0.2 Gentlemanly Behavior
Lorelai was stumped. She had been sitting in the kitchen table for four hours, stuck in the stupid crossword puzzle that she didn't even want to do in the first place. She was thinking of morbid ways to get rid of the stupid booklet made of stupid recycled paper, but the phone drew her thoughts away from it. For the moment.
"You, my friend, have been saved by the phone. He is your only ally in this world. The phone," she glared at the crossword booklet, "and only the phone has the power to save you. Not the oven, not the box of matches—"
The phone rang again, breaking Lorelai's evil speech.
"This better be good. I haven't even gotten to my evil laugh yet."
"Lorelai?" a bored voice asked from the other end. Her back stiffened. When did he come back?
"Jess." She said flatly.
"We- OW! I mean, I need your help. Can you come over to the diner? Right now? It's important."
"How important?"
"Uh, life-and-death-important?"
Lorelai had her doubts. This boy was a fifty per cent liar.
"Please, Lorelai."
But this boy was zero per cent mannerly, except in Rory's case, and a zero per cent pleader.
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
When Lorelai got there, Jess was waiting in the diner. He let her in and led her to the apartment without a word.
"So what's this about?" She didn't want to waste her voice for him, so she got straight to the point.
Jess, equally unwilling to waste his precious quips, flatly replied, "I found a girl outside, in the rain. She's drenched to the skin and I feel that it's not in my gentlemanly character to undress a female without her consent." Damn, he was so close to being civil. He just couldn't help the "gentlemanly" thing.
Lorelai looked at him funny.
"Sorry. It's Jane Austen's fault."
Jess showed Lorelai the girl. At first, she was amazed by the cleanliness of the room, but she said nothing. Jess then left the room after handing Lorelai some clothes for her to dress the girl with. After Lorelai was done, she came out of the room to find Jess slouched over the sofa, waiting silently. He saw her and jumped to his feet. She gave him the wet clothes because she wasn't really sure what to do with them.
"So, where's Luke?" she asked casually.
"He's asleep."
Lorelai was aware that it was just ten past nine in the evening. A wave of hurt washed over her. Luke didn't even want to see her.
"Oh. Okay. I guess I'll be going now."
She went outside and down the stairs leading to the diner with Jess following behind. Lorelai turned the doorknob and left quietly. She wasn't too far away when the door jingled again.
"Lorelai!"
She turned at the sound of her name.
"Thanks. And, uh, that's coming from me AND Luke."
Lorelai smiled a small smile and said, "You're welcome."
She turned back around, ready to head home and murder the stupid crossword booklet. Her smile grew when she heard Jess add something. She didn't bother to face him again. Lorelai just stopped, and listened.
"Just don't tell him I mentioned his name!"
Lorelai was stumped. She had been sitting in the kitchen table for four hours, stuck in the stupid crossword puzzle that she didn't even want to do in the first place. She was thinking of morbid ways to get rid of the stupid booklet made of stupid recycled paper, but the phone drew her thoughts away from it. For the moment.
"You, my friend, have been saved by the phone. He is your only ally in this world. The phone," she glared at the crossword booklet, "and only the phone has the power to save you. Not the oven, not the box of matches—"
The phone rang again, breaking Lorelai's evil speech.
"This better be good. I haven't even gotten to my evil laugh yet."
"Lorelai?" a bored voice asked from the other end. Her back stiffened. When did he come back?
"Jess." She said flatly.
"We- OW! I mean, I need your help. Can you come over to the diner? Right now? It's important."
"How important?"
"Uh, life-and-death-important?"
Lorelai had her doubts. This boy was a fifty per cent liar.
"Please, Lorelai."
But this boy was zero per cent mannerly, except in Rory's case, and a zero per cent pleader.
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
When Lorelai got there, Jess was waiting in the diner. He let her in and led her to the apartment without a word.
"So what's this about?" She didn't want to waste her voice for him, so she got straight to the point.
Jess, equally unwilling to waste his precious quips, flatly replied, "I found a girl outside, in the rain. She's drenched to the skin and I feel that it's not in my gentlemanly character to undress a female without her consent." Damn, he was so close to being civil. He just couldn't help the "gentlemanly" thing.
Lorelai looked at him funny.
"Sorry. It's Jane Austen's fault."
Jess showed Lorelai the girl. At first, she was amazed by the cleanliness of the room, but she said nothing. Jess then left the room after handing Lorelai some clothes for her to dress the girl with. After Lorelai was done, she came out of the room to find Jess slouched over the sofa, waiting silently. He saw her and jumped to his feet. She gave him the wet clothes because she wasn't really sure what to do with them.
"So, where's Luke?" she asked casually.
"He's asleep."
Lorelai was aware that it was just ten past nine in the evening. A wave of hurt washed over her. Luke didn't even want to see her.
"Oh. Okay. I guess I'll be going now."
She went outside and down the stairs leading to the diner with Jess following behind. Lorelai turned the doorknob and left quietly. She wasn't too far away when the door jingled again.
"Lorelai!"
She turned at the sound of her name.
"Thanks. And, uh, that's coming from me AND Luke."
Lorelai smiled a small smile and said, "You're welcome."
She turned back around, ready to head home and murder the stupid crossword booklet. Her smile grew when she heard Jess add something. She didn't bother to face him again. Lorelai just stopped, and listened.
"Just don't tell him I mentioned his name!"