Some mild profanity in this chapter.

Chapter 6

"I can't believe she just kissed me. I mean I was about to tell her how I felt and she just kissed me." Jess was still overwhelmed with the events of the day. He saw his best friend for the first time in years, they revisited their childhood sanctuary and both realized their feelings moved beyond friendship.

"I'm happy for you Jess, for you and Les" Kyle said taking a drink. "It's about time too I might add."

"About time?" Jess questioned his friend.

"Yeah, you two have been in love with each other practically since I met you guys."

"That's not true. We were just kids back then, barely in junior high."

"Well, puppy love turned into real love. Anyway, who cares, I'm just glad you two finally crossed that bridge." Jess had to admit he agreed. It seemed like a dream yet it was real. Sure, he dated other girls but it was never serious. It always seemed to fizzle out after a few dates. They weren't Leslie. As happy as he felt doubts began to creep in from the back of his mind.

"Do you think…maybe it's a bad idea?" he asked his friend.

"What?" Kyle looked up from his beer perplexed. "Are you kidding?"

"She lives in Los Angeles. I live here. How can that work?"

"I've been living in a really shitty part of the world Jess and you're both still my friends."

"Kyle, that's not the same."

"Yes it is" Kyle shot back gripping his mug with a vice like grip. His eyes were focused and intense. "Jess, you're thinking too much. California, Virginia it doesn't matter. It's not like you can't talk to each other. Christ, with the internet you could see her every night. Leslie's here now, you can visit her in California or both of you can jump on a plane and go somewhere together."

"I know but being apart isn't good for a relationship. It could all fall apart as soon as we're separated. It's not like guys don't hit on her. Besides maybe she thinks it was all a mistake. She could be regretting the whole thing right now."

"Jess, that's crap and you know it." Kyle fired back as he finished his beer. "Leslie doesn't second guess everything she does. She knows what she wants. This is your chance man. You've got to take it and run with it. Jess…" Kyle closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He appeared exhausted. There was tension across his face that Jess had never seen before. "Jess, life is short. It ends like that" he said with the snap of his fingers. "Leslie could die in California in some damn car accident. How would you feel then? There's no second chances man. You've got to live now." Jess appreciated his friend's honesty. However, the manner in which Kyle was displaying it was starting to scare him. He wasn't drunk; he nursed one beer the entire time they were in Churchill's. Churchill's was a relatively new "pub" that came complete with an authentic British red telephone box. Designed more in the style of an English pub Jess had to admit it felt more relaxed than he imagined a typical bar would be. Still, outside of the phone booth he doubted it shared any other similarities to an actual British pub. He thought it was odd Kyle wanted to come here. It didn't fit his personality. Maybe he picked up drinking in the Marine Corps. Maybe he just felt like it's what they were supposed to do. However, Kyle seemed indifferent to the alcohol. Though he was happy Kyle was listening to him ramble on about his love life he was starting to realize maybe Kyle needed someone to talk to.

As Jess contemplated what to say he noticed a familiar face at another table; a familiar face they already saw once that day. One of the problems with living in a small town was never being able to escape the past. There was always somebody or something waiting to remind you. Jess saw no reason to bring it to Kyle's attention. In high school he feared Scott Brady. Of course he had reason to. As one of the unfortunate souls to attract the bully's attention Kyle endured his share of abuse. He was no coward but Brady was too big, too strong and too mean. Scott was sitting with some friends and seemed oblivious to Jess or Kyle. It seemed foolish to think he would remember them and that was fine with Jess.

"Come on let's get out of here" Jess said grabbing his coat. "I need some real food."

"I could go for some chow" Kyle agreed. As Jess put his coat on he felt his phone vibrate. Just a day earlier he would've checked to see who was calling but odds that he would actually answer were slim. Given the events of the day, however, he retrieved his phone like Wild Bill Hickok drawing down on an adversary. The smile on his face must have been big enough for the whole pub to see.

"Damn, Jess I guess I know who it is" Kyle laughed. "Well, don't keep her waiting." Jess quickly answered as Kyle discreetly excused himself.

While talking to Leslie Jess kept an eye on Kyle. He wandered his way to the bar and had a seat. From the looks of it he only ordered a coffee. Jess sat back down as he became more enthralled in his conversation with Leslie. Apparently several of the family members that planned on being in Lark Creek for the holidays were either stranded in an airport or cancelled their plans altogether. Jess could tell she was relieved. Sometimes extended family could be a pain; Jess understood that all too well. Glancing back to the bar Jess felt a lump in his throat as he saw Scott Brady talking to Kyle; so much for not being recognized. The noise of countless conversations made it impossible for him to hear what was being said. Kyle looked to be making a passive gesture. It was the universal sign of 'I don't want trouble.' The knot in Jess's stomach began to tighten.

"I am in the Marines, I told you that already." Kyle said as the pub suddenly became quiet. The patrons were aware of a possible confrontation. Brady was big, not as muscular as his high school wrestling days but big nonetheless. With his shaved head, all black attire, the shirt being at least one size too small, Scott looked like a bouncer. Even after a couple of years in the Marine Corps Kyle was physically in the bully's shadow.

"You're lying" Scott yelled. It was obvious he had indulged in a few drinks. "No way you could make it in the Marines. I bet you failed the physical. You couldn't handle boot camp. How can you tell lies like that? Trying to pass yourself off as some kind of damn hero."

"Never said I was a hero" Kyle growled back. "But I am a Marine. I earned it. I made it through boot camp, I survived combat. If I'm not mistaken you're the one that failed the physical. Now leave me alone you pathetic jackass!" Kyle screamed. Anybody not aware of the potential hostilities clearly was now. Kyle never took his eyes off Brady but Jess could see him take a step back.

"You son-of-a-bitch I'll kill you!" Scott shouted as he grabbed Kyle's coat. What happened next was something Jess never expected. In a fluid motion Kyle trapped Brady's arm, threw a strike to his nose, a shin to his groin and with Brady hunched over a smashing knee to his face. It lasted only seconds. Kyle stood for a moment over the crumpled heap in front of him. For a moment Jess thought Kyle was going to continue the beating. Instead, he quickly scanned his surroundings then bolted out of the pub. Jess felt like he just watched a scene from a movie. The moment was so surreal he inadvertently hung up on Leslie. Once he snapped out of it he hurried out of the bar to find his friend.

"I don't know where he could've gone," Jess said as he looked over at Leslie. "It's been hours and this isn't exactly a big town." After picking her up the two scoured the town hoping to find their friend.

"He's on foot. There's only so much ground he can cover. Don't worry Jess we'll find him." She reached out and stroked his shoulder reassuringly. "Do you think the police are looking for him?"

"I don't know. I guess I mean you can't just beat the crap out of someone even if they deserved it."

"From what you said Scott made the first move."

"Yeah, and he deserved what he got. But Kyle may have gone a bit overboard."

"It's hard to imagine Kyle doing that. I don't think I would've believed it if you hadn't been there. It doesn't fit him. At least not the Kyle we used to know."

"What do you mean?" Jess found the comment strange. All three of them had been apart for the last several years but Kyle was the one constant. One fight didn't change him.

"Jess, haven't you noticed something…different about Kyle?"

"He defended himself Leslie. He didn't go looking for the fight."
"That's not what I'm talking about," she said staring out the car window. "When I was talking with him at Murphy's before you arrived. The way he talked was different. He was very insistent about you and me not drifting apart. He kept going on about how life is short." Jess experienced a moment of déjà vu.

"Sounds like the conversation I had with him before all this happened. He said life ends like that," Jess said snapping his fingers. "That there are no second chances, to live now."

"That's eerie jess," Leslie said growing more worried. "We've got to find him."

"I know but where would he go?" Leslie thought about Terabithia. She and Jess created it to find refuge, a place to go when nothing made sense. Kyle never knew about it but she remembered a place he mentioned years ago. In high school he used to love taking walks in the evening by himself. Primarily it was a winter habit for him but the walks always ended up in the same place. He found comfort there, solace.

"I know where he is."