unspoken [JESS MARIANO]

III

FEVER DREAM OF HAPPY
PEOPLE
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✧

"IS THERE A reason that you're still here?" Jess asked as Willow closed the door behind them.

Shooting him a glare that could kill, Willow pulled her book out of her back pocket. "I'm not doing anything to upset Luke. In this case that means not spending the day with you."

"Well that's stupid logic, considering how everything you've done today has upset Luke." Jess pointed out, grabbing Willow's book out of her hands.

The more time spent with him, the more Willow's urge to kill him grew. Spending time with Jess had made her actually come to realize what Shawny felt like during her murderous points.

Instead of killing him, Willow put on an overly sweet smile, placing her hands on her hips. "Is it your goal to be as annoying as possible?"

Skimming through her copy of The Catcher in the Rye, Jess shot a glance at the girl. "Says the one who looks like she's practically bubbling over with happiness."

"In New York, is bubbling over with happiness threatening people with knives?" Willow held her cheerful tone. "Because if so, I will never understand how you could leave a place so wonderful."

"How did you know I'm from New York?"

"Guessed." The lie went straight through her teeth.

Willow's face hurt from holding an over-exaggerated smile. Dropping it, she continued, "Okay I'm done, smiling that hard hurts. Don't know how everyone here does it all the time."

"Hm." Jess glanced up at Willow from her book, raising an eyebrow. "Are you not from here?"

"Oh, no," Willow grabbed The Catcher in the Rye, glaring at Jess. "Trust me, I am."

At her bitter tone, Jess knew the easier thing to do was to drop the whole backstory conversation. Looking at the book now returned to Willow's hands, a question flew to his brain.

"What did you think of it?"

Willow shrugged in response, tucking the book back into her pocket. "I don't know. For the hell of me, I can't get through it."

Jess's shock was so clear on his face Willow could laugh.

"You-" He was cut off as he almost walked into a family crossing the street, returning the glare the mother gave him before walking around them and scowling.

"You haven't read it all the way through?"

"Nope." Willow shook her head. "It's actually my sister's copy, I stole it years ago."

Jess was staring at Willow intensely, almost offended by this confession.

"I always have it on me in hopes I'll randomly finish it, but I never do." Willow shrugged at Jess when she saw the expression he held, his eyebrows drawn together.