Chapter 19: Jesse or Justin, for love or for the money?
"Liz, wait!" Jesse called after Liz.
"Why should I!" Liz growled.
"Liz, what's wrong!"
Liz stopped, and then turned around. "What's wrong! I'll tell you what's wrong! YOU AND YOUR SECRETS! Why do you have to keep so much from me!"
"Liz, please! Everyone has secrets!"
"You have way too much!" Liz was now in tears.
"Liz, please, if we can just talk about—"
"There is nothing, absolutely nothing to talk about, Jesse!"
"Liz, I'm sorry for all the secrets. I really am. But if you could only under—"
"That I can't do, until I learn your secrets." Liz said softly.
"Liz, I'm very sorry."
"Just get out of here, Jesse Tuck." Liz whispered harshly.
Jesse was taken aback. "Wh-what!"
"I appreciate the thought of coming back to see me, but—I can't deal with your secrets anymore. It's best if you left town, and we never each other again. I'm sorry, Jesse."
She had said that so delicately, to make sure each and every one of her words came out right...
"Liz, can we talk about this?"
Liz shook her head.
"Liz, please if I can just exp—"
"There is nothing you can do to change my mind."
Jesse knew he had to tell Liz. "There is one thing." he said softly.
Now Liz was listening!
"Liz, the reason why—"
"Liz!" a voice interrupted from behind. "Liz, there you are, sweetie!"
It was a man no other than Justin Atkinson, big-shot to-be lawyer who went to Yale, heir to possible more than a million dollars. He kissed Liz lightly on the cheek. "Hey, we're gonna miss dinner!"
Liz managed an apologetic smile at Jesse. "Come on, Jess. You can join us."
Hey, why not? "Okay, I will. But I just remembered—I left my Harley-Davidson near Winnie's grave. I'm gonna go get it, okay?"
Liz looked worried, even untrusting. "Jesse, if you leave—"
"I won't." Jesse replied. "I won't leave you, Liz Prescott."
Those words had come from the heart, and Liz pretty much flinched, and then turned to Justin.
Justin was now suspicious. Was there something going on between Elizabeth Prescott, the woman he loved and wished to spend the rest of his life with and this 'Jesse Tuck', some scruffy guy with a motorcycle who appeared out of the blue?
"Liz, what's going on between you and Jesse Tuck?" Justin asked Liz, who was already in bed. Their bed. They hadn't had sex yet, mainly because of Justin being raised a good Catholic, but they did sleep in the same bed.
"Nothing," Liz claimed, "nothing is going on between us, Justin!"
"Look, what exactly happened between you two...I mean, years ago?"
Liz took a deep breath. "We used to see each other, but then he left Treegap."
"You're still in love with him, aren't you!"
"No!" Liz shouted in outrage. "Justin, why are you so jealous!"
"Look me straight in the eye, and tell me you don't love Jesse Tuck." Justin said in a very, very serious tone.
Liz stared directly into her fiancé's eyes. "I don't love Jesse Tuck."
Justin sighed in relief. "Okay," he said, smiling. "I believe you."
Then he kissed her ever so sweetly. Poor guy, he had asked the wrong question. Liz didn't love Jesse, but yes, she did have feelings for him!
"Tomorrow's out wedding!" Justin exclaimed. "I can't wait, we're gonna be married!"
Liz managed a smile. "Yeah, I've been waiting for our wedding day ever since you proposed to me."
"No, since you accepted," Justin corrected, "It took you like a whole week to say yes!"
Liz laughed. "Yeah, I guess so."
It was true, she had not been sure if she was truly in love with Justin when he proposed to her. They weren't on the same page, anyways. Liz hadn't taken their relationship so seriously, but hey, if Justin cared about her that much, why not? If only she knew that Jesse Tuck was to come back to see her...
I do still like Jesse! Liz realized.
Someone knocked on Liz and Justin's bedroom door. Liz quickly went to answer it. It was Jesse.
"Hi, Liz! I was wondering, can I stay here at your house? I didn't exactly feel like asking your parents—"
Then he noticed Justin. "Oh, hi Justin."
Justin gave Jesse a small wave.
"Um...I think it's okay." Liz answered politely, "There's a room next to the bathroom that's unoccupied. You can spend the night there, and hopefully we could find you a decent inn."
"Thanks."
Jessie was about to leave, when Liz called "Justie!"
And you would not know how much Justie sounded like Jesse.
"Yes!" Jesse and Justin answered at the same time.
Liz giggled. "No, no, Jesse, I didn't call your name."
"She said Justie!" murmured.
"Right." Embarrassed, Jesse left the room quickly, slamming the door. He had done it again. It was strike two. He had let go of Liz as he had let go of Winnie. He should've told Liz his secret the day he was leaving, so she would've come along with him. But as much as he lamented the fact, he couldn't change it. Jesse was not a believer in fate, but what good is it even if fate didn't exist? There was no way to go back in time and stop himself!
Back in Liz' bedroom, Liz lay on her bed, wide awake. I can't believe this, she thought; I can't believe that of all times, Jesse Tuck had to come back now!
Liz now realized that she had only accepted Justin's proposal so she can get her mind off of Jesse, so she can start a new leaf.
A/N: Yes, I know, this is just like "The Notebook". It was accidental though, I wasn't even THINKING about that movie while I was writing this!
So now what was Liz Prescott, a young woman of 19 years going to do? Was she going to give up on her dream to be with Jesse, her first and only true love and get married to Justin Atkinson? As long as she was concerned, her feelings for Jesse were greater than the feelings for Justin. He was sweet, and he truly loved her, but when it came between him and Jesse, Jesse was the choice. But the wedding...everyone had worked so hard for the wedding...
What should I do, Jesse? She thought, what should I do that would make it right?
Then the thought occurred—did she love Jesse? Did Jesse love her!
She knew Justin loved her, he loved her more than anything else in the world, and that mere thought made Elizabeth Prescott gravely guilty. So who should she choose, Jesse or Justin? She knew Justin would be able to support her more, financially, that is. Like Liz, Justin was also an heir to a fortune—the Atkinson fortune. The Atkinsons were a huge extended family, and the fortune had to be worth a great deal.
So there was Justin, offering her millions of sacks full of money, and then there was Jesse, who could offer her nothing but his love. That is, if he did love her.
So what was it going to be, for love or for the money?