I couldn't believe my eyes—Jess was back. It had been months since he had just up and left without warning and now he had come back.

The stress and anxiety of seeing his car parked around the corner made me crave a double bacon cheeseburger from Luke's, in all of its delicious greasy glory but I wouldn't dare step foot in that diner. I wasn't about to help Jess seek me out. If he wanted to see me, he would have to find me himself.

It was all too soon for my nerves when I heard the familiar backfire of Jess's car as he parked outside of my apartment and my heart stuttered to a halt his knuckles on my door. I considered not opening the door, I wanted to be angry, bitter, and spiteful. I wanted to show him that him leaving me behind didn't hurt me at all. But I also knew that if I opened that door and saw him leaning against the door frame with that crooked grin I would melt like I always did. I would have to take my chances.

"Hey." He said sheepishly, thank god there was no crooked smile and he stood with his hands shoved in the pockets of the leather jacket I never thought I'd smell again.

"What do you want, Jess?" I hoped I sounded tougher than I felt.

"To see you."

"Well, you've seen me." I snapped, congratulated myself on the comeback and started to slam the door in his face.

"Wait," He stuck a foot out, preventing me from closing the door.

"What? What more do you want from me?"

"I need to explain."

"Explain what? You left me, Jess! I had to find out from Luke that you had just packed your bags and bolted from town in the dead of night. The same night I told you I loved you I might add."

"I did that to protect you!"

I sputtered incoherently, "You cannot be serious!" I scoffed when my brain was finally able to form words.

"It's true."

"Protect me from what? I knew what I was getting myself into, I know you Jess and I think you know I can handle myself."

"I'm not good enough for you. You are going away to college and I have to get my GED, don't you get that? You fell in love with someone who couldn't even graduate high school!"

"I don't care about that!"

"But I do! I thought if I left it would give you time to realize that it was the right choice"

"Don't you think it was my choice to make, Jess?"

He shifted uncomfortably, "I thought I was doing the right thing."

"I don't need your protection. Is this why you came back? To explain yourself and then leave again?"

"I don't know, I just, I had to explain myself. I didn't want you to think it was anything you did." He looked at me but something on my face must have said I wasn't going to budge. He turned to leave but it wasn't until he was about to close the door of his car before I called to him.

"Meet me at Luke's in an hour. You're buying."