Disclaimer:
I do not own Bridge to Terabithia. It belongs to Katherine Paterson.
Chapter 2
"Hi, my name's Lisa. You must be Jess. I've heard so much about you."
Jess could only stare at her. She looked so much like her. It was almost as if…no. It would be too good to be true. Parting his lips into a smile, he responded,
"It is nice to meet you Lisa. Leslie never told me she had a cousin."
"I heard that you were her first friend ever, and soon became best friends, no?"
"Yeah…but that was a long time ago. She was a very unique person, you know. I don't think I'll ever meet anyone like her again."
His eyes dimmed quite a lot. It took Lisa all her willpower not to just blab and grab him in a hug. But she couldn't. She had to find out if Jess wanted her again or not. Suddenly blushing himself, he said,
"Let me get a change of clothing and I'll come and help you move in."
No Jess, we wouldn't want to bother you", exclaimed a surprised Judy.
"Don't worry Mrs Burke, I've done it before remember. It would also be nice to see the Gold Room again." Turning to Lisa he said,"I could show you around Lark Creek as well."
Eager to catch some alone time with her best friend once again in a long while, she replied,
"That would be wonderful, Jess. I'd love to see where you two used to play."
Shaking his head, Bill interrupted, "No Lisa, that place is dangerous. You know what happened."
"Don't worry Mr Burke. After the…incident, I built a very safe way across the creek. No one will be falling in any time soon, I assure you."
Looking hard at the boy, Bill thought before saying,
"Alright. I trust you. But you'd better make sure nothing does happen, do you hear?" He got a frantic nod in reply. "And I've told you before Jess, call me Bill."
"Yes sir. Let me finish up here and I'll be around later."
Pulling the stubborn cow along with him, Jess dragged it into the field. The Burkes got back in their car and drove off towards their home.
While unpacking, Judy smirked at her daughter and teased, "Rather attractive wasn't he Leslie?"
Blushing furiously, the girl shouted, "MOM!" Laughing at the girl's embarrassment, Judy said,
"Don't mom me young lady, I saw where your eyes were."
Still trying to bring her blush under control, Leslie sighed, "Yes. He really has changed a lot. I just hope that the same cannot be said for the inside though. "Looking at her mother with a sad expression, she said, "His eyes were so sad when I mentioned my real name. It was as if just hearing about me caused him pain. If that's the case, why would he want me back?"
Turning to her daughter, with a serious look, Judy tried to make the girl see sense.
"You know, if you keep hiding the truth from him, it will hit him harder when it comes out. If he really is in pain I could not imagine him not wanting you back. But if you keep up the pretence for too long you might lose him."
Sighing heavily, the girl turned her eyes to the boy in question helping Bill unload tea tables form the lorry with PT yipping at his heels. Her heart ached for him. She'd fallen for him the moment she met him running out in the fields. Back then it was some silly little crush, but as she spent time with him and got to know him, she'd only fallen more for his patience, determination and artistic skills. Then they were separated for five long years and she missed him more and more with each day.
And it was all her fault. Jess had been the sensible one, and had told her of his doubts about the rope and she being the reckless plum, jumped on the frayed rope and ended up bashing her head on a rock. If it weren't for a couple who'd been sitting off a little way downstream, she would not be alive. She couldn't blow any chances after all they both had been through. But did she have any chances at all?
Fixed on her decision, she stated, "I'll tell him the truth soon. But I need to know how he really feels about me. I'll tell him after we go to the woods tomorrow."
Frowning, the mother worried, "I really don't like the idea of you going back there sweetie. You know what happened last time. I don't want to ever go through the same thing again."
"Don't worry mom. Jess has always been an honest person and a boy of his word. If he says he's made a safe path across the creek, then he has done so."
Looking at the boy, who was now approaching the house with Bill invite in for tea, she became determined. Tomorrow she would find out what she wanted to know and then she would reveal her secret.
-- Whilst having tea, Judy asked "So Jess, have any aspirations or anything?"
"I really am not sure Judy. I've always wanted to be a famous artist but I'm going to still need a job. Probably an engineer, given my helping out at the garage downtown. The boss says he's happy to give me some work experience. But I'm still not certain".
"You should follow your dreams Jess" Bill stated seriously. "Never let inconveniences or any despair bar you from achieving success in your life."
"Thanks Bill. I really should be going now."
"No problem my boy. It was a pleasure. Lisa, see him to the front door, please."
Shuffling after the boy, Lisa helped him with his jacket. Before giving a last goodbye, she asked,
"Is that tour of the woods still available?"
"Sure. Meet me at the cow pasture tomorrow morning and we'll walk there together. Night Lisa."
"Night Jess."
As the door closed behind him, the boy smirked sadly, yet gleefully. People really should make sure to do a proper job when it comes to disguises…
Authors Note:
And that's chapter 2. There will be some more fluff in the next chapter. Until then, peace!