Disclaimer: I do not own Bridge to Terabithia.
(AN: This chapter introduces new characters that may seem unimportant now but they will later have important rolls in the story.
Leslie Anne Burke did not want to go to school. It wasn't because she hated school it wasn't because the kids there called her 'cave girl' or because her arithmetic teacher was out to get her expelled.
It was because of Jess.
Leslie has a total of 1 and half friends at lark creek elementary, Janice Avery being the half, and Jesse being the one. The reason Leslie wanted to stay home from school was because of Jess a couple of days ago he had fallen into a creek and hit his head, and because he hit his head he went blind.
She just couldn't stand the feeling of leaving him there scared and alone. No, Jess wouldn't feel that way that's how she would feel like when she, no she wouldn't think about that now.
Right now she would just concentrate on finishing her lunch before the period was over. One thing that had Leslie very scared was Scott Hoagar and Gary Fulcher, and what would they do once Jess got back in school, which was another thing she was scared of.
She was scared for Jesse; because the last time she saw him there seemed to be a certain type of hopelessness in his eyes. She remembered, long ago when that same look was in her eyes.
12:30 pm, Thursday, November 20th.
Jesse and Mary Aarons were driving. They weren't just driving they were driving to the book store, they were going to do something very important for Jesse. Mary was in the drivers seat Jesse was in the passengers and all his books were in the back. The Lord of the Ring's, the Harry Potter's, the Narnia's, The Outsiders, The Shadow Children Sequence, the Dark Tower's, all the books Leslie gave him he was going to exchange for audio books.
Jess didn't want to do it but he had no choice, it was exchange the books or never read them again. Maybe he would have had an easier time with if it was Leslie's voice on the tapes, because when Leslie reads books to you the whole thing would just come alive, inside his head like a projector at the drive in.
Jess felt the car stop. He heard his mother shift the gear into park, we must be here Jess thought to himself. He opened the door and flipped open his cane, and began to guide himself to the door.
During the summer, Bill had taken Jess and Leslie to this book store. It was called the Book Loft and it was HUGE not the Barnes and Nobles kind of huge, but it was like a corn maze every wall was covered with books and they were all arranged by author.
Jesse sighed and let his mother take him to the front desk where he heard her put the books on the counter causing his glasses to bounce. "hello I'd like to exchange these for audio cassettes," Mrs. Aarons said politely.
"sure thing," the female clerk said and left to get the audio books. Jess felt his mother put a hand on his shoulder and he wished Leslie was with him.
The women came back with the cassettes and placed them on the counter, "that'll be 38.50," the women said tartly, Jesse winced at the price. He did not know it was going to be that much, he shuddered to think of his hospital bills.
Normally, he and Leslie would have stayed and looked at books for hours on end but not now for two reasons. One Jess couldn't look at anything anymore and two Leslie wasn't with him.
Jess and Mary left the store and got back in the car where they drove to an ice cream parlor and got a couple milkshakes. Vanilla for Jess chocolate for Mary they ate in silence Jess was itching to ask the question that had been bothering him all day.
"Mom, can I go to school tomorrow," he said it in such a rush he wasn't sure if it was coherent.
There was another long awkward silence until Mary finally answered, "Jess I don't think you should go tomorrow," Jess sighed audibly, "I just don't think your ready honey," she added earnestly.
"Well mom, I think I know what im ready for and what im not," Jesse shot back, very angry. Couldn't she see he just wanted to get on with his life, as normally as he could. "listen mom, he said, more calmly "tomorrow is Friday, Everyone is going to be taking tests. While there taking tests, I can work on my homework with the special ed teacher, that way I won't have so much over the weekend," he reasoned. Jesse felt his words had an impact he did have logic behind his words.
His mother sighed. She knew that she couldn't possibly imagine what he was going through, "all right, Jesse ill think about it ok," she said gently placing a hand on his knee.
Jesse really wished he could see, that way he could glare at her, "fine whatever," he spat.
"Hey," she said tensely, "I really will think about it," she said meaning it.
Jesse sighed, "all right," they packed up their stuff and headed towards the rental car to go home.
2:33 p.m. Thursday November 20th
"Come on you queers lets go," 18 year old Evan Doberman, shouted from his car.
"I'm coming man," said Colin his blond headed friend who was in 11th grade.
"Wait for us," said Dean Lyric a token black 12th grader.
"And me," Jason gasped getting into the car.
"Took you guys long enough, sheesh grass grows quicker then you guys," said Evan shifting his car into drive.
"Just go," Colin said impatiently from the passengers seat.
no sooner then the words leave Colin's mouth did Evan floor it. They were speeding down the parking lot of the high school and onto the highway. Evan was going 40,50, 60,!
Just then red and blue lights flashed in Evans rearview mirror he pulled over as the cop did the same. "Shit," Evan muttered as he hastily put his seatbelt on.
The cop walked over to the drivers side. Evan recognized him as Detective Hoffman his next door neighbor, "you have any idea how fast you were going," the cop asked
"uhh, no sir," Evan said nervous.
"I clocked you going 60 miles an hour over twice the legal speed limit," the cop said officially.
Evan had to think fast as he handed over his license and registration, he had only one idea in mind, "im really sorry sir, its my eighteenth birthday today, and I guess I got a little to hyped up," Evan said awkwardly.
The cop sighed "almightily let you off this time Evan just please if your gonna drive over the speed limit do it somewhere where there isn't a cop," Hoffman joked.
"yes sir," Evan stuttered, the cop walked back to his patrol car and drove in the other direction. Evan gave a sigh of relief looked to Colin, Dean, and Jason. "What a faggot," Evan laughed and sped off towards his house.
1:05 p.m. Thursday November 20th
Leslie was rubbing her temples. She had a major migraine, she really wanted to go home to see Jess. He had to be anxious and Leslie wouldn't blame him.
Mrs. Abbott was passing out there notebooks having collected them recently she placed Leslie's on her desk. The book had a large red A+ on it causing Leslie to smile in spite of her anxiety. At least one good thing happened today.
Wanda Kay Moore who sat in front of Leslie was leaning on her chairs back legs against Leslie's desk with no other support. Wanda snatched Leslie's notebook and looked at it. Leslie could see Wanda's notebook and saw it had a B- on it, causing her to grin.
Wanda scowled at her "Know-It-All," she sneered.
"Moron," Leslie replied and pulled her desk towards her, causing Wanda to fall back on the ground and the class to erupt in laughter.
"Enough," Mrs. Abbott bellowed, "Leslie Burke, hallway," she thundered.
There were several "ooooooo's" as Leslie went outside the door, she rolled her eyes at them.
Leslie leaned against the lockers, bored. The period ended at 1:45, and Leslie knew that Mrs. Abbott would keep her out here all period, and then make her late for her next class, like she does every time.
The thing was Leslie didn't feel so good. Her skin felt cold, her head felt light, her eyes hurt, and her throat seemed to be constricting her. Constricting her so bad she could hardly breath, in fact she was finding it very hard to breath she was holding her throat trying to let one breath escape. And then darkness took over her.
Leslie Burke fell to the floor.
AN: cliffhanger what can I say leslies hiding something from Jess. Sorry for the slow update ive been grounded thank you all who gave reviews.
R&R
