Writing in books

Summary: a moment out of Jess and Rory's life. Kinda cheesy, but in a good way. I promise. Rating: PG Pairing: Jess/Rory (obviously)

I was sitting impatiently on the bus going from Hartford to Stars Hollow. From Chilton to home. From hell to heaven. Wishing it would go faster. When it finally did end, I got off the highly annoying transportation device and I was surprised to see my boyfriend Jess waiting by the bus stop. He was standing there, with his hands shoved in his pockets staring at the ground.
"Hey," I said, coming up next to him. He looked up and replied by giving me a long, lasting kiss.
"What are you doing here?" I asked after the kiss ended, slightly out of breath.
"Waiting for you." He said matter-of-factly.
"Um, okay." I said, rather confused.
He slung his arm loosely over my shoulder and I noticed how tense he was. I didn't say anything and we started walking, in the opposite direction of my house or Luke's. Which is where we normally went after school. Still, remained mute, hoping an explanation for his odd behavior would be offered soon.
After a few more minutes of walking, we were standing in the center of the bridge. I wondered why he had brought me here. Then again it wasn't that surprising. The bridge had sort of become our place. We stood facing each other and I couldn't take the silence.
"What are we doing here Jess?" I asked.
"Standing." He replied being his normal monosyllabic self.
I let out a sigh of frustration, "And..." I prodded.
"Talking." He added.
"You don't usually wait for me after school," I said. "And we never come here for no reason, so you better tell me what that reason is or I'm gonna..." I trailed off looking at him.
"You're gonna what?" he asked with a smirk, "Leave?"
"Maybe." I threatened.
Instead of continuing with the banter he put on a serious face. "I wanna talk to you about something." He said.
My heart was racing; those were never good words coming from a guy. Hell, those were never good words coming from anyone.
"So, talk." I said, not letting him see my insecurities.
"That's the thing," he continued, "I'm really no good at that whole verbal expression thing."
"No, you're definitely not known for your chatter-box, like qualities." I agreed.
"So read." He said, and pulled a book out of the back pocket of his jeans.
He handed it to me and I looked at the cover. Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.
"Jess, what does this have to do with..." but he cut me off.
"Just read."
I took the book and opened it, on the first page, in Jess's neat handwriting, were four carefully written words.
I LOVE YOU, RORY
It took my breath away and rendered me completely speechless. I couldn't believe it. Jess Mariono, probably the most un-romantic guy in all of Stars Hollow, had told me that he loved me. Emotion welled up inside me, and I was unable to breathe.
I looked up at him. He had a hopeful expression on his face, and his eyes there was so much vulnerability. I wanted to say something. To echo his feelings, but I decided against it. Instead I pulled a pen out of my backpack, and right below his writing I slowly wrote;
I LOVE YOU TOO, JESS
I handed the book back to him. A smile broke out onto his face as he read what I wrote.
After wordlessly pulling me into a hug we stood back and starred into each other's eyes.
"I love you." The words were spoken out loud for the first time, simultaneously. We both laughed.
And as corny or cliche-y as that whole thing was, I know that when I look back on it in fifty years, I'll just think of it as another spectacular memory that took place on our bridge.