two: aftermath

Rory just stared back blankly, at a loss for words. Jess loved — loves — her and she couldn't do, or say, anything. Her mind was racing, thinking and not stopping, flooding her brain with memories. One particular one stood out: when he called her and said nothing, when she answered and said everything. She might have loved him, she never knew he might have — definitely now — loved her too. He never stayed long enough for her to find out.

And it felt like the entire world was crashing into her.

Jess stared at her for just a second longer before giving up with a sigh. She wasn't going to say anything now, or probably ever, and all of his feelings were out in the open. With a slight nod and all of his emotions coursing through him, he ran to his car and sped off; feeling for the first time since he was eight, like he wanted to cry.

Rory watched him go, ignoring the constant stares, and just stood. She just stood as her eyes welled up with tears before blinking rapidly and turning on her heel. She ran back to the burger line just before her mom caught up with her with the rest of their food.

"Hey hun, you okay? What happened?" Lorelai asked eyes roaming her daughter's face. She was closed off, but definitely feeling something, Lorelai noticed.

"I don't want to talk, let's just finish up here." Rory said with her chest tight and her throat clogged with unshed tears. Lorelai just nodded, not wanting to push Rory.

"Luke!?" Jess called into the empty diner, all the chairs stacked in tables and all the coffee mugs on the counter. Jess looked around as he waited, hoping Luke was home and not at Nicole's. Just as frantic as Jess sounded, Luke was down the stairs and in the diner.

"Jess? You leaving?" Luke asked eyeing the boy in front of him. Jess looked down to avoid Luke's gaze as he sniffled slightly.

"Uh, no. Not yet." Jess shook his head, trying to calm himself. "Can I—?"

"Yeah you can stay here, your bed is still the same." Luke nodded knowingly, gesturing towards the stairs. Jess took a deep breath and followed the man who meant a lot to him — not like he'd ever say that to him though.

Jess was soon settled and Luke had turned off the lights and they were both left to each their racing minds.

Jess was gone before the rest of the town was awake. He had quickly packed everything up and had made his bed — something he never would have done but he needed to keep busy otherwise his thoughts would continue racing. He was on a bus before Luke's alarm even went off and he was headed to a place he didn't know filled with people he wouldn't care to ever get to know. His head hung low as he read from a book, a pen in his hand ready for what ever notes he wanted to write in the margins. His notes were always somehow about something Rory would have liked about the book. And he wasn't going to deny that the reason he still read and wrote in books he wouldn't have ever read but Rory would've, was to stay somehow connected to her.

And the amount of books was still growing.

When Luke had woken up and noticed the bed made, he almost felt as if Jess asking to stay was a dream. But it wasn't, the note and twenty dollar bill on the table was a clear indicator. Luke sighed and he put the twenty in his pocket and picked up the note.

"Thank You."