Disclaimer: I don't and will never own BtT. I also don't own Miley Cyrus' song, 'Goodbye'. If you haven't heard of this song, then please spare a time, like three minutes or so because this song is really beautiful.
a/n: This story's a bit long because of the conversations, but I hope you'll like it and leave a review anyway.
Goodbye
"Leslie, you're alarm's ringing for the third time this morning." Judy Burke said from outside.
Leslie groggily woke up. She tilted her head on the left and saw that she only had thirty minutes more to prepare for school. Normally, she'd wake up an hour and a half before going to school.
"I don't think I'm going mom. I feel sick…" She told Judy.
Ever since they moved to New York, Leslie stopped calling her parents by their first names and called them mom and dad.
She heard her mom come from upstairs and into her room. "What are you feeling?" She worriedly asked.
"My head hurts…" Leslie said.
Judy touched her forehead. "You certainly aren't hot. Maybe it's from yesterday's trip."
Leslie recalled their hike yesterday. "Yeah, probably…"
Then it hit Judy. It had been the day they left Lark Creek today. It had been a year.
"Okay then… Just tell me if you need anything, okay?"
"Okay mom."
"I'll leave your breakfast on the table. Your dad and I will be going to the mall to buy some groceries. I'll bring PT in so you won't get bored." Judy said with a smile.
After a little while, she came back with the small, hairy dog. PT immediately jumped on Leslie's lap, as if he hadn't seen her in ages.
"Good boy." Leslie patted PT's head.
"We'll be back in, um, I think two hours or so. We still have to get something from your Uncle Danny and you know, do some chit-chatting while we're there."
"Okay mom."
"You sure you'll be okay alone?" She asked her daughter once more.
Leslie rolled her eyes and smiled. "Mom, I'm like sixteen and a half already? Don't worry, PT's here to guard me. Right boy?"
PT barked in response and wagged his tail.
"Hmm. He certainly does make a good body guard. Well, we'll be going now."
"Bye mom."
Judy then closed the door behind her and Leslie heard her descending footsteps.
I can honestly say, you've been on my mind
Since I woke up today, up today
I look at your photograph all the time
These memories come back to life
And I don't mind
"It's been a year, right PT?" Leslie talked to the dog beside her. It was as if he understood and snuggled on Leslie's leg.
"I know… I miss him too. I miss Lark Creek. I miss Terabithia. I miss him…"
She took a photo frame from her nightstand. It was a picture of them on a snowy day. Their eyes were sparkling. They were in love.
Some said they were too young to actually fall in love, but, they really were. Or maybe still are.
It always made her cringe every time she thought about him. Waves of memories would just come crashing down on her every time she recalled their playtimes in their haven, and the memories that were very special.
I remember when we kissed
I still feel it on my lips
The time that you danced with me
With no music playing
"I… I love you Leslie…" Jess stuttered. Finally, he got it out of his system and said it at last to her.
Leslie stood wide eyed. Did she hear him right?
"R-Really?"
"Yeah… Do you… like me too?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed.
Jess smiled like he had never smiled before. Although it was raining and a storm was coming, he felt the need to go to Terabithia.
"Wanna go to Terabithia? There's something I want to show you, but I guess it's been destroyed by the rain." He told her. Leslie shook her hand and grabbed his hand as they started walking to the bridge.
As they reached the tree house, Leslie gasped as she saw roses of different colors laid on the ground underneath the tree house.
"I didn't know it would rain today. The Terabithians must've forgotten to tell me." Jess smiled.
"It doesn't matter Jess. I love it."
Jess scratched his head and didn't know what to do next. Of course he had seen lots of this in TV, but he never expected this to happen to him in real life.
"… So?" Leslie said.
"Hmm?" Jess replied. He really didn't know what to say next.
"You dufus!" Leslie grinned. "Don't you know what's supposed to happen next?" She asked him.
"Uh, no?"
"You," she started, walking towards him,
"have," she said next, as she looked at him straight in the eyes, "to," the tip of their noses were touching now, "kiss the girl," she said last, as she closed her eyes and kissed him.
But I remember those simple things
I remember 'til I cry
But the one thing I wish I'd forget
The memory I wanna forget
Is goodbye
"We're… moving away…" She told him. It killed her to see his face so crushed.
She saw in him that he was trying hard not to break down. "Where?"
"New York." She answered.
She couldn't bear to look at him, so she bowed her head.
Jess was silent for a while, and he spoke again. "Is it gonna be short-term, just like last time?"
It broke her to feel some hope in him. No matter how much she wanted to say yes… If only she could.
"No…"
Leslie wiped her tears. No matter how much she tried to block that memory, it would just keep reappearing in her thoughts.
I woke up this morning and played our song
And throwing my tears, I sang along
I picked up the phone and then put it down
'Cause I know I'm wasting my time
And I don't mind
She got her iPod on her desk and turned it on. The first to be in the play list was their song…
Tears welled up in her eyes, but still, she sang along, no matter how much it had hurt. He and Jess used to listen to this a hundred times, at school and Terabithia. So many memories…
Suddenly, she felt the urge to call someone.
She removed the earphones from her ears and grabbed the telephone. She was just about to punch the numbers when she realized something.
"I'm just wasting my time…" She told herself... It would only make things harder for her, yet somehow, she didn't mind.
Suddenly my cell phone's blowing up
With your ringtone
I hesitate but answer it anyway
You sound so alone
And I'm surprised to hear you say
Leslie's cell phone rang loudly. But what surprised her was the ringtone.
It was Jesse's ringtone.
She gulped and suddenly felt nervous.
"Should I answer it, PT?"
PT barked, as if wanting to say yes.
She picked up it up and placed it on her ear.
"Hello?" Expecting to maybe hear someone else, like May Belle.
"… Hey…"
"Hi Jess… Um, what's up?"
"How are you?" He asked her.
I feel lonely, you dope!
"I'm fine…" She lied.
"… Are you at school?"
"No…"
"Why? Are you sick?"
"No…"
"Okay…"
Both fell silent for a while, when Jess spoke up again.
"You know, it's been a year… I… I miss you…"
She cringed. Why did he have to tell her? It's not like she didn't know.
"I miss you too." She said. She couldn't bear it now. She started crying.
You remember when we kissed
You still feel it on your lips
"I remember the first time we kissed… Somehow, that feeling's still lingering in my lips."
The time that you danced with me
With no music playing
"I remember the time we danced at Terabithia, because we didn't want to go to the school's dance. We didn't have any sound equipment, but all we had to do was imagine."
Leslie bit her lip. "Stop it Jess…" She wanted him to stop because it hurt.
You remember the simple things
We talked 'til we cried
"I remember how our fingers intertwined as our lips touched." He said, sounding like true king. A romantic but depressed one.
"I've always remembered everything about us… Everyday, every hour, every minute of the day." He said, crying himself.
You said that your biggest regret
"But I hate myself for being a coward. The biggest regret that I have was saying goodbye to you. I was too weak to try a long distance relationship. I was afraid to get hurt. I just wanted to forget Terabithia and you when you left, but I couldn't. I didn't want to. And that hurts more."
The one thing you wish I'd forget
"I don't want you to try and forget me too, but I do want you to forget the day we said goodbye.
Is saying goodbye
"I shouldn't have let you go that easily. I'm sorry for saying goodbye first." He said, his voice cracking.
But she had her fault too.
"Jess… I should be sorry too. I'm sorry not trying to stop you."
He didn't know what to say next, just like what happened during the first time he brought her to Terabithia after confessing his feelings.
"Visit Lark Creek this Christmas?" He suddenly said.
"I'll try…" I'm sure dad wouldn't mind driving me there.
They fell silent again.
Jess mustered the courage to ask her.
"Do you still love me?" He asked her.
She sniffed unexpectedly. Another tear slid from her eye.
"I never did stop."
"… Thanks."
"Yeah…"
For the third time…
"Les?"
"Hmm?"
"Happy Valentines."
She smiled. That's why it was painful to remember, because they said goodbye on Valentine's day.
"Happy Valentines too Jess."
She heard someone call him. It must be Mrs. Aarons, she thought.
"I've to go…"
"Me too, mom's knocking on the door." She lied.
"Liar." He laughed.
"You know me too well." She said.
"So… goodbye… I've regretted saying goodbye to you already."
"Me too."
He hesitated to say, but did anyway, knowing that Leslie wouldn't refuse.
"Call you sometime soon?"
"Sure."
"… Bye, Les…"
Even though she didn't want to,
"Goodbye, Jess."
a/n: Ahh, I had this on my head for a few days now... A darn plot bunny bit me again. I'm sorry if it's not that descriptive, in their conversations I mean. Please review!
