Jess sat down, feeling squished in the folding chairs at Rory's graduation ceremony. He sat with Luke to his left and no one on his right, but he felt squished all the same. He also felt nervous. This was the first time he'd seen Emily since the infamous dinner disaster and the very first time he would meet Richard. He suddenly felt very underdressed in his dark blue jeans and black button up shirt.
Just then Lorelai walked up to their row with her parent's trailing behind her. "Mom, Dad, you've met everyone here. Sookie, Jackson, Luke, Jess."
Emily greeted the group and the others echoed her sentiments, but Richard was eyeing Jess.
"Jess… I don't believe we've met before." The distain in his voice was very clear and Jess had to try really hard not to be too stiff.
"Pleasure to meet you sir." Jess stuck out a hand for Richard to shake, which he did, albeit somewhat begrudgingly. "And Mrs. Gilmore, how have you been?" Jess shook Emily's hand as well.
"Fine, thank you." Emily was putting forth the same effort to be pleasant to Jess that she did when he came over for dinner.
They all took their seats in a slightly awkward silence. Luke leaned over to Jess, not missing this opportunity to mock him. "Well done. Aren't you a regular Mr. Darcy."
"The ceremony is about to start." Jess pointed at the stage in an annoyed manner, but careful not to draw Emily or Richard's attention.
As the headmaster started to speak, Jess couldn't help but be a little sad that he wasn't going to be graduating, not that he'd have gone to the ceremony even if he was. The thoughts disappeared as soon as Paris took the stage though, delivering the Pledge of Allegiance with more air quotes than he'd ever seen. The ceremony drug on as they always do, with the only highlight so far being the weird, scrawny boy singing Cherish seemingly completely unembarrassed.
Finally though, the moment that the entire row had been waiting for.
"It's a distinct pleasure for me to introduce to you our valedictorian. This young lady was a second-year transfer from a modest school where she distinguished herself immeasurably. She is humble, hard working, competitive when need be, and unparalleled in her academic achievements. Ladies and Gentlemen, Rory Gilmore." Jess clapped a little more loudly than was probably acceptable at such a dignified occasion. Rory took the stage and Jess was sure he had never seen a girl so beautiful in his life.
"Not crying right?" Sookie questioned Lorelai.
"Not crying. Keeping our cool so we don't miss anything." Lorelai reassured her.
"Tears get in your eyes…"
"…then you miss things."
"So we're not crying."
"Not crying."
"Not crying," Sookie reminded herself one more time.
Jackson, of course joined in. "Not crying. Not crying." He told Luke.
Jess couldn't help but chuckle at his completely oblivious uncle. "What?" Luke asked Jackson.
"We're not crying," Lorelai informed him.
"I'm not crying," Luke muttered, mainly to Jess.
Rory looked so classy as she began to speak. "Headmaster Charleston, faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. We never thought this day would come. We prayed for its quick delivery, crossed days off our calendars, counted hours, minutes, and seconds, and now that it's here, I'm sorry it is because it means leaving friends who inspire me and teachers who have been my mentors - so many people who have shaped my life and my fellow students' lives impermeably and forever. I live in two worlds. One is a world of books. I've been a resident of Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County, hunted the white whale aboard the Pequod, fought alongside Napoleon, sailed a raft with Huck and Jim, committed absurdities with Ignatius J. Reilly, rode a sad train with Anna Karenina, and strolled down Swann's Way." Jess was totally sucked into her speech and wondered if all of these insipid people were getting these references. "It's a rewarding world, but my second one is by far superior." Jess would have never agreed with that statement, atleast not until recently.
"My second one is populated with characters slightly less eccentric but supremely real, made of flesh and bone, full of love, who are my ultimate inspiration for everything. Richard and Emily Gilmore are kind, decent, unfailingly generous people. They are my twin pillars without whom I could not stand. I am proud to be their grandchild." Jess promised himself right then that he would make things right with the Gilmores. If they meant that much to Rory, he would make sure they weren't a sore spot for he and Rory.
"My boyfriend, Jess Mariano is one of the most intelligent people I know and he challenges me to better myself each and every day. He whole heartedly believes in me in all that I do and he adds adventure and spontaneity to my life. My world has become a much brighter place since he joined it." Jess had not been expecting that at all. He could see Luke checking on him out of the corner of his eye, and was thankful that the lump he was feeling in his throat wasn't visible to others. He didn't deserve that. He should be the one thanking her for pulling him up out of the gutter that was his life and putting something worthwhile in his life. He couldn't understand how a girl like Rory could have such high praise for a guy like him. Luke patted Jess' shoulder and Jess pretended not to notice the tear that slipped out of Luke's eye.
"But my ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend, the dazzling women from whom I received my name and my life's blood, Lorelai Gilmore. My mother never gave me any idea that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do or be whomever I wanted to be. She filled our house with love and fun and books and music, unflagging in her efforts to give me role models from Jane Austen to Eudora Welty to Patti Smith. As she guided me through these incredible eighteen years, I don't know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her. Thank you, Mom. You are my guidepost for everything." Jess felt a small guilt nagging at him that he and Lorelai didn't have a better relationship. But then again, that was just as much her fault as it was his.
"On the verge of blubbering here." Sookie said, probably louder than she had intended to.
"I'm not doing so well myself." Jackson squeaked out.
Lorelai leaned over and saw Luke and Jess. "Not you guys too."
Jess quickly flicked the single tear that he couldn't manage to suppress off of his cheek. "Nah. I'm good," he said through a strained voice.
"I'm blubbering, you're freaks." Jess again laughed at his uncle who put on such a tough guy front most of the time.
After what seemed to be a never ending line of people walking across the stage, Rory finally got her chance. As she took to the stage, Jess heard Richard say that she was walking "like a Gilmore." Jess had to agree. In that moment, she was one of the most poised people he had ever seen. Of course, as she received her diploma she couldn't help sticking her tongue out at her mom. That's what made Rory so special. She was the perfect mix of dignity and intelligence with laid back and silly. As they cheered, Jess couldn't help but let out a celebratory whistle.
Waiting around after the ceremony was uncomfortable for Jess. Richard was clearly trying to avoid him, and since Lorelai and Luke had gone off together somewhere, presumably to flirt some more, no one in the remaining group knew each other well. Sookie started to ramble about the ceremony but even she couldn't fill the silence the entire time. Jess had never been so relieved in his entire life as when Rory emerged from the crowd. Of course she went directly over to her grandparents, passing out hugs and thank yous. She also briefly turned to Sookie and Jackson before it was Jess' turn. They had never been great with the public affection, but today it didn't matter. He took her hands in his. "You were great."
"Yeah?" She looked up at him with her big eyes.
"You're speech was phenomenal, even if I didn't deserve any of that." Jess quieted his voice so no one else could hear.
"You do. I meant all of it, Jess." She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss, then gently pulled away and dropped one of his hands.
"Grandpa, have you met Jess?" Rory asked, feeling slightly nervous at having Jess and Richard in the same area together, especially after the Dean fiasco several years ago.
"We were introduced before the ceremony." He replied back solemnly, but not with the same distain that he had appeared to have earlier.
"You two should talk books sometime. Jess is one of the few people who just might be able to give you a run for your money, Grandpa." Rory clearly wanted to clear the air between the two opposing parties.
"Is that so? Well, there is nothing I enjoy more than a good discussion on literature." Richard said, seeming surprised at this information.
"Agreed," Jess said in return, making sure to put as much sincerity in his voice as he could muster.
As Lorelai walked up, Richard announced that it was time for Rory's graduation present and Sookie, Jackson, and Luke ducked out of the group and headed for their cars. Jess couldn't, as Rory didn't seem to be planning on letting go of his hand anytime soon.
"You guys didn't have to get me anything!" Rory protested.
"Nonsense," Emily chided with a glimmer in her eye.
"This one wouldn't fit in an envelope, so follow me please." Richard briskly led the group in the direction of the parking lot.
"We're really excited about this one." Emily said. And Lorelai agreed.
"Rory, there is your gift. It's the one with the bow." Jess was shocked to see an entire parking lot filled with cars, nice cars, that were all presumably gifts for the graduates.
"You got me a car?" Rory's mouth dropped open.
"It's a little Prius. It's safe, it gets great gas mileage." Richard was always the sensible one, but Emily chimed in with, "It's the one that Leonardo DiCaprio drives."
"Oh thank you thank you thank you. I love you guys." Rory enveloped her grandparents in a big hug.
"We love you too."
"And thank you for your speech." Richard said, his eyes getting misty again.
"You're welcome, I mean it. Thank you for everything." Emily and Lorelai discussed their upcoming trip and the plan for Friday night dinner upon their return and then they turned to leave.
"It was nice to meet you Jess. Perhaps we shall see you again in the near future." Richard said, extending his hand to Jess.
Jess straightened his shoulders, surprised that Richard had chosen to acknowledge him. "Perhaps," Jess said with a small smile, but it felt weird. Emily nodded in his direction and the two left.
"I better get going," Jess said to Rory as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.
"You know Jess; we're going for dinner at Carletto's to celebrate. You're welcome to join us." Lorelai must have been as affected by Rory's speech about him as he was by the speech about her. There was no way she would just casually ask to spend time with him out of the blue.
"Thanks. I think I'll do that."
Long chapter! Thanks to those of you who reviewed. I never realized how exciting it was to get reviews until last night. Haha. I know it seems like everything is all fluff right now, but there's gonna be drama coming up, don't worry.