by Gigi
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[FALL OF JUNIOR YEAR] (Mid-November 2001) I don't know why I didn't pull him aside. This was perhaps the last time I was going to see him and I didn't know what to say or what to do. He just looked down at me, with those piercing-soft blue eyes, and sincerely uttered, "Take care of yourself, Mary". I cracked-back a sincere smile, pressing my tongue to my right cheek, in hopes that it would prevent me from crying. He stood there staring at me for a brief moment before he turned and walked out of my life. He was leaving Chilton. He was leaving ME. Why was I feeling, well, you know...sad? He made my life a living hell. He's the same scheming, manipulative guy who couldn't ever take me seriously. His look, his essence, his smile, his eyes...all of him was leaving me and I wasn't the slightest bit overjoyed. I wanted to run after him, I wanted to be scooped into his brisk arms and for him to hold me tight. I didn't do anything. I watched and let Tristan Dugrey walk out of my life forever. And I walked back to Dean. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [SPRING OF JUNIOR YEAR] (Mid-April 2002) It's been almost 5 months since Tristan left to go to military school, to God who knows where. A part of me misses him dearly and I long for him to come back. He is no longer there to exchange banter or ugly looks with, although Paris could fill in that job any day. Chilton went unfazed without the presence of Tristan Dugrey. What a lucky bastard, I thought. He doesn't have to ever come back to this hellhole. Junior year hasn't been too cruel to me; it's been awful. I expect the hard work. When isn't there work to do? After all, this is supposedly the hardest year ever (thank GOD it's almost over!) and I'm not going to let anything or anyone ruin it for me. Not Paris, not Louise, not Madeline, no one. I'm going to lay it all out on these snobs Gilmore-style. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mom, I'm home" "Hey honey. In the kitchen. How was hell today?" "Oh, it got much colder. Paris says she's going to beat me with a spork if I fail to do a "spectacular" job on reporting the history of Chilton's lamp posts." as Rory slipped off her bag pack onto the plush Gilmore-couch. "Wow, ugly glares to sporks, huh? Think of it this way sweetie; she can only kick your ass becase she can't reach your face!" "That's mean." 'So? I make cake. See, cake!" as the elder pointed at the cake with glee. "Mom, we both know that you didn't bake that cake. But who cares, it's coffee cake! And what better beverage to go with it; coffee." As both Gilmore girls sat down to the mini-dining table with coffees in hand and ready to gab about her day, Lorelai sprang up and into the living room with gittyness. Rory turned around in her seat, staring at her mother trip over an old issue of VOGUE magazine. Of course, Rory laughed, which was greeted with a Lorelai getting up from the floor and smacking Rory on the top of her head a blue envelope. "What is it" Rory asked incredulously, grasping the petite envelope into her slender fingers. "I don't know. There's no return address. But I can tell it's from somebody expensive. It looks and smells expensive. It smells expensive as coffee. It must be from Dean." as Lorelai inhaled her coffee with a warm grin, then shoving it in Rory's face. Although Rory could see the growing interest in Lorelai's goofy-expression, she decided that she would open the envelope later on in the night, in privacy of course. It's not that she had anything to hide from Lorelai; she showed and told her everything. Lorelai was her best friend. She slipped the baby blue envelope beneath her and began to start their usual conversation with her favorite line: "Can we burn down Chilton yet?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later that night, Rory closed her door and slipped into bed with the mysterious envelope in hand. She carefully examined the envelope, pricking the corners with her index fingers. How could her mom sniff the envelope? It could have been laced with Anthrax for all she knew! Her instincts told her to run her fingers over the front surface of the envelope, which led to her sniffing the envelope. Lorelai was right; it smelled expensive. But something about it was different; it smelled like it came from a far off place. Very far. After enough hesitation, she carefully tore open the envelope and inside was an index card. She pulled it out and saw nothing on the front, which made her scrunch her fairy-like face into a questionable but intrigued expression. Slowly turning the index card to the back, she saw two-dried-pressed daisies. Daisies. Her favorite. On the small 3 x 5 was a small inscribed message: "I think of you. I always do. I want you to know that these remind me of you." There was nothing else on the card nor inside the envelope and it didn't matter. It was more than enough to make Rory Gilmore smile, something she hadn't done in such a long time. Dean. It's got to be Dean, Rory thought to herself. Who else would it be? She slipped the card and daisies back into the envelope and placed it right next to a framed picture of herself and Dean. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hey beautiful." are the first words I hear every day when I get off the bus and it truly does get boring. Dean says it to me every day and not that there's anything wrong with your boyfriend telling you that you're beautiful; it just gets boring. So routine. And I'm about to hear it in 5...4...3...2... "Hey beautiful." were the words Dean muttered as he extended his hand to me as I stepped off the bus. "Hi." "Miss me?" "Umm, of course. Why wouldn't I?" "Nothing, just asking", as he bowed down and gave me a small peck on the lips. He then took my hand into his hand, pulling me forward to Luke's. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We just sat there in our booth, like we always do. He ordered for me, he just looked at me and smiled. While we waited for our order, Dean just held my hands in hi and stared at me, LIKETHISCLOSE. It was a really unnecessary kind of stare, too. Things haven't been the same since we got back together. When we got back together, he seemed more posessive of me, more questionable of my thoughts and my actions. He didn't treat me like a girl friend; hell, he didn't even treat me like a friend, who would respect and value my thoughts and decisions. It just wasn't the same between us anymore and he doesn't even have a clue about it. This isn't what I expected our relationship to turn out after we got back together. That saddest thing of it all is that I don't know why I said 'I love you'. Well, I know why; it's because I don't. I don't love Dean in that way at all. "So beautiful, how come you're not saying much?" "Oh, I'm just tired. You know, Chilton and all, not much time for rest." "I don't understand why you just don't tell that whole school and your grandparents to shove-off. You don't need them. You have me you know." "I know but this is for the best and me, especially if I want to go to Harvard and all." Ouch, hit a nerve. Dean didn't like it when I said 'me' and 'Harvard' in the same context. Although we had gone over this conversation a trillion times, I know that he doesn't feel the same way about it the way I do. It was the easiest way to shut Dean up. Before Dean could rebuttal, Luke kindly placed Dean's orders in front of us. The rest of the conversation was spent in silence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like any other night, Rory and Dean sat in Rory's front porch. They sat in silence, one of Dean's arms around Rory's waist and the other intertwined in Rory's soft hand. Though it didn't look uncomfortable, it sure did feel uncomfortable to Rory, who fidgeted every now and then. Rory stared ahead blankly, not noticing the warm-blooded individual right next to her. He continued to stare at her, content expression smoldered on is face. "Ror, how about we go inside?", dipping his lips onto the flawless ivory of her neck. The last thing she wanted to do was be alone with Dean. She refused to let it show but what she really needed to do was get rid of Dean. "Umm, I don't think so. My mom's going to be home soon, she's had a long day you know. I think the last thing she'll want is to see us being lovey-dovey." "Lovey-dovey, huh? Wow Ror, you've never said 'lovey-dovey' to me before." "Hey, I'm going to go inside right now. It's getting cold and late. I'm sure your parents want you back home soon." trying to unwind herself from Dean's grasp. "Yeah, Rory. Soon.", as he tightened his hold around her waist with one arm and the other arm laying on her left thigh. The touch was uninviting and she jumped out of his hold. His touch was uninviting, scary even. "What's wrong? You've been wiggin' out on me lately. Don't you love me anymore Ror? You don't tell me anything anymore. You just keep moving away from me, like you've got something to hide. Oh, wait, I know what it is. It's those Chilton brats, huh?" Boy was he wrong. Dead wrong. Rory would rather be with those "brats" then spend another moment like the one they just experienced. Dean was so transparent, pathetic really. "No Dean, it's not Chilton and it's not you. It's just that time of the month you know. Not in the mood or anything. I don't want to spark up anything pointless right now, ok? Just please go home", hoping her tone would be convincing enough. Dean could sense she was lying but he was going to accept that for now. He was determined to make sure that Rory was his. Always. He could tell his "time" was up and got up, straightening his khakis. "Fine, I'm going home. I'll see you at the bus stop tomorrow, k, beautiful?" Rory quickly sputtered a meaningless "ok", which was returned with a cold, feeling-less kiss. "Hey Dean?" "Yeah beautiful?", turning around with great anticipation that Rory would let him stay longer. Rory decided to try her luck and tell Dean about the envelope and the daisies. "Thanks for the envelope and the daisies. The one I got yesterday and opened last night" Dean stood there with a dumbfounded look. "Ror, what are you talking about? I didn't send you anything." "Yeah, you did. It was baby blue, index card, dried-daisies? Come on Dean, you don't have to lie. I thought it was sweet." "Ror, I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't send you anything. No envelope, no index card, no daisies, nothing. Why would I send you anything?" He didn't see the hurt in her eyes but she felt surprised, relieved even, that he didn't send her the envelope. She gave Dean too much credit; why would he send her anything? "Oh. That's weird. Maybe some Chilton kid was playing a joke. Nevermind." "Ok beautiful. Good night. See you tomorrow." as Dean walked away into the night. Rory stood in her porch long enough to see Dean disappear and walked into the Gilmore residence with several revelations in mind. As she walked into the house and into her room, rubbing her arms in hopes of accumalting warmth, she sat on her bed. Right as she plopped down onto her bed, Lorelai ran like a mad woman into her room and placed her bottom onto Rory's bed. "Hey sport. Cake?", as Lorelai offered yesterday's coffee cake to Rory. "It wasn't Dean." "What are you skiddying about? Of course it's not from Dean. I made this!" "MOM! Stop it with the cake." "You're mean. I make cake and this is the thanks I get. Off with your head, pagan child!" "Mom, be serious. The mysterious envelope, not from Dean." "You sniffed it, huh? Told you it was expensive", munching on the cake, crumbs spreading all over the place. "Ok, get out. You're getting crumbs on my bed. Get out." "Aww, you're mean. Come on', tell me, what's wrong.", placing the cake onto the computer desk but quickly snatched it back. "Ok, fine. The envelope wasn't from Dean. He didn't know what I was talking about at all. And in a way, I'm actually glad it isn't. It's not like him to be unpredictable. He doesn't even know my favorite flower." "Ooh! You have an admirer! That's so sweet! *ouch* Ok, take the cake away from me. I think it just attacked one of my cavities. Again." Rory took the cake and put it behind her, which was more than far enough that it would require Lorelai to get up and move to it, which Lorelai of course would never do. Lorelai frowned. "Mom, please be serious. Who could it be from? It's so strange. All it was was two dried-pressed daisies on an index card and a little message. Do you know who sent this to me?" "Ooh, ooh! I know!" "Who?" "I don't know. I just like getting you riled up about these kind of things." "Evil. Evil mother. I hope you have children that look like dwarfs." crossing her arms defiantly. "Aww honey, but I already did." "Ugh! You're impossible!" as she threw a throw pillow at the elder but still youthful Lorelai, who was dying of laughter. "I'm sure it's somebody close to you honey. Don't worry about it." Lorelai got up and closed the door behind her. Rory sat on her bed and saw the tiny envelope that mocked her so. I will find out who sent this to me, she told herself. And with that, she turned around, picked up the plate, and ate the leftover coffee cake. Still good. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ END CHAPTER 1 |
