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One especially hot Friday evening, Rory kicks her shoes off and goes to lie down on the bed. She needs to shower away the smell of the cafe, but is too exhausted to move. Jess left early for work and Rory is relieved. She's too tired to talk to anyone, even Jess, and is also guiltily grateful not to be home with Lorelai, who matches Rory word for word, filling in the blanks if Rory was trying to study and being too quiet. Groaning, Rory stretches, attempts to sit up and fails. She's so tired her eyes are blurring. Slowly, she sits up and peels off her clothes before gradually making her way to the shower. Rory washes nervously, craning her neck to ensure that the water remains clear. It's been fine since Luke fixed the boiler but Rory doesn't trust that it won't happen again. Still, she washes without incident and pulls on some jeans and a loose shirt. The water refreshed her a little and Rory feels awake enough to open one of the boxes of books in the corner. Inside are some novels Rory had lined up for Yale, and also for pleasure, and Rory settles on a short story by MR James. Opening the book, Rory tucks her legs up and starts to read but her eyelids keep drooping. Dropping the book, Rory wakes up with a start some hours later.
"I give up," Rory says to the empty room. She knows the books are going to used in class next year - Rory had read all about the semester ahead of time - and got Andrew to order them in especially for her, but Rory hasn't read through one single book. She's so tired after work that she can't seem to concentrate. Rory gets up and makes herself some coffee and sips it between dozing until Jess comes back.
The next day Rory and Jess lie in late. Relishing not having to be anywhere, Rory snuggles closer to Jess's side and lets out a contented sigh. There's a soft rain falling outside, causing a merciful drop in temperature. Jess drops a lazy kiss on Rory's neck, making her smile, and stretches.
"Guess we should get up."
"Who says?" Rory pouts and Jess laughs.
"This coming from the girl who got up early every Saturday in Stars Hollow."
"I'm not in Stars Hollow."
"Was it different in Yale?" Jess teases and chuckles as Rory says, "Well, no, but there was the day after Spring Break. Guess it wasn't technically Yale itself -"
"You went on Spring Break?" Jess asks incredulously and Rory exclaims, "What, you don't think I could go there?"
"No - I think you can go anywhere you want. Just didn't know it was your scene."
"It's not really," Rory admits. "I mostly went for the sun and to read."
"Sounds perfectly reasonable to me."
"It was. But it wasn't all I did. Paris and I watched The Power of Myth and we went to a club and made out and -"
"Whoa," Jess says, holding up a hand. "You watched The Power of Myth?"
"Mom already gave me a hard time about that!"
"Hey, not judging," Jess says seriously. "I just want to figure out how you swung that. Because if I go on Spring Break it's what I'll be doing."
"Paris managed to get us a VCR via a lot of tipping, which was more bribery, and I found a video rental place. And I didn't know you were planning on going on Spring Break."
"I like to keep my options open."
"Is that right?"
"Absolutely."
"I'll tell you where to rent videos."
"Appreciated. You'll have to tell me about this tipping system for the VCR though."
They grin at each other, getting up and Rory feels the cooler air pucker her skin. As she finds an outfit for the day Jess lifts up the book Rory failed to read yesterday from where it fell on the floor.
"You dropped this."
"Oh - thanks. Just leave it on the chair, I guess," Rory says, feeling flustered as Jess turns it over in his hands.
"How is it?"
"I haven't read it yet."
Jess peruses the back cover and Rory adds, "I was going to read it for Yale. We're studying him next semester."
Jess nods, putting the book down and Rory looks away. It feels weird to say so, somehow. She doesn't want to think about after summer when she and Jess won't be living together anymore. It doesn't even feel like a possibility, for all that she told Lorelai her time in New York would only be temporary. Seeing Jess examine the book reminds Rory of their conversation the other night, of how he could do more. Jess didn't seem convinced. It makes Rory sad to think that Jess doesn't think he's capable of it, when Rory knows he's capable of anything he puts his mind to. As they dress Rory casually asks, "Jess, do you ever..."
"Ever what?"
"Do you ever think of going to college?" Rory asks, trying to sound casual but she bites her lip as Jess snorts and says, "No."
"But you could totally do it."
"I don't want to go."
"Why?"
"Rory, we've been through this," Jess says, sounding annoyed. "It'd be a waste of time."
"Why? You were talking about doing more."
"Because I don't need people telling me what to read and what to think! That's not doing more."
"Is that what you think Yale is?" Rory asks quietly. "Is that what you think I'm doing - being told how to think?"
"No," Jess says, and then he is by her side, taking her hand. "No, Rory. I don't think that for a second."
"Then why do you think it for you?"
"It's different," Jess says after a pause. "I just - I don't want to go to college, Rory. I like deciding what I'm reading and where I'm going."
Rory isn't sure what to say. Jess puts his arms around her and says earnestly, "You've got to go to college."
Rory smiles, shrugging a little and Jess adds, "I'll read that book after you, I just won't do the assignment on it."
"You can read it now if you want," Rory comments. Her light mood from before has gone. Even after Jess has left for work and Rory has the apartment to herself she can't focus on the book, and she puts it down, getting up and going over to the window. Suddenly, the whole idea of reading for college seems crazy in general. Rory can't picture herself back in a dorm, working on assignments or being dragged out to whatever crazy college scheme Paris has come up with next. Is she just supposed to go back to it, after living like this? It's a whole new universe. A doubt pulls at Rory's mind. Maybe Jess had the right idea in not going to college. He's smart enough, but, as he said, he doesn't need to be given assignments, live in that world. Rory was bound for it since she could walk but now she wonders, was it always her dream? Rory watches the rain wash the dirty pane, distorting her reflection. Perhaps her world is changing too.