Author: Meagan Musick Zuniga

Title: Must Love Books

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore girls… sadly :[

Summary: This is a literati story. Enjoy. Oh and please Review! I'd love suggestions and comments!

Rory's POV

I slid on my Chilton blazer as I stepped outside of Luke's, coffee and muffin in hand. The wind was cold and lashed my hair against my face. "Good morning." I heard from my left. I smiled at the owner of the deep voice beckoning my attention.

"Hey." I offered in an excited tone. "Walk me to the bus stop?" I asked as I continued walking, and taking a sip of the amazing dark liquid in the travel thermos I had demanded Luke to fill.

"Of course, anything to actually get some time with you. I cant believe how busy you can be at only sixteen years old!" His tone was made to seem friendly, but I could hear the underlying annoyance in it.

"You know how hard I have to work to get into Harvard Dean, I've been doing all the extra activities I can. We've been over this a million times." I hated having to explain this to him every single freaking day. Dean was a great boyfriend and I did love him, but Harvard was the key to my future and I wasn't letting that go for anyone.

We sat on the bench, silently waiting for my bus to arrive. Of all days for the driver to be late! "So any extra curricular activities planned for after school or can we hang?"

I had the urge to roll my eyes, but kept the urge suppressed. "No, nothing planned except a meeting for the Franklin and it's Friday so of course I have dinner at my grandparents house."

"Well how about after your dinner plans we catch a movie? Get some coffee at Luke's beforehand and get some fries to go?" He hung his arm lightly around my shoulders as he talked.

The bus pulled up slowly to the curb and I shrugged his arm away, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Yeah that sounds fun. See you tonight." I waved goodbye and boarded the bus. I loved hanging out with Dean, but lately its been getting dull. Not that I regret being with him ever, nor would I ever consider breaking up. But god will we ever spice up our relationship with something other than movies and coffee? How about a spur of the moment trip to New York for the day for bookstores or anything!

I sighed as the bus stopped across the street from Chilton and got off, dreading yet another day at hell.

Later That Night

"Well that was one of the most boring Friday night dinners ever!" I heard my mother exclaim from upstairs in her room. "I mean not one fight or glare the whole night. I don't know how I couldn't think of one thing to say that would upset my mother. Usually my presence just gets her riled and tonight, zilch! She even smiled at me!"

Knowing her rant would last a while I walked up to her room so she wouldn't have to yell the whole thing to me. "Well maybe she was drugged or gee, I don't know, just trying for once. You could try too you know." I suggested, and my mother looked at me as If I told her to shave her head.

"She's plotting something evil, she's buttering us up for it!" I laughed as her face glowed with dramatic astonishment.

"Ok rant over, I thought you were hanging out with Dean tonight?" She questioned.

I shifted uncomfortably on her bed. "Yeah, I called him while we were at dinner and cancelled…"

She looked at me with a concerned look and sat next to me. "Everything alright with you two? Cause last I checked you were attached at the lips."

I sighed and flung myself down onto the bed, lying down now. "We do the same thing every single day and it just seems like a routine more than a relationship. Don't get me wrong, I love him and he's a great boyfriend, but shouldn't it be more than just routine? Shouldn't I still be getting butterflies when I see him if im so head-over-heels?"

I felt her hand smooth down my hair and she laid down as well. "Oh hun, they call them 'first boyfriends' because sometimes they are just a first and not the last. Maybe you guys need some breathing room. Time apart and all that. You may love him… but maybe its not enough anymore?"

I shook my head. I couldn't break up with Dean, he'd be devastated. "No I'll just try harder to think of new things to do. Im not childish enough to think me and him would last forever, but its definitely not time for us to break up either."

After a while of laying in silence, I told my mom I was heading over to Luke's for some coffee, I invited her but she declined and said she had to tie up some loose ends at the Inn.

The peaceful and lonely walk to Luke's was very much welcomed. The silence was nice for thinking, which is exactly what I wanted to do. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to walk alone at night?" I couldn't help the huge smile spreading across my face as I heard his voice. Besides, who needs thinking time right?

"Hello to you Jess." I looked up at him, not at all surprised to see my copy of Howler still in his possession. I had completely forgotten about him taking it until now. "What are you up to?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Vandalizing sidewalks and high schools, kidnapping gnomes and such." He smirked, causing my heart to race. God, what am I thinking, I'm with Dean!

"Well I was just about to tee-pee some houses so you're right on time." I said casually and he laughed.

"Oh right, the infamous criminal everybody, Miss Rory Gilmore. Ha!" we both laughed and were now walking together towards Luke's. "So I'm assuming that you're really out tonight for a coffee run, am I right?"

"I'm too predictable aren't I?" He just smiled, a genuine smile, as he looked at me. "Why aren't you this nice all the time, hell, you don't even have to be nice, just talk this much around everyone else and I'd be happy. It's getting harder and harder to defend you to my mother."

"I could care less what everyone else thinks about me in this damned town." He didn't say this in a mean way, just a statement.

"Why me? Why do you care what I think?" I had stopped him just outside Luke's, grabbing his arm to keep him from going inside.

He just stared at me, and as If on cue, right before he answered, we all turned our heads as my name was being called from across the street. "You know what, it doesn't even matter." And with that, Jess took off away from the diner.

"Dean, hey." I tried to say as pleasantly as I could. What was Jess about to say right now if Dean hadn't have shown up?

"What were you doing with him Rory?" he seemed agitated and I so was not in the mood for another Jess fight.

"We were just talking Dean."

"So you cancel our plans and then I find you with him? You know it seems like you don't want to make time for me Rory, it seems like you don't even want to be with me anymore!"

"I cancelled our plans because I just wanted some alone time Dean, not because I was going to be hanging out with Jess. I was walking over here alone and he was walking over here too so we were just chatting during the walk. Not that I should have to explain any of this to you anyway, I can make my own choices, including who my friends are."

"He's a guy Rory, a guy who is very into you , and that's not a friend I can handle." Anger flared in his voice and eyes.

I ran my fingers through my hair in an irritated manner. "I don't want to fight with you Dean."

"We don't have to fight, just tell me you won't be hanging out with him anymore and we'll be fine."

I laughed inwardly to myself. Real smooth Dean, trying to control me like its that easy. "Ok I suppose I could say that if you insist on me lying to you. Me and Jess are friends and there's nothing really you can do about it."

"You know what, I'm sick and tired of competing for your attention and you can't just string me along like this Rory, we're done!" He snapped at me angrily and stormed off, leaving me to my tears and thoughts as I ran as fast as I could back to the comfort of my mother and home.

To be continued.

Thanks for reading and please review, I'll be updating fairly soon!