You can get that center jelly with one of the striped candies going through it, or with one of the dotted candies exchanged with one of the same colored candies.
You can play the game without ever paying any money, or without ever asking anyone on Facebook for extra lives. I have never done either one and I am on level 137. I would never pay money to play one of those games. They are fun, and can be somewhat addicting, more so for some than others. Certainly not worth losing a job over! Jeesh!