Jo's POV
I'm sitting in history. The whole room is silent because we are taking a test. The teacher announces we have 15 minutes left.
I hear the door open, so I glance up. I see Jess peak in and then rush quietly to his seat to the left of me.
"Lane," she ignores him.
"Jo," he tries.
"Lane," she shushes him.
"I need a pencil."
"I don't have one," she replies.
"Then I need a pen."
"You only have 15 minutes left," I tell him.
"Then I need the answers."
"There's a pen in my bag," Lane says.
"I can't go through your bag."
"Yes, you can."
"My mother told me never to go through a lady's bag. At least not until you're a couple blocks away."
She ignores him again.
"I'm just kidding. She never said that. Though it sounds like pretty good advice. Doesn't it?"
"Take it and shut up," she says, handing him a pen.
"Boy, I tell you, it's true. Small towns sure are friendly."
He takes out his book and starts writing in it.
--
When Jess and I get home I do my homework and help out a little before going upstairs where Jess and I start going through our music.
"Oh, good, you're both here," Luke says, walking in.
"Hi," I reply.
He stands there for a few seconds before letting out a long sigh.
"So, you file those under the band names?"
"Genre," Jess replies.
"Right. Genre. That makes sense."
"Then band names," I add.
"Right," he repeats.
Jess wanders off and grabs a book, then sits on his bed. Luke follows him over. After some rambling he finally gets to the point.
"I went to see your principal today."
"Huh," Jess replies.
"He says you're flunking out. He says you're not showing up for class," he pauses.
"He says you stole their baseballs," Jess smirks.
"You stole their baseballs? Why would you do that? What could you possibly need 500 baseballs for?"
"Could we talk about this later?"
"Why, you got a big frisbee heist going down at 6?"
They go back and forth.
"What do you wanna be when you grow up?"
"About 20 miles south of wherever you are."
"You have to think about the future. If you don't get through school who's gonna hire you? You're not gonna have any skills."
"Stop."
"How are you gonna work? Huh? How are you gonna eat, pay rent? What're you gonna do, Jess?"
"Jeez, I don't know. Maybe I'll work in a diner," he replies before leaving.
He takes a couple minutes and I keep going through cd's. He sighs again and walks over to me.
"And you," he says.
I look up at him.
"What?" I ask.
He sits down.
"We talked about you too," he says.
He doesn't look happy. Why isn't he happy?
"He tells me your attendance has been almost perfect since you started there, and you're getting almost straight A's," Luke says.
I can tell there's more. What the hell is it?
"But?"
"But... you never participate in class. You don't really talk to the other students. Apparently a few of your teachers were afraid you couldn't talk at all."
I kind of sink into myself, taking a seat across from him.
"He told me you don't have any friends, you sit alone at lunch and do nothing but read... Jo why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"
"I-I don't know. I just- I just, I don't know. Didn't want you to worry?"
"How do you not have friends? You're so nice."
"But you have to talk for people to talk back," I tell him.
"You have Lane, and don't you have Dean?"
"They hang out with people, and... I don't really do, well, people."
"Are people mean? I can talk to the principal again if-"
"No, Luke. I'm fine. I guess, I don't know. I actually enjoy being alone. I just read and do my own thing."
He's quiet for a bit and then sighs again.
"If you're sure..."
I nod.
"Alright. Fine."
--
Luke gets Rory to tutor Jess, which is what's happening now. Though Jess doesn't need a tutor.
She is flipping through his book asking him questions.
"Pick a card," he says.
She takes them all and throws them on the floor.
"Huh, well, that just made the trick a little bit harder."
"Jess, focus," she tells him.
I keep working our last few tables.
--
I close the diner and go upstairs to read, not worried about the two downstairs. That is until Luke gets home. From the bottom of the stairs he calls up, asking if we're home.
"Luke, it's just me."
"Jess and Rory are gone," he tells me.
I run back in and slip on my shoes and look for my jacket. I stop when I hear voices downstairs.
"What's going on? I got here and they weren't here," I hear Luke.
"Jess!" Lorelai yells.
"Hey! Talk to me."
"Jess, answer me right now!"
"What's wrong? What happened?"
I open the door.
"There was an accident," she says.
"An accident?" I echo.
"What accident?" Luke asks.
Lorelai pushes past me.
"Jess!"
"What accident?" Luke repeats.
"Jess was driving Rory's car, and he crashed it."
"He did what?" I yell.
"What? When?" Luke asks.
"What do you mean when? Tonight. He crashed it tonight! Jess! Damn it!" she yells.
I don't stay to hear anymore. I run out of the diner forgetting my coat, and run to the one place I know to find him. I run up to the bridge and see him.
I collapse next to him, pulling him into a tight hug. I pull back looking him over.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
He shakes his head. He tosses his cigarette butt and lights another one. I can see his red, watery eyes. I take his cigarette in one hand and pull him close with the other.
"I made sure she was okay."
"I know, and she is. You did good, Jesse."
This is a rare moment of his being completely vulnerable and letting his walls down. I honestly don't think I've seen him cry since we were in elementary school.
When he calms down I hand him back his cigarette, and light my own. Luke shows up. He doesn't say a word, just walks up and stands there.
"I made sure she was okay," Jess repeats.
"I know you did," Luke says.
He just sits on the other side of Jess and the three of us just sat and watched the water, two of us smoking.
\\ AN // -- All grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections are helpful, encouraged, and greatly appreciated.
Thank you
-- Izzy