Disclaimer first chapter.
Chapter Five Visits
Landon showed up in the diner one day. His father had beaten him severly and that was when Landon decided to make his appearance in Stars Hollow. The diner had already closed and everyone except Luke, Rory, and me were gone. We were listening to the radio and Rory's favorite song came on. I pulled her out of her chair, whirling her into my arms. That's how Landon found me, dancing happily with an angel. I saw him over her shoulder with his black eye and cut cheek, and I instantly stopped moving. It was obvious it was one of the worse beatings. I began to feel guilty for leaving New York. When I had lived above Landon, he had always come up when his dad came home drunk, until the man passed out on the floor. I wondered how many beatings he had suffered since I left. Then I began to wonder if I could have stopped them if I were still in Brooklyn. I managed a hey before I hugged him. The two of us easily avoided the topic of his bruises easily, as if there was nothing unusual. In a way, it wasn't unusual, just a little shocking. But Rory didn't understand. Her life had never been with people whose parents beat their kids before passing out for three days. I was glad for that. I introduced my best friend to my girlfriend. They seemed to hit if off. I think Landon was glad to meet the girl who had saved me from myself. Rory was ecstatic to meet someone from the mysterious past I never spoke about. She asked Landon how he had gotten his black eye and it was like all of our pasts suddenly drowned us. I quietly explained what must have happened, the inevitable, and Landon never once opened his mouth to correct me. We knew, Rory didn't. She was obviously embarrassed. You could tell. She akwardly finished her coffee, then she said she had to leave. She did, leaving Landon, me, and the huge white elephant in the room.
Landon and I didn't address the topic of his home life until two days into the visit. He tried to brush it off, but I wouldn't let him. So he told me that it wasn't my fault. He knew what I was thinking, that I should have been there to stop it. Then he told me how glad he was I had gotten away and knew I would be able to do something then turn into other than my parents, like the rest of them inevitably would. Then he laughingly told me not to forget them in New York. I think he was afraid that I would block them out, trying to get rid of the memories of my childhood. But I wouldn't do that. Not all of it was bad. I remember the severity of our lives, Lady Luck was never kind to us. Landon was my best friend and I would never forget that. He then announced that it was time for him to go home, tomorrow.
Rory and Landon go along surprisingly well. It was like Landon was the key to my past and Rory was the key to my future. They enjoyed swapping bizarre stories about me. Landon told her about some of our good childhood memories and Rory lapped them all up. Landon adored Rory. I think he found Rory's innocent outlook on life refreshing to a cynical New York boy. He enjoyed her offhand remarks and insane antics to get coffee, along her quirky relationship with her mother. Rory found him fascinating in her tiny world. Landon was not as quiet as I was, he talked a lot actually. We walked him to the bus stop. The two embraced and then I hugged him. He told me not so subtley not to screw this up and that Rory was perfect for me. She began to blush profusely. He disappeared onto the crowded bus. It drove away and I had a queer feeling wash over me as I watched him leave.
Rory had talked me into applying to college. Rory and I got our letters the same day. I got accepted into Hartford University and I had already decided to major in writing. Rory, on the otherhand, did not make it into Harvard. Harvard had been her and Lorelai's lifelong dream, but she was denied entrance. She was heartbroken for several weeks. My bubbly, lovable, optimistic girlfriend had disappeared and a sad, depressed, pessimistic one had taken her place. I did everything I could to cheer her up, but nothing would help. She finally got an acceptance letter to Yale. It was closer to Stars Hollow, Lorelai, and everyone she loved. So she snapped out of her funk, happily preparing for her life at Yale.
Luke and Lorelai finally admitted their feelings for one another. It had taken them 14 years to finally get around to it. I talked Luke into getting out of his plaid and baseball cap. He wore a plain colored shirt and bought her roses. He made a huge batch of coffee, because it was obvious the way to a Gilmore's heart was with coffee. He placed the mugs around the diner so that it spelled out I love you. When Lorelai and Rory came in, Lorelai melted. She pulled Luke close and they made out in the middle of the diner. The town was watching and money was being passed along to Sookie for winning the pool. Yep, that's exactly the kind of town it was. They bet the day the two would end up together.
Chapter Five Visits
Landon showed up in the diner one day. His father had beaten him severly and that was when Landon decided to make his appearance in Stars Hollow. The diner had already closed and everyone except Luke, Rory, and me were gone. We were listening to the radio and Rory's favorite song came on. I pulled her out of her chair, whirling her into my arms. That's how Landon found me, dancing happily with an angel. I saw him over her shoulder with his black eye and cut cheek, and I instantly stopped moving. It was obvious it was one of the worse beatings. I began to feel guilty for leaving New York. When I had lived above Landon, he had always come up when his dad came home drunk, until the man passed out on the floor. I wondered how many beatings he had suffered since I left. Then I began to wonder if I could have stopped them if I were still in Brooklyn. I managed a hey before I hugged him. The two of us easily avoided the topic of his bruises easily, as if there was nothing unusual. In a way, it wasn't unusual, just a little shocking. But Rory didn't understand. Her life had never been with people whose parents beat their kids before passing out for three days. I was glad for that. I introduced my best friend to my girlfriend. They seemed to hit if off. I think Landon was glad to meet the girl who had saved me from myself. Rory was ecstatic to meet someone from the mysterious past I never spoke about. She asked Landon how he had gotten his black eye and it was like all of our pasts suddenly drowned us. I quietly explained what must have happened, the inevitable, and Landon never once opened his mouth to correct me. We knew, Rory didn't. She was obviously embarrassed. You could tell. She akwardly finished her coffee, then she said she had to leave. She did, leaving Landon, me, and the huge white elephant in the room.
Landon and I didn't address the topic of his home life until two days into the visit. He tried to brush it off, but I wouldn't let him. So he told me that it wasn't my fault. He knew what I was thinking, that I should have been there to stop it. Then he told me how glad he was I had gotten away and knew I would be able to do something then turn into other than my parents, like the rest of them inevitably would. Then he laughingly told me not to forget them in New York. I think he was afraid that I would block them out, trying to get rid of the memories of my childhood. But I wouldn't do that. Not all of it was bad. I remember the severity of our lives, Lady Luck was never kind to us. Landon was my best friend and I would never forget that. He then announced that it was time for him to go home, tomorrow.
Rory and Landon go along surprisingly well. It was like Landon was the key to my past and Rory was the key to my future. They enjoyed swapping bizarre stories about me. Landon told her about some of our good childhood memories and Rory lapped them all up. Landon adored Rory. I think he found Rory's innocent outlook on life refreshing to a cynical New York boy. He enjoyed her offhand remarks and insane antics to get coffee, along her quirky relationship with her mother. Rory found him fascinating in her tiny world. Landon was not as quiet as I was, he talked a lot actually. We walked him to the bus stop. The two embraced and then I hugged him. He told me not so subtley not to screw this up and that Rory was perfect for me. She began to blush profusely. He disappeared onto the crowded bus. It drove away and I had a queer feeling wash over me as I watched him leave.
Rory had talked me into applying to college. Rory and I got our letters the same day. I got accepted into Hartford University and I had already decided to major in writing. Rory, on the otherhand, did not make it into Harvard. Harvard had been her and Lorelai's lifelong dream, but she was denied entrance. She was heartbroken for several weeks. My bubbly, lovable, optimistic girlfriend had disappeared and a sad, depressed, pessimistic one had taken her place. I did everything I could to cheer her up, but nothing would help. She finally got an acceptance letter to Yale. It was closer to Stars Hollow, Lorelai, and everyone she loved. So she snapped out of her funk, happily preparing for her life at Yale.
Luke and Lorelai finally admitted their feelings for one another. It had taken them 14 years to finally get around to it. I talked Luke into getting out of his plaid and baseball cap. He wore a plain colored shirt and bought her roses. He made a huge batch of coffee, because it was obvious the way to a Gilmore's heart was with coffee. He placed the mugs around the diner so that it spelled out I love you. When Lorelai and Rory came in, Lorelai melted. She pulled Luke close and they made out in the middle of the diner. The town was watching and money was being passed along to Sookie for winning the pool. Yep, that's exactly the kind of town it was. They bet the day the two would end up together.