9. Poetry and Prom
It had been a week since Rory had broken up with Jess who had left and moved out of town. Although it had almost seemed that it had happened in another lifetime, she was constantly reminded of the whole debacle by the silent phone calls she received – the person at the other end of the call would not say a word, would just listen. Rory had a deep hunch they were phone calls from Jess. She wondered why he kept on calling without saying anything – maybe, because she had clearly told him in the bus during their last conversation that she did not want to talk to him anymore, that she will move on.
It had been amazing, though, that Logan became a bigger part of her life. He had picked her up from school twice that week. They had hung out at the pub near Yale with Rosemary, Colin, and Finn. As a nightly ritual, Rory and Logan would find time to talk at length on the phone, even though Rory kept complaining that she needed to study.
Rory had realized that she made a big mistake by misjudging Logan. He was more than the typical rich kid who wanted to spend his father's money irresponsibly, more than the carefree kid who got drunk and slept around. The more she got to know Logan the more she got to know the man behind the cliché. Logan was a natural – he was really intelligent, more intelligent than her, even though he didn't study as much as she did. His carefree ways was his defense mechanism against the pressures from his family. He wanted to enjoy his college days as much as possible. Most importantly, Rory loved that Logan was a caring person – his heart was in the right place. He blew off his "date" at a party to comfort her when he barely knew her. He unwittingly helped her see the light about her relationship with Jess. Logan wasn't perfect. There were times when he could be very cocky, and at times he tended to disregard the consequences of his actions. However, by talking to him, she was learning to be less judgmental. Rory had accepted the fact that she wanted to spend time with him despite the fact that he could drive her crazy.
Rory was busy going over her notes when the phone rang, silently praying that it was not Jess. She checked the caller ID on her cell phone and smiled.
"So, Ace, how is your studying going?" Logan asked in a playful voice for he knew that he would probably get a lecture on how he had interrupted her studying.
"Great, until someone decided to interrupt me." She loved talking to him, yet he could be so distracting and she would always remind him of this fact. He thought too highly of himself, and she liked to bring him back to reality.
"And who answered the phone." Logan matter-of-factly replied.
"Well, you could have had an emergency, you know with all the drinking, the partying, threat of kidnapping..."
"Threat of kidnapping?" Logan asked in amusement. Rory really did seem to say the strangest things when rambling.
"Well, you know what happened to Patty Hearst, and you are a publishing heir," Rory said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Ace, I can outsmart anyone who tries to kidnap me." Logan joked.
"Details… anyway, since you're not in immediate danger, you should have known better than to call me. I have finals in two weeks, and with my vice-presidential duties I don't have much study time as I would like to have."
"Ace, you shouldn't stress so much over finals, you're already admitted at Yale and all you need to do is get by and pass." Logan reasonably stated. He had never met anyone who has been stressing so much over classes during the last semester of senior year which was suppose to be a fun time.
"Tempting, Logan, but I don't want to just "get by" and have my teachers think I only worked hard to be admitted in college, plus I want them to think they did a good job in choosing me as valedictorian. "
"You're the valedictorian, congratulations!"
Rory was surprised this was the first time she had ever told him that.
"It's not that exciting… it's more work on writing another speech, plus once Paris hears about it, she'll freak out. When we first met she said, 'I'm going to be Valedictorian and you will never catch up to me.'"
"Wow, intense… are you sure she is your friend?"
"Most of the time, when there's no competition. However, she is only human and has pushed me in a weird way. Anyway, I have a lot to do, yet I'm talking to you… so, whatever you want to ask me please make it succinct." Even though Rory knew that the possibility of her and Logan having a brief conversation was slim to none.
"I just wanted to ask you what time I am meeting you for prom on Saturday, since you mentioned a change of venue." Of course, he would like to talk about other things with her aside from the subject of the prom.
"Around 9 o'clock at my grandparents' house in Hartford. After I told my Grandmother you were taking me to the prom, she couldn't be happier than if the president had decided to come at her next DAR event. Therefore, she wants to document every moment and all that jazz."
"Hey, I always knew she liked me during the few times I met her." Rory could tell that he was smirking as he was speaking from the other end of the phone call. She rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, please, it's all because they know your parents and that you have more money than the Federal Reserve."
"Not true, I did compliment the food Emily chose to serve the last time I spoke with her, and I meant it was the only redeeming aspect of that boring get-together last year."
"What kind of get-together was it?" Rory asked.
"It was a charity for either orphans or whales… it doesn't matter, all they do is talk business, and gossip… not much fun. However, the salmon puffs went well with my scotch..."
Rory laughed. "Well, I'm sure Grandma was flattered by your statement, and yes she does have good taste in food. She once made Twinkies or her maid at the time did, but they did taste pretty authentic."
"Actual Twinkies?" Logan asked, surprised.
"Yeah, Grandma sure does her research on food… I often wish I could have seen her when she had her maid make pop tarts when I ran away to her house..." Rory laughed.
"You ran away?" Logan asked in amazement. It didn't seem like a Rory Gilmore thing to do.
"Well, I think ran away is too strong of a word, but my mom and I had a fight because she didn't tell me about her and Max whom she was dating at the time, plus everyone else was treating me like I was a fragile doll since Dean and I were broken up. Therefore, I went to my grandparents and they had a room for me to stay for the night. They really went out of their way to make me happy." Rory smiled.
"Running away to high society is quite the opposite of what some people would want to do." Logan joked.
"Well, it's funny because I hardly think of spending time with my grandparents as the opposite of what I want. The crazy thing is that I like some of the stuff in their world, I mean not everything but..." Rory stopped herself, she never really admitted these things to anyone before, and she and Logan had only known each other for such a short time.
Logan understood the conflict within her as much as he didn't like the pressure from his parents and how his mother and grandfather tended to be snobs. "Ace, it's not that bad, I mean… the adults are not so great but we belong to the new generation and we will rectify the wrongs of the past."
"Logan Huntzberger a man of social change who would have thought." Rory laughed.
"Hey, don't be fooled by what you see, Ace."
Rory suddenly glanced at her watch. Once again she had let herself get carried away by being in a conversation with Logan Huntzberger. "Logan, I really would like to continue this conversation but I have to go over some Robert Frost's poems to make sure I don't confuse his work with Emily Dickinson's poems next week."
"Ace, as long as the poems don't have anything too morbid about death you know it's Frost."
"Wow, you really know your poetry." Rory uttered, surprised.
"Hey, I might not read every day but I do have a photographic memory. Plus, I always identified with Robert Frost's "Birches" about wanting to be young forever."
"Logan you never cease to amaze me, but I really got to go." Rory stated reluctantly. Talking to him was as easy as pie. He could be so funny, yet so profound.
"All right, Ace, talk to you tomorrow."
"Okay, but try to be brief..." Rory chastised, even though that she knew the next time he called, their conversation would not be brief.
"I can say the same thing to you, Ace." Logan reminded.
"Hey, you're the one who calls me, I should give you advice."
"You know all this arguing is ruining your study time even more." Logan reasonably pointed out
"Fine, bye, Logan."
When she hung up she was surprised to see Lorelai at her door. "Mom, I'm studying, please, don't try to get me to have fun again..." Remembering all the times during the day Lorelai had tried to convince her to drop her books.
"Well, you seem to always have time for Logan." Lorelai replied in amusement.
"Mom, he called me and somehow he tends to get me to talk more and more. Yet, somehow it takes me awhile to remember that I need to study. It gets annoying.
"Yet, you love it." Lorelai knowingly observed.
"Yeah, he is a very easy person to talk to, he tends to make you happy when you are upset and distract you from your problems. "
"You seem to have a bit of a glow when you are talking about him?"
"Mom, I do not… we're just friends. I know I've used that line with both Dean and Jess, but it's different this time. I feel more of a friend to him than I was to those two, before I started going out with them."
"I've noticed that, but if you do like him you can always talk to me about it." Lorelai was surprised to find herself okay with Rory dating a guy from her parents' world especially when he seemed to make Rory happy. Lorelai liked that after everything that happened with Jess.
"That's fine, Mom, but it's not necessary. Logan is great in a lot of aspects, but I know he won't make a good boyfriend. He's never been in an actual relationship before. Therefore, please let me get back to my poetry studies..." Rory was surprised that she felt a sudden sadness when discussing that she and Logan couldn't be more than friends. It was probably annoyance with Lorelai asking her that question she reasoned to herself.
"Okay, I'll leave you to your studying." Once Lorelai had gone out of the room, Rory proceeded to go through her English notes and yet she couldn't believe that Logan's face kept popping up in her mind. It was probably just because they had discussed poetry earlier, not because she liked him.
*********
On the day of the prom, Rory, Madeline, and Louise were asked by Emily to come early to get ready for the big event. Emily's long-time hair dresser was on hand to do their hair. Emily made sure also that their nails were done by having her manicurist come that particular Saturday. Rory was surprised because she didn't know that someone could have their own private manicurist on call. Three years of observing rich people, yet these little things never ceased to amaze her. Rory was very much in love with her dress that she and Lorelai had picked out at a Jessica Mcclintock shop in Hartford where the dresses were stylish yet affordable. It was a full length white dress, with an old fashion black bodice on the top.
"Rory, you look gorgeous… I swear Logan is going to die when he sees you..." Emily gushed. Rory had never seen Emily so happy except maybe when she told her that she was going to Yale. Rory didn't get what the big deal was. Logan had money, but the way everyone was making a big deal out of it was ridiculous.
"I need to get more film..." Emily said as she was clutching the camera as if it was oxygen.
"Mom, can you calm down with the pictures. You took about fifty pictures already. One when Rory was top of the stairs, one when she went down the stairs, and one when she entered the living room, and like ten with Madeline and Louise in different poses. Enough of them!" Lorelai said going after Emily when she went to get more film.
Louise was helping Rory put on one of Emily's diamond necklaces that Emily had insisted she should wear. Even though Rory was hesitant at first, she admitted that the necklace was an excellent accessory to complement her dress and the way her hair was done.
"You are going to be so envied tonight." Louise gushed.
"Okay, people, Logan is just a guy, a privileged guy, but no different than any ordinary guy."
"Yeah, an ordinary guy who is Hartford's most eligible bachelor under 25." Louise reasonably pointed out.
"Every girl in the room is going to turn green, Rory, just like they did when he picked you up from school a few times. I swear it was even more than when your old boyfriend kissed you in front of everyone..." Madeline piped in.
"Wow, I didn't know students at Chilton have no lives so they focus on my so called "love life," Rory sarcastically uttered.
"Well, then, you should really stop dating hot men." Louise joked.
"Logan is not my boyfriend!" However, the doorbell had rung before Rory could continue to defend herself.
"Your prince has arrived." Louise said.
"What makes you think it's him… it could be one of your own dates."
"No, we specifically told our dates to come at least 20 minutes after the appointed time." Madeline explained.
"Rory, don't tell me you're going to the prom with one of those guys who are annoyingly on time..." Lorelai suddenly joined in the conversation as she and Emily had made it to the living room.
"Rory, don't listen to your mother. It's very important that a young man is on time. Ingrid, please get the door!" Emily impatiently ordered her maid.
When the maid had let Logan in, he didn't know why his heart was pounding. His heart never did palpitations for any girl – Rory, to Logan, was just a friend, a very good friend but still just a friend. Although, he really hoped Rory would give him one of her beautiful smiles when he gave her the corsage that he had custom made just for her. He went directly to the living room, and then he saw Rory stand up next to the girls who were wearing similar short dresses. He also recognized Emily Gilmore, and another woman, who looked like Rory, whom Logan could assume was her mother. However, everyone else began to fade as he took in Rory's appearance. She was breathtaking in her black and white dress which really suited her figure, and he loved the way her long brown her hair was curled to her shoulders. He didn't know why he felt so nervous just by looking at her – she was just a girl.
He took a moment to compose himself and walked toward her. "Ace, you really know how to stop a guy in his tracks..." He hoped his bravado would cover up his nervousness. Rory found her heart pounding. Logan looked incredible in his black suit, James Bond had nothing on him, and she loved the way he had looked at her as though she was special. However, she could feel herself blushing and she did not want to blush.
"Thank you, Logan... you sure know how to compliment a girl." Rory continued with the introduction, "Madeline, and Louise, my mom, and you know my grandmother..."
Emily had gone up to him, "Logan, it's lovely to see you… it's been awhile. How are your parents?"
"I believe they are well, Emily."
"Well, send them my regards. Logan, you look very handsome. Rory, doesn't he look handsome?" Emily said with a knowing smile on her face. Rory sighed in exasperation. She could tell that her grandmother was playing matchmaker. She sighed in frustration and said, "Yes, Grandma, he does..."
"Ah, I knew you thought I was cute." Logan smirked.
"I only said that because she is very persistent. She would repeat that question five million times if I don't give her an answer she wants to hear."
"Oh… come on, you know it's true."
"Logan, bragging is not a good quality."
"Guys, stop whispering… I want to meet face to face the famous Logan." Lorelai walked up to them.
"Logan, it's nice to finally meet you, and I'm sorry about our phone conversation. Sometimes I tend to get into my protective mother mode. Thank you for helping Rory these past few weeks. I'm really happy you helped her realize about you know who..."
"You're welcome… it was no problem, she made the right choice and she deserved better."
Rory smiled. She was touched that Logan felt that way about her, and she loved the way he was so nice to everyone. It was quite refreshing after Jess. She couldn't believe that she was comparing Jess and Logan when she and Logan weren't a couple. She was thankful when Emily had interrupted her thoughts. "I must take a picture when you give her the corsage."
"Oh, right… here, Ace." He opened the box and took out the corsage.
"Logan, you really didn't have to do this." Rory replied, touched by his gesture. And she gasped at how beautiful the corsage was with the pink roses interlaced with sunflowers which were her favorite.
"Hey, I like to go with tradition every now and then. And, I remembered to refrigerate it… so I would avoid a disaster similar to what happened on Dawson Creek, at least that's what Honor told me."
Rory laughed. "I remember poor Pacey… its really beautiful, Logan... I didn't think it was possible to put sunflowers in a corsage." Rory said as Logan put the corsage around her wrist.
"I know powerful florists, Ace."
"Along with locksmiths." Rory joked.
"You have a good memory, so… I know that you originally wanted someone else to take you to prom and at a different venue, but I'll try to make sure you have a good time." Logan voice was so soft and tender that Rory could tell he meant it.
"I already know that, Logan." Rory smiled knowing that very moment that she couldn't have wished for anything to be different.
Author's Note: I did my research and I found that their was a Jessica Mcclintock shop in Connecticut, its where i got my prom dress so I figured Rory could easily afford one as well.
