Rory Gilmore spends summers with her grandparents either the Hayden's or the Gilmore's alternately. Spring and winter breaks are the same so her mom can work at the Inn and not have her underfoot. It is not that her mother minds but it does make work harder. This story is totally AU and Rory is the same age as Logan and friends so are Paris and Tristan.
Disclaimer: I don't own them just like to borrow them for my musings. Don't own anything Beatle related either just find some lyrics and titles very inspiring.
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Chapter 11 - Yale! You got into YALE!
Rory was excited after her trip to Fiji and many talks with Mitchum and Shira, she had decided it was time to tell her mom the 'good' news. She would still participate in the graduation as valedictorian none the less, but after winter break she would begin her first year at Yale. She bounded into her house sun kissed and cheerful.
"Mom, I'm home!" She took her bag to her room and dug through it to get the t-shirt and hand painted spoon with a picture of a palm tree on it. She looked around and found a note.
Sorry I missed you sweetie, huge drama at the Inn. I will be home as soon as I can. Love You!
Rory sighed and plopped on to the couch tossing the gifts onto the coffee table and flipping her phone to call Logan. She listened to it ring and was happy when he picked up.
"She's not here, she complains that I go to the grandparents and hang out with you, but we make plans and I have to put up with her flaking on me again and again." She finally stopped to breathe.
"Ace, calm down baby, I can be there in a few, want me to come down?" Logan soothed.
"But I just left you, you need to unpack, and shower and rest and get ready for school tomorrow, it would be completely selfish and wrong." She pouted.
"I am on my way." He ended the call with no room for argument and headed out to his car.
While he was driving he thought about how nice the vacation had been, he had got to know his parents, they actually took time to intrude on his vacation with his girlfriend. Sure they had blown their plans, but it was still really nice, he never fished with his father as a child and taking the half day trip was an experience he would never forget. He also noticed how close his mom and Rory had become, his girlfriend was something else. He was pulling up to the house just as Lorelai was parking.
"Hey Logan, what are you doing here? Aren't you sick of her yet?" She joked.
"Never Lorelai, she is always a wonder that one. She called me, you weren't here and she didn't want to be alone." He explained and Lorelai quirked her brow.
"Well we might as well go in and see what she was so excited to share that she was even desperate to have you here." She lead him up the stairs and into the house where she saw Rory seated on the couch staring at a blank TV screen looking frustrated.
She sat down beside her, "Hey hon, what's wrong? Look who I found outside."
Logan sat on her other side and she made no move to get close to either of them.
She stood up and faced them, "Mom, I am going to Yale, I got early admission and I start in January, Logan is starting then too. Also I am class valedictorian and will still participate in the Chilton graduation in May. Oh, and I brought you these from Fiji, Logan and his parents took me for the festival." She held the shirt and spoon in her hands out to a stunned Lorelai.
"Yale, valedictorian, Fiji – wow kid are you engaged too? Any other bombs you want to drop. I can't believe this, it is supposed to be Harvard, and early entry - what is that all about; you can't wait to get out of here? I mean it kid, what am I supposed to do with all of this? "Lorelai just stared at her and Logan got up to take the gifts from her hands setting them back on the table and give her a hug in support.
"Mom, what difference does it make, you work all the time, I am here alone all the time, at least at grandma's, either of them, I am never alone. It sucks to keep coming in to an empty house mom. I know you worked hard for this, but guess what so did I. I took summer courses and worked with so many groups to make myself stand out and make me what Yale was looking for. I applied to Harvard but didn't get early entry, just regular admission same with Princeton and I am sure the fact that both my grandfathers attended Yale was a small boost as well. I wanted you to be proud of me mom, see all I accomplished while you were working hard so was I. I was working on making my dreams come true and part of that dream is Yale." She held tightly to Logan's hand as she ranted and he extracted his hand to get her a glass of water to hopefully calm her down. Without Logan beside her she collapsed into the wingback chair.
Logan returned and handed her the glass of water and the stunned silent Lorelai a cup of coffee. She took it gratefully and stared into its black depths.
"You really like that life don't you kid? I should have never let you go there; I should have figured a way to keep you with me every minute. You are right; I really don't know you as well as I thought I did." She sighed heavily. "You got early admission to Yale, wow kid, you too Logan, good job. I wish you all the best really." She rose from the couch and headed to the stairs, "I'm tired, and I am going to turn in, thanks for the gifts and Logan, thank you for being there for her." She walked dejectedly up the stairs.
Rory leaned into Logan who was perched on the arm of the chair. "Hungry babe, want to go to Luke's or someplace in Hartford? I'm sure either of the grandparents would let you crash if you want." He rubbed her back gently.
"I'll sleep here tonight maybe the morning will be better, Luke's, I need a burger." She rose and he took her hand and they walked out into the early night air.
Rory awoke to a still and quiet house; coffee had not even been made. She traipsed to the bathroom and proceeded to shower and get ready for the day ahead. She noticed the t-shirt and spoon were no longer on the table and sighed. She locked up and drove the short way to Luke's for coffee before school.
"Luke' coffee me and can I get maple syrup pancakes, sausage and a donut to go? I am running late." It was a pretty usual order on Mondays; she liked the syrup baked into the pancake so she could wrap it around the sausage and not get sticky while she drove.
Luke nodded, poured her coffee and put her order in. "So Yale huh, did you have to spring it on her like that? She is heartbroken kid."
"Luke, she never is home, I have no time to talk to her. I get it she is a manger and super busy, but if she wants me to be home than she needs to be there sometimes too. Did she also tell you I was valedictorian? Was she at least proud of that?" Rory looked at him and he saw the hurt in her eyes was as bad as that in her mom's.
"Yeah kid, she was proud of that, it is the Yale thing that disappointed her. She wanted more for you than the DAR, you know that and now it seems to her you are working for your MRS and not your own life." Luke stepped asides to grab her boxed breakfast and set it in front of her and handed her a large go cup of coffee.
She paid and leaned in kissing his cheek to his surprise, "Thanks Luke, you are the best you know that." She hopped off the stool, grabbed her coffee and breakfast and headed out to school.
She pulled into her spot at school and proceeded to wrap her first sausage when someone tapped her window. She rolled it down and took a bite of her breakfast.
"Hey Ace, good to see you are eating, things go better this morning?" Logan bent into her window and kissed her cheek.
She swallowed and indicated he should get in. He picked up her breakfast box and sat in the passenger seat holding it and waiting for her to finish before pursuing further questions. She ate quickly and offered him one which he accepted and they shared the coffee. Once the meal was completed she leaned in and kissed him.
"She was gone when I woke up, she must have complained to Luke because he relayed how disappointed she was about Yale, at least she is happy I am valedictorian. Ready to start the day?" Logan leered at her and shook his head in the negative.
"Let's go somewhere, blow off steam, school will be here tomorrow, our grades and attendance are otherwise exemplary, come out and play with me Rory, lets skip." He took the empty food and coffee containers and set them on the floor of the back seat and pulled her onto his lap. "What can it hurt, we take one day, in the scheme of things it's nothing. You are always about the rules I say a day like this, and the mood you are in you deserve to escape for a day. What do you say?"
"I'd say yes, but you forget we have the Chem test and it is 25% of our grade." She kissed him and allowed it to escalate a bit. "We can spend all of Saturday together; this week is a no go."
He sighed against her and kissed her sweetly pushing her back to the other side so she could exit the car.
"How did I fall for such a straight laced girl?" He chuckled and retrieved the trash from her car depositing it in the receptacle as they entered the building his arm over her shoulder and hers around his waist.