Chapter 30

Jessi was looking around Isaac, Taylor, and Zac's room one final time. She looked to the spot by Taylor and Isaac's bunk bed where Taylor had handed her her journal that day. That day seemed so far away. That day Jessica, Avery, and Mackenzie had warmed up to her. That night she had woke up screaming and Taylor was right there to help her. That night they had gotten together. Jessi and Taylor had been through alot together. Now what would she do when she returned to New York? She could never trust anyone like she did Taylor. She walked to the dresser and looked at the framed photograph of her and Taylor. It was a Christmas picture and he was standing behing her, with his arms wrapped her and his chin propped on her shoulder.

Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered Christmas. How two weeks before Christmas she and Taylor had built a snowman. How she had run out the door in her pajamas and Diana had chased her, scolding her. Jessi lightly laughed at the memory. Then she remembered how Taylor had shown up at her apartment. It was so sweet of him to do, but then he found out how she felt. She scowled at the memory. Lost in thought, Jessi stood there and traced the picture frame with her finger.

"What are you doing?" Zac asked.

Jessi jumped and replied, "Oh, just thinking," and she put the picture frame back on the dresser.

"About what?" Zac asked.

"Nothing," Jessi lied.

"You're lying, Jessi," Zac said. "Now, tell me what's really wrong."

"I can't, Zac."

"Why not?" Zac insisted.

"Because it's about Taylor."

"You're going to dump him, aren't you?" Zac exclaimed. Jessi looked at the ground. "Are you?" Zac asked quietly.

"No," Jessi said.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Do you have your bags in the car?" Walker asked Jessi.

"Yes," Jessi said sadly.

"We don't want you to go!" Jessica, Avery, and Mackenzie cried as they grabbed onto her waist.

"I don't want to go!" Jessi said as her eyes swelled with tears.

"Come on, kids," Diana said as she saw what was happening.

Jessi stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm going to miss you," she said to Diana.

"I'm going to miss you, too," Diana said as she hugged Jessi.

"I just want you to know," Jessi said, "that you've been so much like a mother to me."

"You've been just like a daughter to me," Diana said.

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac came out of the house, and Isaac and Zac climbed into the van with Walker.

"What are you doing?" Jessi asked. Isaac and Zac didn't say a word. "What are they doing?" she asked Taylor.

"Helping with your final surprise," Taylor said as he put a blind fold over Jessi's eyes.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jessi heard screaming when the van came to a hault. Taylor undid Jessi's blindfold and she saw a sea of people. She gave Taylor a confused look.

"Our first concert of the summer," Taylor said.

"Oh," Jessi breathed.

"Come on," Taylor said as Isaac and Zac got out of the van.

They went backstage and Jessi got a taste of the craziness of concerts. There was a quick dress change and a very quick run through of the order of the songs.

"Here they are, Hanson!" the announcer said. The crowd went wild.

The show was excellent! Jessi had a great time.

"Now it's time for our final song," Taylor began, "and I would like to dedicate it to the one I love, Jessi Jones." Jessi watched Taylor get someone to play his keyboards. He walked backstage and brought Jessi onto the stage. "I love you," Taylor said and kissed her cheek.

Isaac and Zac began playing "I Will Come To You." Taylor knelt down on one knee, took Jessi's hand, and began serenading her. Jessi was fixing to cry, and cry hard. Why did he have to do this?? Why now??

After the song ended, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac said goodbye to the crowd and Taylor and Jessi walked back stage.

"Taylor, I need to talk to you now," Jessi said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What is it?"

"Taylor," Jessi began, "this is really hard for me to do." Taylor was silent. "Taylor, you need to focus on your music, which means you can't have a girlfriend."

"No!" Taylor practically yelled.

"Yes," Jessi said softly. "I want what is best for you."

"But," Taylor said, but Jessi put her fingers over his lips.

"I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. I will never love anyone the way I love you," Jessi said as the tears continued rolling down her cheeks. "I love you so much that I want you go be free to do what you love doing." Taylor wouldn't say anything.

"Jessi, I'll be in the van. We need to be getting to the airport," Walker called.

Jessi looked back at Taylor. He tried to give her a hug, but she pushed him away. "I can't," she whispered. "I'll always love you," she said. She kissed her fingers and placed her fingers on Taylor's lips. His eyes were watering and she couldn't handle it if he cried too. "Goodbye," she whispered and turned and ran towards the van. She climbed in the back seat, put on her walkman, and wrapped her arms around the big, pink teddy bear. She listened to "I Will Come To You" and cried all the way to the airport.



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