BLANK SPACE ; jess mariano

xxᴠ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ

four months later

SAGE watched from afar as the confetti showered Lindsay and Dean as they walked out the church with ecstatic essence. Although Sage hated Dean so much, she at least thought that she could view the scene from the tree nearby. At that time, she wished he could've been there with her, making fun of the two and laughing with eachother. Sage exhaled. She ambled to the nearest pay phone and inserted the coins, and held the phone up to her ear. She begged the ringing to stop and for her to hear a familiar voice at the other end, but nothing appeared. She was about to put the phone down when:
"Sage?" Jess smiled as the hot California sun scorched his skin, the beams ricocheting of his black leather jacket.
"Hey!" she replied.
"What you doing?" Jess asked, trying to let this conversation last forever, so he could hear her voice forever.
"Well, in fact, the two lovebirds have just gotten married." Sage told, glancing over to the square to see the dancing guests laughing and clutching on to champagne glasses.
"Have they!" Jess pretended to act shocked.
"Yes, and the crappy music has disrupted everyone in the town." Jess scoffed.
"Always has to annoy everyone."
"You're so right." the two breathed down the phone for a second.
"So, how's Rory?" Jess mumbled. Sage paused.
"She's okay, I guess. I wouldn't know, she hasn't spoken to me, I wouldn't speak to me either if I were her. But she had cut her hair." Jess chuckled.
"It's okay. It will all be okay. Oh, and please don't tell me she now looks like G.I. Jane." Jess assured her, ending with a joke which Sage cackled at.
"So how's California?" Sage queried and Jess sighed, wearily.
"It's too hot." Sage laughed. Lately these days, Sage kept on creating scenarios in her head of what it might have been like if she had said yes to go to California with him. How everything could've stayed the same.
"Well, Jess, I really miss you." Sage muttered.
Jess glanced at the floor, the same way he had done when Sage had told him she couldn't in any way go with him.
"I miss you a lot aswell." Sage chewed on her lip.
"I better go before this gets to emotional for me." Sage giggled drily.
"Probably for the best." Jess returned the same giggle Sage had given him.
"Bye Jess"
"Bye Sage," Jess suspired, "I love y-" but she was already gone.

EVERYDAY still remained it's usual routine. Sage would go to the inn to do her shift, trying to avoid contact with anyone. It seemed that the whole town that once loved her had turned their backs on her, and the only people who really understood her were Luke and her mother. And Jess of course, but he wasn't here. Lorelai and her were only exchanging hellos and goodbyes due to everything. Lorelai had obviously been informed about everything as the Gilmore Girls shared everything with eachother. Sage travelled to Luke's in her new car, bought as a pity gift by her father. Of course, Sage ignored the gesture but still drove the car, she needed it, in truthfulness. Sage had also noticed her mother had been showing up at Luke's a lot. The two seemed to be getting along incredibly well. This particular day, Lorelai had let Sage have half a shift as she had an errand to run. If the two were still on good terms, Sage reckoned she would make humour about how Lorelai sounded identical to her mother. So here she was, nearing the diner door. She lingered on the spot for a second. Closing her eyes, the flashback began. He was standing there, wiping down the counter with a red rimmed cloth. He was clothed in baggy jeans and a Metallica shirt, when Luke popped up from underneath the counter, holding a cheeseburger, fresh from the oven. Luke motioned to the shirt Jess was wearing and instantly made a comment. Jess retaliated and retorted straight after. Sage giggled as she watched the scene unfold. Finally her eyes opened, coming back to reality,  and making sense of the world. Stop it, Sage. she thought, smacking her head, He isn't here. You said no. She forced herself to go in.
"Sage! Hi." Leanne and Luke said in unison.
"That was freaky." Sage derided, the stool swivelling as she sat on it. Leanne and Luke shared a glance with eachother before rapidly turning away and fixating their eyes on Sage.
"Stop, you're scaring me." Sage yet again ridiculed. Leanne screwed up her nose.
"How's the newly weds?" Luke probed, hearing Sage groan.
"Ugh, so happy. He's so selfish, he only thinks about himself." Leanne rubbed Sage's back to comfort her, speaking inaudibly to Luke. He read her mouth as 'Why d'you have to bring it up?'. Luke scratched his nose sheepishly.
"Have you heard from Jess?" Luke changed the subject swiftly, and Leanne's head gave way and fell to her hands.
"Yes. Yesterday." Sage's eyes twinkled. Leanne lifted her head.
"But, you've been missing eachother for a week?" Leanne informed. Sage's dimples showed as she grinned harder.
"We have. It seems pay phones allow that incident not to happen."
"Did he..mention me at all.." Luke twitched as he spoke. Sage sighed for a long while.
"No." she was able to say, alas.
"Oh, that's okay, I-" Sage observed Luke's ashen-faced appearance. She slowly followed his gaze until her eyes sailed to the door.
"Hi."