Bridge to Terabithia-New Girl

Ship-JessLeslie

Summary- Just a cute oneshot for Jesse and Leslie.

Disclaimer - I am not known by the name Katherine Paterson. Therefore, I do not own Bridge to Terabithia.

"Look at her clothes…"

"Did you see that hair?"

"It looks like a boy's."

"Do you think she's really a boy only dressing like a girl?"

"Nah, she does have a figure."

The young blonde rubbed her arm, trying to ignore the jabs being poked at her. After falling into a large river five years ago and living in a coma for the first four, she had spent the last year at home, working to catch up to her age group in school so she could return.

To help her conquer whatever fears she had, her parents decided to try returning to the town she had nearly drowned in. Most of it had worked. She wasn't afraid of the river anymore (though she'd never go near a rope swing again), and she was slowing returning to the imaginative girl she once was.

But something was missing. She couldn't figure out what it was, but it wasn't there. When she had woken this morning, she had told herself she was going to find out what that was today.

All those thoughts left her as she arrived at school.

Tears formed in her eyes as one boy continued to poke fun at her, not noticing all the other kids quieting as her eyes closed. Suddenly the boy stopped mid-sentence and her blue eyes fluttered open again.

A brown-haired boy had grabbed the back of the other boy's shirt and was now solemnly staring at him. "What are you doing?" he asked. The boy just opened and closed his mouth, making the other boy chuckle. "Are you going to answer me, you just stand there, gaping like a fish all day?"

A door opened and an older lady's head poked out, noticing the sudden silence in the halls. She smiled at the sight of the brunet. He was the new ruler of the school, and he was doing a fine job. He'd never let anyone make fun of another if he was around, but he'd never be violent to those who were making the fun.

Slowly, almost unnoticed, the brunet released the boy's shirt collar. He was still standing ridged, as if waiting for him to push him to the ground. The other boy never did, though. He merely flicked the back of his neck, sending him off running and screaming in fright. Laughter ensued and slowly the crowd separated to classes.

Soon, all had gone but two—the brown-haired boy, and the new girl. The girl was staring at the boy in shock and wonderment, as if not believing what she was seeing. The boy watched as the last person vanished before turning and catching sight of the girl. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead he froze. His eyes widened in surprise and blinked a few times.

The girl spoke first. "…Jesse?" she whispered so quietly, if you hadn't seen her lips move, you wouldn't have known what she was saying.

The boy's breath got caught in his throat. It was really her. "Leslie…"

Only a second passed before the girl beamed and nearly plowed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Jesse!"

Jesse didn't speak, only clung to her as if she were the only thing keeping him alive. A faint smile formed on his lips that the teacher, who was still watching, had never even seen before. It was rather shocking. Jesse Aarons was smiling…because of a new girl.

--

Leslie Burke and Jesse Aarons were once the best of friends. Together, they had made an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia. One day, Leslie had gone to Terabithia by herself and while swinging across the river, the rope had snapped and she had fallen into the water, hitting her head against a rock. Luckily, she had lacked to tell her parents she was leaving and they came searching for her not long after, finding her in time to keep her alive.

Unfortunately, she had slipped into a coma not long after and was shipped out to a major hospital a few cities away. Jesse couldn't visit her. Four years had passed and the Burkes had lost his address, so when Leslie had awoken, they couldn't tell him. A year later; full of studying and hardworking, the two were reunited.

Five years after that, they found themselves married and living in their old kingdom. Terabithia.

Finis