"And if you, in turn, agree, to the next ten minutes, the next ten minutes, can you handle that?" The words flew from his mouth in a gentle slew, just as flawlessly as she would have imagined. The duet was heart-wrenching and moving and was perfect in every since of the word. It was a St. James performance, why wouldn't it be? He spun Kathy around with ease, a beautiful duet that should have been theirs. For months, she had sat and wondered, pretended that she was fine. For months, her thoughts only resided with Jesse. Finn had kept her momentarily occupied but, in reality, she still longed to have Jesse's arms around her, to sing, once more, with him. A simple glint of the ring, the stage lights forcing it to shine brightly and reflect the idiotic jealousy in Rachel's eyes. It was just a production, he was only acting. But then had he been acting with her?
It was just another performance, another group of notes leaving his mouth and flooding the surrounding theatre. So why did he feel so different? Jenny stood, preparing her portion of The Next Ten Minutes but his eyes had found another's. Doe eyes that expressed every thought that flew through her mind. A smile that would light up the darkness, if she'd only show it. She looked so broken, so lost, and so much older than when he last saw her. It had been three years, had it not? He'd be a senior in the coming year, UCLA having been his home since leaving Carmel. She'd be a sophomore. So, what was she doing here now? "I don't know why people run, I don't know why things fall through. I don't know how anybody survives in this life without someone like you."
The show continued on just as it should, Jesse completely embodying the character of Jamie and committing to every scene. Something within her wanted to find him afterwards, to express her joy of seeing him on stage again. The way those blue-green eyes would shine with the joy he was experiencing by being on stage, the way that beautiful curl bounced along with each movement. But she refused to move as everyone filed out, the cast already in the lobby to see friends and loved ones. She refused to stand for fear that he would be waiting, just as he was years before. He had broken her heart, so why was she here?
"Jesse, what was going-" he silenced Jenny by walking away, leaving her standing backstage, flabbergasted by the actions of her co-star. All he could think was why? Never did he think he would have a chance to apologize, to speak to her once more. In all honesty, he had only thought of her a handful of times since their last encounter. "Is someone loving you?' 'Turn around bright eyes.' 'I'm forever yours, faithfully." Every instance of those words filled his mind of Rachel. He would smile when he heard Hello. The anger of his stupidity in trusting her raged through him with Total Eclipse of the Heart. But it was Faithfully that broke him, the duet having shattered his heart all that time ago and still, it had not been reassembled.
Swiftly he made his way through the bustling crowd, congratulatory handshakes and smiles coming from each side. He searched every face, looked in their eyes but none were the deep brown he was looking for. She had left without a word to him and he knew that for days Rachel Berry would fill his dreams. The smiles still remained as each audience member began to leave. He knew that he had lost his chance and quietly turned, reentering the theatre without a second glance.
The door shut to the theatre and she waited for the intruder to address her. But it was only silence. "I'm sorry, I was just about-" Her eyes met those of blue-green, his curl almost obstructing her view of them but stopping at just the right length. He looked even better close up.
The door shut behind him and his breath caught in his throat. Dark locks cascading over the back of the chair, her sweater and skirt just as he would have wanted. "I'm sorry, I was just about-" and he knew he had a moment, an instant alone with her yet all he could say was "Hello Rachel."
"Hi," she muttered as he spoke to her, her name sounding so much more lyrical as it came from his lips. They stood rows apart yet she was sure that he could hear her heart pounding out of her chest. "I should have never come," she finally sputtered, grabbing her bag from the floor and turning to leave. "Wait, please." His hand were extended before him, a most theatrical pose that almost had Rachel smiling. "Would you like to come get a coffee with me? So we could talk?" he asked after moments of silence. Her eyes went to her feet, afraid that if she looked at him then she'd lose her strength. "Jesse, I..."
"Please?" His pleads brought her back to his eyes, her resolve faltering until finally she nodded. "Fine, for a minute."
The small coffee shop was abandoned by the time Jesse led Rachel in, holding open the door as she passed. "The carmel latte's with soy milk are quite phenomenal," he stated, remembering her vegan ways. "Heard you're a vegan, Berry" Giselle's words became prominent in his mind, the hatred towards her and what she made him do so evident in his gaze. "I think I'll try that then." He nodded as he moved towards the counter motioning for Rachel to sit.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted it. It was exactly what he needed to express how he felt. "Just come out so we can talk...or sing about it." Quickly he grabbed the coffees, making his way through the crowd towards the table that Rachel had found. "Come on, I have an idea." Swiftly he grabbed her hand, abandoning their coffees and belongings. He led her to the bench, smiling when he saw her hesitance. "Here?" she mumbled, so reminiscent of their first encounter. "Yes," he said with a grin, looking into her chocolate orbs. She looked so different now, bangs covering the expanse of her forehead and her hair straight rather than her regular curls but she was still Rachel, she was still beautiful. "I used to know you when we were young. You were in all my dreams. We sat together in period 1, Friday's at 8:15." The words left his lips effortlessly, a part in his mind hoping that Rachel would take the lead because if she didn't, he'd be the one too look the fool. It only took the small instrumental break for her to smile, the words leaving her mouth just as they had done his. "Now I see your face in the strangest places, movies and magazines. And I saw you talking to Christopher Walken, on my TV screen."
He continued to play through Rachel's verse, trying his hardest to keep the smile from growing. "I will wait for you as long I need to and if you ever get back to Hackensack, I'll be here for you." Their voices intertwined in perfect harmony, just as it was all those years ago.