Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the story Bridge to Terabithia

I am just a fan of one of the most emotionally powerful books that I have ever read.

The Phone Call

Chapter 8

Jesse passed the sixth grade easily with Leslie's help. In fact he had become one of the top students in the class, thanks again to Leslie. She had a way of pushing him to do better than he had been accustomed to, and she made learning fun for him. Before Leslie came into his life, getting C's on his report card would have had him breathe a sigh of relief and left him feeling content and happy with himself, but now anything less than an A would attract a disappointed glare from Leslie. So Jesse, not wanting to disappoint his friend, worked very hard to gain her approval.

The summer vacation after sixth grade was long and hot, Jesse suffered those long hot days in the heavy casts that covered half of his body. Leslie managed to spend most of her free time with him; she made those summer months tolerable for Jesse. She had taken on most of Jesse's care during the daytime hours, much to the appreciation of Brenda and Ellie. They had feared that they would have been made Jesse's slaves during those summer months; caring for him while their parents were at work or busy with chores, chores which Brenda and Ellie also had an uncanny talent of avoiding.

At first there were some reservations and embarrassment about Leslie helping with Jesse's personal care, but since Leslie had proven herself beyond a doubt to Jesse's parents as to her abilities they soon worked out the details of his care. Jesse's embarrassment over Leslie aiding him in such personal matters soon abated. His closeness with his friend and her matter of fact approach to the subject made him feel at ease. Before long Jesse became quite comfortable with Leslie's help and soon he preferred to have her care for him to anyone else.

Mid way through the summer Leslie went away for two weeks with her parents, vacationing. It was a Burke family tradition from several years back when Bill and Judy promised Leslie that they would set aside two weeks in the summer to get away from everything; including and especially work. It was a time to just have fun and be together as a family. For Jesse, however, It was the longest two weeks of his life. Time seemed to stand still, and having Brenda and Ellie care for him was pure torture. But the weeks did pass, and finally to his great relief he and Leslie were back together again.

Jesse healed quickly and by the end of the summer, and just before seventh grade began, he was pretty much mended. He still needed plenty of physical therapy before he was completely healed, but he had started taking short walks with Leslie, and was promised that he would soon be able to start running again. Things were slowly getting back to normal and his spirits were high.

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months and the months into years, Jesse and Leslie remained close friends. They weren't like boyfriend and girlfriend. They weren't all moon eyed and hand holding, they were best friends, it was as if they shared a soul. The other kids thought of them as a couple though and their names became like one name. Jesse and Leslie or Leslie and Jesse, it was rare to say one with out the other since they were usually together. By the end of the seventh grade they had earned the nickname Jesslie. So it was no surprise that no one had approached either one of them to ask them out on a date, or openly flirt with them. Jess and Leslie never really thought about it one way or the other; and still they denied being boyfriend and girlfriend.

Then in the early spring of their eighth grade year, the big spring fling was approaching. An annual event that was the highlight of the eighth grade, and over the years everyone in the eighth grade had attended; this year would be no different. Jesse didn't concern himself with it, he assumed that he and Leslie would find something else more fun to do then attend a stuffy old school dance. But what if Leslie wanted to go he wondered. Naw he told himself, she's not interested in that kinda stuff, but she has mentioned it, and she's talked about it a little bit; so just in case, he thought to himself, I should ask her what she thinks about it.

Jesse waited too long to ask Leslie. A new boy in town who didn't know the history of Jesslie asked Leslie if she would like to go to the dance with him. Leslie accepted the invitation thinking that she and Jesse were just best friends, much to her disappointment. She had been hoping Jesse would ask her, but he hadn't seemed interested in going to the dance. Even after she had dropped a few hints about it Jesse acted disinterested, he'd get all nervous and quiet and then change the subject. When she told Jesse she was going to the dance with another boy Jesse just stared at her, a look of shock in his eyes.

"What's the matter Jess?" She asked innocently.

"You're going to the dance with Dylan?" He croaked, he was unsure what he was feeling right then, but it stung him sharp in the gut, and it sent a shiver up his spine.

"Yes," she said, " he asked me. Is there something wrong?"

"But we always…we always do things together," he protested, he bit his lip nervously, he sounded like a whining child.

"That's only because nobody's asked either one of us to go on a date before." She said softly and smiled slyly at him, teasing him, then she continued, "we've always said we're best friends, not boyfriend girlfriend: remember."

"Yeah…but...but…" then he stopped himself before saying more. What's the difference? He thought to himself.

"Are you jealous Jesse?" she asked him, she was secretly hoping that he was and that he would protest more aggressively and ask her to go to the dance with him instead.

"Me? No...I ah...I mean...A date Leslie!?"

"Jess why don't you ask someone and come to the dance with us." Damn why did I say that? She thought. She was blowing it; maybe Jesse really does just want to be friends.

"No," he said, feeling stupid now that he had over reacted, "you go and have a good time." He pushed his feelings deep down; he tried his best to not show how hurt he really was. The pain he was feeling right now was to him far worse then the pain that he had felt two years ago when he was in the hospital after falling from that tree. It was a different kind of pain but pain none the less, and it was far worse then any physical pain he had ever experienced.

Believing that Jesse truly wanted to be nothing more then good friends; Leslie abandoned any thoughts of them as a couple.

Over the next several weeks other boys asked Leslie out on dates. She was becoming quite popular now that the boys realized Jesse and Leslie weren't a couple. Who could blame them, Leslie was very pretty, beautiful in fact, and her beauty was more then just skin deep. Leslie had a difficult time saying no to dates even if she had no interest in the boy asking her out. She was just too nice, so she would wind up going on dates with whoever asked her. Secretly she still wished Jesse would ask her out on a date, or better yet ask her to be his girlfriend, but they were just friends, she knew that now, and that was how Jesse wanted it to be. She hated it, but she accepted it. Sometimes she would cry at night after a date wishing it were Jesse that she had been out with instead some other boy. She tried to stop thinking of him in that way, and even though she did have fun with most of the boys she dated none of them measured up to Jesse.

Friday and Saturday nights were often long and lonely for Jesse. Leslie was usually out on a date with some guy that Jesse hated. Hated for no other reason then they were out on a date with: his girlfriend. Resigned to the belief that he and Leslie were just plain friends, Jesse asked a girl that had been flirting with him out on a date. The girl was very pretty and smart, like Leslie, and very nice too, she was kind of fun to be with, and she adored Jesse. She would stare at him with big soft eyes that made him uncomfortable. All he could see in her eyes was Leslie. He just couldn't shake the feeling that he had betrayed Leslie in some way. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Every time he'd look into the girls eyes all could see was Leslie looking back at him. He felt sick inside, he felt guilty of some awful crime. So he told the girl he wasn't feeling well, and he took her home early. Then he dragged himself home, walking slowly, taking the long way around so he could avoid going by Leslie's house. When he got home he spent the remainder of the evening sketching pictures of Leslie, and missing her.

After that night he avoided anything that approached becoming a possible date, in other words he steered away from any girls he thought were even remotely flirting with him. It left him feeling uncomfortable and guilty, and even though Leslie herself was dating it didn't matter, he couldn't help thinking of her as his girlfriend. Why can't I tell her how I feel about her, he'd ask himself from time to time, then he'd scold himself for being so stupid.

Several weeks went by like this, Leslie was out on a date and Jesse would be home alone moping about waiting for Saturday morning when they would be together again. These times were rather tense at first, Leslie would want to talk about her date of the night before or about some boy that had asked her out for Saturday night. Leslie soon realized that this was a sore subject and dropped it, but she couldn't help but wonder why? If Jesse didn't want to be her boyfriend why would he care about who she dated, perhaps he does like her in that way she thought, and it gave her hope.

Then one Saturday night Brenda was camped out on the living room couch watching TV. It was an rare site to see Brenda home without a date herself on a Saturday night, and since the rest of the Aarons family was out of the house for the evening Jesse wished Brenda would go away too, so he could be alone.

He had closed himself up in his room with his sketchpad out, but all he did was stare at the blank page. He would always wind up sketching pictures of Leslie and it made him miss her even more. He tried to think of something else to draw but his thoughts turned each time to Leslie. Then taking a break from his sketchpad he headed downstairs to get himself a snack and something to drink. As he passed through the living room on his way to the kitchen, Brenda looked up, she noticed a deep sadness about him and she further noticed that he was without his other half.

"Where's Leslie?" She asked him, dividing her attention between him and the TV.

"On a date with some guy," he said, sounding bitter, although he tried not to.

"A date?" she exclaimed, her attention was torn from the TV; she gawked at him in disbelief, "I thought you two were a couple or something. Like married," she said and laughed to herself.

"No," he said with a sigh, "we're just good friends is all. She can date whomever she wants to."

"You know you don't sound very convincing Jesse. I think you're jealous."

"No I'm not!" He said, with more force then he intended.

" oow…" she cooed, "The boy doth protest too much methinks."

"Huh?"

"You're jealous Jess, admit it."

"No I'm not… we're just friends is all."

"Jess you two are like totally in love. The way you look at each other, why-it's...it's revolting." she said, feigning a look of disgust.

"Well I'm not jealous."

"Yes you are Jesse. I'm not stupid," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Just leave me alone ok," he said, trying to convince himself that what he was saying was true. "I'm just gonna to have to get use to Leslie dating that's all."

"Why don't you ask her out on a date yourself?" Brenda asked, sincerely.

"I can't do that," Jess said, he looked at Brenda like she had suggested committing a crime or something.

"Why not?"

"Because we're just friends and that's all. That's how Leslie wants it."

"Ok, have it your way," she said, looking back at the TV, "but I think you're making a big mistake."

Just then the phone rang; Brenda grabbed it and answered expecting to hear one of her friends on the other end.

"Hello, um...ok yeah he's here," she looked over at Jess.

"It's your girlfriend," she said, with a smug little smile as she handed him the phone.

"She's not my girlfriend," he protested as he took the phone from Brenda.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," she said and went back to her TV show.

"Hello," Jess answered, it was Leslie, she was crying.

"Jess?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Can you come get me please?" She sniffed, "I'm at the movie theatre on Main Street."

"What's wrong?"

"Just come please."

"That's over two miles away Leslie, it'll take me a while to get there…" Then looking over at Brenda he said, "Oh wait, Brenda's here, maybe she'll give me a ride, just a sec."

He muffled the phone and asked Brenda, "Brenda will you please drive me to the theatre on Main Street to pick up Leslie?" Jesse eyes pleaded with her. He looked distressed and it concerned Brenda.

"What's the matter?" she asked, trying not to look like she cared even though she did.

"I don't know she just wants me to come."

"Ok, I'll give you a ride; but you owe me."

"Thanks," he said to Brenda, then to Leslie he said, "Brenda's gonna give me a ride. I'll be there in a few."

"Ok, thanks Jess...bye." She said sniffling as she hung up the phone.

"Bye Leslie," he was beside himself with worry. He couldn't get to her fast enough. He grabbed a jacket and raced out to the car trying to hurry Brenda along. Brenda acted nonchalant and indifferent, but deep down she was worried.

Jesse found Leslie in the lobby of the theatre. She was off to one side and hiding in the shadows, he went up to her and when he was a few feet away from her she flew to him like he was a magnet and she were steel. She wrapped her arms around his neck melting into him and sobbing on his shoulder. Jesse stood there stunned, his arms at his sides. Slowly he reached up and wrapped his arms around her and embraced her. He held her tightly as she sobbed, feeling her body against his own, she was trembling and heaving in great sobs. He had never really hugged her before, let alone held her like this. It was electrifying.

"What's the matter Leslie?" he asked, overwrought with concern.

"Boys can be real pigs," she sobbed, and continued crying on Jesse's shoulder. She began to calm down a bit as Jesse comforted her and cooed in her ear that it was all right and that he was here for her. Then with her head still laid on his shoulder she made up her mind as to what she needed to do. She whispered in his ear soft and gentle, but confidently, "Jesse…" she said, "I want you to be my boyfriend." It was like a proclamation from the queen, more like a command then a request. It was a command that Jesse was eager to comply with. The words shot through his brain like a bolt of lightening. No other combination of words had ever had the impact that those words had on him at that moment. He was euphoric, lightheaded, and giddy, he never wanted to let her go. He knew he loved her, but now he realized that he was in love with her. It was as it should be. They were truly one. They were truly Jesslie.

"Yes, Leslie, yes," he whispered in her ear. Now they were both sobbing. After that night their relationship grew even closer then before. It was a comfortable union of mutual love and affection for one another. Neither one of them had any interest in anyone else as far as matters of the heart were concerned.