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(XXIX.) - Part One

The two teenagers blinked back at each other. One of Jess' hands was still holding the door open while the other still held the rolling pin. Allen, on the other hand, had his own hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans.

He wore a sweater with a hood over his head. Jess couldn't make out his features or clothing in the dark, but she knew he was the one. No one had sharp grey eyes like the boy who'd been the closest to her heart.

"What're you doing here?" she finally breathed out.

"I was about to ask the same thing," he murmured back. His voice was slightly deep.

She narrowed her eyes. "I live here."

"Really?" He sounded doubtful.

"If you wanna come in, get yo' ass inside or I'm gonna call the Po-Po on you."

One of his brows went up. "Would you now?" But he shoved his way into the foyer. He stood there, hands still in his pockets.

Jess shut the door and finally turned to stare at him. She couldn't believe he was here. In the flesh. After six years.

"It's been ages."

She blinked and realised he was talking to her in a whisper. She nodded lamely. "Yeah. It has."

"What are you doing in Miami?"

She frowned. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"You shouldn't be asking me any questions."

She blinked again. The underlying tone in his voice was not good; she didn't like it one bit. "I don't know what your deal is, but you don't knock on someone's front door at two in the morning."

"I figured someone would be up by this time. I heard voices."

"Voices? Here?" She looked him up and down, and scoffed. "Sure. I bet you heard sirens, too."

He pulled out one of his hands and tugged his hood forward to hide his face more. "You don't have to be nasty, Jessie."

"Really?" She nodded to his head. "Why are you hiding your face? Are you now a criminal on the run? Got busted out of juvie?"

"No. I didn't. I said don't ask questions."

"So, I don't have the right to know anything."

"Yes," he responded harshly.

"I don't have the right to know why you completely ignored me for six years?" Her voice was raised now, and she didn't care how loud she was.

"We talked, Jessie, through phone calls and Skype. What else did you want? Leave my family and fly down to Tucson just to see Baby Jess?"

Without thinking, her hand lashed out and slapped him on the cheek. "We talked for only eight times in three months, Allen. Then, you stopped picking my calls and answering my messages."

He brushed off the sting on his left cheek as he spoke. "Yes, I ignored you because I can't always be there for you, Jessie. You know that."

Jess blinked back the sudden, annoying rush of tears. Her tone hardened as she said, "Don't call me that. Don't call me 'Jessie'. You don't deserve that honour anymore. Besides, nobody calls me that name around here."

Allen nodded with a blank expression. "I've stayed too long." He walked to the double doors in long strides and opened one of them. "Goodnight, Jessica."

Then, he was gone.

Jess stared at the doors for a long time, before letting out the breath she'd been holding. She squared her shoulders and walked inside the house.