Next Text Message

5:15 pm Mom:
Rory, honey, are you still upset?

5:34 pm Mom:
Rory? Are you there?

6:10 pm Mom:
Answer me, Rory! I am your mother!

6:55 pm Mom:
You cannot possibly be this angry.

7:23 pm Mom:
Fine. I'll call you when I land in Paris. You better answer.

I sighed and flipped my phone shut before tossing it in my bag. I heard the flight attendant call for all passengers boarding Flight 405. This is what happens when you're me. Your mother takes a job in Paris to continue to grow her fashion line and you get shipped off to live with your Aunt Lorelai, whom you have never met, for an entire year. You're only sixteen. Sixteen! You have to drop your friends, your school, and your entire world just because your mother wants to make another hundred grand, although she definitely doesn't deserve it.

I stood up, carrying my purse in one hand and my carry on bag in the other. I showed the flight attendant my ticket and I entered the plane. I found my seat near the back. Luckily, I had a window seat. I shoved my carry on in the compartment above me and took my seat. I closed my eyes and remembered the night my mother flipped my world upside down.

It was right before school. I was in the kitchen eating a pop tart, much to my mothers distaste, when she walked in and had that serious look painted on her face. I knew we were about to have a talk.

"Rory, we need to talk."

I took a huge bite of my breakfast, waiting for her to begin. She pressed her lips together and then licked them slowly. I stared at her in that moment and was once again taken back by how we looked nothing alike. She had long blonde hair, while I was brunette; she had plain brown eyes while mine sparkled blue. She was so put together and proper, always organizing dinner parties and going to lunch with important people. All I wanted to do was pig out on Chinese food while lounging on the couch and reading Howl. We hardly ever got along; we were two completely different people. I was so much more like my dad, Chris. He had dark hair, just like me, and he let me do things I wanted to do, like jam out to old records and watch stupid movies until the sun went up. They were divorced however.

They got divorced right before I was born, apparently. He was still always in my life, though. All the birthdays and social events my mother insisted on throwing for me, he was right there all along side me the whole time. And I loved him dearly for that.

"So, Rory, you remember how I told you about that offer I received to go to Paris for a year to expand my fashion line?" My mother asked me, folding her hands in her lap in this irritatingly proper way.

"Yes." I said simply. My mother was the designer of a huge clothing line called, Zoey Clothing, named after my mother herself, Jennifer Zoe Gilmore. My Grandma, Emily, was quite proud of her achievements.

"Well," She said, chewing on her lower lip, "I'm going to take it. I'm gong to Paris for an entire year."

I nearly choked on my pop tart. "What!" I exclaimed.

She nodded her head, "I'm going to Paris."

"And what about me?" I asked, suddenly furious, "I have school, mom! And... and friends.. and a life. I just can't pack my things and walk away and jet off to Paris!"

My mother sighed and shook her head at me. "Rory, you're not going with me."

Okay. This confused me. I was sixteen, not old enough to live on my own. "If I'm going with you then I know I'm not staying here. So where am I going?"

"Well, your father is far too busy with work and his new girlfriend and their baby to watch you so therefore, I was left with no choice. You will stay with your Aunt Lorelai in Stars Hollow for the year."

I practically spit out my pop tart at this. "Are you serious! I've never even met her!"

"And with good reason. We weren't even on speaking terms, Rory. But I had no other option."

"So, I have to leave my entire life behind and start over? In Connecticut!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. We live in California,yes but Connecticut is a beautiful state!"

"I'll have to go to school there. Do you know how long it took me to get into the elite boarding school here in LA? And now I have to leave it, leave Dean and all my friends."

Dean was my boyfriend. He was the sweetest guy I had ever met. I had to leave him, leave the love of my life. I went LA Academy, a top of the notch academy located only in LA. I had to apply four times to get in. Four times! Now, I had to give up my spot and I was only a Junior. My life was falling apart.

"Mom, I don't even know Aunt Lorelai. And I'm supposed to live with her?"

My mother rolled her eyes. "Rory, you don't need to know her. She's... she's just like you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You'll see."

I didn't want to see. I didn't want to leave.

I fell asleep on the plane ride. I awoke to the sweaty guy next to me snoring way too loudly. We were landing. As soon as our plane stopped, I pulled out my cell phone, checking for any missed text or calls. My mother had called me, but I was still not speaking with her. Dean had texted me. I opened it up and smiled weakly at his words:

11:40 pm Dean:
I miss you already, babe.

I typed out a quick response and hit SEND:

I miss you more. We're going to make this work, okay? :)

11:45 pm DEAN:
Okay :)

I felt my eyes filling up with tears. God, leaving him was definitely the hardest part. We had been dating for an entire year, he was my entire world. He made me laugh and made me feel safe, protected, loved. I wiped my eyes and sad, confused and drowsy from my sleep, I stood up and reached above me for my luggage.

I stepped off the plane and saw a lady dancing and waving a sign that said "Welcome, Rory!" I stopped walking when I saw her face. And she stopped waving the sign dramatically. We just stared at each other, lost in each others faces.

She looked just like me.

Or more, I looked just like her.

Just like her.

Same blue eyes. Same dark hair. Same body type. Her eyes welled up with tears at the sight of me. She came rushing over to me and engulfed me in a hug wordlessly. I was shocked but I hugged her back, wrapping my arms around her tightly.

"Oh, Rory it's so good to see you!"

I smiled and was polite with her. "You too!" She released me from her hug but kept her arms on my shoulders, surveying me.

"Are you hungry? I am so hungry. But I'm always hungry honestly. Which is okay because there's Luke's Diner and he has-"

"Luke? Who is that?" I asked.

"Oh, Luke is just... Luke. You'll see. Oh, and you get to meet his son, Jess! He works at the diner too. And Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"He's totally cute!"

I smiled weakly. "I have a boyfriend."

She shrugged. "Eh, should've seen that one coming. Of course you do. I mean, just like at you! You're like a hotter version of Zoey Deschanel."

Together, we walked through the airport and Lorelai, I mean my Aunt Lorelai, didn't stop talking long enough to breathe. She reminded me of myself, however. Always something to say, always something to add to the conversation. I tried to get a few words in here and there but the woman just wouldn't stop. I smiled to myself as she went on a tangent about cooking and how she sucked at cooking and that's why she spent all of her days at Luke's Diner.

"Do you cook? I bet you cook. With Jennifer being your mom and all."

"I stick my pop tarts in the toaster. Does that count?"

Lorelai smiled and threw her arm around my shoulder. "By my standards? That makes you practically Rachel Ray, kid."

I smirked and after we got my luggage, went out to her car. I threw my luggage in the backseat and nestled down into the passenger seat, closing my eyes.

"Tired?"

"Very much so." I said, sighing.

"You want coffee? I got lots of coffee. Can't survive without it, you know. It's like my water. Totally an accurate substitute."

I smiled softly. "I'm fine for right now."

"How weird do you feel? Being here?" Lorelai asked softly, putting her car into drive.

"On a scale of one to ten? Nine."

Lorelai nodded. "Understandable. I can promise you this much, Rory. I'll try my best. Alright?"

I was suddenly curious as to why she decided to take me in the first place. My mother had said they didn't even get along, hadn't been on speaking terms and that she was a last resort.

"Why did you agree to take me in?"

Lorelai turned to me, confused. "What?"

"Why did you agree? I know you and my mom don't get along so why would you do such a big favor for her?"

Lorelai swallowed and suddenly looked uncomfortable. After a moment, she shrugged her shoulders and said with a smile, "Because she's my sister. And that's what family does. You protect each other, help each other out when they need it."

I gave her a small, reassuring smile. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

I fell asleep after that. I awoke when we arrived at a beautiful blue house. It had a large, wrap around porch and fresh, green trees on either side of the house. It was so comforting, so homey. It was so unlike my expensive and stiff condo back in LA. I smiled and stepped out the car, grabbing my luggage. Just then, a truck pulled into the yard. A man with a backwards baseball cap and a plaid shirt stepped out of from the driver's side. He had dark hair and had a muscular build, plus he was pretty handsome. He waved awkwardly at Lorelai who smiled at him. From the passenger side, a boy with messy dark hair and hazel eyes stepped out of the truck. He was incredibly good looking and also had a nice build, with his defined muscles and sturdy shoulders.

Lorelai stepped forward and motioned her hand towards the driver. "Rory, this is Luke Danes. The one who owns the diner, the diner I practically live in, for its food and coffee."

"And for Luke obviously but let's not make this all about me." Luke said dryly. He smiled at me and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Rory."

Luke turned to the boy, who I assumed was Jess, Luke's son that Lorelai mentioned earlier, and touched his shoulder lightly. "This is my son, Jess."

Jess turned towards me and gave me a nod of his head. No smile. No greeting. Just a nod. I smiled at him anyways and extended my hand. Jess looked at my hand for a moment but then shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Jess." I said polietly.

"Yeah, same." He said quietly, looking me in the eyes for a split second before dropping my gaze.

Lorelai clapped her hands together and said, "Alright, now that the awkward introductions are done, let me show Rory to her room and we can all head over for some food at the diner. Sound good, Rory?"

I nodded and shrugged my shoulders. "Fine by me."

Lorelai showed me to the guest bedroom and I set my luggage down on the bed. She promised me a tour when we got back from eating. We stepped back outside and all gathered into Lorelai's car. Luke sat in the passenger seat, which left me and Jess to the back.

He was reading a book and I glanced over to see the cover. I smiled to myself.

"That's an amazing book." I said.

Jess looked up at me, caught off guard. "What?" He asked.

"The Fountainhead. It's an amazing book." I repeat myself, smiling at him softly.

"You read?" He asked me surprised.

"All the time."

Jess only stared at me for a moment, as if trying to figure me out. I blushed. I wasn't used to people looking at me for extended periods of time. I turned away, looking out the window at my new home for the next year. It was a beautiful town, really. Very cute and small and everyone was waving at Luke and Lorelai and even Jess, who refused to acknowledge any of them. I realized, in the backseat of my Aunt Lorelai's car, that I was part of a little community, thrown right into the middle of it all. I was so used to the rich, snarky people I ran into while in LA. Now, it was like I had been transported to an entirely new planet. And looking around me, surrounded by three complete strangers, I should've felt uncomfortable. But for some reason I couldn't place, I felt more at home than I ever had before.

A/N: Hey, it's been a while since I've wrote fan fiction! But this idea popped in my head and I wanted to give it a shot. Let me know what you think! Thanks!