Gilmore Girls

Title: Stay This Way
By: Chrissie
E-mail: Roswell33155@aol.com
Category: L/L, R/J
Summary: A typical day in Stars Hollow after Lorelai and Luke admit their feelings.

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Pan to Luke's diner.

(Rory and Lorelai are sitting down at a table. Luke is serving coffee to some customers. Lorelai is staring at Luke. Luke looks back her and overfills a customer's cup of coffee. The customer starts to complain.)

Rory: (to Lorelai) Ok, what is up with you two? You've been acting all weird around each other for the past two days.

Lorelai: Oh, uh it's nothing. I think you're reading into this too much.

Rory: I don't think watching Luke run into a wall yesterday while staring at you is reading into this too much.

Lorelai: Ok, do you really wanna know?

Rory: Yes.

Lorelai: You really, really wanna know?

Rory: (frustrated) Absolutely.

Lorelai: You really-

Rory: (interrupting) Ok that is getting a tad bit annoying.

Lorelai: (whispering) We kissed.

Rory: (shocked) What? I think I missed something.

Lorelai: (whispering) We kissed. More precisely he kissed me.

Rory: (saying loudly) You and Luke kissed?!?

(Everybody in the diner-including Miss Patty- stares at Rory. Luke's eyes widen. Lorelai's jaw drops.)

Lorelai: (embarrassed she stands up and yells at the customers) Ok! So we kissed! Luke and I, we kissed! And, and ... we kissed, we kissed, we kissed! (grabs her purse and coat and walks out the door)

(Luke puts his hands on his temples and closes his eyes)

Luke: This did not just happen.

Opening Credits

Pan to Rory and Lorelai in their kitchen.

(They are sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee.)

Rory: (smiling) So tell me again how this happened?

Lorelai: (pretending to be surprised) How what happened...

Rory: Oh I don't know ... the moment that led you to- in your fit of rage- flee from Luke's diner screaming "we kissed" like a madman. With his coffee cup, I might add.

Lorelai: It just happened! One minute we were arguing about God knows what and the next minute he grabbed me and we kissed.

Rory: But this is Luke we're talking about. Coffee provider slash one of your good friends Luke. Not romantic love interest "While You Were Sleeping" Luke.

Lorelai: I know! That's what makes it even weirder. I don't know what to say or do around him anymore.

Rory: Well?

Lorelai: Well what.

Rory: Well did you kiss him back?

Lorelai: (getting up and looking at her watch) Oh gee, look at the time. I have to go, uh, alphabetize my shoe brands.

Rory: (stands up and holds her mom by the shoulders) That seems highly unlikely considering the fact that I caught you doing that last week.

Lorelai: (pretend shock) You didn't!

Rory: Ok, stop changing the subject. Did you kiss him back?

Lorelai: (very seriously) I ... I think I did. It's ... really weird for me to talk about this Rory. I'm gonna sleep on it and try to get back to you tomorrow morning. Ok?

Rory: Yeah, I'm sorry for bugging you about this so much. It just seems so out of character, you know? (Lorelai just stares at her sleepily so Rory puts her arm around her) Let's go to bed.

Pan to Chilton

(Rory is walking down the hallway. She sees Jess opening a locker. She walks over to him.)

Rory: (upset) What are you doing here?

Jess: (slams his locker) Well hello to you too.

Rory: I repeat, what are you doing here?!

Jess: Uncle Luke decided to send me to Chilton. Actually, my mom did. Thinks it'll be a good adjustment for me.

Rory: But why? Out of all the schools to pick, why this one?

Jess: I'm sorry laying eyes on me everyday is going to make your like a living hell. Bye Rory. Wouldn't want you to be seen with me in public. (walks away)

Rory: (walks with him) No, Jess I'm ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I'm not exactly prom queen material in this school and-

(Louise and Madeline walk up to them.)

Madeline: (looking at Jess) Hey Rory. Who's your friend?

Rory: Well, um, I wouldn't exactly call him my friend but his name's Jess.

Louise: So, Jess, do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by you again?

Jess: I think you should try walking by me again. (snickers then walks away)

(Louise and Madeline look at him stunned. They look at Rory who cracks a smile and then walks away.)

Madeline: Wow. He really has some issues.

Louise: (crosses her arms) Tell me about it.

Pan to inside of Independence Inn.

(Lorelai walks gloomily into the kitchen and leans against the wall apparently exhausted.)


Sookie: (notices Lorelai) Why the long face?

Lorelai: (fills a cup of coffee) A long night.

Sookie: Why a long night?

Lorelai: A long story. (takes a sip of her coffee)

Sookie: (smiles) I've got time.

Lorelai: Well ...

Sookie: Sweetie, tell me what's going on.

Lorelai: Luke and I kissed.

Sookie: What?! How did this happen ... are you two dating now? (starts to laugh) I knew this was going to happen sooner or later! Oh I'm so happy for you two-

Lorelai: Sookie, we haven't talked about it since it happened let alone gotten into a relationship.

Sookie: Oh. Well go over there and talk to him about it!

Lorelai: Um, now?

Sookie: No later ... of course now!

Lorelai: But I don't think now's the time.

Sookie: He likes you a lot.

Lorelai: Really? How do you figure?

Sookie: Trust me on this one. (grabs Lorelai by the shoulders and marchers her out the kitchen.) Now go!

Lorelai: (voice fading) No I don't wanna ... not fair ...

Commercials

Pan to the Chilton cafeteria.

(Rory is sitting at a table eating, listening to a cd, and reading. Jess sits in front of her.)

Jess: Is this seat taken?

Rory: (takes off her earphones) It obviously is now.

Jess: So is this what you do every day?

Rory: It's not as boring as it seems.

Jess: I didn't say it was boring.

Rory: Well you were certainly implying that.

Jess: How?

Rory: Uh, well ...um by...

Jess: That's what I thought.

Rory: (picking at her food) Ok ... this could be taken as a personal question and you totally don't have to answer it if you don't want to. But is there anything going on between you and ... you know, my best friend Lane?

Jess: (smirks) Why? Would it make you uncomfortable?

Rory: (shifting in her chair) No. That wouldn't make me uncomfortable. I just don't think you're the right type of guy for Lane ...

Jess: (serious) Then who am I the right type of guy for ...

Rory: (clearly very uncomfortable) Uh, I don't know. (gets up with her tray) Just not Lane. (walks away.)

Pan to Luke's diner.

(Lorelai walks in. All the customers look at her. Luke immediately sees her and walks behind the counter pretending to look busy. Lorelai walks up to him.)

Lorelai: Hey.

Luke: (keeping his eyes on the pot of coffee) Hey. Can I get you something?

Lorelai: No, actually I cam here to talk to you.

Luke: There's nothing to talk about.

Lorelai: Luke, you can't pretend that nothing happened. We- (looks around and notices everyone staring at them) Um, can we go to the storage room or something?

Luke: Yeah I guess. (walks to the back and Lorelai follows)

Lorelai: (sits on a box) So as I was saying-

Luke: Hey! Don't sit on that box. (grabs her arm and pulls her off) There's glass in there!

Lorelai: Geez, Luke calm down I- (notices him still holding her arm so he lets go.)

Luke: So what did you want to talk about.

Lorelai: Oh, um ... (giggles a little) I forgot!

Luke: (annoyed) You've got to be kidding me ...

Lorelai: I was joshin' with ya.

Luke: You were what?

Lorelai: Joshin. You know ... joking, fooling around with you. Oh, that didn't sound right. Well, not literally fooling around because that would be kind of ...weird. (Luke stares at her) Ok, I'll shut up now. Why don't we just talk about what I came here to talk about with you.

Luke: So there is a point to her rambling.

Lorelai: Ok, you're not making this any easier for me.

Luke: (crossing his arms) Sorry. Go ahead.

Lorelai: As you may recall a couple of days ago we kissed.

Luke: Yes. I think the whole town knows that thanks to your nervous breakdown yesterday.

Lorelai: Hey, maybe I wouldn't have had a nervous breakdown if we had discussed what happened and I wouldn't have kept my emotions all bottled up! It's all your fault.

Luke: Oh, so now it's my fault we kissed?!

Lorelai: Frankly, yes.

Luke: Because if I recall, the act takes two people not one. And you did kiss me back. Did you not?

Lorelai: Yes but-

Luke: And what do you think about this? I mean, all this time it's been "what do you think Luke." "Let's talk Luke." "It's all your fault Luke." I want to know your thoughts on this Lorelai.

Lorelai: My, uh, my thoughts on this?

Luke: Yes.

Lorelai: Well ... um I think it's kind of (laughs) ....funny actually.

Luke: Funny?

Lorelai: Yes.

Luke: Would it be funny if I kissed you again?

Lorelai: (looking around nervously) Um I don't know. Shouldn't we think about-

(Luke kisses her again and this time Lorelai doesn't pull away.)

Pan to Dean sitting on a bench waiting for Rory to come back from school. Rory gets off the bus.

Rory: (smiles) Hey! I'm really, really sorry about-

Dean: (interrupts) Ok, Rory I really need to tell you this so-so just don't talk...ok?

Rory: Ok ...

Dean: I think we should break up.

Rory: (yells) What? (notices people staring so she quiets down) I thought everything was going great between us ... (stars to cry)

Dean: Everything was. Rory, it's not you. Really. It isn't. It's just ...I really need some time off from a relationship right now. Please don't take this personally ... I still care about you. A lot. Just not in that way.

Rory: (still crying she whispers) How can I not take this personally Dean. (walks away to Luke's diner.)

Dean: (calls after her) Rory! I'm sorry! (she keeps walking)

Commercials

Pan to Rory walking into Luke's diner. She doesn't see her mom so she walks up to Ms. Patty to see if she knows where she is. As she walks she rubs away her tears with the back of her hand.

Rory: Hey Ms. Patty. Do you by any chance happen to know where my mom is?

Patty: (smiles) Oh yes dear. She went into the storage room with Luke about twenty minutes ago. I'll give you one guess as to what's happening back there. That lucky, lucky woman. Go back there, look, and let me know what happened. (winks) Ok sweet cheeks?

Rory: (looks at her with a strange face) Um ok...(turns on her heel and walks to the storage room to find her mom and Luke kissing) Mom!

Lorelai: (pushes Luke away, he stumbles over a box and falls) Rory!

Rory: (puts on hand over her eyes) Oh my God. Um, I ... I'm just going to walk away and just pretend I never walked in on you and .... and Luke kissing. Or making out.

Lorelai: No Rory wait! We-we weren't kissing!

Rory: (takes her hand off her eyes) Oh?

Lorelai: (laughs nervously) Ok so we were kissing.

Luke: (gets up from the floor and puts his hands in his pockets) We just didn't expect for you to walk on in.

Rory: Oh I see. Well now I'm going to walk on out. (walks away) Carry on.

Lorelai: Ha. (smiles) Ah, well there's Rory for you. Always the polite kid.

Luke: Lorelai, this is a really ackward situation.

Lorelai: No argument there.

Luke: So the question is ... where do we stand? I mean, relationship-wise.

Lorelai: (smiles) Ooooh Luke actually being non-grunty and non-sarcastic. I like this.

Luke: Lorelai...

Lorelai: Ok, serious now. Truthfully, Luke, I don't know where we stand. (takes his hand and smiles) Let's just stay this way for a little while. (takes off his baseball cap and puts it on her head backwards. They walk out of the storage room together.)

(Jess walks into the diner and sees Rory sitting alone at the counter. He sits next to her, throwing his bookbag on the table)

Jess: (smiles) Hola.

Rory: (throws her hands in the air) And, ladies and gentlemen, he speaks a foreign language. (looks at him) You're secrets never cease to amaze me.

Jess: I'm guess you're pissed.

Rory: (sarcastically) Oh no. I'm happy. Actually I'm happy as a clam. Don't you just see me exerting happiness?

Jess: Do you really want me to answer that?

Rory: Nope. (takes a sip of her coffee) Jerk.

Jess: Excuse me

Rory: (jumps as if startled then rolls her eyes) No not you. I'm talking about or actually I was thinking about-well it doesn't matter who I was thinking about.

Jess: You were thinking about Dean.

Rory: How did you know that?

Jess: It comes from years of listening to my mom talk about her breakups with more men than I can count.

Rory: The only difference here is that I'm not the one that addressed the breakup. Dean did.

Jess: (gets up and takes his bookbag) His loss. (walks to the back to Luke's apartment. He sees Lorelai and Luke coming out of the storage room. He gives Rory a look and she just shrugs her shoulders.)

Commercials

Pan to Lorelai and Rory walking down the street in Stars Hollow.

Lorelai: So how was your school day?

Rory: Fine.

Lorelai: Honey, I'm gonna need more than one word to figure out if you've had a good dar or a bad day. Or both.

Rory: Jess goes to school at Chilton now.

Lorelai: (surprised) Why didn't Luke tell me that?!

Rory: (with an attitude) Maybe because the two of you haven't thought about anyone but yourselves these past few days.

Lorelai: Roy, I thought you were ok with this. I thought you wanted me and Luke to be together. I mean, you shouldn't be jealous ... you've got a great boyfriend and-

Rory: (starts to cry) I gotta go. (runs across the streets to Kim's Antiques. Lorelai stops and watches her leave with a confused look.)

Lane: (walking over to Rory) Rory, what's wrong?

Rory: (drops her bookbag) Dean broke up with me.

Lane: Oh my God!

(Mrs. Kim walks up to Lane.)

Mrs. Kim: What did you say Lane?

Lane: Oh uh, oh that dog! (looks out the window) That dog should get out of the ... the street before a car hits him!

Mrs. Kim: I don't like dogs. Dogs are devil's creation.

Lane: Yes momma.

(Mrs. Kim walks away.)

Lane: So why did he break up with you?

Rory: Apparently he thinks- and I quote- he needs time off from a relationship.

Lane: That's (whispers so her mom can't hear her) crap.

Rory: Not according to him. It just makes me so mad, you know what I mean?

Lane: Well not really since I've never actually dated anyone. Unless you count going on a hayride with a future Korean doctor as a date.

Rory: Speaking of dating ... I was talking to Jess about, well, you. And he sort of hinted that there might be something going on between the two of you.

Lane:: (laughs) No, I don't think so. I mean, we had some nice conversations but that's it. He's not my type.

Rory: Oh. Good.

Lane: Good?

Rory: Um ... yeah, good. I was concerned about you. He doesn't seem like a ...a good influence. I wouldn't want you to turn into the bad version of Madonna.

Lane: Is there even a good version? Hey can I go to your house to pick up my bio notes?

Rory: Yea I'm heading there right now.

(They walk out of the antique store heading to Rory's house.)

Rory: Wait, we have to stop for coffee. (Lane rolls her eyes and they walk to Luke's.)

Pan to Lorelai maneuvering around the kitchen. She is cooking, sweeping, cleaning up the kitchen, among other things. She is also talking to Miss Patty on the phone.

Lorelai: Yes Patty. Uh huh. No, I'm not (trips over the broom and falls.) lying. Yes, Luke and I are together. Yea, as amazing as that is, you're gonna have to hold for a minute 'cause I've got someone on the other line. (clicks to the other line)

(Emily ins on the other line.)

Emily: Hello Lorelai.

Lorelai: (burns her hand on the stove) And the day just keeps getting better and better. Hello mom.

Emily: I was just calling to let you know that I am bringing Rory's new car over to your house in about an hour.

Lorelai: But mom-

Emily: Good-bye Lorelai. (hangs up)

Lorelai: (hangs up and throws the phone on the kitchen table) Great. That's just great. (somebody knocks on the back door)

Lorelai: (opens the door) Hello Babette.

Babette: (walk inside) OH Lorelai, dear, I just heard about you and Luke! I've been rooting for the two of you all these years and finally it's happened! (looks around the kitchen) What a mess!

Lorelai: Yes I guess you could call our relationship a mess ... (wipes the kitchen counter)

Babette: No, honey the kitchen.

Lorelai: Oh I see. Well I really need to clean up.

Babette: Ok, I"ll head home to Maury. He gets awfully lonely when I'm gone. (walks out) Congratulations!

Lorelai: (smiles) Thanks. (rolls her eyes then slams the door) Wow. Who knew people here were so nosy! Luke is right. This whole town needs to be medicated!

(Someone rings the doorbell in the front door. Lorelai groans then walks to the front and opens. Kirk is standing there.)

Kirk: So I heard about you and Luke.

(Lorelai slams the door in his face. She walks back to the kitchen and the doorbell rings again. She screams then walks back and opens the door.)

Lorelai: Why can't you people leave me alone! (looks at her mom then plasters a fake smile) Oh hey mom.

Emily: Hello. I'm sorry I got here early but I called you from the car so I took less time to get here than I expected. (points to the car) So that's it. Rory's new car.

Lorelai: (surprised) Woah, mom. You've really outdone yourself this time! It's exactly what I told you to get her. (walks over to the car.) A black Jetta. It's beautifully and I know Rory will like it. And to think that for one you took my advice ... you should try that again sometime.

Emily: Don't count on it.

Lorelai: Ha ... yeah. (walks back on the porch and looks at the door)

Emily: Well aren't you going to ask me if I want to come inside?

Lorelai: (annoyed) Yes mother. Would you-

Emily: (interrupting and walks inside) Yes, thank you.

Lorelai: (follows her and slams the door) Mom I would suggest you don't go into-

Emily: (walks into the kitchen) Oh my goodness!

Lorelai: (throws up her hands) The kitchen.

Emily: This kitchen is a pigsty! Don't you ever clean it up?

Lorelai: As a matter a fact I was in the process of doing that just before you came. Now would you excuse me for a minute while I go to the bathroom?

Emily: God knows what that looks like.

Lorelai: (mutters under her breath) Or would you excuse me a minute while I got light myself on fire ... (turns on her heel and walks away)

Pan to Rory and Lane walking to Rory's house. The both stop in front of her house and stare at the Jetta.

Lane: I"m sorry, is this your house because I don't remember you or your mom owning a black Jetta.

Rory: (walks to her porch) Yeah I know. I wonder who's it is ... (walks inside and Lane follows her) Mom? Are you home?

Emily: (walks to Rory and Lane) Hello Rory. Lane. Did you see that new car in the driveway?

(Lorelai walks out of the bathroom and sees them.)

Rory: Yeah grandma. It's really nice. Actually, it's the car I want. So did Grandpa give it to you as a present?

Emily: (smiles) No.

Rory: Oh ... so you bought it for yourself?

Emily: (smiles again) No.

Rory:: Did you buy it for mom?

Lorelai: (exasperated) Geez, honey no. My God don't you get the hint? It's your car. The car is yours! You own the car! The car owns you!

Rory: Oh my God, grandma this is incredible! (runs to Emily and gives her a hug) And mom, thank you so much! (gives Lorelai a hug) Lane let's go outside and look at my new car! (Lane and Rory jump up and down and giggle, then run outside.)

Lane: It has a cd player and an awesome system! You don't know how much I envy you at this moment.

Rory: (looks at the back-seat) Wow it actually has enough room for my various bookbags.

Lane: Hello, did you not just hear me say it has a great SOUND SYSTEM?

Rory: (sees Dean walking across the street. He stares at her and keeps walking) Oh ... yeah, it ... has a great sound system. (turns away from Dean)

THE END