BLANK SPACE ; jess mariano

xᴠɪɪɪ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡs

SAGE clung onto her forehead as it stung with fatigue. Her sleep schedule was pretty much messed up and she couldn't recall whether it was day or night. Memories came flooding back from the night (or was it day?) before.
"Sorry," Dean had bellowed, "She can't. I'm
not her boyfriend anymore." Sage had watched, agape as Rory's eyes became misty as she feebly replied,
"What?" Dean had gone on to explain that Rory had been into Jess ever since he got to town, and he was sick of being treated like dirt, and with that, he marched out the auditorium, leaving Rory, her thoughts and her tears.
"Let's go, we have to go, right now." Sage got up, shaking Shane who batted her hand away, although she forced herself when Sage whispered 'get the fuck up.'. Jess couldn't pry his eyes away from the crying and defenceless girl, standing motionless. The winner was announced, and Kirk did his victory dance, circling Lorelai and Rory, who had sprinted to comfort her daughter. And that was the last Sage remembered. She leaned over her bed to glance at her alarm clock and in blazing red letters, it read '4:08'. Sage groaned loudly, lost in a feeling that resembled that of jet lag. She then heard quiet snoring. Sage froze and pulled the covers over her mouth, peeking over to see an asleep boy in the chair in front of her bed.
"Jess?" she croaked.
No response.
"Jess?" she tried louder. The boy's eyes opened slowly, and he smiled softly when he saw the girl.
"Hey."
"What are you doing here?" Jess strained himself to trudge over to the girl.
"I, you were tired, so I helped you into bed..." Jess squinted, awaiting Sage's reply. Upon receiving a grateful grin, he settled. Sage's eyes widened.
"Wait, is my mother here?"
"Yeah, why?" Sage sat up, "Sounded like she had company aswell." Jess finished, wiggling his eyebrows, causing Sage to grimace and giggle.
"Wait, Dad?"

THE diner doors were already wide open as Sage traipsed through them.
"Hey Luke." Sage grinned at the tall guy who returned it, well, at least she thought that was a grin.
"The usual?"
"Yup."
Rory entered shortly after in her navy Chilton uniform with Lorelai following close behind. The unmistakable sound of Jess marching down the stairs was audible as well before he appeared at the bottom. He slowly stepped over to the counter, rubbing his eyes and blinking spastically when his eyes laid on Rory.
"Hey." she said.
"Hey." Jess replied.
"Hi." Sage joined.
"Hey." Jess greeted.
"Hi." Lorelai waved.
"Hey." Jess repeated.
"I have to get to school." Rory told, trying to fight the awkwardness between the two that could not be unnoticed.
"Yeah, me too."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Bye." the five took their time as they said there goodbyes. As soon as Rory was out the door, Jess ran back upstairs shaking his head in embarrassment.
"What the hell was that?" Luke questioned, earning a chuckle from Lorelai.
"That was an episode of Rory and Jess: The Early Years." Lorelai joked, although Sage and Luke still stared at her, utterly discombobulated.
"What do you mean?" Sage quizzed.
"Rory and Jess are together." A pain settled itself in Sage's heart, like a dagger had just been dragged through it and pulled back out again, the bloody traces on the knife ignored as her lifeless body dropped to the ground. The ray of hope that Jess actually liked her shattered as she tried hard to not show her fading grin. She thought he liked her. She knew that she could show him incredible things. Better things that Rory ever could. Why didn't he like her? Why wasn't she good enough?
"Are you serious? What about Dean?" Luke's brow was furrowed.
"Dean and Rory broke up at the dance." Lorelai serenely said.
"They did? I was at the dance, how come I didn't know about this?" Luke grumbled.
"Because you're you."
"But why? What happened?" Luke queried.
"Jess happened." A voice in Sage's head whispered sarcastically, 'can't relate.'
"Wow, wow. So.." Luke started.
"Yup."
"Wow, well, this is great!" Luke cried.
"I'll tell Dean you said that." Lorelai retorted.
"You know what I mean. Rory and Jess. Jess and Rory. I think this is great. Don't you think it's great? What do you think Sage?" Sage had hoped the two hadn't picked up on her deadly silence.
"Hmm?" she asked, acting as if she hadn't been listening, although her brain had been chewing up every word, digesting it, and realising how much it hurt.
"Rory and Jess?" Lorelai reminded.
"Oh, right, yeah. It's cool." Sage responded, feeling her eyes fill.
"Sage, are you okay?" Luke inquired, noticing the girl's saddened expression.
"I'm fine. I'm not feeling to well. I'm gonna go, see you guys later." Sage raced out the door as fast as she could. She felt the tears burn her cheeks as the wind crashed against them.
Why didn't her like her? Why wasn't she good enough?