Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter!
Jess' Book
Chapter Four
Not Good-Bye, Good Kiss, Bad Bus Ride
Liz told me that the bus left at six. That's exactly why I woke at a four-thirty. My mom was passed out on the couch by then, so it wasn't like she was going to see me off. I showered, changed, and slipped a book in my back pocket as I left. But it's never that easy. No one can leave without saying good-by to someone, even if you've been all alone. By five o'clock, I managed to get to Darren's place. That's where everyone had crashed after the steak house incident. When I the door opened my stomach dropped. It had to be Meri. She had to be the one to open the door. Noticing the duffle on my shoulder, her jaw dropped.
"She's making you leave?"
"Huh, that's what that bag is for?" I asked her sarcastically. It was easier that way; if I made it light the pain wasn't as bad.
"Don't Jess, don't joke. God, I can't believe Liz is making you leave."
"I know. It sucks," I leaned against the door jam and sighed. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the apartment.
"If you wanted me, all you had to do was ask, Meri." I smirked. It was easy to get under her skin.
"What did my previous statement say about joking right now?"
"Not to do it," I answered. I looked at the ground and acted like a young boy who had been caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. In all honesty, I did feel like a child. A lost child. I seemed worldly, but I had never left the state of New York in my life. I didn't want to leave my home, and my friends-my family.
I looked up and searched for her eyes. Understanding. That's what I saw in her. She knew I needed reassurance that everything would be okay. She shut the door, pushed the duffle off my shoulder, and then I felt her lips graze mine. It took me a second to get over the shock, but then I pulled her close to me and kissed her back. At the moment, I hadn't been thinking of anything else but that kiss. I needed something real, something in the moment, and that's what I got. It wasn't urgent, but no one could have said it was the gentlest kiss ever.
After a moment, we left each other breathless. She smiled as she squeezed my arm, and led me to the back room where everyone had crashed for the night. Darren was lying on his bed with Krystal in his arms, while Angel lay in curled up in the beanbag chair in the middle of the room. An empty sleeping bag was also on the floor. Meri would always take the worst accommodations. She never asked much of anyone. Give her a roof over her head and she won't ask for food. Give her some cash and she won't ask for anymore. That's the way she had always been. I can't tell you how many times she had slept in my apartment while her mom had the boyfriends over.
Meri bent down, poked Angel and then shoved Darren to wake him up. Angel was a light sleeper so when she opened her eyes she just smiled and stood up to hug me. Darren was another story. He groaned as Meri and Angel both shoved him again. He only did wake him when Krystal turned and kissed him.
There were never any 'good-byes.' Good-bye meant forever. This wouldn't be forever. I would come back.
When I got on the bus I found the only open widow seat and slipped on my headphones to my portable c.d. player. It had been a birthday present that everyone had chipped in to get. As the sounds of Tool flowed into me ears, I leaned my head against the cold, glass window. Only when someone tapped my shoulder to I turn. There was a blond girl who couldn't have been older than fourteen standing there.
"Can I sit here?" she asked.
I shrugged, "Free country."
"Thanks. You getting shipped off too? My mom thinks I'm getting into too much trouble. Now I have to go live with my grandmother. She's some rich snob or something. Never really met her." I took off my head phones to interrupt her before she launched into her entire life story.
"Do you mind? Some people are trying to ignore others and bask in their psychotic lives. Now, if it's okay with you Ms. Troublemaker, I'm going to go back to listening to my c.d." I put them over my ears and turned the music all the way up because when I looked at her again, she was still rambling.
A few hours later the bus stopped in Stars Hollow. My new home. I climbed off the bus with my duffle over my shoulder. There was a man standing there in a plaid shirt with a backwards baseball cap on his head. He looked as if he didn't even belong.
"Jess?" he questioned me.
"Luke." I said. After a moment he gestured for me to follow him, and I did. I followed him to my new hell.
A/N: I'm sorry for the ever so long delay. It's been so crazy with the move, and boxes, and new school. But I'm planning on working on it much more. What I need to know is the opinions of the readers of this fic who care. I have an idea that will involve more of Meri. I know I want to do a couple of Jess POV of stuff that happened in the show, but then it will turn AU from maybe at a season two point. What do you guys think? Oh, and by the way, if there are any grammar mistakes, please let me know. I'm typing this REALLY late and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Which is bad because I have softball pictures and a game tomorrow.
Also, I'm really happy, 'cause we had to write this poem for class and I got ALL the points possible for it! YAY ME!!!! Okay, I'm almost done. Just hit that little review button, c'mon you know you want to. You want to tell me just how much you love this fic. LOL. Okay, now I'm done. Lata!
