A/N: So this idea came to me while watching Girls in Bikinis, Boys doing the Twist. What if Rory and Jess had never met before? He's still Luke's nephew but what if he was never sent to Stars Hollow and both had a little different personalities? Some of this taken from the actual episode, with my own Jess Mariano twist.
Rory looked out at the people coming out of the car. They were loud and there was a bunch of them who had apparently fit into this one car.
Paris scoffed beside her. "You think Ringling knows about them?"
"No, but they should," Rory resisted a laugh.
She looked past the car and saw a boy off to the side. He was standing with two other guys and when he turned, she had seen a book in his back pocket. He looked up toward the balcony, where she was, and she froze.
He gave her a smirk and she returned it with a small smile of her own. Paris noticed the exchange and nodded. "Nice."
"What?" Rory looked over at her.
"The guy," she grinned in her own Paris-like way.
Rory pretended to be annoyed and walked back into their room. "That was nothing."
Paris eyed her skeptically. "Uh-huh. And Asher is only adequately good as a lover."
"Oh! Gross," Rory exclaimed and made a face. "I didn't need to hear that."
"Come on, Gilmore," Paris continued. "You and the bag boy have been broken up for months. Go have fun with the cute guy. Its spring break."
She made some excuse about checking out the bathroom in the room and left Rory alone with her thoughts. She walked back out to the balcony but the guy was gone. She sighed and figured that was the last of that.
...
The next day Paris and Rory laid out at the pool. The crowd had only gotten bigger and their small gang had gotten smaller. Neither of them had seen Glenn since arrivals and Janet disappeared somewhere. Rory had taken her mom's advice and gotten a different bathing suit as well but she covered it with a tank top and shorts, not quite feeling as comfortable as she hoped.
There was a loud squeal behind them and both girls looked to see what it was. Rory's eyes widened at the sight of Madeline and Louise. "Oh my god!"
"Rory Gilmore...," Madeline said.
Louise finished, "...and Paris Gellar."
"As I live and breath," Madeline beamed. "I did not expect to see the two of you here."
"New Haven got very cold," Rory said with a smile.
Paris looked as surprised as a person swimming in an ocean only to spot a shark. "We can't all be party animals, can we?"
The two girls laughed. Paris' face softened and it was obvious she had missed her friends though she would never admit it. "Paris, we have missed you!"
"Come, sit," Madeline instructed. "Let's catch up."
Louise pushed them towards their previous seats. "What's going on? How's Yale?"
"Yale is amazing," Rory gushed. "I have amazing classes, some of it's tough but worth it and -"
"Yeah, yeah," Louise waved her hand. "What are the boys like?"
Madeline leaned towards Paris. "How's that boyfriend? Jamie?"
"We broke up," Paris told them.
"What?" Louise's mouth fell. "Why? He was gorgeous!"
Rory laughed. "She has a new boyfriend now."
"Oh, do tell," Louise almost purred.
"He's older," Paris started.
"Oh, I love older men!" Madeline gushed. "They take you to the best restaurants!"
"He's an author," Paris went on. "A professor."
"Tenured?" Madeline asked.
"Long ago," Rory answered.
"What does he buy you?" Louise asked, a look of wonderment on her facd.
Paris shook her head. "He doesn't buy me anything. Asher isn't rich."
"What?" Louise's fell fell. "You're kidding."
"Paris doesn't kid," Madeline added.
"Oh my god," Louise gasped.
Paris got defensive. "Hey! Asher is an amazing man. He doesn't need money to keep my interest..."
Her voice had faded from Rory's ears as she looked across the pool and saw the guy from last night. He was watching her and wore a leather jacket. She wondered how hot that must feel in the Florida weather. Madeline and Louise noticed her smile and looked behind them. Huge grins appeared on their face when they turned back around.
"Who is he?" Louise grinned devilishly.
"We've never met," Rory told them.
"Please," Paris scoffed. "You and James Dean over there have been giving eye sex since last night."
Rory's face reddened but only got the other girl's interest even more. "Paris! Have not."
"Go talk to him," Madeline urged. "Look at him. He is absolutely gorgeous."
"If you don't, I will," Louise warned. "And trust me, I really will."
"I wouldn't doubt that," Paris drank some of her drink.
Rory looked back at the guy. He was still there, unlike last night, but now he was alone. Whoever the guy with him was had left and he looked over at her quickly before he walked to get a drink. "Okay."
"Whoo!" Madeline and Louise yelled. "Go get him!"
Rory stood up and straightened out her clothes. The three of them watched her walk away and she took a few deep breaths. She couldn't believe she was doing this. Her only experience with boys had been Dean and that brief flirtation with Tristan. She wished she at least bad a few drinks in her to do this.
The guy grabbed a beer out of ice and turned around, almost walking right into her. Rory took another deep breath and smiled. "Can you grab me one, too?"
"Yeah," he smiled and grabbed another one out and handed it to Rory. "Here you go."
"Thanks," she said. Rory fiddled her fingers with the top of the bottle, unsure what exactly to say. She mentally reminded herself to kill Madeline and Louise.
"Spring break?" He drank from his own beer.
Rory nodded. "Yeah. I came with some friends."
"Me, too," he smirked. He thought it was adorable how unlike the rest of the girls here she was. "Honestly, I rather be at home and reading."
Her eyes beamed. "Really? Me too."
"What are you reading?" He asked her, glad to find out she felt the same about all of this that he did.
"Lately, whatever my classes ask for," she pouted. "I haven't had much time to read on my own."
"Pity," he said and pulled out a book in his back pocket. It was an Ernest Hemingway. "Here."
Rory made a face as she looked at the front cover of Death in the Afternoon. "That's okay."
"Not a Hemingway fan?" He asked. She nodded. "Ah. That explains the face."
'What face?" She crossed her arms, amused that they settled into an easier conversation then she had expected.
"The I-rather-eat-sand face you got going there," he remarked.
"I -" She cut herself off. Rory had to admit, she would rather eat sand than read his books. "Who am I kidding? You're right."
"Of course I'm right," he shoved the book back into his back pocket.
"Wow," she nodded, smiling. "Cocky and a Hemingway fan. This can't be good."
"We should just part and go our separate ways now," he smirked.
"Definitely," she nodded. Her smile was still in place. "Go back to our friends and call it a day."
"Yep," he nodded, too.
Neither of them moved from their place. "Maybe I really should head back."
"Okay," he nodded again. Rory began to walk away and he called out. "Hey!"
She turned around only because of his voice. It was weird to not hear her name be called. "Yeah?"
"I'm Jess, by the way," he told her.
She smiled at him. "Rory."
"Its nice to meet you, Rory," he grinned back.
She nodded at him, the smile still on her face and turned back to go to her friends.
...
The phone rang on the nightstand and Rory groaned as she reached over for it. She checked the name of the caller and sat straight up. "Hello?"
"Do you want to hear some gossip?" Lorelai asked.
"Sure," Rory perked up. She was always in the mood for Stars Hollow gossip. "Tell me!"
"Luke is not wearing his socks," Lorelai said slowly, as if there was some secret meaning.
Rory didn't understand whatever it was. "Um...okay?"
"That's not the complete dish," lorelai laughed. "See, he is wearing socks but they're another man's!"
"What?" She said. "But how would he get another man's... ohhhhh."
Lorelai nodded on the other end. "Exactly."
"Oh, man," Rory said. "Poor Luke."
"He apparently buys all the exact same kind of socks with a certain color stripe," Lorelai went on. "But these particular socks had a different stripe and that's how he knew."
"That's...detailed," Rory laughed. "How do you know so much about Luke's socks?"
"He told me," Lorelai replied. "How else?"
Rory smirked at her phone. "Oh, please. You know he likes you."
"Excuse me?" Lorelai asked. "Luke? Luke Danes?"
"The one and the same," Rory agreed.
"He does not like me."
"Does so."
"Does not."
"Does so."
"Okay this could go all night," Lorelai said. "You're one to talk, by the way."
"Me?" Rory squeaked. "Why me?"
"You and Dean broke up months ago," she veered the subject off of her and Luke. "I don't see you getting involved with anyone."
Rory shook her head. "That's different."
"How so?" Her mother asked. "Come on, kid. I want you to be happy and you do not seem happy."
"I'm happy," Rory defended. "I am!"
"Have you dated anyone at Yale?" She asked.
"I had a few dates," Rory answered. She didn't add how both went nowhere.
Lorelai waited then spoke again. "How's spring break?"
"Great," Rory smiled then she remembered a leather jacket and a crooked smile. "Actually, to fit with your current topic, I think I met someone."
"You met someone?" Lorelai asked. "In Florida?"
"Uh-huh," Rory nodded. "I mean, I have no idea where he lives but we talked and mom, he likes books! Hemingway but he reads!"
Lorelai laughed lightly. "Of all the people to have a connection with, a book connection no less, you find someone in Florida...on spring break and you have no idea where he lives."
"Maybe I'll ask him," she said. "I think he's staying in the same hotel as me."
"Oh, hun," Lorelai groaned. "You know my next words are be careful right?"
"Why?" She asked.
"You need me to spell it out?" She asked then another laugh followed. "Maybe I don't have to worry."
Rory groaned this time. "Oh, Mom. Like you need to worry about...that."
"You sure?" She asked.
She nodded. "Very sure."
"Okay," her mother replied. "Then I say go talk to this guy, try to persuade him off Hemingway because I know it must be killing you."
"I can do that," Rory laughed.
...
The next day Rory didn't see Jess at all. She mostly stayed close to where she was yesterday in hopes of spotting him but so far no luck. Madeline and Louise found a bunch of guys to go hang out and Paris was in their room watching The Power of Myth. Rory had wanted to stay with her but the desire to see Jess again was too strong.
She searched around her and sank into her chair when she found no sign of him still. A voice behind her broke her out of her disappointment. "This seat taken?"
Jess stood behind her, a smirk on his face. She relaxed and shook her head. "No. Its not."
"Where are your friends?" He asked as he sat down next to her.
"Well, Paris is in the room," she answered. "Janet met a guy and I don't know where Glenn is. The other two went off to a party, I think."
Jess nodded thoughtfully. "Glenn?"
She registered the expression on his face. It looked like curiosity mixed with jealousy. "Just a friend."
"Okay," he leaned back. Today he didn't have his leather jacket on. In fact, today he had a wife beater on. "Your friends must be crazy, you know."
"What?" She asked as she snapped out of watching him. "Why?"
"They left you alone," he said. "I don't know. If I was them, I'd never leave a girl as pretty as you alone on spring break. Or any time really."
She flushed at his words and was glad he wasn't looking directly at her. "So you're gonna make sure I'm not alone, I'm guessing?"
"Oh, yeah," he said as seriously as he could with the smirk still plastered on his face. "You haven't heard? The president hired me to protect you."
"The president, huh?" She crossed her arms.
"Definitely," he leaned closer to her. "You're precious cargo, I hear."
She laughed. "I did not know that, as a matter of fact."
"Well, its a good thing I told you," he leaned back again. "Someone should know when they're precious cargo, after all."
Rory leaned back in her chair, too but still managed to face Jess. She was surprised at how easy conversation came with him especially considering how short of time they knew each other. A part of her wondered if he was just trying to have a spring break hookup but it seemed like more than that.
"What are you doing later tonight?" He asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.
She made a face. "I'm not sure. I'd have to ask my friends. Why?"
"There's a band playing tonight," she shrugged. "At Lemon's. I know a guy in the band."
"Is that the club down the street?" She asked.
Jess nodded. "Yeah."
"I'm under 21," she shyly admitted.
"So am I," he told her. "You can still get in a club."
"Oh," she whispered and hoped he didn't think she was weird for not knowing that.
He continued on. "Anyway, he asked me to come. Told me to bring anyone I want."
Rory was confused. "Okay."
He smiled at her innocence. "And I want to bring you."
"Me?" She asked. "Really?"
"Is that really that much of a surprise?" He laughed.
"Yeah," she laughed. "Kind of."
Jess hit her knee with his fist playfully. "I hope you'll still come."
"Yeah, I'll come," she smiled. "Is it okay if I bring my friends?"
"The more, the merrier," he told her. He noticed someone in the distance and she watched him mouth stuff to him. One of those things was 'can this wait?'
"Something wrong?" She asked.
He pointed at a guy behind her and rory looked. "That's my friend in the band. Wants me come with him."
"You can go," she waved him off.
Jess looked between his friend and the girl in front of him. "You sure?"
"Go ahead," she advised. "I'll come later and we can talk then."
He stood up but looked back down at her. "You'll really come?"
"Yes," she laughed. "Now go. I'm sure he's getting annoyed."
"If he saw you, he would understand," Jess told her and with that, he walked off to the direction his friend was in.
Rory smiled to herself. What was happening?
...
The club wasn't that crowded and Rory held onto Madeline's hand as Louise guided them through the club, a link chain of hands connected through the crowd. She wasn't sure what would happen if she lost any of them and didn't want to find out.
The band was setting up on stage and she found her eyes search the place for the familiar dark eyes and even darker hair. Louise grinned at her. "You see him yet?"
"Not yet, no," Rory shook her head.
Paris groaned. "Please don't tell me we came to this place just to get gilmore some."
Rory reddened. "Paris! No, that's not what we're doing."
Madeline grinned too now. "But we could, right?"
"Okay and topic changed from hooking me up please?" Rory pleaded.
"No," Louise said as she navigated them to the bar. It was close now and both her and Madeline let go of Rory and Paris. They managed to get their underage stamp off their hands and smirked. "You want anything?"
"No," Rory shook her head.
Paris held up a hand. "None for me."
Madeline shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Paris looked for someplace to sit and frowned. "There is nowhere to go here."
"We could dance," Rory suggested. She didn't really dance but figured it was what you at clubs.
"Dance," Paris nodded. "Okay."
The two of them started moving awkwardly. Neither knew how or what to do at a place like this. Rory now regretted not taking more chances before because she couldn't even dance without being obvious she had no clue how to.
Paris sighed. "Are we doing this wrong?"
"I thought I was the only one thinking that," Rory replied.
"Everyone's having a better time than us," Paris looked around. She spotted Janet dancing with a guy she didn't recognize. Madeline and Louise had also found some poor souls. It was obvious they weren't coming back anymore.
"Not everyone," Rory lied.
The place was more packed than it had been minutes ago when they entered. Tables were filled up and even seats by the bar were gone. The band was almost ready to play and still no sign of Jess. Paris looked like she was thinking hard about something and Rory wondered what.
"There has to be something to make this more fun," Paris told her.
Rory looked around. "Maybe we can ask Madeline and -"
She didn't get to finish her sentence before Paris grabbed her face and kissed her. Rory pulled away quickly. "What the hell?"
"Sorry," the blonde said. "I was talking about what they said, how they kiss to get stuff -"
"Madeline and Louise wear their underwear outside of their clothes!" Rory exclaimed. "I don't really want to do what they do."
She began to walk away from her friend and Paris followed behind. "How was I?"
"What?" Rory turned back to her. She had no idea where she walking to.
"I've always wondered what kind of kisser I am," Paris went on. "And you can't ask a guy so how was I?"
"Oh my god," Rory groaned.
"I'll tell you how you were," Paris offered.
"I don't wanna know what kind of kisser I am, Paris," she kept her stride and walked right up to a wall.
She nodded. "Please tell me how I was!"
"I'm walking away," Rory told her and as she moved away from the wall, she almost bumped right into someone. "Sorry."
"That's okay," Jess told her. He gripped his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "Hey."
"Hey," she smiled.
Paris rolled her eyes. "I bet you'd tell him what kind of kisser he is."
Rory gasped. "Paris! Goodbye now."
"Fine," she buffed. "I'm sure I can find someone else to hang out with."
She walked away angerily. Rory shouted after her. "Don't go kissing random people and asking them how you were!"
Jess raised his eyebrows. "Do I want to know?"
"I don't think so," she laughed.
"Okay," he nodded. "Do you wanna sit? They'll be playing soon and they have somewhere for me since it gets pretty crowded."
"Okay, sure," she smiled. She wasn't sure why she felt so nervous but she hoped it was only temporary.
Jess put his hand on the small of her back and led her to a table close to the stage. It was a booth and she slid in with Jess following after.
He ordered them drinks and soon after, the lead singer came on stage and starting playing. Rory noticed Jess watched her and she smiled at him, aware of how close they were sitting.
A few songs in, Jess learned toward Rory and whispered, "do you want to dance?"
"What?" She asked. She wasn't entirely sure she had heard him right.
"Dance," he repeated. "Do you want to?"
"Sure," she nodded. Rory hoped she wouldn't be as bad as dancing as she had been before.
Jess led her back out to dance floor with his hand on her back again. The song wasn't slow but it wasn't too fast either. Rory started moving and Jess pulled her closer to him and she found she didn't mind. He moved her to the exact beats and she relaxed instantly, all her worries about what kind of dancer she was faded away.
They danced for a couple of more songs before heading back to the booth. They started discussing literature and pop culture and she found she and Jess had a lot in common. Rory realized just how much she was the beginning to like him.
The two of them stayed until the band wrapped up and the club was closing. Rory didn't want the night to end, she thought as she watched Jess talk to the band and tell them good night. He walked back to her with a grin. "Ready to go?"
Rory nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."
Jess once again placed his hand on her back and they walked out of the club side by side. The walk back to the hotel wasn't long and she kept looking over him. They got to her door not long after and Rory felt sad. There was a light on inside the room and she saw the faint shadow of Paris sitting on the bed.
"Did you have a good time?" He asked her.
Rory turned her head back to Jess. "It was a lot of fun."
"Maybe we could do it again sometime," he said. "Before you leave."
"Do you live here?" She asked.
"Nah," he shook his head. "I actually live in New York City."
She almost gasped - that wasn't that far from her home. "Connecticut."
"Hello, neighbor," he grinned.
"It is very nice to meet you," she reached out her hand to shake his.
He didn't take her hand. Instead he leaned forward and kissed her. The kiss wasn't long and he pulled away after seconds. "I'm sorry. Was that okay?"
Rory smiled. "It was very okay."
Jess gave her another one of his crooked smiled and both leaned in this time. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands slid to her lower back. They stood there kissing for what felt like hours. Rory remembered everyone telling her to go for it and for once, she just wanted to let go and follow something not so sensible.
"Jess?" She asked when she pulled away.
His eyes were dark when she finally saw them. "Yeah?"
"You're staying here too right?" She fiddled with his collar to avoid looking at his face.
"Down that way," he nodded to his left. "Why?"
"I don't want this night be over," she answered.
He stared into her blue eyes and said, "Me, either."
Rory undid her hands from around his neck and one fell into place into his own. She walked him down and Jess stopped them in front ot his door. "I share it with the guy in the band. He won't come back."
"Okay," she nodded.
Jess unlocked the door and turned back to her. "We don't have to do anything, you know?"
"I know," she smiled. They walked into the room and he flicked on the lamp beside the bed. She found herself being brave and walked back to him and kissed him. "But...I want to."
Jess whispered in return, "Okay."
She kissed him again and he instantly responded. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Her hands rested on his back as she moaned into his mouth. Jess back them up toward his bed and Rory fell down. He landed on top of her and she laughed which only made him kiss her again.
They kept kissing, neither taking it any further. Rory began to get impatient, she wiggled underneath him and rested her hands on the bottom of his shirt.
He let her take it off and it was as if that one action had awoken her to what she was doing. Rory felt very nervous all of a sudden but he kissed her softly and every touch, every kiss calmed her down. She closed her eyes and gave in to the warmth of his touch.
...
Sunlight streamed in through the hotel room's curtains. Rory winced, she felt sore and tired. She couldn't remember sleeping all that well that night and for some reason she was freezing. As she reached an arm out, she realized she wasn't alone and her eyes shot open.
There was black hair over a pillow beside her. Jess was asleep on his stomach and it all came back to her, including why she was cold. Rory sat up in the bed, she pulled the covers with her. That wasn't a good idea because it ended up uncovering Jess and she blushed furiously.
Quickly, she searched for her discarded clothes and put them on. Rory threw the blanket back over Jess and pulled her shirt over her head. Had she really just done this? Why didn't she regret it?
A noise sounded and she looked back to the bed. Jess turned himself over, now awake, and stared at her. "Morning."
"Morning," she blushed.
"That's really cute," he smiled. "The blush."
She moved a piece of hair behind her ear. "Thanks."
He pointed to her fully dressed form. "You sneaking out?"
"No," she said and Jess gave her a look. "Kinda. I've never done anything like this before."
"This meaning...?" His voice faded. She bit her lip and he understood. "Oh."
"Is that weird?" She asked.
He shook his head. "No."
"I should probably go back to my room," she said. "Paris might be worried."
"Okay," he agreed. "I'll see you?"
"Yeah," she smiled. "I'll see you."
"Good," he smiled back.
Rory walked over to him on the bed and kissed him lingeringly. "Bye."
"Bye," he swallowed hard as she walked out of his hotel room with a small wave.
Jess got up and showered and his phone started ringing loudly once he was out of the bathroom. "Hello?"
"Jess?" A man on the other end answered.
"Uncle Luke," Jess nodded though he was alone.. "This is a surprise."
"Do you think you can help me?" Luke asked.
"What's going on?" He asked seriously.
"Its nothing," he answered. "I...kinda got arrested last night."
"What?" He had to hide his laughter.
Luke sighed. "Come down and get me?"
"I'm not in New York," Jess told him.
"Oh," Luke was surprised now. "Far?"
"A little," he shrugged.
"Okay," he said. "I'll call someone else. Do you think they'll let me?"
"I'll call for you," Jess said. "Give me a number."
Luke told him the phone number and they said their goodbyes. Jess wrote them down and made a promise to come to Stars Hollow when he was back.
He dialed the number Luke had told him and a female answered the phone. "Hello. Lorelai Gilmore?"
A/N: What do you think? Send me a review! XD I thought this might be a little fun thing in the middle of NYG, especially since the last chapter didn't end so fluffy. But I'll be right back to that now! I hope you like this!
