Bridge To Terabithia 2: The Last Time - Part 2 || ✓

Chapter 5: Jealousy hurts

     While Jess and Leslie were enjoying life to the fullest, little May Belle Aarons was finally experiencing a little something called - Jealousy.

     It all started when a new girl came to Lark Creek Elementary and was sent to sit beside Dylan. At first May Belle didn't mind since they were just friends and all but after the second period, she got a tingling feeling in her stomach when she saw her best friend and the new girl giggling. It was strange to her. To see her best friend laughing so much because of another girl.

     May Belle first tried to be friends with the new girl who was named, 'Riley Pitler' but she couldn't help but be annoyed every time the girl says something about Dylan as if she was idolizing him or something and she was always kissing him as if it was nothing! And because of that she would always come home all moody and upset.

     As time passed on and with Leslie always coming to the house, Leslie noticed that May Belle had been getting moody every single day and that Dylan hadn't been coming over for quite a while. Being the so-called - 'older sister' that May Belle had always dreamed of, she asked Jess about it if he knew anything about what was going on with his little sister. Of course, he didn't. The Aarons' siblings tend to keep to themselves more rather than sharing their problems with the family.

     But fortunately, Dylan came over this time when it was Jess's birthday. He didn't really need to, but he must've thought that it would be nice if he gave a gift to one of his idols in terms of art and etc..

     "OK. Close your eyes."

     "Why?"

     "Just close 'em. I won't do anything to scare you don't worry." Leslie snorted and then covered his eyes. "Now, don't open them until I say so, OK?"

    Jess nodded. A few seconds later he heard footsteps and then the door either closing or opening which after followed sounds of opening something again and then an 'ow' which he chuckled at.

     "Can I open my eyes now?"

    "Yeah-wait uhh..." Leslie trailed. "Aaaand yeah OK, you can open your eyes now."

    He opened his eyes and expected Leslie to be in front presenting her gift to him but instead it was just an empty space. He lifted an eye brow and then turned, half expecting Leslie to be there with a smirk but instead got a quick kiss.

     "Happy 18th Birthday, Jess Aarons."

     Leslie was holding a locket that had her name engraved on it. Then Jess noticed that Leslie was wearing a similar piece around her neck except it had his name engraved instead.

     Jess beamed a smile. "Wow. Thank you." He was lost for words really. "This probably costed a lot didn't it?"

    "Hey, I already bought one for myself and I wanted to." Leslie lifted an eye brow and crossed her arms. "Did you want something else...?"

    "No. This gift is great. I love it." Jess was grinning. He kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

    While that was happening in Jess's room, something else was going on in the living room.

    Things had gotten awkward for May Belle after Jess and Leslie had gone up, leaving the two to 'spend' time, except they weren't really spending time with each other because May Belle just couldn't stand listening Dylan relentlessly talking about Riley Pitler.

    What's even worse was that Mr and Mrs Aarons were out of the house to take Joyce Ann to some centre for so-called 'young geniuses' that May Belle tried years ago but just couldn't take seriously and also because she couldn't keep up with all the smart kids in it. Apparently Joyce Ann could so every Sunday they would take her there. So with actually only four of them in the house since the two older sisters were also out, it was reaaally awkward to be alone.

"So you know I always notice that Riley's always been staring at me."

"Mhm.." May Belle couldn't care less actually so she sounded rather disinterested which Dylan caught but decided to ignore.

"I don't get why you don't wanna hang with us more. She's really chill to be friends with, ya know?" Dylan chuckled.

"I'm not really interested in being touched," May Belle sighed. "Nor do I want to be friends with Pitler."

Dylan lifted an eye brow at her. "What do you mean by being touch?" He smirked and scoffed. "Pitler's really nice and fun. She always makes me laugh too."

Every word that came out from his mouth about Pitler just made May Belle want to scratch her own eyes off when Dylan even went on about describing what they've been actually doing that he probably didn't know was inappropriate for their age.

"Oh and what? I'm not good enough for you?" May Belle hissed.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know ever since Pitler's come into the picture you haven't been hanging with me and you've always been brushing me off."

Dylan put his hand on May Belle's hand, sensing that it was getting suddenly tense.

"Wait, hey, I haven't been ignoring you -"

May Belle slid her hand from under Dylan's hand. She narrowed her eyes and showed a scowl.

"I can't believe you've replaced me, your best friend to some new girl!"

"No one's replacing you, May Belle and that new girl has a name and it's Riley, and I actually quite like her."

May Belle rolled her eyes and snorted. She crossed her arms defiantly. "Why? Is it because she's pretty? She's fun and funny?" She was yelling now.

    "Yeah she's all of the above and most of all, at least she doesn't have an annoying attitude like you do."

     After hearing yelling from below, Jess and Leslie rushed down, only to find May Belle and Dylan looking flushed and both heavily breathing. There was silence. Complete silence between the two.

     "Woah, hey what's going on here?" Jess asked.

     Dylan got up and started to head toward the door. "Hey - wait where ya going?" Leslie's voice was mix of worry and questions. "Thanks for having me, Jess, Leslie. And happy birthday." He handed his gift to him before leaving the house and closing the door behind him.

     When Dylan had left, May Belle didn't waste another second to escape the unsettling feeling in her stomach. She gave Jess a cold shoulder and pulled her arm away when he grabbed hers as she went up the stairs before slamming her door shut for good.