Chapter 1 – Over The Fence
Rory sat in the park, a couple of kids ran past her giggling, she smiled at them. She felt guilty for being there, as she always did but she could never keep away, and besides today was a special day. The saddest day of Rory's year, though it always brought the most sincere smile to her face.
Rory was 27 now, she lived alone just outside of Stars Hollow. She didn't work much, doing occasional story's for a political magazine that circulated Hartford. Besides that she lived off her trust fund. This wasn't how she had pictured her life being, but she had no motivation to change herself.
She looked across the park at the playground, she smiled at it softly, feeling utterly miserable and useless. She hated herself more then ever today as she watched the playground from about 50 metres away.
She had sat here on this day every year for the past three years, and gazed at the balloons and the happy faces. Coming there only made her feel worse, but she couldn't keep away, she felt sick at the thought that someday they might not turn up.
Rory entered the hall, it was the usual kind of do, snotty Yale alumni's standing and sitting around, she wasn't sure why she had come, apart from the fact that she knew a few of her old friends would be there. Paris had twisted her arm, insisting that it would be fun.
"I can't believe I'm here, I could be seeing my mother, I hardly see her these days." Rory hissed to Paris who rolled her eyes.
"Yale was our home for 4 years. You can't just ignore that Rory, beside, there are heaps of people our age here. People who value their heritage." Paris snapped back, grabbing a couple of glasses of wine as a waiter walked past and handing one to Rory. Rory looked at the wine with a questioning glance at Paris.
"What, we aren't driving, and these things are murder if you're sober." Paris said, reading Rory's gaze, Rory smiled slightly and took a sip. "Oh there's Professor Stevens, I've been meaning to have a word with him." Paris said, and before Rory had a chance to speak Paris had disappeared through the crowd.
"Great." Rory sighed, finishing her glass of wine quickly and retrieve another. "Bottoms up I suppose." She muttered.
"Still talking to yourself Ace?" A voice said from behind her, she spun around to see Logan smiling a familiar smile at her.
"These Yale events are sending me crazy. Can't we just graduate and be done with it." Rory said with a awkward smile, "I didn't expect to see you here. Or ever actually."
"Colin convinced me. He comes to all these things, god knows why, I think he's trying to hold onto college, a bit afraid to really growing up." Logan said with a grin.
"Oh, Colin's here." Rory said, looking around.
"Yeah, him and Finn." Logan told her. They were quiet for a moment, Rory took a large gulp of her drink. Logan broke the silence, "So, you look good. Adulthood's treating you well."
"Thanks. I've actually just got a job, it's as a correspondent. I don't start for about 5 months because of training and everything, but then I'm moving to England. I'll actually be on the news which is exciting. I'll be reporting on political events." Rory told Logan, feeling excited about her new job. She couldn't believe she had even gotten it, it still felt unreal.
"Well done, I'm happy for you." Logan said, leaning forward and hugging her, Rory was a little taken aback but managed a smile.
"Allo, allo, what's all this then?" Finn said coming up beside them, "Rory love! Long time no see." Finn grabbed her dramatically and hugged her. Rory chuckled, finishing her second glass of wine, feeling a little giddy, she wasn't a big drinker.
"Excuse me miss, throw us the ball!" A little boy shouted, drawing Rory out of her thoughts, she jumped up and grabbed the ball, throwing it gently to the boy who grinned and toddled off.
Rory had been speaking to Logan, Colin and Finn for an hour or so, drinking merrily. They all had steady girlfriends, which Rory was surprised to hear. When they had told her they had all grinned sheepishly, she felt a little weird hearing Logan talk about it, but after a couple more wines that feeling was gone.
"It's getting stuffy in here, all this blue blood. I'm going to go outside." Rory had said, finishing her 6th glass of wine.
"I need to make a pit stop at the bar." Logan has said, and Colin had nodded in agreement.
"let's go then." Finn said and Rory walked outside with him into a gorgeous garden. A few people were standing around smoking, but apart from that the garden was empty and it was quiet.
"I'm surprised to say this but I'm having fun tonight." Rory giggled, swaying a little where she stood, "Hanging out with you boys reminds me of college."
"I've got something that will remind you of college even more." Finn said with an evil grin, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask. "Tequila."
"Anything alcohol related reminds me of you and college." Rory replied, taking the flask and having a sip, grimacing and then coughing a little. "Lets explore." Rory said, pointing into the garden, it had pathways leading all through it. Rory's head was spinning as her and Finn walked into the gardens.
"I always felt a little like you didn't like me." Rory told Finn, who snorted having a gulp from the flask and handing it to Rory who did the same.
"You are one of the few girls ever who I actually like." He informed her.
"Oh thank you." Rory said. She tripped over a rock and fell to the ground with a loud thump.
"Come on kids! It's cake time!" Rory looked up and saw a familiar woman calling the kids in. They all ran, screaming over to the picnic table. Rory knew she couldn't be recognized but she still always felt nervous, watching this. "We have to sing happy birthday first!"
"Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Maya!
Happy birthday to you!"
The woman picked a little girl up with straight brown hair and giant blue eyes. Rory felt ill, looking at this tiny girl who was growing so fast.
"Shit. Rory, are you okay?" Finn said, crouching down beside her, she rolled onto her back giggling.
"Oops." She laughed, pulling herself into a sitting position. "I cut my knee!" Rory said. Finn kissed his hand and then touching it gently to her knee.
"There." He said, taking a large gulp from the flask. "Now you're right as rain." They looked at each other through their drunken eyes.
"We should probably go back, or we'll never find our way out again." Rory said, going to climb to her feet, when she was surprised to find Finn's lips suddenly attached to hers. She pushed him off, looking started, "Ah woah!" Rory said.
"I know I have a girlfriend." Finn said, they looked at each other in silence.
"Oh, who cares!" Rory said, grabbing his face and kissing him.
Rory put her face in her hands as she remembered. She couldn't believe what she had done, how idiotic it had been. Lying in there, in a garden, having sex with Finn, who had a girlfriend, and who she hadn't seen in so long.
Rory pulled her clothes back on in the darkness, she could hear Finn doing the same, she felt dizzy. She couldn't think clearly, but she felt guilty about what they had just done.
"I don't usually do stuff like that." Rory told him stupidly, she heard Finn chuckle.
"I know love, I've met you before." Finn replied, getting to his feet and helping her up.
"I just, I can't believe I just did that." Rory said.
"Yes, I was a little surprised. But pleased." He pinched her on the bum as they headed back, Rory combed at her hair with her fingers, trying to get as many of the twigs out as she could. They got back to the hall and Rory spotted Paris who was storming over to her looking annoyed.
"Where have you been, I've been wanting to leave for ages." Paris said glaring at Rory, then looking down at her shirt. "Rory…why is your shirt inside out?" She looked from Finn back to Rory and her annoyed looking was replaced by one of mild amusement, "Oh…"
Rory was horrified that her shirt was inside out and quickly crossed her arms in an attempt to hide it. "I'm ready to go." She said hurriedly, she looked at Finn who was smirking at her, she felt ill.
"Nice seeing you again Rory." He told her, kissing her on the cheek.
"Yes… say bye to Logan and Colin." Rory said, then she grabbed Paris and dragged her away.
"Rory Gilmore. I didn't think you had it in you." Paris said as they climbed into a cab together.
Rory sat, watching the birthday party silently, as they passed out pieces of cake to all the children.
The most immature and irrational thing Rory had ever done had lead to the most mature situation and decisions she had ever had to make. She always felt as if she had made the right choice, every day except for this day, July 24th.
The day she came to the park and watched her daughter celebrate each birthday with her new parents. The day she relieved everything from that dark time in her life where she had disappeared for months, not even seeing her mother. No one knew her secret.
All they knew was that something had changed her, made her lose all her energy. Something that had made her turn down her overseas job. Something that had turned the light off behind her eyes.