movies and her favorites included all the "Step Up" movies, "Another Cinderella Story" - basically almost all recent dance movies, but also horror movies like "My Soul To Take" and action movies like "Salt", as well as dramas and thrillers like "Summer's Moon", though she also liked some fantasy and sci-fi movies. She didn't have any favorite book but she loved suspenseful novels a la Stephen King, as well as drama and fantasy. Her favorite animal were cats - especially wild cats - but if she had the choice between getting a cat or dog as pet she would choose a dog, cause she would be too worried that the cat would get run over. They learned that she wanted to be an actress, that she wanted to travel a lot and see the world...

They stopped their conversation as Mel turned off the engine of her car and opened the door at the driver's side, watching as she got out of the car. Once out of the car she turned slightly and leaned back into the car, grabbing something from the passenger seat.

As she straightened up and turned around she was holding a couple of pizza-boxes with her left hand, while closing with the right the car-door and locking the car, before heading to go inside. She paused when she had reached the girls, handing one of the boxes to Evie, who was sitting closest to where she was standing. She had just turned and started to walk towards the house again when Tracy all but yelled,

"Mom!" Jumping up and spinning around to look at Mel, her lips pursed, she spat,

"You know exactly that Jess doesn't eat pizza!"

Mel's eyes widened slightly at that,

"Damn! I totally forgot that." Looking at Jess she offered,

"You want something else instead?"

Jess shook her head and replied,

"Nah, I'm not that hungry anyway."

Mel frowned but eventually just said,

"Okay, but if you get hungry you tell me, alright?" As Jess nodded in response she turned and went inside, leaving them alone again.

At Tracy's words a surprised expression had appeared on Evie's face and after Mel had gone inside she looked at Jess, one eyebrow raised, and asked slightly incredulous,

"You don't eat pizza?" As Jess nodded she wanted to know,

"Why?"

Jess frowned for a moment then she shrugged and replied,

"The taste makes me feel sick. There was even a time when it was so bad that even the smell made me sick."

Evie frowned slightly at that, but then she only nodded. Meanwhile Tracy and sat back down and while she and Evie ate the girls started talking again and when they went to bed a few hours later they knew so much about each other as if they had been spending years together and not just hours.

However, what Tracy and Evie didn't find out was why exactly Jess' dad had decided she should stay with her siblings and mother. When they had asked she had simply said he apparently thought it would be good for her to spend some time with Tracy, their brother and mother and then changed the topic, asking Evie and Tracy about school, what the other students and teachers were like...

Later that night:

While Tracy and Jess were already deep asleep Evie was still lying wide awake, having too much on her mind as to be able to sleep. She had to admit that even though she already liked Jess a part of her wasn't particularly happy about the younger girl's presence. The truth was she was still worried about what impact this was going to have on her friendship with Tracy - and that fact scared her, causing a part of her to resent Jess. She hated feeling like this, insecure and scared, agitated... She was used to being in control, to know what was going to happen, but right now she had no idea what was going to happen next. And she hated it. So she did what she always did - starting to plot a back-up plan, searching a way to get things back to how they used to be before, just in case that Jess' presence started interfering with her and Tracy's friendship. However, considering the fact that she really did like Jess she hoped it won't be necessary to do anything to get rid of her.

With thoughts like that on her mind Evie started to finally drift off to sleep and before long she was sound asleep as well.

Tbc

A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you liked the update! I'll try to update soon again, but I'm not sure when exactly that will be. In the meantime please do me a favor and let me know what you think.