Page 98 of June: Jess' Story

Hey, how’s it going?

Good day or bad day?

Did Eden like her Christmas gifts?

I’m not doing too great myself, thanks for asking.

Did you get a new number?

I’ll text you every day if I have to.

I’d show up, but I don’t think you want me there.

J

I don’t.

Progress?

Did you get anything good for Christmas?

Divorce papers.

Please stop texting me.

See, divorce papers sort of sound like the best Christmas present. At least to me.

Happy New Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year.

B

Stop texting her. She’s moving on.

A

Is she really?

Britain sends me a photo of Jess in a dress so short you can practically see her ass. She’s at Colton’s while that spineless fuck of a bartender is holding her face in both hands with his tongue down her throat.

You had your chance.

I wake up in a panic. My brow is sweaty. I think I audibly gasp, too. It wakes up Blanks who is sitting on the other side of the plane.

“I have to go back,” I say out loud and with no volume control. I probably look fucking crazed, sound like it, too. And it’s probably because I am. It’s vivid. It was so vivid, the image of Jess kissing another man feels burned on my brain.

The text messages, fucking someone named “R.” It felt real. But it’snot real. It was just a dream. Just another nightmare.

I should know better, I gave up trying to fuck Jess out of my mind with other women weeks ago. It doesn’t work. She’ll never not be in my thoughts.

My nightmares have taken on a life of their own lately, but on the tails of seeing her this afternoon, this one cut the deepest. The pain in my chest won’t ease. I know it won’t until I go back to her.

Blanks just unbuckles and raps on the captain’s door, asking them to turn back.

He sighs as he passes me on his way to sit back down.

“Should’ve trusted my instincts. I knew you couldn’t leave it.”