Let Me Love You Again

Chapter 1: Thinking of You!

——- Deanney Point of View——-
So, what you're telling me... is that after three years of no communication what so over between the two of you, you decided to randomly call her?" Neil, my best friend, said as we sat in a booth at Chook's Burger Shack. I thought about that for a moment and realized how weird that really was. I took a sip of my shake then gave him look. "What? I'm serious when I say this. It's weird, Deanney. I thought you wanted to never talk to her again after she left you?" His somewhat girly voice seemed to annoy me even more as I cringed. I leaned back against the wall as I pulled my legs up to my chest.

"I did want that... but I told you about Alexis, didn't I?" I asked him as I watched him play with his lip ring; another thing that made me cringe.

"She's with that girl now or whatever? What does that have to do with you though?" He asked in a bitchy way. What was it with gay guys that made them seem more like girls than actual girls? I smiled as I watched a family not to far talk.

"Because... I see so much of Jessica and myself when I look at them. It actually shocks me of how much of a resemblance it is..." I couldn't help but offer Neil a sad and pathetic smile as I watched him munch on his veggie burger. How can people eat those... why even call them burgers if they have no meat in them? I don't understand folks...

"So, because you see yourself three years ago, you want her back? What if she's changed? Or has a girlfriend? Did you even think about that? What about the distance between the two of you? I highly doubt she'd come crawling back to California to be with you." Once again, he said this with that bitchy tone that made him sound as if he were one hundred percent right. Which, he probably is. I gave him a sad look then leaned back against the wall again as I took another sip.

"I haven't even gotten the chance to really converse with her, Neil. As for all your questions... I don't have the answers for them." I answered honestly. I don't think I wanted to have an answers to them.

"Ya well, don't you think you should?" He asked with a mouthful of food. I was about to answer when I noticed two small girls giggling in the booth a few feet away. As I stared at them, memories of when Jessica and I first met came flying back into my head.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Fifteen years ago-

"Class, we have a new student that came all the way from across the United States. She's moved here with her younger sister and her mom and dad from New York City. Her name is Jessica Faye. Class, let's give her a big welcome and befriend her. You may sit down next to Deanney Miller now. Deanney, please raise your hand." Mr. Poet insisted as he pointed over to me. I looked at the girl and noticed how amazingly tiny she was. For some reason, I smiled at her and raised my hand to let her know who I was. She offered a small smile as she looked around the classroom, all eyes on her as she walked over to me and took the empty desk besides me in our group.

"Hi." I said as I smiled brightly to her, showing off my toothless smile. Her hair was curly as it rolled off her shoulders, her eyes looked scared yet interested.

"Hi..." She said in a shy and small voice.

"I'm Deanney." I smiled at her again as we pulled out our spelling books. She offered me a small smile again.

"Jessica, but you can call me Ica, my mommy calls me Ica." Before I could even say anything to that though, a rude boy in front of us started to chuckle.

"Ica? Wow, what a... goofy name." I eyed his strangely then looked at Jessica as she looked down at her book.

"Stop it, Kyle." I growled at him. He just rolled his eyes and made fun of my red hair.

"Is there a problem you three?" We looked to the front of the class to see Mr. Poet eyeing us. I watched Kyle shake his head and smile as he calmly said no. when I looked back at Jessica I noticed a tear going down her cheek.

Jessica barely spoke after that incident. Everyone in grade three always laughed and made fun of her for strange things like her hair being curly, her dresses, her shoes, her lunch box, and the name that her mom called her. I'd watched from the distance as she sat alone at a stray lunch table, eating sadly by herself. Day after day went by where she didn't speak a single word, not even when the teacher addressed her. When recess came along, she'd sit under a lone tree in the grass area and read some book that looked really boring. I remember, I'd always think she must be really smart because the books she seemed to read never had any fun pictures in them.

Days had turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. But still, I continued to have my eyes fixed on the lonely curious blonde hair and blue-eyed girl. The teasing never seemed to let up, and she looked as if she hadn't smiled in forever.

But, one day I decided enough was enough. It was recess, and some girls were surrounding Jessica, pushing her down and throwing her book somewhere else.

"You're a goofy loser!" I heard one of the girls call out as they shoved poor Jessica around again. I stopped throwing my ball to watch the scene fold out.

"Yeah! Did mommy give you this ribbon?" Another girl asked as she ripped out Jessica beautiful blue ribbon from her hair, causing her to cry. So, I did what I should have done weeks even months ago. I dropped the four square ball and walked over to the group of girls, pushing past them and kneeling down in front of Jessica.

"Are you okay Jessy?" I asked her as offered her the book back. She looked up at me through tear stained eyes.

"What do you think you're doing, Deanney?" One of the girls asked angrily. I glared at them as I stood up, looking down at them as I was much taller for a girl my age.

"Leave her alone, she hasn't done anything to you." I said as I crossed my arms, trying to give them the meanest look I could muster up. The three girls looked at my serious stance and mumbled something as they walked away.

I sighed and dropped my hands, turning around and giving Jessica a small smile as I helped her stand back up. I picked up her now dirty ribbon, trying to get the dirt off of it and handing it back to her.

She took it hesitantly and gave me a short smile again. "Are you okay? Do you want to go to the nurses office?" I asked as I looked her over, making sure she wasn't hurt. Then I heard the most angelic sound I have heard in short 7 years of life; Jessica laughed.

"I'm okay, thank you Deanney for helping me." She smiled a wide smile, showing that she had some missing teeth as well. I smiled back as I grabbed her hand, heading back to class.

"Pleasure is all mine, Jessy." I smiled as I looked down at her. She smiled.

"Jessy?" I nodded at her questioning the nickname. "Why are you calling me Jessy?"

"Because, your mom calls you Ica, and I want to give you a new nicknames, See now?" I had asked that in seriousness. We stopped just before entering class.

"I like it... but I need one for you too... hm... how about... Dey?" She said with a smile. I smiled as I squeezed her hand.

"I love it, Jessy" I said as we walked into room 203.

"Me too... thanks Dey. You're my best friend." I felt my chest swirl with pride and happiness at my young age. I couldn't help but think how amazing that sounded; to be Jessica Faye's best friend.

Note: Please consider leaving a review if you're enjoying the story.