Avoiding Jess was a lot harder than I thought. Considering how tiny this town was I shouldn't have been surprised. I would constantly bump into him at the bookstore or Doose's Market. It didn't help that we both work in the same place. Even the days that I don't work at Luke's I still have to go in for breakfast and my coffee.

Despite almost always being in the same place, neither of us made a move to talk. I wasn't planning on shutting him out forever, I don't think my body could take that. I was waiting for him to apologise first. He is the one who crossed the line. Granted, I did say 'fuck you', but I think that it was a good call with what he said to me.

Currently, I was packing my bag with books and my notes for the big debate at Chilton. Being on the same team as Paris and Rory, they were pretty confident we would win. I was also pretty sure of us but I always liked to prepare for the worst.

And by worst, I mean my mother making me late. You see I have an issue about timing. I've had to time every bus and car ride to a place then remember or write it down. That way I knew exactly how much time we could spare before being late. Right now I have exactly thirteen minutes to leave the house so that I can make the 44 minute bus ride.

Looking over my bag contents once again I make sure I have everything before zipping it up and heading out the door.

"Mum," I call out as I walk down the stairs. "Have you seen my tie?"

I put my bag down by the door and head into the kitchen. My mother was sitting at the small table, looking at the paper with my tie in her hands. She held it up to me without taking her eyes off the paper.

"Are you gonna head to Luke's?" She asks as I grab the tie from her with a quick 'thanks'.

I was in the hallway looking in the mirror trying to fix my tie as I answer her. "I don't think so, I don't wanna be late." The walk there was eight minutes alone. Also, I didn't exactly want to see Jess that day. This was probably one of the biggest debates I've done this year and I didn't need anything distracting me.

"Do you want me to heat up some pop-tarts?" She offers as I pin back my dark hair with some clips.

"Yes, please!" I check my watch, eleven minutes. I can eat in eleven minutes. I check my appearance in the mirror to make sure my uniform was in place. I hear some shuffling from the kitchen and start to make my way over.

That was before the knock on the front door. I glanced at the door. "I'll get it!" I tell my mum before heading over to the door.

Once I open the door I instantly felt the need to slam it close again. Before me stood Jess wearing what looked like a band t-shirt and a jacket over it. He stood up straight with his hands behind his back.

Looking at his face I realised that for the first time since I've met him a few months ago, he looks nervous. If it was any other day I would have made some comment about his shirt or hair. But today wasn't any other day.

I looked into his warm brown eyes and gave him a small shake of the head. "I can't do this right now."

I made a move to close the door but Jess took two steps forward and put his foot between the door. "Wait, please."

"Who is it Cassie?" I hear my mother call.

Knowing that my mother wasn't exactly his biggest fan, I knew I had to lie if I wanted Jess gone in one piece. I may not exactly like him right now but that didn't mean he deserved to be stabbed to death by a fork.

"It's no one! I'm just gonna step outside for a minute." I lie before opening the door and stepping outside.

I lean against the door as I face Jess. "I told you, I can't right now."

"Please," he begs with his hands in his pockets.

I check the watch on my wrist. "You have eight minutes."

"Wow, so specific."

"Seven minutes."

He hold his hands up. "I just wanna say I'm sorry." I beckon for him to continue but he doesn't.

I look at him incredulously. "That's it?" Jess shrugs. I scoff as turn around to open the door.

"Wait," Jess pleads putting his hand on my shoulder. "I didn't mean all those things I said." I could see that apologising was a whole new territory for him. I could see it I the way that his eyes were trained on his shoes or the door behind me.

"Yet you said them anyway."

He gave me a shaky smile. "I know. It's just, that guy pissed me off."

I shake my head at his excuse. "Because he outbid you?"

"No, no you got it all wrong." He says quickly. "I was mad because I tried to do a nice thing and spend time with you and it completely backfired."

Ignoring how my heart sped up at his words I reply. "Why're you only telling me now? You had so many other chances. Why only now?"

"I had to plan what to say, I needed to know what to do to get you to forgive me." He explained. "You have to believe me. Everything I said that day was a lie. I promise."

I was about to tell him I forgave him and how stupid he was. But my voice got caught in my throat when I glanced at my watch. I was a minute late.

"I have to go." I blurted out. I got up off the door and opened it. I went inside, cutting off whatever Jess' response was with the slam of the door.

I buttoned up my blazer and shrugged on my coat along with my bag. I sprinted into the kitchen to see my mum standing there with her hand on her hips.

"You're running late," she chided while handing me the pop-tart. "You're never late, who was at the door?"

I grab the pop-tart from her hands. "Remember, it starts at eleven." I say instead of answering her question. "Tell Lorelai snd Sookie as well." She nods before we say our goodbyes and I head out the door.

"Where are you going?" Jess asked, making me jump.

"I have to get to school, I have a big debate at eleven." I explain not bothering to stop and talk.

Jess keeps up with my fast pace. "But you didn't finish what you were saying," he protests.

I stop my walk and look at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, I swear we'll talk when I'm done."

Before he could reply I had started to run towards the bus stop. Leaving Jess standing in the middle of the street with a frown on his face. I wonder why I didn't just stop and tell him what I thought right there. Probably cause you're an idiot.

"Where have you been?" Rory exclaims as she stands beside the bus that'll take us to Hartford. "I had to tell them to wait for you. You're never late!" She was wearing the same thing as me except that she had a matching blue hairband in her hair.

She climbs onto the bus with me following behind her. "I had a little bit of a complication," I say as we take out seats beside each other.

"What was the complication?"

"More like who was the complication," I correct as I take out my book to read.

Rory perks up in her seat, almost dropping the bag that she had in her lap to the floor. "Jess?"

"Jess." I agree.

"Did he finally apologise?" She inquired knowing all about our argument.

"Yeah," I say thoughtfully.

When I don't make any move to continue speaking she shook me by the shoulders. "What did you say?" She exclaimed.

"Well, I said some stuff but I didn't really tell him if I forgave him."

"Why?"

"I was running a bit late if you didn't notice."

Rory rolled her eyes. "You couldn't have taken two seconds to tell him what you thought?"

"My thoughts were full of various scenarios of Paris killing me cause I made us late," I comment.

"Have you at least decided what you're gonna say?" She asked, her blue eyes eager to hear what I have to say.

I think for a moment, contemplating what I would have said to him if I didn't have to go. "I would have said he's an idiot for saying those things."

Rory leans towards me. "But?" She knows that there's more.

"I would say I forgive him but he pulls another stunt like that and he's dead." I give in.

Rory nods agreeing with my choice. "Why'd you forgive him?" She asks curious.

"Cause I miss him," I admit for the first time out loud.

She makes a few 'aws' and gives me a teasing smile. "You like him don't you."

I think very carefully about how I'm gonna answer her. "I think so, but I'm not sure."

She smiles widely at my confession. "Don't worry, it'll all work out," she assures me confidently before opening her book and burying her nose in it.

'Wonder what she meant by that,'I think as I open my own book and begin to read.

~~~

As we arrive at the hall it was relatively empty except for a few students, Paris and Brad, who sat as far away from her as possible. When Paris saw us walking she made a beeline toward us.

"Where were you?" She exclaimed with her notes in her hand. "You were supposed to be here four minutes ago!"

I raise my hand up. "My bad, I had a run in with a friend."

Paris pinched the bridge of her nose. "And you of all people thought it was more important than this debate?"

"That's not what I said," I correct. "Besides, I didn't ask him to show up."

She just shakes her head at me. "Whatever, we have twenty minutes before we go on. Now I know that we've practically already won, since we've seen who we're up against." Paris just her thumb behind her to Brad and two other students I don't know the names of. "But we've got to focus, and that means no boys." Paris aims the last part at me.

"Hey!" I protest. "Who said anything about boys?"

Rory looked at me with raised eyebrows. "She's got a point," she jokes. "Jess did come over just now, we don't need him messing up your thoughts. You're the best debater we've got."

I look at Paris, expecting to see her fuming at the fact that Rory called me better at something than her. Instead I saw her nodding along.

"She's right, if anyone's better at me than anything it's you and it's at debate." She tells me truthfully. "But tell anyone and I'll skin you alive." She adds with truth in her eyes.

"Got it."

When the debate ended and we were announced the winners, Rory and Paris went off the stage happily. I, however went to check in on poor Brad who was shaking in his seat.

"How are you doing?" I ask him gently. "Listen I'm sorry about Paris and me." Knowing myself, I always went a bit out of hand when it came to these kind of things. 'Always too competitive,' as my mother would say.

Brad looked up at me with fear in eyes. "Yeah, um, no I'm fine. You did great." He tells me with a small smile. His blazer looked like it was soaked with sweat.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" I ask again. "A hug? A towel?"

"I could use my mum," he tells me as he begins to stand up.

I looks out into the crowd of parents and students below the stage. "I'm sure she's down there somewhere." I comfort, gesturing towards the sea of people.

He nods before walking of the stage. Satisfied that I had at least apologised to Brad for Paris and I, I made my way to my seat to collect my books. I stop in my tracks when I notice a familiar head of brown hair sitting in one of the chairs.

"Jess," I breathe out as I sit in the seat next to his. "What're you doing here?"

He simply shrugs. "You said you had a big debate, so I wanted to see you in action." He says as if it's no big deal that he's in my school thats 30 miles away from town. "Man, I thought that guy was gonna pass out when you started talking. You were good, really good."

I push down whatever feeling I had in my chest at his words as I catch my mums eye from the crowd of people. She looks between me and Jess skeptically. I wave my hand, telling her to go without me. She sends me one last glance, as if telling me not to do anything stupid, before leaving out of the hall with everyone else.

I turn back to Jess. "How did you get in? You need a ticket."

He sends me a coy smile. "I have my ways."

"What about school? Luke won't be happy with you."

Jess looks at me, his face unmoving as he speaks. "Then Luke won't be happy with me." He looks at his hands before he continued to speak. "I just had to know."

"Know what?"

"Know if you'll forgive me."

"Oh," I say quietly. I look around at the now empty hall before answering him. "You're an idiot for saying those things."

He frowns at my words. "Is that a no?"

"It's an I forgive you but do anything like that again and I'll kill you." I tell him honestly as he nods.

"Duly noted," he stated. We both sat in silence for a while before he spoke up again. "I really am sorry."

"I know."