Lost Time ▸ Jess Mariano (1)

24. kiss me, i'm confused

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02.21: lorelai's graduation day
❝ 24: kiss me, i'm confused ❞
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✨ ☕️ ✨

The phone rings late into the evening, breaking the quiet in Everleigh's room. She picks it up without a second thought. "Hello?"

"Just hello?" Jess's voice carries that familiar edge of sarcasm, tinged with something softer, almost hesitant. "No classic Robin catchphrase?"

Her breath catches, surprise and a rush of something else flooding her chest. She hadn't expected him. "You didn't say goodbye."

There's a pause, his silence loaded. "I... didn't think it'd matter to you."

Her voice comes out quietly. "It did. You... do. A lot."

"Oh." His voice softens, and she can almost picture him looking away, probably running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah..." she murmurs, the distance between them settling like a weight. Hearing his voice feels like a balm she hadn't realized she'd been needing.

"I'm sorry," he says finally.

"For what?"

"For leaving like that. For not saying anything to you."

She lets his words hang in the air, the ache in her chest deepening. "I didn't want you to go."

"I didn't have a choice." There's frustration in his tone, mingling with something close to regret.

She bites her lip, willing herself to speak. "You're... coming back, right?"

"No one wants me there."

"I want you here." Her voice breaks a little, but she doesn't try to hide it, hoping he can hear how much she means it.

"It's... not up to me."

"It should be."

"But it isn't. I wish it was." His voice is barely a whisper, "I'm sorry, Robin."

A small, sad smile forms on her lips. "You already apologized."

"Not for everything," he says. "For... the fight. The things I said."

She closes her eyes, remembering the argument. "I'm sorry too. I said things I didn't mean."

"It's okay," he murmurs. "Guess we both messed up."

"Are we... okay?" Her voice is softer now, vulnerable in a way she usually hides.

"Yeah," he says, his tone gentle. "We're good."