[center][color=teal][h2]Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey[/h2][/color][/center]

Jess' hands were clenched throughout the journey. Roxy's claustrophobia wasn't as bad as usual, but worry simmered in the background, for both of them. When the cab stopped, she thanked the driver, steeled herself and led Roxy up the path. While this would certainly be better than a weekend with Reginald, whatever he'd told her mother proved he didn't have to be physically present to sour everything.

Biting the inside of her lip, Jess rang the doorbell. Footsteps sounded, and her mom opened the door to greet her with a warm grin. [color=aqua]"Hey Jess! Good to see you're well."[/color] She pulled Jess into a hug. While most of her cheer was genuine, there was no mistaking the underlying doubts. [color=aqua]"Come on in! How's everything been since last time?"[/color] Her eyes flicked between the two girls, turning slightly frosty when they settled on Roxy.

[color=teal]"Good, Roxy's been teaching me a lot."[/color] Jess followed her mom inside, intent on letting her see the kind person Roxy really was, instead of who Reginald painted her as. [color=teal]"About work, and athletics..."[/color] She trailed off, remembering how her mom had looked at the training area when she'd visited, because of the knives. Way to make Roxy look like a bad influence.