"I'm going to go refill my glass," Rory interjected in a desperate attempt to get away from Babette and Taylor. Taylor attempted to grab her glass from her to do it. "No, I can get it, Taylor. I am a Yale graduate. The punch bowl shouldn't be too confusing." She smiled and he let her go.
Lazily, she dragged the ladle across the bottom of the punch bowl and retrieved some of the cherry red liquid. Setting it back down, she looked up and across the street. There was someone on the sidewalk. She blinked a few times. It couldn't be. It was. Jess Mariano was leaning against a lamppost about half a block down, across the street. She looked around quickly, set down her drink and made her way over to him.
"What are you doing here," she questioned. He could tell by her smile that she was pleased to see him.
"That's a fine hello," he replied sarcastically.
"Hi, Jess."
"Luke called," he explained. "He mentioned he was throwing this shindig. He invited me and I thought I was a big enough part of your life to warrant being here. Maybe, we could have one more goodbye. The last one sucked."
"What was wrong with it our goodbye?" She ignored the first part of his statement, not sure of how to answer it.
"It was complicated by other men – that Logan guy. Are you still with him?" He looked down to the ground a moment and back up at her. Clearly, he was hoping for a certain answer.
"That's a really long story, but the short answer is no. He proposed." It was her turn to look at the hard pavement.
"A rich, handsome guy like that proposed to you, and you said no? He could have given you everything you ever wanted." Jess was confused. Wasn't that why she was with him?
"I wasn't with him for his money. I loved him, at least for a while. I want to make it on my own. I have dreams I want to accomplish, I can't get married right now." She'd told herself this a million times in the last few weeks, it was easy to repeat for Jess. "It was a now or never thing."
"I suppose that's admirable. It's more than I'd expect from most women, but then again, you were always very different, Rory."
"Why did you come?" Those were familiar words.
"I told you. I came to see you. To celebrate your accomplishments – though I'm not much of a celebrator," he paused, "and to have a proper goodbye."
With that, she stepped forward and kissed him. Just as she was about to pull away, he reciprocated, pulling her small frame tightly to his body, tangling his lips with hers and savoring the feeling of kissing her again.
After a minute or so, he let her go. "Wow," her heart was beating fast. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I'm sorry."
"Sorry, Rory? Did it feel like that was an unwanted kiss?"
"No, you seemed okay with it." She blushed and looked down at the ground again. Thoughts were whirling through her head. She knew what he was about to ask.
"What did that mean?" She wasn't even sure herself. Impulsively, she answered.
"I think it means I don't really want another goodbye, Jess."
"Now that we've talked – hell, even kissed – there isn't exactly much choice, is there? At some point it will have to be goodbye."
"No, you don't understand what I mean, Jess. I don't ever want to say goodbye. I don't want you to leave; I don't want to be far away. Despite all of our problems and all of the years it has been since we were an "us", and regardless of how much I've tried to deny it, I still love you. When I see you, I still want to kiss you like that, but I can't or maybe rather, I shouldn't. We aren't the same people. This isn't 2003. We're adults now, with jobs and separate lives. I'm leaving on a bus in less than twenty-four hours to follow a politician around and write about it. I don't know when I'll see Mom, Luke, or Lane next, but I am finally in a really good place. I guess all I meant by that kiss is, we can't, but I want to."
"Rory, you're talking a million miles a minute. You know I have and will always have feelings for you. Do you think my coming here was entirely to get an innocent goodbye? No. I love you. I take every chance I can to see you. You think I don't believe that what we have is a magnetic force that I can't even explain?" He stopped a moment and stared at her. "Damn it, that's probably the cheesiest thing I have ever said, Rory. Do you see what I mean? It's true though. Just about every time we run into each other we end up in a compromising position."
"Maybe the reason I couldn't marry Logan is because I still wanted you," she responded. It was more thinking aloud than something she wanted to tell him.
"You should get back to your party," he shrugged in uncomfortable fashion. He was avoiding her gaze now. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
"I thought you quit."
"Nope, just cut down."
"I see," she played idly with her hands. He inhaled deeply once, sighed and stomped out the cigarette. She looked up.
"The whole town is over there, Rory. What are you doing still standing here?" His tone was somewhat harsh, but she knew it was because he was frustrated not angry.
"I told you. I don't want to say goodbye."
"You don't wanna say goodbye but you can't be with me either. This is the same problem we've had forever, Rory. Nothing has changed. You're still beautiful, intelligent and unattainable." She wanted to speak but stopped a moment to let what he just said sink in.
"Can I write to you? E-mail? Maybe I'll see you in Philadelphia on his campaign stop. I hate that I am this way, but I have to take this opportunity. It's been my dream for so long. Do you understand that, Jess?" Her eyes were sad as she spoke. He gently took her hands, his thumb caressing her skin before locking his fingers with hers.
"Write me. Call me when you are in Philly. I don't want to lose you again, Rory. We'll see what happens."
"Great," she replied, nodding and smiling. She wanted to tell him I won't be on the campaign trail forever or I hope we can make it work long distance, but she didn't. He knew what she meant. He tugged at her, requesting her to come closer to him. He embraced her and she sank into his strong arms. She raised her head so they were looking eye to eye and after a brief pause, he kissed her. "I should go back," she whispered. "They are gonna start wondering where I am. We're barely out of sight."
"Go," he nodded and loosened his grip.
"Will you come with me?" She offered her hand.
"This is your day, Rory. I'd only be a distraction for you and everyone else. I saw Luke briefly. If your mom has stopped throwing darts at my likeness, tell her hello. Luke has my number. You're a big time Yale graduate, I'm sure you can handle it from there." She thought he almost smiled, but she wasn't sure.
She did smile. She understood. "Goodbye, Jess," she whispered over her shoulder as she turned back to her party.
"Goodbye, Rory."