Ch 16 Step Up
Yawning and stretching Rory realized that she had slept on the couch. She was curled up and the book she had been reading had fallen to the floor at some point during the night. Rory sighed. Throughout all this time, from that day on the bridge to her birthday she still didn't understand why she wasn't with Jess. She knew the way she felt for him, knew that she had been longing for him since, well she wasn't quite sure since when and now that nothing was holding either of them back she still couldn't dive into the waiting relationship. She wasn't sure how patient Jess would be in waiting for her to come around. He had found a girlfriend probably a week after she had left for Washington which she thought proved he wasn't patient. Yet, her mind and heart were still waging a war against each other and refused to cooperate.
Lorelai sat up in bed and noticed that the side Rory had occupied since Riz had been residing with them was empty. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes and slipped her fluffy pink slippers on her feet. Coffee, of course was the first thing that came to her mind right then and there. Her next thought was a slightly more depressing one though. It had been two weeks since she had last head or saw Chris. Lorelai wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing. She just decided not to think of it. There were other things for her to think about but all of them led back to Chris one way or another whether they were linked or not. Her growing feelings for Luke and her ever-present feelings for Chris were often on her mind though. Luke, there had always been something there in her eyes. There little playful banter, his concern for her and Rory she always felt something for him but even when she had been jealous of Rachel she hadn't quite realized why. Life was complicated, too complicated.
Jess lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. It goes without saying what was on his mind. It was the only thing that went through his mind every minute of everyday. Rory Gilmore, he couldn't understand how he could posses this many feeling for one person. He had loved her since first sight and he, Jess Mariano never fell in love. He hated her for not being ready, for making him wait. He had been waiting for her since the moment he set eyes on her. He had wanted to be the one she shared ever waking moment with. He had abandoned everything he had every known for her just to wait. She had come to New York to visit him and Jess had thought there had been something there and then the kiss. Well, that kiss was most possible the best kiss he had ever received in his life, heck it was the best kiss. Jess knew he would wait for her; he would always wait for her.
Luke was in the diner physically, but mentally he was off in a world where he woke up with Lorelai Gilmore. Never had he displayed his feeling for her publicly to the town, or to Lorelai herself except for that one time. Yet, despite all his efforts to have only platonic feelings for her it wasn't possible and even though he thought he hid his feelings for her pretty well the whole town seemed to know about them. Luke Danes was transparent and he knew it. Rachel had seen it and even Jess; his rebel nephew had seen it. Luke remembered the first time they ever came into the diner. That had been it for Luke and over the years when he had become her friend instead of just her coffee supplier Luke knew she would be the end of him. When she brought Max Medina in and Christopher, Luke didn't know how he was able to control himself. Even today, he wished he could hurt both of them, especially Chris. Sometimes Luke wondered what would've happened if Lorelai had married Max. Things would certainly have been different. He stopped pondering on that and returned to his daily tasks.
Lane couldn't help but wonder if things in Star's Hollow would ever be the same. She worried about Rory and how her feelings for Jess would affect their friendship. Things with Dean certainly had. Lane, she had liked Dean until he became possessive way too possessive. Lane had seen right away things wouldn't work out between the two. She saw how Rory continued to pull away from him and into the wrath of Jess. As much as she thought Jess would hurt Rory, she had to admit he was a good change from Dean. She couldn't trust him though maybe because she didn't know him well enough. Amongst all those things Lane wondered how her relationship with Dave was going to work. Right now he didn't seem to care that she wouldn't tell her mother but soon who knows how that could change. Dave was into a lot of music Lane was in. Lane had mastered the drums quickly and when Dave and the guys found her and asked her to join the band she was ecstatic. She would have to tell her mother everything soon. She wanted to go to college learn all about music but that would involve letting her mother know what she had been up to lately. Lane Kim couldn't be kept under her mother's rules forever. Rising from bed Lane knew that some day soon she would have to tell no matter the consequences. They were all in too deep in Lane's opinion and there was no getting out.
Rory smoothed out her skirt and tied her shoes. She was ready for another day at Chilton. What would happen next was beyond her. Hardly anything surprised her now though. Rory was used to Paris' to-do list, Madeline and Louise's gossip and anything else that the fellow Chiltonites came up with. She worked hard on school and began filling out college applications. Yet as she did all this she was still in a daze. He mother tumbled down the stairs now and Rory shook her head and handed a cup of coffee to Lorelai, who gratefully took it. "Ah, dah-ling daughter," Lorelai breathed in the sweet aroma of the coffee, "How well I've taught you."
"Yes you have," Rory nodded. Lorelai took another long sip of her coffee and placed it on the table.
"I'll be right back." Rory nodded again at her mother's comment sat down to wait going over last night's work. She looked up as a very disgruntled Riz entered the room.
"I hate mornings," the girl groaned. Her hair all askew and Rory smiled.
"There's more coffee in the kitchen," Rory informed her. The fifteen year old nodded and turned back into the kitchen only to return a few seconds later.
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"Are you sure your entitled to so early?" Rory joked.
"Why aren't you with Jess?"
"I'm just not ready."
"Are you not ready or are you just afraid to take a risk?" Riz asked bitterly, "Are you afraid Jess is going to break you or something? Rory open your eyes. That boy is in love with you and I may be fifteen but I know Jess and he doesn't fall in love. Live a little Rory and love him back. The way he's never been loved before. Love doesn't sit around and wait and if you're waiting to be ready I might as well warn you. No one's ever ready for love. So step up and take the plate, do what you know is right."
Riz's bitterness had caught Rory by surprise. Rory chose not to reply and instead moved towards the front door. "Mom! Hurry up I'm hungry and need to get to school," Rory shouted up the stairs but Riz's words echoed in her mind.
"I'm ready," her mother's response came.
"Let's go then," Rory pushed everything to the back of her mind.
"Okie Dokie!"
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A/N: Alright, I needed to get into their heads and maybe slow this down a little because I was almost out of ideas until I started writing this. I'm happy that I got a little Lane in there because problems are also starting for her and well, I think I haven't given Lane enough credit in this story. Anyway, tell me what you think about this and if anything needs to be changed completely or altered in anyway. I'm open to any suggestions. Thanks.
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Yawning and stretching Rory realized that she had slept on the couch. She was curled up and the book she had been reading had fallen to the floor at some point during the night. Rory sighed. Throughout all this time, from that day on the bridge to her birthday she still didn't understand why she wasn't with Jess. She knew the way she felt for him, knew that she had been longing for him since, well she wasn't quite sure since when and now that nothing was holding either of them back she still couldn't dive into the waiting relationship. She wasn't sure how patient Jess would be in waiting for her to come around. He had found a girlfriend probably a week after she had left for Washington which she thought proved he wasn't patient. Yet, her mind and heart were still waging a war against each other and refused to cooperate.
Lorelai sat up in bed and noticed that the side Rory had occupied since Riz had been residing with them was empty. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes and slipped her fluffy pink slippers on her feet. Coffee, of course was the first thing that came to her mind right then and there. Her next thought was a slightly more depressing one though. It had been two weeks since she had last head or saw Chris. Lorelai wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing. She just decided not to think of it. There were other things for her to think about but all of them led back to Chris one way or another whether they were linked or not. Her growing feelings for Luke and her ever-present feelings for Chris were often on her mind though. Luke, there had always been something there in her eyes. There little playful banter, his concern for her and Rory she always felt something for him but even when she had been jealous of Rachel she hadn't quite realized why. Life was complicated, too complicated.
Jess lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. It goes without saying what was on his mind. It was the only thing that went through his mind every minute of everyday. Rory Gilmore, he couldn't understand how he could posses this many feeling for one person. He had loved her since first sight and he, Jess Mariano never fell in love. He hated her for not being ready, for making him wait. He had been waiting for her since the moment he set eyes on her. He had wanted to be the one she shared ever waking moment with. He had abandoned everything he had every known for her just to wait. She had come to New York to visit him and Jess had thought there had been something there and then the kiss. Well, that kiss was most possible the best kiss he had ever received in his life, heck it was the best kiss. Jess knew he would wait for her; he would always wait for her.
Luke was in the diner physically, but mentally he was off in a world where he woke up with Lorelai Gilmore. Never had he displayed his feeling for her publicly to the town, or to Lorelai herself except for that one time. Yet, despite all his efforts to have only platonic feelings for her it wasn't possible and even though he thought he hid his feelings for her pretty well the whole town seemed to know about them. Luke Danes was transparent and he knew it. Rachel had seen it and even Jess; his rebel nephew had seen it. Luke remembered the first time they ever came into the diner. That had been it for Luke and over the years when he had become her friend instead of just her coffee supplier Luke knew she would be the end of him. When she brought Max Medina in and Christopher, Luke didn't know how he was able to control himself. Even today, he wished he could hurt both of them, especially Chris. Sometimes Luke wondered what would've happened if Lorelai had married Max. Things would certainly have been different. He stopped pondering on that and returned to his daily tasks.
Lane couldn't help but wonder if things in Star's Hollow would ever be the same. She worried about Rory and how her feelings for Jess would affect their friendship. Things with Dean certainly had. Lane, she had liked Dean until he became possessive way too possessive. Lane had seen right away things wouldn't work out between the two. She saw how Rory continued to pull away from him and into the wrath of Jess. As much as she thought Jess would hurt Rory, she had to admit he was a good change from Dean. She couldn't trust him though maybe because she didn't know him well enough. Amongst all those things Lane wondered how her relationship with Dave was going to work. Right now he didn't seem to care that she wouldn't tell her mother but soon who knows how that could change. Dave was into a lot of music Lane was in. Lane had mastered the drums quickly and when Dave and the guys found her and asked her to join the band she was ecstatic. She would have to tell her mother everything soon. She wanted to go to college learn all about music but that would involve letting her mother know what she had been up to lately. Lane Kim couldn't be kept under her mother's rules forever. Rising from bed Lane knew that some day soon she would have to tell no matter the consequences. They were all in too deep in Lane's opinion and there was no getting out.
Rory smoothed out her skirt and tied her shoes. She was ready for another day at Chilton. What would happen next was beyond her. Hardly anything surprised her now though. Rory was used to Paris' to-do list, Madeline and Louise's gossip and anything else that the fellow Chiltonites came up with. She worked hard on school and began filling out college applications. Yet as she did all this she was still in a daze. He mother tumbled down the stairs now and Rory shook her head and handed a cup of coffee to Lorelai, who gratefully took it. "Ah, dah-ling daughter," Lorelai breathed in the sweet aroma of the coffee, "How well I've taught you."
"Yes you have," Rory nodded. Lorelai took another long sip of her coffee and placed it on the table.
"I'll be right back." Rory nodded again at her mother's comment sat down to wait going over last night's work. She looked up as a very disgruntled Riz entered the room.
"I hate mornings," the girl groaned. Her hair all askew and Rory smiled.
"There's more coffee in the kitchen," Rory informed her. The fifteen year old nodded and turned back into the kitchen only to return a few seconds later.
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"Are you sure your entitled to so early?" Rory joked.
"Why aren't you with Jess?"
"I'm just not ready."
"Are you not ready or are you just afraid to take a risk?" Riz asked bitterly, "Are you afraid Jess is going to break you or something? Rory open your eyes. That boy is in love with you and I may be fifteen but I know Jess and he doesn't fall in love. Live a little Rory and love him back. The way he's never been loved before. Love doesn't sit around and wait and if you're waiting to be ready I might as well warn you. No one's ever ready for love. So step up and take the plate, do what you know is right."
Riz's bitterness had caught Rory by surprise. Rory chose not to reply and instead moved towards the front door. "Mom! Hurry up I'm hungry and need to get to school," Rory shouted up the stairs but Riz's words echoed in her mind.
"I'm ready," her mother's response came.
"Let's go then," Rory pushed everything to the back of her mind.
"Okie Dokie!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Alright, I needed to get into their heads and maybe slow this down a little because I was almost out of ideas until I started writing this. I'm happy that I got a little Lane in there because problems are also starting for her and well, I think I haven't given Lane enough credit in this story. Anyway, tell me what you think about this and if anything needs to be changed completely or altered in anyway. I'm open to any suggestions. Thanks.
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