boy of my dreams- JESS MARIANO

chapter 14

Almost two years had passed since I last saw Jess. Life had moved on, and so had I—at least, that's what I told myself. I was 19 now, a different person from the girl he once knew. My hair was longer, falling just past my shoulders, and I'd dyed the tips a vibrant red as a small act of rebellion against my past. I attended a community college near Stars Hollow, studying and keeping busy.

Tristan and I were still dating. He was sweet, dependable, and part of my daily routine now. Despite all that, there were still days when I found myself wondering about Jess. But those thoughts were easier to push aside as time went on.

It was late in the afternoon, and I was curled up in my room, reading a book, dressed in my silk pajamas. The house was quiet, the only sounds coming from the occasional turning of a page. I sighed contentedly, losing myself in the world of my novel, when suddenly, the doorbell rang, breaking the calm.

I frowned, closing my book and slipping out of bed. *Who could that be?* I thought, making my way downstairs. As I opened the door, I froze, my heart skipping a beat.

Standing there on the porch, looking both familiar and different, was Jess. His hair was slightly longer and tousled, and he had a quiet, thoughtful look in his eyes. It took me a moment to find my voice. "Oh, Jess... hi!" I blurted out, my lips curving into an awkward smile. I stood there, unsure of what to say or do.

"Hey," he replied, his voice soft and almost hesitant. He gave me a small, uncertain smile before shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I know it's been a while. I just... I wanted to see you. And show you something, actually."

"Oh?" I said, raising an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

He glanced down, as if gathering his thoughts, before looking back at me. "It's a book," he said, pulling a small, thin volume from the inside pocket of his jacket. "I wrote it. It's called *The Subsect.* I got it published. Just a small run, but... I wanted you to see it."

My eyes widened in surprise. He handed me the book, and I took it gingerly, glancing at the cover. It was simple, with his name—*Jess Mariano*—printed across the bottom. I flipped through a few pages, my heart racing. I never imagined he'd actually go through with his dream of writing.

"Wow, Jess, this is... amazing," I said, looking up at him, feeling a genuine smile tug at my lips. "You really did it."

He shrugged, a hint of a proud smile on his face. "Yeah, I guess I did," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, it's nothing big. Just a small press and all. But it's something." He paused, his eyes searching mine. "I wanted to share it with you. You... you were always one of the few people who believed I could actually do this."

I swallowed, feeling a rush of emotions I hadn't expected. "I'm glad you did," I said honestly. "It's incredible, Jess. Really." I looked down at the book again, running my fingers over the cover.

There was a beat of silence between us, the kind that held unspoken words and lingering memories. Finally, Jess cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "So, I was thinking," he began, his voice cautious, "maybe we could get together sometime? Catch up. Maybe tomorrow, or next week if you're busy?"

I hesitated, glancing up at him. Part of me wanted to say no, to avoid stirring up the past and all the emotions that came with it. But another part—the part that had missed him, even if I wouldn't admit it—wanted to give it a chance. "Yeah," I said slowly, nodding. "I think that'd be nice. How about next week? I have a pretty free afternoon on Friday."

"Friday works," he said, a hint of relief and something else—gratitude, maybe—in his voice. "We can meet up at Luke's, if that's still okay with you."