I BARELY KNOW YOU ✸ Jesse St. James

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JESSES POV

december, 18

after a week of moping around, Jesse walked into rehearsal, the group immediately looked up at him in shock, he had heavy bags under his eyes and his veins popped through his eye sockets, his nose was rosy at the tip and his bruises were faint, he had a dried tear stain on his cheek that he hadn't bothered to clear off, "I'm back guys," he sighed, plastering on a small smile, the group smiled nervously back at him, "glad to have you back. the routines the same, from the top!"

♡

Rehearsal had finished and Jesse couldn't get Ariela out of his head, while he was dancing with Meredith, he couldn't stop thinking about Ariela and her beautiful smile that lit up the world, and her giggle that followed, he frowned at the thought while no tears came out, there were none left.
he wish he never told them that he would make her fall in love with him, because, honestly, he fell in love with her ever since they sang that song outside of the library.
he let his ego get in the way of that. he didn't want to man up and tell them he wasn't gonna do it and risk being kicked off the team or hated by his friends.

he would do anything for Ariela.

over the past six months, he fell so utterly in love with her, her smile, the glimmer in her eyes, the way her eyebrows furrowed so slightly when she was concentrated, how her lips would curl up at Jesse when she thought he wasn't looking, though she would never admit it, she fell for him, too. Jesse's thoughts were interrupted when Ms Corcran tapped his shoulder, "you okay?"

he looked at the ground hopelessly, shaking his head. "no. I'm not. i messed up. really bad."

she tilted her head to the side the way Ariela would, making Jesse angrier, stomping to the other edge of the stage, "I fucked it up! i loved her and I just.." he paced back and forth, "I let her slip away, and I didn't do anything about it... i just laid in bed and cried, I didn't even try to get her back."

Ms Corcran smiled sadly, "well then what are you waiting for? go get her, tell her just how badly you messed up."

♡

ARIELA'S POV

december 19

Ariela huffed as she walked into school for the second time that week, her first being yesterday, Jacob Ben Israel approached her, shoving a microphone in her face, "is it true that you got dumped by Vocal Adrenalines Jesse St James? or was he only with you to distract you from the competition?"

Ariela continued walking, ignoring him as she walked into the choir room, a group of angry teammates, she looked at them with confused eyes, "what?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, "we thought you were done with Jesse,"

"I am.."

Kurt scoffed,

"then why is he leaving love letters in your locker?"

Ariela's eyes widened, "what?"

"oh don't play dumb."

"he's in the auditorium, isn't he?" She groaned,

"if youre so oblivious, why don't you see for yourself."

she turned on her heels, skeptically walking down the hall as she approached the auditorium, she walked in and saw Jesse sitting on the same stool as when he asked her out, in the middle of the stage, Jesse darted up from the stool when he saw her standing there, Ariela slowly walked onto the stage, "Ariela," he frowned, "I never, ever meant to hurt you. yes, I said that I just wanted to make you fall in love with me and then I was gonna drop you before regionals but that was before everything - i fell in love with every part about you, I - I cant sleep, I cant sing, I cant even eat. i just, hate myself so much for what I did to you," he tried to take her hands in his, she pulled away immediately, he sighed, "please, just listen."

Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down
'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your nameIt all just sounds like ooh, ooh, ooh, hoo
Mm, too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
And held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party 'cause all you wanted to do was dance

Now my baby's dancing

But she's dancing with another man
My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, oh
And that haunts me every time I close my eyes
It all just sounds like ooh, ooh, ooh, hoo
Mm, too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
And held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party 'cause all you wanted to do was dance

Now my baby's dancing

But she's dancing with another man
Although it hurts
I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
Oh, I know I'm probably much too late
To try and apologize for my mistakes
But I just want you to know

I hope he buys you flowers

I hope he holds your hand
Give you all his hours
When he has the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause I remember how much you loved to dance
Do all the things I should have done
When I was your man
Do all the things I should have done
When I was your man

"let me back in, and i promise, i will never hurt you."

a tear spilled out of Ariela's eye, she wiped it away immediately, and for the first time, she looked into Jesse's eye that day, remembering when she had run into him outside of the library, seeing his soft blue eyes for the first time, and he threw the cigarette she had on the ground, telling her they were bad for her, little did she know, he would be her cigarette.

"I'm sorry," was all Ariela managed to get out, "but i cant." she croaked, turning away from him, but, his warm hand grabbed her wrist softly, pulling her into his grip, their faces inches apart, and Ariela remembered their first kiss, the pouring rain hitting their backs as they smiled at each other hopelessly in love,

he let out an exasperated sigh, "can i kiss you?"

Ariela shook her head, "i barely know you."

she escaped his grip, and there was no which is exactly why i want to.

♡