Epilogue

I am not the singer that you wanted, but a dancer
I refuse to answer, talk about the past, sir
Wrote it for the ones that want to get away.

Summer passes in a blur. Jessica and Tiffany are inseparable as they prepare to go to college, and more importantly to move in together. They’ve both been accepted to City Universities in New York, and they’ll attend those schools until the figure out what they want to major in, at which point they’ll pick a specialized school for their Masters degrees. They’ll be living off campus in a very small apartment—only one bedroom. But it’s got very cheap rent, allows animals (which was key because Jessica wasn’t leaving mittens or her guinea pig behind) and it’s in a perfect location. They’ll just have to deal with sharing a room, they sigh to their parents, hands secretly clasped under the table. They haven’t told them that they’re together yet, mainly they feared being told not that they couldn’t be together, but that they had to have separate rooms.

The two of them spend a lot of time with Kim, who will be going to school in New Jersey. They make plans to visit each other as often as they can, maybe even meet up in Manhattan a few times. They do tell Kim that they’re dating and she laughs.

“Like I didn’t already know!” She crows. “Please, you two couldn’t be more obvious. I bet your parents already know!”

“I hope not,” Tiffany giggles. “We’d get some very awkward talks about that.”

Jessica and Tiffany move into their apartment in the last week of August and spend a lot of time setting it up. They bicker over bed sheets (“Blue!” “Pink!” “Blue!” “Pink!”) and curtains (“Blue!” “Pink!” “Blue!” “Pink!”) and what to do for dinner (“Order pizza!” “Make something healthy!”). When class starts it gets a little hectic, they barely see each other during the day anymore. They both take Korean classes and do their homework together late at night, helping each other with pronunciation. Jessica takes a psychology class and hates it. Tiffany takes drama and loves it. Jessica swaps into Philosophy and falls in love with the subject.

“There’s no way to make a career out of that,” Tiffany teases.

Jessica rolls her eyes. “Says the future starving artist.”

Tiffany laughs and beckons Jessica over to sit on the sofa with her. Jessica bounds over and flings herself down, her head landing in Tiffany’s lap. She bleached her hair last week, it’s nearly blonde now. Tiffany her fingers through the curls and Jessica sighs in contentment.

“Want to watch Legally Blonde?” Jessica asks.

Tiffany grins. “I always want to watch Legally Blonde, but I don’t feel like moving.”

Jessica starts to get up, but Tiffany pulls her back down. “Stay,” she says firmly. “I want you here.”

“I’m just going to go put the movie in,” Jessica protests. “I’m not leaving!”

“Damn straight,” Tiffany tells her. “You’re staying right here.”

Jessica sighs but relaxes again. “I can’t wait for Christmas,” she confesses. “I’ve always wanted to experience Christmas in New York City.”

“But we’ll be in California for Christmas,” Tiffany reminds her.

“I know,” Jessica shrugs. “But Christmas season starts right after Thanksgiving. In a few weeks the windows will be set up and the lights strung all over the place…”

She trails off, a dreamy look on her face.

“I’ll take you ice skating in Bryant Park,” Tiffany promises. “We can make a day out of it, go there for a few hours and then up to 32^nd for lunch. We can walk up and down fifth avenue when the sun goes down and look at the windows.”

Jessica grins up at her. “It sounds perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better date.”

3 years later

Jessica slips her hand inside Tiffany’s coat pocket. “This line is too long,” she grumbles behind her scarf. “Let’s go somewhere else.”

Tiffany sighs but has to agree that Jessica is right. They’ll have to skating another day, but she doesn’t mind. As it turns out, Bryant park isn’t all that special once you’ve done it ten times. They walk to Times Square with their hands clasped inside Tiffany’s pocket. Jessica talks about an article she’s writing for her new fashion blog, and Tiffany listens but she’s on edge. She’s thinking about something her professor mentioned to her the other day, and she’s not sure how to bring it up.

“Jess,” she says when Jessica pauses, “How would feel about having an actress for a girlfriend?”

Jessica stops in her tracks. “What?” She gasps.

Tiffany rushes to explain. “There’s this show that’s having auditions, my professor thinks I should try out. It’s filming in New York, so I won’t have to leave. She thinks I have a real chance.”

Jessica squeals and there’s a brief struggle while she tries to get her hand out of Tiffany’s pocket. “I’m so happy for you!” She cries, throwing her arms around Tiffany’s shoulders. “That’s wonderful!”

Tiffany hugs her back, but there’s more she wants to say.

“Jess, I’ve been thinking,” She hesitates, biting her lip. “If I want to be an actress full time, I might have to move back to California.”

They only go back to their home state for Winter break, spending summer in New York City. On their last trip home they told their parents that they were together and of course, once they saw how happy the two of them were, how could they be anything but supportive? But they kept it secret from the rest of the town, not wanting to test the limits of acceptance.

Jessica nods. “Yeah, but maybe not,” she points out. “NYC is becoming a real TV locale.”

“But say I did have to,” Tiffany presses. “Would you come with me?”

“Would you want me to?” Jessica asks.

Tiffany stares at her. “Well, we’ve only lived together for three years, obviously I don’t want you to live with me.”

“But I mean permanently,” Jessica says. “I’m not asking you to marry me, but if I was to move to California with you it would be in a few years, right? Would you be looking for something permanent?”

Tiffany doesn’t even need to think about it. In the three years that she’s lived with Jessica, she’s never once regretted anything. Sure, they’ve had a few fights, but they never stayed mad (make-up was too good for that). Maybe they weren’t absolutely perfect for each other (neither one of them could cook despite how much they both tried to). Maybe there were a few things that weren’t perfect, but when was anything 100% sunshine? They made the good things stand out, they had a lot of happy memories and they loved each other. What more did they need besides love and support?

“Of course I’m looking for something permanent,” Tiffany laughs. “Jess, if I could handcuff us together and never be without you, I’d do it in a heartbeat!”

Jessica’s grin is dazzling, and her laugh makes Tiffany want to kiss her, which she does, pulling Tiffany to the side and planting a small kiss on her smiling lips.

“You’re still the best part of my life,” Tiffany says.

“You’re still my one true love,” Jessica giggles.

If Tiffany could do her whole life over, she wouldn’t change a thing. Perhaps that is the best feeling in the world, apart from love.

Thanks to everyone who read, extra thanks to all my reviewers!! I'm so grateful that you all gave this story a chance! There might be more JeTi from me in the future (veeery far future) because the world needs more of these two. See you around!!