Am stepping into Jessica's shoes for a minute because each of us at one time was a confused teenager looking for answers. Things at home weren't always easy, she learned to seek love, any kind of love that made her feel whole, or real. I worked with gang kids, not one of them said "My home life was great, boy was I loved!" They all shared a common bond, they were looking to belong to a family. That is the 'lure' if you will, members will have your back. Lie. I met with these kids in prison, you know who came to see them, only their Moms. The realization was too late. Some of them were shockingly young, because the courts were more lenient on younger offenders with guns.
Jessica wanted to move away from her past. She saw a woman who she admired, who had a story to tell. Straight up, I'm an idiot with no writing background and I (fully uneducated in the field) became a professional writer. Please stop saying that would never happen, or it couldn't happen, it does and it did. Cannot tell you the number of young writers I mentored, some of them Jessica's age.
Perhaps her story was personal and had nothing to do with any of her past, but her present, the present she was trying to grasp. Writing was her hope and honest to God, everyone has a story to tell. Did she move on, perhaps. Did she write, perhaps she did. Did she have a notebook, might have. Did this cause her death? Uncertain. Did the people from her past fear her? Someone feared her. Someone did not want her to exist, the proof is in the horrific way she was murdered.
Maybe it started out as a warning, with them burning her car. It has been stated Jessica was feisty. Perhaps the actions of her enemies sent her reeling and everything escalated to the point of no return. I know in my heart she wanted to make a difference and sadly this will be her legacy. Perhaps her story will stop another child walking the same road in search of love. God bless you, Jessica.
