February Stars

5

May 2003

"On second thought, what would you say if I wanted to just skip the after party," Dave said, letting go Jess and stepping back. "Would your friend be OK with that?" Jessie chewed her lip and debated this.

    "I think she'd understand," Jess replied. "She owes me." Dave laughed.

    "For coming here?" he asked. Jessica nodded. "So, why did you come, after all these years?"

    "Well, she needed some cheering up," she explained. "And I figured...eight years is a long time to carry a grudge..."

    "It sure is," Dave said quietly, pulling on his shirt and buttoning it up.

    "What about your friends? Would they be mad if you didn't show up?"

    "Yeah, but they can go fuck themselves," he replied.

    "What did you have in mind, if we skipped it?" Jessica asked, afraid of the answer he might give.

    "Coffee?"

    "Coffee sounds great," she said, feeling relived. Images of sneaking into his bedroom at his Mom's house flashed into her mind. And she couldn't bear the thought of going to a hotel room with him. It would have reminded her, as it did back then, that he wasn't really hers and that he could never really be. She followed him outside through a back entrance and they took the long way around the venue to avoid any fans. As they walked, he thought about how incredible it was, to be back, walking these streets, next to the girl of his dreams. The one that got away... the one he'd let get away...the one he'd pushed away. He reached out took her hand and laced his fingers in between hers. Jessica's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't pull away. Even after all these years, Dave still knew his way around D.C. and she followed him into a 24 hour diner and into a booth in the back. He slid in across from her.

    The waitress came by and Dave ordered a plate of french toast and a coffee.

    "I'll just have a coffee," Jessica told her before she disappeared in the back to put their order's in. In no time, they each had a coffee cup in front of them.

    "You're not hungry?" Dave asked.

    "I couldn't eat if I wanted to," Jessica confessed.

    "Nervous?"

    "Yeah... it's just so ...weird," she replied.

    "But it's like a good weird, right?" Dave said, enthusiastically. "I mean, we have some serious history, but, really, it feels like we never stopped talking." The waitress brought Dave's french toast and while he ate, Jessica told him about Ashley's break up and how'd she'd been living with her since.

    "So you were living alone?" Dave asked, his mouth full of food.

    "Seriously? Still? With the talking with the food in your mouth?" Jessica said with mock reproach.

    "Jessie," he said, mouth still full, "I haven't fucking seen you for like ten years. There is NO time for manners!"

    "People don't call me Jessie anymore," she informed him.

    "Good," Dave said, swallowing his food, "because that's my name for you." Jessie sighed. "Anyway, JESSICA, you didn't answer my question."

    "Yes, I was living alone," she said, rolling her eyes. "And yes, I know that's your way of trying to find out if I'm single." He raised his eyebrows at her.

    "Are you?"

    "Yes," she answered.

    "Be with me, Jessie," Dave said, setting his fork down and reaching for her hand. She pulled it away.