12 Jesse IRL

Life is so not looking up.

"This is my fiance, Jesse Vaughn. He's a lawyer. Jesse, this is my sister, Vanessa, and her best friend Matthew."

Jesse grins at me, "Vanessa?!" as I mutely stand there.

"You know each other?"

Jesse shrugs vaguely, "We've met."

"Where-where did uh, you two...meet?" I ask

"Remember those accounting classes I was taking last year? We were in the same building. Except we never met until I walked into the wrong room and saw him sleeping. When he woke up--" she giggles, and I smile inspite of myself, "he said," she lowers her voice, " --'found her'."

That was the last time I dreamt of Jesse.

I stutter, "Wow. I'm glad for you guys. If you'll excuse us. We'll freshen up."

I drag Matt by the hand up to my room and shut the door.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" He sweetly asks and I laugh bitterly.

"Remember dream boy? There he is. Right outside my room." I point at the door. Matt turns to the door, and a second later, comprehension dawns on his face.

"That's where you met?" He comes up to me, "In those dreams?" I nod. "He's an actual person?" He sounds lost. So do I. "Yeah."

"You have-- some super power...?" I shrug, not knowing how to answer.

He shakes me by the shoulders, "I'm going to need more than one word replies, Vanessa."

I sigh, sitting back, "I don't know, Creevey. I really don't know. My sister said our grandma had similar dreams. But, I don't understand what they are or why they happened. Or even why they stopped. Maybe it was to bring Rosie and him closer. I. Don't. Know."

As he stands above me in stunned silence, I grab my coat and walk out, "I need some air."

"I love you."

"What?" I stop and turn around.

He's meeting my gaze boldly, "I'm in love with you, Vanessa."

I frown. "No, you're not." I chuckle. I close the door, "Don't try to make me feel better. This will only make it worse. I don't want to be pity confessed to--"

"I've been in love with you since elementary school."

I nervously laugh shortly, "What...?"

"I thought you knew and that's why you made up some story about a guy in your dreams. But, it's true, and he's with your sister now, so I think you should know. I love you very much, Vanessa, and I want to treat you like a princess. I won't ever let you cry. I just need one chance. I'll make sure you never think of him again."

I'm speechless to say the least. "You have no idea how much you mean to me, and how much you helped that nervous outcast in school by being his most dependable friend."

I slowly clear my throat and say,

"I always thought of you as my friend. My bestest bud who I never kept secrets from, and who never kept secrets from me. We're friends till the end, right?" We'd promised each other. No matter what happens, we'll always remain friends.

He nods, " And we will be. We can be together and still be best friends. And even if you don't want us to be a couple," Couple? "We'll go back to being friends and forget this whole thing."

I nod after a few moments and open the door, "I--I need to go." I say, walking away and doing almost the same thing that Jesse did to me.

As I walk through the house, I bump into Harvey.

"Why do you look so distraught?" He asks, concerned.

"It's nothing." I say as we both hear Matt come around the corner and look forlornly at us and then walk away.

"He told you finally." Harvey whispers. "You knew?" Who else did? Did everyone, but me know?

"Of course, I knew."

So he wasn't fibbing to make me feel better, then.

"What did you tell him?"

"I didn't say anything. I just walked away."

He sighs, "Vanessa, the boy really cares about you. He sees that you're in pain, and that's why he wants to hold you, love you and comfort you. Do you not see it in yourself to give him just one chance?"

I look at Harvey's kind eyes and sigh.

Rosie calls out to me, so I go behind her, glancing back to see him smiling at me.

"I thought something happened to you when I never saw you again." Jesse tells me.

I shrug. I told myself I'd give my sister anything in my power and I'm not going to fight for him. Never. So, I smile, "I don't know."

"Hey, do you think Rosie is happy?" He asks nervously, and as I look at her, for once I can tell she's truly happy.

"Happier than ever."

He grins and goes up to her, kissing her.

I find Matt eating a popsicle and smile at his childishness, walking up to him.

He smiles awkwardly when he sees me, "Hey, want one? There's cola, orange, blueberry--"

He's trying to go back to forgetting everything and being friends. But I don't want that.

"If you grow taller than me by next year, I'll kiss you at new year's." I say, grabbing his popsicle.