Chapter Four
"Mom?"
Lorelai looked up from her place at the kitchen table, where she was devouring a bowl of
cereal.
"Sweetie, you're home late."
Rory smiled, her eyes bright. Lorelai looked at her and slowly stood up.
"You did it, didn't you?"
Rory nodded. Lorelai stopped moving and gave her a sympathetic look.
"You okay?"
Rory nodded again and her eyes started burning with excitement.
"Uh-oh. I know what that look means. Rory has an idea."
"Mom!"
Rory grinned.
"So?"
Lorelai pulled her into the chair across from her, and tried to suppress a groan.
"Okay, spill."
"I think we should invite Jess to movie night."
Lorelai froze. She slowly put down her spoon.
"Are you guys… together?"
Rory shrugged.
"I'm not sure. I told him how I felt and he kissed me, and then I came home."
Lorelai dropped her head in her hands.
"Okay, movie night, though?"
Rory sighed and looked down at her hands, which were folded in front of her.
"I want you two to get along. I know that he can be a jerk but if you knew him like I do,
you're like him."
"What does he think of the idea?"
"I don't know."
Rory blushed.
"I just thought of this on the way home."
Lorelai nodded.
"Okay. Fine. I'm giving him one last chance. Tell him to be here tomorrow night at six.
But I get to choose the movie."
Rory nodded and grinned. She ran to the other side of the table and gave her mother a big
hug.
"Thanks, mom, I love you."
"Love you too, kid."
Rory went into her room to change.
The Next Morning
************
Rory opened the door to Luke's and walked over to the counter. It had not been the best
of mornings so far, and she needed her coffee.
"Luke!"
Jess popped up from behind the counter and she jumped.
"Don't do that!"
He smirked and tried not to smile. He couldn't help it though, looking into her eyes. She
was smiling too, but there was something suspiciously fake about her smile. Jess
narrowed his eyes.
"Why do I get the faint suspicion that you're gonna ask me to do something?"
He leaned his elbows on the counter, facing her. She smiled innocently.
"I don't know!"
She exclaimed with her eyes wide, looking anything but innocent.
He sighed and rolled his head back, looking at the ceiling.
"What?"
Rory wondered if he was really mad, but when he looked at her again she stopped
worrying. There was a glint in his eyes.
"I want you to come to movie night tonight."
He laughed hollowly.
"Movie night? With you and your mother?"
Her smile faded a little bit.
"I know you two don't get along but I don't want you to hate each other. I just thought it
might be fun. Never mind, you don't have to if you don't want to."
Jess couldn't take the amount of disappointment in her eyes. He poured her a cup of
coffee and looked her in the eye.
"What time?"
He was defeated. Her face lit up as she smiled.
"Be there at six. My mom gets to choose the movie though, sorry."
Jess just shrugged and stared into her ice blue eyes. Luke came out from the kitchen and
looked at the two of them.
"Jess, get back to work."
Jess shot a scathing glance at his uncle and nodded to Rory, and began taking orders.
Luke started to move back towards the kitchen but Rory stopped him.
"Luke! I was wondering if you could help with something."
He turned around.
"What?"
Rory was startled by his tone. He sounded so tired.
"Never mind. It's nothing."
Luke ran a hand over his baseball cap and sighed.
"What is it, Rory?"
"My mom's car broke down, and she's been spending the last hour or so talking on the
phone to some guy trying to get a mechanic to come out. Could you take a look at it? She
has to go to work."
Luke was puzzled.
"Why can't she take the silver car?"
Rory glanced down at the counter.
"I don't have it anymore. I walked here, so…"
Luke shook his head.
"You don't have the silver car."
"Nope."
Luke sighed. She obviously wasn't going to tell him anything else.
"Caesar, you're in charge. Don't screw up."
Luke called into the back and smiled sarcastically at Rory.
"Need a ride?"
She shook her head. In a matter of seconds Luke was out the door.
A minute later Rory felt someone behind her. Her chair was spun around and she was
suddenly looking into a pair of very bright green eyes. He kissed her lightly on the
forehead, and she blushed. When she opened her eyes he was smiling. His hands were
supported by the counter behind her, and he wasn't backing away.
"Don't you have to work?"
He shrugged.
"I guess."
He still didn't move. Rory smiled and tilted her head. She grabbed her purse and waited
for him to move, amused.
"Going somewhere?"
She nodded.
"Where?"
"I'm meeting with Paris at Chilton."
Jess looked surprised.
"Why?"
She suddenly realized that she hadn't told him.
"I'm Vice President of the senior class. Paris is president. We're taking a trip to D.C. in a
couple of weeks."
Jess backed up a little.
"For how long?"
Rory looked at the floor.
"Six weeks."
He nodded slowly.
"Oh."
He shrugged.
Rory leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek, warms shivers going everywhere,
and she stood up.
"See you tonight?"
He nodded and smiled again, his eyes brightening again.
"I'll be there."
Rory walked out of Luke's. She went to the bus stop and waited for the bus to Hartford.
5:45 p.m.
************
"Mom!"
Rory stood at the foot of the stairs and yelled to her mother.
"What movie did you get?"
Lorelai came running down the stairs, a movie box in her hand. Rory snatched it from her
and read the title out loud.
"Willy Wonka? Again?"
Lorelai shrugged.
"I figured we could impress Jess with our superior knowledge."
Rory sighed.
"Okay, whatever, he should be here soon."
Lorelai was silent. Her eyes looked distant.
"Mom?"
Lorelai didn't move.
"Are you okay?"
Lorelai blinked.
"I'm fine."
"Okay, if you-"
"I kissed Luke."
Rory blinked rapidly.
"You-"
She was interrupted when the doorbell rang.
"We'll talk about this later."
Rory ran to the door and threw it open. Jess looked at her with a smile that was almost
shy.
"Hey."
His voice was soft and nervous. She took his hand.
Her hand was soft and warm. Jess's eyes brightened and his mood lifted as soon as they
touched.
"Hey, Jess."
Lorelai announced her presence quickly, smiling pleasantly, but not warmly.
"Miss Gilmore."
Jess nodded to her. He knew she didn't like him, and he really couldn't blame her. He
didn't get along well with people like her, because she was open, and she didn't even try
to understand him. He hadn't even bothered to try to know her. And now he was going to
get to know her if it was the last thing he did.
"Come in."
30 minutes later
************
Rory leaned back, a bowl of popcorn in her lap. So far the evening had been perfect. Jess
had opened up and been himself, and Lorelai didn't say a word against him. There were
no arguments, and as it turned out, Jess knew Willy Wonka word for word too. Rory was
sitting on the floor next to her mother, leaning against the couch. Jess was on her other
side with his arm around her. She felt warm. She felt perfect. Surrounded by the two
people she loved most in the world.
Lorelai glanced at her daughter, who was radiating with happiness. She watched Jess lean
over and place a kiss on top of her head. His eyes were happy, and she saw it. She saw
what Rory saw in him, and she was right. He was different with her. She could see that
there was good inside this kid. It might even overshadow the bad.
Jess watched the screen, saying the words along with the characters silently in his head.
Rory was in his arms, and he felt warm. She made him wonder if maybe there was a
reason his life was the way it was. Maybe destiny brought them together. He rolled his
eyes at the thought. It was ridiculous. Still, he couldn't help feeling that Rory had
changed him. She made him a better person, and he knew that most people didn't see it.
But Rory saw it, and that was enough. He leaned down and placed a kiss warmly on the
top of her head. He could practically feel himself falling even more. Every time she
smiled at him he couldn't help but think that she was the only thing about his life that
wasn't broken. She was perfect.
TBC very very soon!! I liked that last part. I'm sorry there was no fluff with the L/L
situation, but there will be before the end of the story! I promise!
"Mom?"
Lorelai looked up from her place at the kitchen table, where she was devouring a bowl of
cereal.
"Sweetie, you're home late."
Rory smiled, her eyes bright. Lorelai looked at her and slowly stood up.
"You did it, didn't you?"
Rory nodded. Lorelai stopped moving and gave her a sympathetic look.
"You okay?"
Rory nodded again and her eyes started burning with excitement.
"Uh-oh. I know what that look means. Rory has an idea."
"Mom!"
Rory grinned.
"So?"
Lorelai pulled her into the chair across from her, and tried to suppress a groan.
"Okay, spill."
"I think we should invite Jess to movie night."
Lorelai froze. She slowly put down her spoon.
"Are you guys… together?"
Rory shrugged.
"I'm not sure. I told him how I felt and he kissed me, and then I came home."
Lorelai dropped her head in her hands.
"Okay, movie night, though?"
Rory sighed and looked down at her hands, which were folded in front of her.
"I want you two to get along. I know that he can be a jerk but if you knew him like I do,
you're like him."
"What does he think of the idea?"
"I don't know."
Rory blushed.
"I just thought of this on the way home."
Lorelai nodded.
"Okay. Fine. I'm giving him one last chance. Tell him to be here tomorrow night at six.
But I get to choose the movie."
Rory nodded and grinned. She ran to the other side of the table and gave her mother a big
hug.
"Thanks, mom, I love you."
"Love you too, kid."
Rory went into her room to change.
The Next Morning
************
Rory opened the door to Luke's and walked over to the counter. It had not been the best
of mornings so far, and she needed her coffee.
"Luke!"
Jess popped up from behind the counter and she jumped.
"Don't do that!"
He smirked and tried not to smile. He couldn't help it though, looking into her eyes. She
was smiling too, but there was something suspiciously fake about her smile. Jess
narrowed his eyes.
"Why do I get the faint suspicion that you're gonna ask me to do something?"
He leaned his elbows on the counter, facing her. She smiled innocently.
"I don't know!"
She exclaimed with her eyes wide, looking anything but innocent.
He sighed and rolled his head back, looking at the ceiling.
"What?"
Rory wondered if he was really mad, but when he looked at her again she stopped
worrying. There was a glint in his eyes.
"I want you to come to movie night tonight."
He laughed hollowly.
"Movie night? With you and your mother?"
Her smile faded a little bit.
"I know you two don't get along but I don't want you to hate each other. I just thought it
might be fun. Never mind, you don't have to if you don't want to."
Jess couldn't take the amount of disappointment in her eyes. He poured her a cup of
coffee and looked her in the eye.
"What time?"
He was defeated. Her face lit up as she smiled.
"Be there at six. My mom gets to choose the movie though, sorry."
Jess just shrugged and stared into her ice blue eyes. Luke came out from the kitchen and
looked at the two of them.
"Jess, get back to work."
Jess shot a scathing glance at his uncle and nodded to Rory, and began taking orders.
Luke started to move back towards the kitchen but Rory stopped him.
"Luke! I was wondering if you could help with something."
He turned around.
"What?"
Rory was startled by his tone. He sounded so tired.
"Never mind. It's nothing."
Luke ran a hand over his baseball cap and sighed.
"What is it, Rory?"
"My mom's car broke down, and she's been spending the last hour or so talking on the
phone to some guy trying to get a mechanic to come out. Could you take a look at it? She
has to go to work."
Luke was puzzled.
"Why can't she take the silver car?"
Rory glanced down at the counter.
"I don't have it anymore. I walked here, so…"
Luke shook his head.
"You don't have the silver car."
"Nope."
Luke sighed. She obviously wasn't going to tell him anything else.
"Caesar, you're in charge. Don't screw up."
Luke called into the back and smiled sarcastically at Rory.
"Need a ride?"
She shook her head. In a matter of seconds Luke was out the door.
A minute later Rory felt someone behind her. Her chair was spun around and she was
suddenly looking into a pair of very bright green eyes. He kissed her lightly on the
forehead, and she blushed. When she opened her eyes he was smiling. His hands were
supported by the counter behind her, and he wasn't backing away.
"Don't you have to work?"
He shrugged.
"I guess."
He still didn't move. Rory smiled and tilted her head. She grabbed her purse and waited
for him to move, amused.
"Going somewhere?"
She nodded.
"Where?"
"I'm meeting with Paris at Chilton."
Jess looked surprised.
"Why?"
She suddenly realized that she hadn't told him.
"I'm Vice President of the senior class. Paris is president. We're taking a trip to D.C. in a
couple of weeks."
Jess backed up a little.
"For how long?"
Rory looked at the floor.
"Six weeks."
He nodded slowly.
"Oh."
He shrugged.
Rory leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek, warms shivers going everywhere,
and she stood up.
"See you tonight?"
He nodded and smiled again, his eyes brightening again.
"I'll be there."
Rory walked out of Luke's. She went to the bus stop and waited for the bus to Hartford.
5:45 p.m.
************
"Mom!"
Rory stood at the foot of the stairs and yelled to her mother.
"What movie did you get?"
Lorelai came running down the stairs, a movie box in her hand. Rory snatched it from her
and read the title out loud.
"Willy Wonka? Again?"
Lorelai shrugged.
"I figured we could impress Jess with our superior knowledge."
Rory sighed.
"Okay, whatever, he should be here soon."
Lorelai was silent. Her eyes looked distant.
"Mom?"
Lorelai didn't move.
"Are you okay?"
Lorelai blinked.
"I'm fine."
"Okay, if you-"
"I kissed Luke."
Rory blinked rapidly.
"You-"
She was interrupted when the doorbell rang.
"We'll talk about this later."
Rory ran to the door and threw it open. Jess looked at her with a smile that was almost
shy.
"Hey."
His voice was soft and nervous. She took his hand.
Her hand was soft and warm. Jess's eyes brightened and his mood lifted as soon as they
touched.
"Hey, Jess."
Lorelai announced her presence quickly, smiling pleasantly, but not warmly.
"Miss Gilmore."
Jess nodded to her. He knew she didn't like him, and he really couldn't blame her. He
didn't get along well with people like her, because she was open, and she didn't even try
to understand him. He hadn't even bothered to try to know her. And now he was going to
get to know her if it was the last thing he did.
"Come in."
30 minutes later
************
Rory leaned back, a bowl of popcorn in her lap. So far the evening had been perfect. Jess
had opened up and been himself, and Lorelai didn't say a word against him. There were
no arguments, and as it turned out, Jess knew Willy Wonka word for word too. Rory was
sitting on the floor next to her mother, leaning against the couch. Jess was on her other
side with his arm around her. She felt warm. She felt perfect. Surrounded by the two
people she loved most in the world.
Lorelai glanced at her daughter, who was radiating with happiness. She watched Jess lean
over and place a kiss on top of her head. His eyes were happy, and she saw it. She saw
what Rory saw in him, and she was right. He was different with her. She could see that
there was good inside this kid. It might even overshadow the bad.
Jess watched the screen, saying the words along with the characters silently in his head.
Rory was in his arms, and he felt warm. She made him wonder if maybe there was a
reason his life was the way it was. Maybe destiny brought them together. He rolled his
eyes at the thought. It was ridiculous. Still, he couldn't help feeling that Rory had
changed him. She made him a better person, and he knew that most people didn't see it.
But Rory saw it, and that was enough. He leaned down and placed a kiss warmly on the
top of her head. He could practically feel himself falling even more. Every time she
smiled at him he couldn't help but think that she was the only thing about his life that
wasn't broken. She was perfect.
TBC very very soon!! I liked that last part. I'm sorry there was no fluff with the L/L
situation, but there will be before the end of the story! I promise!