Okay, this is only like, 2 weeks after Leslie's death. Jess is still miserable.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, except my own character (Maddi)
Jess Aarons threw his notebook aside with frustration. He couldn't remember. He was losing her.
"Jess?" A small voice asked. Jess's small sister, May Belle picked up his drawing and looked at it carefully. "Is this Leslie?" She asked.
"No." Jess answered angrily. "Give it back"
"It looks like her. Even her smile" May Belle said, handing the portrait back. Jess took the drawing from May Belle, and looked at it himself.
"It's no good. I can't remember the details of her face anymore. I should've of drawn one sooner" he sighed, shoving it into his special box, where he kept all of his drawings.
"It looks good to me Jess" May Belle said, climbing onto the bed, next to her older brother, trying to comfort him.
"Take a picture, it lasts longer" Jess mumbled to himself, staring straight at the wall. That was what Leslie had said to him, when they first met, and he had his crush on their music teacher, Ms. Edmonds.
"What?" May Belle asked. Jess's head twitched to look at his sister, then looked back at the wall.
"Nothing." He said quietly. "Just leave"
"Jess I-" May Belle started to say, when Jess loss his temper.
"I said go!" he yelled.
May Belle looked at her older brother, fighting back tears. Ever sinse their friend Leslie died, Jess had been a total grump, and pushed everyone away. May belle silently ran out of the room, to go help someone else.
Jess sighed, when he heard the door creek shut. He couldn't handle talking to anyone right now. He needed to be alone. He needed to remember Leslie. Everyone keeps telling him not to forget, but how can he do that, when her face is quickly fading out of his mind. Everything he saw reminded him of her. He couldn't escape, it's like he was drowning in a pool of misery. Something Leslie didn't even know of. She was so happy, and energetic. Always knew what to say. How could he forget someone like that?
Jess stood up from his bed, and pulled the curtain all the way around it, to confine himself to what he calls his bedroom. It was actually the corner of May Belle and Joyce's room. Every night he had to listen to May Belle talk to her barbies, and Joyce, murmer in baby talk in her crib. When Joyce cried, Jess was the one who had to calm her down, before it woke up their father.
As Jess sat back down, and leaned against the wall, someone else walked through the door. Jess didn't even look away from his spot on the wall. By the sound of the heavy boots, he knew it was his father. May belle had probably told on him, and now he was going to have to do even more chores than before.
"Jess?" Jess's father's voice came from the other side of the brown curtain.
Jess didn't respond he didn't feel like talking to anyone else. He needed some peace and quiet on his own.
"Jess?" Jess's father asked again, this time, opening the curtain. Jess didn't look up. He didn't even aknowlege his father.
Jess's father sat down on the bed, right where May Belle had been, moments ago. He placed a hand on Jess's shoulder, in attempt to be gentle with his greiving son.
"Listen Jess, I think you and I should go over to the new neighbours place and, help them move in" Jess's father said.
Jess sat stubbornly. He didn't want to help anyone. All he wanted was some peice and quiet so that he could sit on his worn out matress all day, staring at that one spot on the wall, as if he were trying to burn a hole through it.
"You know it's the right thing to do, son" Jess's dad added.
Jess didn't care if it was the right thing. All he wanted was to see Leslie again. He wanted his best friend back, so that he could enjoy life, so that he could be confident again and actually sing during music class, he wanted to feel confident, and laugh again. He wanted Leslie so bad. He needed to let her know that she means so much to him. He never realized how much Leslie effected, and mattered in his life until it was too late. Now nothing he wants is going to happen. Nothing. So why should he care about what the right thing to do is?
"Listen son," Jess's dad sighed, dropping his hand from Jess's shoulder. "I guess, if you do this, you can have your sisters room once they move out in 2 days"
Jess's head moved slightly, in temptation. Should he give in? His own room. That would mean no more babies, or barbies, or little kids ruining his stuff. He could draw in private, or sit on his bed all day thinking if he wanted to. Jess looked away from his spot on the wall and looked his father in the eye.
"Okay" he said quietly.
"Great" his father said, his face breaking out into a smile. "You know, it's important to do things in life for others. Life isn't all about one person, and helping others is what makes the world go round" He said, heading towards the door. "meet me there" he added, shutting the door.
Jess sighed, and glanced back at the wall for a moment before he stood up, grabbed his jacket off the floor, and followed his father out the door.
As Jess approached the familiar house, he reconized the lady directing the movers.
"Ms. Edmonds?" He asked, approaching the house.
The brunette lady, turned around, and smiled brightly at her student.
"Hey Jess! We're gonna be neighbours now! Isn't that cool?" She asked him enthusiastically.
"Um..great" He said quietly. He didn't quiet know how he felt about having Ms. Edmonds live so close to him. After all, she was the one who he had left Leslie for, and jess hadn't felt the same way about his teacher sinse that deathly day. "Are you living here alone?" he asked. It was quiet a big house for only one person.
"No, my neice Maddi is living with me. She's out in the town right now. Her mother just passed away from a terrible car accident. She was my sister" ms. Edmonds said.
"I'm sorry" Jess said. "But, what about her father?"
"Oh, Derek? He left when she was just a baby" She said, glancing at her new home.
"Oh," Jess said, looking at the ground. He was feeling quiet uncomfterble talking about death. "Well, i guess i should help out" he said, making his way pver to the big white movers truck.
"You are such an angel, jess" Ms. Edmonds said, following him. "Thank you so much"
"Um...no problem" Jess said, picking up a box, and carrying it into the house.
On his way back out to the movers truck, Jess glanced into the family room. There were the walls that leslie's family and him had painted just a few weeks ago. Thats when Jess had discovered what a real happy family looked like, with not a care in the world, dancing around to no music at all, smiling and laughing.
"You okay there, son?" Jess's father asked, as he passed by.
Jess, straightened up, and quickly got back to work. He didn't have time to think about being happy.
Okay, there was the first chapter! Sorry in advance, as you all know, my spelling really sucks, and i'm bad with the shift key (For names and everything) LOL please don't hate me :D