Jess Figures it Out

A Bridge to Terabithia Short Story

Author's notes:

This is sort of an intermission--a break if you may--between the parts that were supposed to be Strawberry Fields part one and two. I'm still trying to start Part 2, but this particular story idea has been in my mind for some time, so I thought of publishing it first.

For this chapter, I delve a bit into potentially hazardous territory. I know similar or related material has been written before (particularly by MadTom). I, personally, would think that the "T" rating is still applicable, but please say so if you think otherwise. I'd appreciate reviews and comments.

And as a usual point of disclaimer, I do not own the rights to BtT.

Leslie Burke could sense frustration brewing inside her best friend's mind. Sitting inside their treehouse stronghold, Jess Aarons was trying to sketch her as she sat with a book, eating her favorite Oreo cookies. But Jess looked tense, and his forehead was bent into a tight frown, as he fumbled with his work.

"I give up," Jess cried out, raising his hands up in exasperation. "Sometimes I think I'm not good at this at all."

"What do you mean, Jess?" Leslie questioned.

"With drawing. I mean, I feel I'm great when drawing squogres, hairy vultures, and all kinds of monsters. But what I don't get is why I can't draw you so well, Leslie!"

Leslie then stood up and went over to where Jess was sitting, and leaned over to take a short peek into his sketchbook.

"I think it's okay," Leslie said in an approving tone.

Leslie's hair was hanging near Jess' face, and he thought he could smell strawberries and almost forgot his feelings of disappointment with himself. But his frustration got the better of him, and so he wasn't waylaid by this usually distracting stimulus.

"Look closely," Jess pointed to his latest sketch. "I don't think I had the measurements right. I meant the proportions. Mr. Buxley keeps on telling us how important it is to keep the measurements right."

"You mean the art teacher?"

"One and only."

"Hmm. My legs do look a bit shorter than they're supposed to. And Jess Aarons, did you just make my thighs stouter than they are!?" Leslie quipped, in mock anger, poking her friend on the shoulder.

"Hmmph," was the only reply. Jess could say no more than grunt.

"Oh, come on," Leslie said reassuringly with a smile, as she stroked Jess' shoulder. "Don't feel so bad about this. I know you're great at art--for a boy--and you can do whatever you put in mind to."

"Uh huh?"

"How about I help you a bit with your drawing?" Leslie asked excitedly.

Jess could only give a confused look.

"Here's the deal. It will be our secret, okay?" She added.

"Secret? You mean you're an expert artist in secret?"

"No, silly. Just wait and see."

And without so much a warning, Leslie turned around, away from Jess. She started pulling off her shoes and socks, with a bit of difficulty, since she was wearing her trademark lace-up high tops.

"Secret stash of color pencils in your sneakers, huh?" Jess called out, now obviously amused at his friend's antics. But what happened next was something he never imagined in his life.

Leslie pulled off her sock warmers. And then her shirt. Then her pants. And then, adding much more to Jess' surprise, Leslie unhooked her training bra and threw it into the growing pile of discarded clothes. And finally, she leaned over and kicked off her underwear.

Leslie turned around, and rubbed her shoulders vigorously. "Chilly!"

Jess couldn't breathe. His heart seemed to have stopped beating, or so he thought.

"Now draw me!" Leslie called out, as she sat down sideways on the floor of the castle stronghold, her legs strategically placed, but giving Jess a full view of her lengthwise profile at the side, from head to toe.

"Uhh," Jess stammered. "Err ..."

"You've seen me in the buff before!" Leslie cried out.

"B-but we were both d-dressing up from swimming," Jess replied nervously. "T-that's different."

"Oh, King Jess," Leslie sighed as she smiled. "I read that it's best to learn how to draw human figures by starting with the nude form. Besides, I trust you, and you trust me. I don't think we're doing anything illegal here. You're the artist, and I'm your model."

"Uhh ... S-sounds fair," Jess stammered.

"Come on, Leonardo!" Leslie exclaimed.

"diCaprio?"

"No, silly," Leslie said with a laugh. "daVinci. Who else?"

"U-uhh, okay ..." Jess stuttered some more. But he started regaining his confidence, and started his sketch.

With his hand trembling a bit, Jess first drew a rough outline with his trusty number two pencil. And then he took out a 6B shading pencil from his drawing kit--Leslie bought this for him at the art supplies store when they accompanied Judy to Millsburg plaza a few days ago. At the thought of Judy, Jess shuddered at what Leslie's mother might think if she found out about this daring escapade of her daughter's.

Jess started with Leslie's face. Beautiful was again in his mind, as he drew her. He was especially drawn into her big, emerald-tinted eyes, which seemed to be staring into his soul as he captured the seemingly haunting image onto paper. A gentle breeze was billowing into the treehouse, so Leslie's hair flew about, caressing her face and shoulders.

As he started down Leslie's torso, he couldn't help but be amazed at how wonderful her curves were already starting out. You're growing up quickly, my queen, Jess thought. And then with a sharper 2B, he outlined her torso and her slender legs, down to her green-painted toenails. Jess was almost tempted to draw wings on her lovely feet, remembering how lovely her gait was whenever she ran.

She looks like a fairy from one of those fantasy world dreams you never want to wake up from, Jess thought.

Jess shaded some more. The northern light from the afternoon sun flowed perfectly through the treehouse window, enveloping Leslie in a halo-like glow. He finished up by diffusing the lead a bit with his shading stick and at some points, with his fingertip. Then he sharpened some details with an HB pencil.

Jess signed his name at the corner and called out, "All done, my queen."

Leslie stood up, ever so gracefully, and slowly walked toward Jess. She knelt down beside her king, and put one arm around his shoulder as she examined the drawing.

"It's beautiful!" Leslie exclaimed. She couldn't believe how big an improvement Jess' new sketch was over all other previous drawing he had ever made.

"You're beautiful," he answered, obviously nervous at the thought of his best friend just right next to him at such a state.

"Inspired, Monsieur l'artiste?" Leslie whispered teasingly into Jess' ear. She then kissed his cheek, and she could feel her best friend's face warming up as he blushed a very deep red.

"This should be yours," Jess quietly--and still nervously--said as he handed the sketchbook to Leslie. "For safekeeping."

"Thank you, my king." Leslie answered, in her royal, Terabithia-speak. "Then I shall always keep it safe."

"And secret?" Jess added.

"And secret," Leslie confidently replied. She headed back to the place where she previously sat, and smiled at Jess. She let him marvel at his newfound inspiration for a few more seconds before putting back on her colorful garb.

"Our secret," she beamed, as she smiled at Jess.

"Our secret."

More a/n: Thanks for reading. Your comments would be much welcome. I'll be starting part two of chapter 5. I actually have a hanful of ideas on how to continue beyond that. I might be going into deeper, heavier stuff.

Some of you may have noticed the allusion to Leo diCaprio (and a role he played, particularly with Kate Winslett in Titanic). Yes, this is intended. And as for "You've seen me in the buff before!" this is implied in the "Origins" chapter. You might catch it if you read the last parts more carefully.