AN: Thanks again for the great reviews, and once again I apologize for my
slowness. This weekend I'll try to write a lot so I can post during the
week. -Breanna
Ch. 5- Truth found in Lies
Jess couldn't help the fact he had hit Dean, nor did he regret it. He didn't care what Dean's reaction, Luke's or the town's reaction would be; he only cared what Rory would think. Would she be mad, think him an asshole, or would she understand? Though Jess worried, he couldn't help but feel a bit reassured when he remembered the look in her eyes before he had left –it had been a look of sympathy and understanding. Jess sat in the middle of the floor, with Metallic blaring in the background and Fountainhead in his hand that was resting in his lap. Letting out a grunt of frustration, he flung the book away from him. He just sat, staring at the book, propped up at an odd angle against the box it had hit when he had tossed it. It wasn't that the book was bad or boring, quite the contrary. It was the simple fact that whenever he picked it up to read, he would think of her, of Rory, and then he never got anything done. He hated the fact that she had control over him like that, that she controlled his thoughts, and that she didn't even know it. Jess wondered if he had ever found his way into any of her thoughts apart from simply connecting him with the dinner. Jess sighed and went to find another book, it was doubtful she did he thought.
As Rory sat on the couch watching an I Love Lucy marathon and eating ice- cream with her mom, she couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if Dean wasn't in the picture. Would she and Jess be more than just friends? But, there was no point in thinking about things like that, Dean was in the picture, end of story. In bed, Rory spent yet another sleepless night, her mind running through the day's events, wondering and worrying what would happen to Jess…oh, and to Dean. What would happen if she had to take sides? She felt Jess was somewhat justified in hitting Dean the first time, but had the second time been necessary? Even though Jess might have gotten a bit carried away, there was no doubt in her mind that what Dean had said to Jess was completely uncalled for. He was being way to overprotective, and it bothered her. But did she support her boyfriend who she didn't agree with or should she support her, her, her… what was Jess to her? Just a friendish acquaintance? An actual friend? More than a friend? No, he definitely wasn't more than a friend, definitely not. But Rory couldn't ignore the annoying little voice in the back of her head telling her that maybe; just maybe she wanted him to be more than a friend. Just maybe.
Monday Morning
Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee-
Rory slammed her hand down on the snooze button on her alarm clock.
She groaned and rolled on her back, scrunching her eyes tight
"This is not happening…not happening!" she moaned out loud
"Oh, yes, it definitely is!" Rory heard Lorelai's unmistakable voice from outside her door.
"Come on, get up, you've overslept again." She said as she made her way into Rory's room, squinting in the gloom.
"Great! I'm going to be late for school! Why didn't you get me up sooner?" Rory cried, for the first time actually seeing the numbers on the clock not in a blur
"Because I like to see you freak." Lorelai grinned mischievously.
"Mom!" Rory said
"No, I was only joking. I over slept too." She said taking a sip of the coffee cup in her hand. She brought her hand back down and peered into the cup, her nose wrinkled.
"Bad?" Rory questioned
"Yup." She answered
"Luke's?" Rory questioned
"Definitely. Come on, get up or you really will be late."
"What do you mean? I already am."
"No, you aren't, not yet anyways. I lied again; I set your clock forward." Lorelai smiled clearing away from Rory's reach
"What! Why!" Rory said shocked but a bit relived she wouldn't be late
"'Cuse I really do like to see you freak." Lorelai laughed as she hurried out of the room as Rory groaned
"You really are evil, you know that?" Rory said after her, shaking her head and getting up to dress.
At Luke's Dinner
"Lukey! I need coffee! Good, yummy, coffee and you're the good, yummy coffee man who's-" Lorelai called out as she walked in. But she stopped abruptly, no response followed.
Rory came in too and nearly ran right in to her mom.
"Mom! Move! You're blocking the door. You know the entrance that…oh." Rory stopped as she heard the voices in the back ground. She poked her head around her mom and saw that one belonged to Jess the other to Luke, and both were yelling.
"What the hell do you mean he deserved it Jess!" Luck yelled
"I mean he deserved it." Jess yelled back
"God damn it, you're going to have to come up with a lot better excuse than that! You broke his frickin nose and I don't think 'he deserved it' is exactly gonna to fly!"
"I could give a rat's ass what flys and what doesn't" Jess retorted
"Well, say that to the town not me" Luke said
"What are you talking about?" Jess asked in a condescending and annoyed manor
"I'm talking about the town meeting they've decided to hold in honor of you!" Luke responded, pointing his finger at Jess while he spoke
"A town meeting?" Jess asked amused
"Yep." Luke nodded, anger still in his voice
"About me?" Jess said, now positively smirking
"Right again." Luke said sarcastically
"This town really is pathetic." Jess shook his head, chuckling under his breath. He turned, heading for the door, but Luke grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back
"Get off!" Jess said, grabbing his shirt back
Rory and Lorelai had by now inched their way in and were sitting at a table, watching silently. The other few customers sat too, silent but still eating. Rory noticed Patty sitting by Kirk, neither touching there food but staring too. Rory could now guess where Luke had gotten the news from, or rater from whom he had gotten it.
"I'm not done talking to you." Luke said removing his hand
Jess angrily sighed and leaned against the counter. "So talk."
"You beating the crap out of people is something I simply won't tolerate. I can take your little pranks and the stupid things you do to screw yourself up, but I won't let you go around and start laying into other people."
"It's not like I didn't have a good reason!" Jess said back "You can't act like I go around and just randomly beat the shit out of people because it's good for my cardio or some bull like that."
"Don't get smart on me! This situation isn't looking very good for you."
"Gee, thanks for the heads up Luke." Jess sarcastically said
"The fact remains that Dean has a broken nose, a black eye, and you have not a scratch on you."
"Look, he provoked me; do you really think I would waste my time with an ass like that if I didn't have a good reason?" Jess said in disbelief
"Hell, Jess, I don't know what you would or wouldn't do, and frankly, I don't want to wait around until you decide to make that clear to me." Luke said to him
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jess asked
"It means that I don't trust you or you little story." Luke responded
"I can't believe this!" Jess yelled and then muttered something under his breath that Rory didn't catch
"Well, you better believe it because until I get the truth and not that 'Dean cussed me out' shit you're going with, you're not doing shit. You won't leave the dinner, there will be no TV, phone, or…"Luke thought for a moment "…or reading. Just school and work." Jess's face had remained indifferent to the other items of punishment, but when Luke uttered the last one, Jess flipped
"You're a real asshole Luke! Why did I have to come live with you?" Jess roared
"Yha, well, say what you want, its not like I wanted your lying little punk ass any more than you wanted to be with me." Luke flamed back, neither of them thinking before speaking
"Fuck Luke! I'm not lying!" Jess yelled
"And why the hell should I believe you?!" Luke retorted, his voice equally loud
"Because…" Rory started, as everyone turned to stare at her, "because…Jess isn't lying Luke." She spoke quietly, now standing and her heart pumping very fast. Lorelai sat stunned behind her, while Luke and Jess just stared.
"What?" Luke stammered
"Jess is telling the truth. Dean did provoke him, he did cuss him out, and he disserved what he got. I was there, I would know." Rory said nervously.
Jess couldn't believe it; he was shocked that she admitted she was there, let alone saying that Dean deserved it. But, he also knew that this meant that she would have to explain why Dean deserved what he got, and why Dean did what he did. Worst of all he realized this meant that she would have to explain why she was there, and this meant telling about her and Jess being together, something he knew she wasn't eager to share. He wasn't the only one that figured out Rory had some explaining to do though. Rory turned as Lorelai decided to get involved too.
"What do you mean you were there?" She asked confused
"I was with- one on the bridge sitting, and Jess, then, talking, and Dean, fought, blood, and the water…" Rory nervously stammered out, knowing this made no sense.
"Rory, what were you doing on the bridge and why did Dean and Jess get in a fight?" Lorelai said, her voice a little annoyed
"I was…uh…" Rory started nervously, she never should have said a word
"She was sitting and eating breakfast," Jess said taking over for a gratefully shocked Rory. Now everyone turned to stare at Jess, their food long gone cold.
"so I came over and started to talk to her. We talked for a while, but she was uncomfortable and wanted to go. I convinced her to stay, I didn't mind talking with her, and neither of us had anything better to do. So she did, and then Dean came and saw us lying there together." Jess breathed and continued. "It was nothing, I was just bored, Rory is one of the only interesting people to talk to, and that's why I asked her to stay even though she wanted to go. It was my fault and Dean just got really pissed off because I was with her. He took it all the wrong way and assumed too much of the situation." Jess finished and looked up. Rory was staring intently at him, admiration and affection in her gaze.
Luke looked back and forth between Jess and Rory, trying to size up just how accurate the story was. Behind Rory, Lorelai was doing the same thing. The only difference was that Lorelai had a feeling Jess had sugar-coated the story, for Rory's sake.
"Is that what happened?" Lorelai questioned, knowing Rory's answer wasn't going to be truthful
"Yha, that's pretty much what happened." Rory responded looking at her shoes
Lorelai nodded, a bit disappointed.
Luke studied Jess carefully. Jess turned and stared at him, his eyes narrowing
"What? Was that story not good enough for you? What is it going to take until you believe me, a typed out dialogue of what we said?" He asked Luke sarcastically, and a bit pissed off Luke still didn't believe him.
"No…Jess, I'm sorry I didn't believe you, but did you really expect me to go just on your word?" Luke asked, still a little upset, and still feeling Jess was not totally honest
"No, I guess I just hoped you would." Jess said simply.
"Humm, looks like I was wrong." He finished a touch of hurt in his voice, attempted to be concealed by a sarcastic tone.
He turned and began to walk to the door, and this time Luke didn't try to stop him. Rory, still standing watched him grab his coat and go out the door, then turn down the street. She turned to her mom and glanced at her watch.
"Um, mom, I really am going to be late now."
Lorelai just nodded and handed Rory the keys to the jeep without even a comment.
"You'll be ok to get to work then?" Rory asked, now knowing her mom didn't quite believe Jess's version of the incident.
Lorelai just nodded. Rory felt horrible, but she supposed it was better that only her mom knew, and not the whole town. The other customers had gone back to their own business by now, and Luke was already bussing himself in the kitchen. Rory hated the look in her mom's eyes, a mix between betrayal and anger.
"Mom..." Rory started to whisper, then sighed and turned to leave.
Rory headed down the street, but passed the parked jeep and continued. She began to walk faster, and then half jog to catch Jess as he quickly made his way down the street. She saw him turn off the main street, down some random block. By the time she caught him, they were already halfway down the street.
"Jess!" She called out
He turned and stopped, waiting for her to catch up. As soon as she did, he kept walking, Rory keeping pace besides him.
"Why did you do it?" Rory asked flatly. Jess glanced sidelong at her and remained silent for a bit before answering.
"Do what?" He asked pretending not to know what she was talking about
"Come on Jess, you know what I'm talking about." She said annoyed "Why did you do that back there, why did you help me like that?" She asked
Jess looked forward again before answering
"Because everyone hates me in this stupid town already, who cares if I'm the subject of their loathing again?" Jess said back
"And that's it." Rory prodded further
"That's it." Jess responded
"No other reason?"
"Nope."
"None?"
Jess stopped abruptly and stared at her.
"None. Why…do you want there to be another reason?" He said, raising an eyebrow enticingly
"No!" Rory said quickly, hoping she was a decent liar.
"Ok, fine Rory," he said, not convinced at all, "did you want to hear that I did it because I care about you?" He asked staring intently at her.
"No, I didn't Jess, but you don't have to lie to try and make me feel better." Rory said irritated, not meeting his gaze.
"Who said I was lying?" Jess asked mater-a-factly
Rory's stomach gave a jolt as she snapped up her gaze up to meet his. Once again, she couldn't read those eyes. They just stood, staring at one another.
"You…you weren't?" Rory asked tentatively
He clenched his jaw, and angrily responded
"No, I wasn't, but what the fuck does it matter?" Jess took one more look at her, then turned and continued down the street.
"Jess, wh…what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Rory called out desperately at his retreating back
"Why don't you go ask bag-boy? Maybe he can help clear that up for you." Jess shouted over his shoulder, jealously and anger in his voice.
Rory slowly made her way back to her car, feeling horrible. She ended up missing half of first period.
*Please R&R and tell me what you think. Thanks*
Ch. 5- Truth found in Lies
Jess couldn't help the fact he had hit Dean, nor did he regret it. He didn't care what Dean's reaction, Luke's or the town's reaction would be; he only cared what Rory would think. Would she be mad, think him an asshole, or would she understand? Though Jess worried, he couldn't help but feel a bit reassured when he remembered the look in her eyes before he had left –it had been a look of sympathy and understanding. Jess sat in the middle of the floor, with Metallic blaring in the background and Fountainhead in his hand that was resting in his lap. Letting out a grunt of frustration, he flung the book away from him. He just sat, staring at the book, propped up at an odd angle against the box it had hit when he had tossed it. It wasn't that the book was bad or boring, quite the contrary. It was the simple fact that whenever he picked it up to read, he would think of her, of Rory, and then he never got anything done. He hated the fact that she had control over him like that, that she controlled his thoughts, and that she didn't even know it. Jess wondered if he had ever found his way into any of her thoughts apart from simply connecting him with the dinner. Jess sighed and went to find another book, it was doubtful she did he thought.
As Rory sat on the couch watching an I Love Lucy marathon and eating ice- cream with her mom, she couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if Dean wasn't in the picture. Would she and Jess be more than just friends? But, there was no point in thinking about things like that, Dean was in the picture, end of story. In bed, Rory spent yet another sleepless night, her mind running through the day's events, wondering and worrying what would happen to Jess…oh, and to Dean. What would happen if she had to take sides? She felt Jess was somewhat justified in hitting Dean the first time, but had the second time been necessary? Even though Jess might have gotten a bit carried away, there was no doubt in her mind that what Dean had said to Jess was completely uncalled for. He was being way to overprotective, and it bothered her. But did she support her boyfriend who she didn't agree with or should she support her, her, her… what was Jess to her? Just a friendish acquaintance? An actual friend? More than a friend? No, he definitely wasn't more than a friend, definitely not. But Rory couldn't ignore the annoying little voice in the back of her head telling her that maybe; just maybe she wanted him to be more than a friend. Just maybe.
Monday Morning
Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee-
Rory slammed her hand down on the snooze button on her alarm clock.
She groaned and rolled on her back, scrunching her eyes tight
"This is not happening…not happening!" she moaned out loud
"Oh, yes, it definitely is!" Rory heard Lorelai's unmistakable voice from outside her door.
"Come on, get up, you've overslept again." She said as she made her way into Rory's room, squinting in the gloom.
"Great! I'm going to be late for school! Why didn't you get me up sooner?" Rory cried, for the first time actually seeing the numbers on the clock not in a blur
"Because I like to see you freak." Lorelai grinned mischievously.
"Mom!" Rory said
"No, I was only joking. I over slept too." She said taking a sip of the coffee cup in her hand. She brought her hand back down and peered into the cup, her nose wrinkled.
"Bad?" Rory questioned
"Yup." She answered
"Luke's?" Rory questioned
"Definitely. Come on, get up or you really will be late."
"What do you mean? I already am."
"No, you aren't, not yet anyways. I lied again; I set your clock forward." Lorelai smiled clearing away from Rory's reach
"What! Why!" Rory said shocked but a bit relived she wouldn't be late
"'Cuse I really do like to see you freak." Lorelai laughed as she hurried out of the room as Rory groaned
"You really are evil, you know that?" Rory said after her, shaking her head and getting up to dress.
At Luke's Dinner
"Lukey! I need coffee! Good, yummy, coffee and you're the good, yummy coffee man who's-" Lorelai called out as she walked in. But she stopped abruptly, no response followed.
Rory came in too and nearly ran right in to her mom.
"Mom! Move! You're blocking the door. You know the entrance that…oh." Rory stopped as she heard the voices in the back ground. She poked her head around her mom and saw that one belonged to Jess the other to Luke, and both were yelling.
"What the hell do you mean he deserved it Jess!" Luck yelled
"I mean he deserved it." Jess yelled back
"God damn it, you're going to have to come up with a lot better excuse than that! You broke his frickin nose and I don't think 'he deserved it' is exactly gonna to fly!"
"I could give a rat's ass what flys and what doesn't" Jess retorted
"Well, say that to the town not me" Luke said
"What are you talking about?" Jess asked in a condescending and annoyed manor
"I'm talking about the town meeting they've decided to hold in honor of you!" Luke responded, pointing his finger at Jess while he spoke
"A town meeting?" Jess asked amused
"Yep." Luke nodded, anger still in his voice
"About me?" Jess said, now positively smirking
"Right again." Luke said sarcastically
"This town really is pathetic." Jess shook his head, chuckling under his breath. He turned, heading for the door, but Luke grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back
"Get off!" Jess said, grabbing his shirt back
Rory and Lorelai had by now inched their way in and were sitting at a table, watching silently. The other few customers sat too, silent but still eating. Rory noticed Patty sitting by Kirk, neither touching there food but staring too. Rory could now guess where Luke had gotten the news from, or rater from whom he had gotten it.
"I'm not done talking to you." Luke said removing his hand
Jess angrily sighed and leaned against the counter. "So talk."
"You beating the crap out of people is something I simply won't tolerate. I can take your little pranks and the stupid things you do to screw yourself up, but I won't let you go around and start laying into other people."
"It's not like I didn't have a good reason!" Jess said back "You can't act like I go around and just randomly beat the shit out of people because it's good for my cardio or some bull like that."
"Don't get smart on me! This situation isn't looking very good for you."
"Gee, thanks for the heads up Luke." Jess sarcastically said
"The fact remains that Dean has a broken nose, a black eye, and you have not a scratch on you."
"Look, he provoked me; do you really think I would waste my time with an ass like that if I didn't have a good reason?" Jess said in disbelief
"Hell, Jess, I don't know what you would or wouldn't do, and frankly, I don't want to wait around until you decide to make that clear to me." Luke said to him
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jess asked
"It means that I don't trust you or you little story." Luke responded
"I can't believe this!" Jess yelled and then muttered something under his breath that Rory didn't catch
"Well, you better believe it because until I get the truth and not that 'Dean cussed me out' shit you're going with, you're not doing shit. You won't leave the dinner, there will be no TV, phone, or…"Luke thought for a moment "…or reading. Just school and work." Jess's face had remained indifferent to the other items of punishment, but when Luke uttered the last one, Jess flipped
"You're a real asshole Luke! Why did I have to come live with you?" Jess roared
"Yha, well, say what you want, its not like I wanted your lying little punk ass any more than you wanted to be with me." Luke flamed back, neither of them thinking before speaking
"Fuck Luke! I'm not lying!" Jess yelled
"And why the hell should I believe you?!" Luke retorted, his voice equally loud
"Because…" Rory started, as everyone turned to stare at her, "because…Jess isn't lying Luke." She spoke quietly, now standing and her heart pumping very fast. Lorelai sat stunned behind her, while Luke and Jess just stared.
"What?" Luke stammered
"Jess is telling the truth. Dean did provoke him, he did cuss him out, and he disserved what he got. I was there, I would know." Rory said nervously.
Jess couldn't believe it; he was shocked that she admitted she was there, let alone saying that Dean deserved it. But, he also knew that this meant that she would have to explain why Dean deserved what he got, and why Dean did what he did. Worst of all he realized this meant that she would have to explain why she was there, and this meant telling about her and Jess being together, something he knew she wasn't eager to share. He wasn't the only one that figured out Rory had some explaining to do though. Rory turned as Lorelai decided to get involved too.
"What do you mean you were there?" She asked confused
"I was with- one on the bridge sitting, and Jess, then, talking, and Dean, fought, blood, and the water…" Rory nervously stammered out, knowing this made no sense.
"Rory, what were you doing on the bridge and why did Dean and Jess get in a fight?" Lorelai said, her voice a little annoyed
"I was…uh…" Rory started nervously, she never should have said a word
"She was sitting and eating breakfast," Jess said taking over for a gratefully shocked Rory. Now everyone turned to stare at Jess, their food long gone cold.
"so I came over and started to talk to her. We talked for a while, but she was uncomfortable and wanted to go. I convinced her to stay, I didn't mind talking with her, and neither of us had anything better to do. So she did, and then Dean came and saw us lying there together." Jess breathed and continued. "It was nothing, I was just bored, Rory is one of the only interesting people to talk to, and that's why I asked her to stay even though she wanted to go. It was my fault and Dean just got really pissed off because I was with her. He took it all the wrong way and assumed too much of the situation." Jess finished and looked up. Rory was staring intently at him, admiration and affection in her gaze.
Luke looked back and forth between Jess and Rory, trying to size up just how accurate the story was. Behind Rory, Lorelai was doing the same thing. The only difference was that Lorelai had a feeling Jess had sugar-coated the story, for Rory's sake.
"Is that what happened?" Lorelai questioned, knowing Rory's answer wasn't going to be truthful
"Yha, that's pretty much what happened." Rory responded looking at her shoes
Lorelai nodded, a bit disappointed.
Luke studied Jess carefully. Jess turned and stared at him, his eyes narrowing
"What? Was that story not good enough for you? What is it going to take until you believe me, a typed out dialogue of what we said?" He asked Luke sarcastically, and a bit pissed off Luke still didn't believe him.
"No…Jess, I'm sorry I didn't believe you, but did you really expect me to go just on your word?" Luke asked, still a little upset, and still feeling Jess was not totally honest
"No, I guess I just hoped you would." Jess said simply.
"Humm, looks like I was wrong." He finished a touch of hurt in his voice, attempted to be concealed by a sarcastic tone.
He turned and began to walk to the door, and this time Luke didn't try to stop him. Rory, still standing watched him grab his coat and go out the door, then turn down the street. She turned to her mom and glanced at her watch.
"Um, mom, I really am going to be late now."
Lorelai just nodded and handed Rory the keys to the jeep without even a comment.
"You'll be ok to get to work then?" Rory asked, now knowing her mom didn't quite believe Jess's version of the incident.
Lorelai just nodded. Rory felt horrible, but she supposed it was better that only her mom knew, and not the whole town. The other customers had gone back to their own business by now, and Luke was already bussing himself in the kitchen. Rory hated the look in her mom's eyes, a mix between betrayal and anger.
"Mom..." Rory started to whisper, then sighed and turned to leave.
Rory headed down the street, but passed the parked jeep and continued. She began to walk faster, and then half jog to catch Jess as he quickly made his way down the street. She saw him turn off the main street, down some random block. By the time she caught him, they were already halfway down the street.
"Jess!" She called out
He turned and stopped, waiting for her to catch up. As soon as she did, he kept walking, Rory keeping pace besides him.
"Why did you do it?" Rory asked flatly. Jess glanced sidelong at her and remained silent for a bit before answering.
"Do what?" He asked pretending not to know what she was talking about
"Come on Jess, you know what I'm talking about." She said annoyed "Why did you do that back there, why did you help me like that?" She asked
Jess looked forward again before answering
"Because everyone hates me in this stupid town already, who cares if I'm the subject of their loathing again?" Jess said back
"And that's it." Rory prodded further
"That's it." Jess responded
"No other reason?"
"Nope."
"None?"
Jess stopped abruptly and stared at her.
"None. Why…do you want there to be another reason?" He said, raising an eyebrow enticingly
"No!" Rory said quickly, hoping she was a decent liar.
"Ok, fine Rory," he said, not convinced at all, "did you want to hear that I did it because I care about you?" He asked staring intently at her.
"No, I didn't Jess, but you don't have to lie to try and make me feel better." Rory said irritated, not meeting his gaze.
"Who said I was lying?" Jess asked mater-a-factly
Rory's stomach gave a jolt as she snapped up her gaze up to meet his. Once again, she couldn't read those eyes. They just stood, staring at one another.
"You…you weren't?" Rory asked tentatively
He clenched his jaw, and angrily responded
"No, I wasn't, but what the fuck does it matter?" Jess took one more look at her, then turned and continued down the street.
"Jess, wh…what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Rory called out desperately at his retreating back
"Why don't you go ask bag-boy? Maybe he can help clear that up for you." Jess shouted over his shoulder, jealously and anger in his voice.
Rory slowly made her way back to her car, feeling horrible. She ended up missing half of first period.
*Please R&R and tell me what you think. Thanks*