Lover, You Should've Come Over 𖤝 Jess Mariano

‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ Catalina Hernández learned how to survive before she ever learned how to play. By six, she had already figured out how to navigate a world that asked too much and gave too little. At three, she was dressing herself. At five, she could read and write like she was twelve. By ten, she knew with painful clarity exactly who she would never become: her parents.

‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ Jess Mariano came out of the womb pissed off at the world. Troubled before he could spell the word, too smart for his own good, too broken for comfort. At three, he was already a problem. At five, he was already angry. By ten, Jess didn't know who he was-only who he couldn't be.

Now, far from the city that once made sense, Jess is dropped into the too-bright quiet of Stars Hollow, where everything is soft colors and smiling strangers. It's hell. Nothing feels real, except her-Catalina. All ripped tights, cigarette smoke, and too much heart for her own good. She's not looking for a savior. And Jess isn't trying to be one.

But the closer he gets, the louder the question becomes: What happens when two kids who never learned softness crash into each other and call it home?

© vcmqire, 2024