---December 2 2006---
It was a very cold December there at stars Hollow. No one really stepped outside because of the heavy snow and the piercing cold. In the "apartment complex", as Luke likes to call it, April Nardini was setting the table for dinner and Luke was quietly stirring the hot soup.
April saw the pot and gave a sigh at the fact that it was soup again. She understood why though. It's the perfect food for such weather conditions and Luke didn't want to go to Doose's every time she wanted something new to eat. She sat down as Luke served the soup in big bowls.
April cringed from the taste for the soup. It was so bland…banal, so boring. She pushed her bowl of soup aside and started thinking about things to talk about. Then Jess popped into her head.
"So, when's Jess getting married?" She asked out of the blue. Luke looked up and paused for a while.
"You know, its hard to say. They don't even really talk about it anymore. It's like they're not even engaged."
"But dad, it's been over a year and a half since the engagement. Don't you think that's a little too long? I think the excitement and joy of other people is starting to die down already."
"Yeah I know. But, you know, it's not like I haven't tried talking to him. I told him that getting engaged to Shane was a really big thing. I told him a lot of things about marriage and how he has to be ready for it."
"And?"
"And… He sulked off."
"Of course. Remember how in love Jess and Shane were a few months back? He would always send her flowers, buy her chocolates, get her teddy bears. Then his blood went cold I guess. Their love was so fiery. Everyone wanted that. I just don't understand what happened."
"Yeah me neither." Luke said, staring out the window, looking away from April. He knew, he knew that if he looked at April she would figure out that Luke knew the truth. The whole truth.
"Eat your soup." Luke said.
---x---
Jess was sitting near the window in his new apartment he bought with Shane. He was looking outside and was reminiscing what had happened 8 months ago. He closed his eyes and wondered what happened. Tears started to roll down his face. This was the first time he emoted about it.
--- Eight months ago---
Luke was walking with Jess to the shop where Shane worked. It was almost 5:00pm. Shane would get off very soon. Jess held flowers in his one hand. It was a small bouquet of her favorite flowers, Calla Lilies. They didn't earn much money, but if they wanted to make a good living, they had to work twice as hard. Shane was coming off of her 11 hour shift and Jess came off from his 13 hour shift at Wal-Mart. 7$ per hour for Jess, and 6.60$ per hour for Shane. Both barely make a few cents above minimum wage. It was a tiring thing. But they needed the money. They barely saw each other anymore. Maybe a quick dinner then back to their small, small grubby apartment where they'd sleep until their shift.
Jess walked in as Shane was packing up her stuff.
"Jess!" She yelled with glee, seeing her favorite flowers in his hand. She hugged him and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Are those for me?" She asked.
"Yeah. I stopped by the flower store. I know they're your favorite."
Luke rolled his eyes. He felt so weird seeing the two love birds doing their- whatever it is. He was so cynical. He kept thinking, this is never going to work. Their marriage is going to fall apart.