Chapter 4
Rory had reached the area where she remembered the Publishing house being, but she was having trouble finding the street. She pulled over and took out her map, trying desperately to find out where she was and which way she was heading.
She finally figured out that the street she needed to go to was about a half a mile behind her and she cursed softly, turning her car around and heading back, finally finding the building she parked her car and looked up at it from out her window.
It looked exactly the same as she remembered, except the sign. The sign was different, but she knew from the new sign that Jess was definitely still in there. The sign read "Hollow Publishing". Rory smiled at the little sign, it was black and red, and painted in Jess's handwriting. She remembered his writing from Luke's Specials board at the Diner. She gathered up the papers and her bag and got out of the car.
Rory walked across the road and stood at the front door, she stood there for what felt like forever, and then, taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside. A small bell tinkled above her head and it made her jump a little. She stood in the narrow dimly lit hall, looking around her, walking slowly forward she entered a fairly large room with a staircase on the left of it. There was no one around and she felt nervous, like she wasn't meant to be in there.
She heard steps coming down the stairs and she turned her head upwards to see Jess slowly making his way down the stairs, her insides froze and she quickly turned and walked straight back out on to the street, the bell tinkling loudly behind her. She crossed the road quickly and was about to get into her car when he heard Jess yelling from the door.
"Hey! Lady! Where you going?" He called. Rory was shocked, partly she couldn't believe she had just been called 'lady' but mostly because now there was no escape. She sighed gently, standing for a moment, considering just jumping in her car and keeping her head down, but that was ridiculous, she came here for work, backing out now was completely pathetic.
Slowly, Rory turned around to face him. They stood, facing each other from either side of the road, simply looking at each other. Her face felt like glue and she tried to form a smile but it was more of a grimace. His hair was longer now, and it fell naturally, not gelled up ridiculously. He looked older, he looked better.
His arm rose gently in the air and he waved. Rory snapped back to life, and was able to move again, crossing the road to reach him, she stood in front of him, he looked down at her, completely stunned.
"Rory…" He said in barely a whisper.
"Jess." She said back.
