A True Meeting of the Minds
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I have no association with Gilmore Girls or the WB. I'm not stealing their work; however, I did paraphrase some original show content from various episodes. This is the first fanfic I've ever published. The letter from Rory is supposed to contain mistakes. Please review!
(Would be Set during Season 3 Episode 1: Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days)
Dear Jess
I've been staring at this blank sheet of paper addressed to you every free moment I've had since I've been in Washington. I've thought of so many different things to tell you that I just couldn't make myself admit, especially over the phone. You make me crazy. Hazy crazy, like every time I'm in the same room as you, my heart beats faster.
When I call you on the phone, the whole time I can't stop smiling like an idiot. I'm probably going to regret spilling my guts like this to you. Hopefully, I will only regret the reason why I finally had the courage to start writing to you.
Paris, the girl who accused Luke of running a cathouse above the diner, is on this date right now. It was her first "real" date, and she was completely freaked out to the point that she paid someone of legal age to buy her Smirnoff and begged me to take a shot with her. I'm not one to give in to peer pressure, but sharing a room with Paris for an entire summer would have driven Mother Teresa to the bottle. I've had three shots and I'm sipping my third Mimosa right now which gets you complete honesty from me.
I like you. I like you a lot. But I'm confused. I thought I loved Dean. I mean I do love him still. He's great to me, and I'm so lucky. Of course I love him. Who wouldn't I love him? Everyone thinks we're this perfect couple, destined to be together. Even If Dean doesn't enjoy looking for hours at bookstores and record shops with me and would rather go see Star Wars for a sixth time in theater, I love him. Everyone thinks so anyways.
Except for you. When you came, everything changed. I never realized that there could be anything else out there for me. Any other guy that I would really want to kiss.
Well, there was Tristan. I kissed him the night after Dean broke up with me because I wouldn't tell him that I loved him after he told me he loved me. How horrible am I? I hated myself for that for months and months. Even though I did sort of have a fleeting crush on the guy, I never would have skipped school to go visit him in New York.
This Smirnoff is making me feel pretty good. "In Vino Veritas" right? If this is what it takes for me to contact you, then I guess it's a good thing.
PLEASE BURN THIS WHOLE DUMB THING AFTER YOU READ IT.
I kissed you when I saw you at Sookie's wedding because obviously you're way too sexy for your own good. I mean, really? It's not even fair how sexy you are. Plus, I like you a lot. When I was explaining to Paris how you know if someone's right for you, every single thing I said related to you. You're so smart. You make everyone at Chilton look like idiots. Yet, you don't care. You don't remind me of anyone else. You're completely original. You're brilliant. You're smarter than me, and that drives me crazy.
None of the stuff I told Paris about knowing if you like a guy and if he's right for you described how I feel about Dean anymore. Oh God, I have to break up with him. I have no choice.
I just am scared that you really are going to end up hurting me like everyone says "bad boys" do. Forgive me for placing you in a stereotype because I really do know you are so so much better than that, but I analyze everything. EVERYTHING. I made a 3 page pro/con list to decide between organizing my books by author or by genre when I was 15.
I can't really make impulsive decisions..except kissing you. Which was completely amazing. I get this crazy feeling in my stomach just thinking about it, about you. I wasn't ever this crazy when I first "liked" Dean. But I really think I've fallen for you. My mom told me that when I went to New York to see you, but I ignored her. She was right though. She was so right. I've fallen for you. Really, truly fallen for you.
After this awful letter, you probably will make fun of me forever and I'll never be able to go to Luke's again without being embarrassed. Then I'll die from no coffee.
But I'm being totally honest for the first time in forever, and you deserve the truth. I want to be with you Jess. I want to be with you because you make me feel right. Does that make sense? It doesn't feel right with Dean the way it feels right with you. I can talk to you about anything. I skipped school for you which was horrible of me by the way. I was so ashamed and guilty because I ended up missing my mom's graduation because the stupid bus was late. But, as I went to sleep that night, I could still only think about you. How perfect our day together was. It's so easy to talk to you, but at the same time, I never know what to expect with you. And we're always flirting around the fact that there's obviously some kind of feelings between us.
So, here's my confession of my feelings for you. I never figured my first time to make some sort of drunken confession would be while I'm at a leadership conference in Washington, D.C. Just please ignore this all and burn this letter after you read it. Unless, I'm not stupid, and you like me too. But I know that's not true. Oh God. Shutting up now. .next time I do this, I'll use a pencil or something and edit it. But I want to be fully honest with you, and with myself.
Yours Truly, (although slightly inebriated)
Rory
Jess' smirk turned into an official smile.
If only someone could have captured the moment with a Polaroid, the picture could have won its way into some kind of ad for smiles.
Jess finally got what he wanted. He had been waiting all summer for some communication with Rory, even if it was her telling him she only kissed him because she was drunk. Or that she just felt the need to go slumming for two minutes and was completely over even being friends with him. But, her drunken confession that she liked him and thought he was sexy was a thousand times better. As an added bonus, he would never have to listen to that idiot blonde girl talk again, even if she was Stars Hollow's next best thing to a Playbunny.
He couldn't wait to get her out of the apartment so he could go to his favorite spot and bask in the fact that Rory was most likely about to be his girlfriend. He turned MTV off, much to Shane's dismay. What the hell kind of person truly liked watching the same re-runs of Life of Ryan all summer anyways?
Jess: "Shawn."
Shane, giggling as in proof of her idiocy, corrected, "It's Shane."
Jess: "Whatever. This isn't working out anymore. See ya."
Shane: "Okaaay. Can I have five bucks?"
Jess: "Excuse me?"
"I need some cigarettes."
"You don't even smoke."
"Yeahhh, but Chris Maple only dates girls who smoke. And I need a boyfriend. You owe me."
Jess, beyond annoyed and out of cash, gave her his pack of cigarettes. She rolled her eyes and left, slamming the door behind her. After grabbing We the Living by Ayn Rand, a sheet of paper, and an envelope, Jess quickly headed through the diner before Luke could talk him into refilling everyone's coffees. As soon as he made it outside, he headed straight for the bridge.
Two days later, Rory got the best letter of her life. She almost wanted to hug Paris for buying that vodka, even though she got really sick after her return from the post office that night.
Rory,
I'm reading We the Living. Can't wait to hear you try to justify this one. I'll leave you some notes.
Jess
Rory immediately forced herself to call Dean at his grandmother's.
Dean: Hey, is everything okay? You never call at his time. It's good to hear your voice though.
Rory: Dean, please don't be nice to me, because you are about to hate me. This is so, so, so hard for me, and you don't deserve this, especially over the phone, but I have to be honest. You were the best first boyfriend ever. And I really did love you. You will always be special to me, and I hope that one day you maybe won't hate me anymore. But, I can't be with you. We have to break up.
Dean: Rory…maybe we should talk about this when I get back.
Rory: Dean, I can't put this off any longer. I'm sure. I've been thinking about it the whole time I've been up here.
Dean: Fine, Rory. Whatever. I hope you're happy with Jess. Bye.
Rory: Bye, Dean.
And Rory and Dean were broken up. Rory hoped these last few days in Washington went by quickly. But, she was nervous to see Jess. Did this mean they were officially together? How would her mom react to that? Calling Lorelai might just be harder than calling Dean. She could not believe she actually broke up with Dean after two years over the phone. That was a really low thing to do, but she had to see Jess as soon as possible, and Dean wouldn't be in Stars Hollow for another week after she arrived from Washington.