Part 3
Rory had decided to get out of the diner while she could. She could see that Luke obviously had something important to talk to her mum. Outside, she pondered about where to go. She didn't want to go home as she didn't have ay homework and she didn't want to go anywhere near Doose's market or anywhere that Dean might be. Then it hit her.
"The Bridge!" It's peaceful and the quietness could give her some time to think. She had only ever been there with another person other than Lane or her mum, and that was Jess. The guy she'd kissed. The third guy she's kissed. The thought of Jess made her think about the good times they shared, the picnic, the ice-cream, then the bad came, the fights with her mum over him and the car crash.
"Why'd I ever kiss him," she muttered to herself, "before I kissed him, we were fine being friendish but now. . .I've stuffed up everything. Damn me, myself and I!"
As Rory neared the bridge, she slowed down. When she turned the corner to face the river and the bridge, she saw a familiar figure sitting there with his feet dangling off just touching the water.
"Jess," she whispered to herself softly. As she turned around to leave, she heard her named called.
"Oh shoot!," she mumbled. He had seen her.
"Rory, are on in a rush to go somewhere?"
"S sorry, I didn't know you were here. You stay, I'll go."
"No, wait, don't." He stood up to stop her from leaving.
"But Je. . ."
"You've been avoiding me. Ever since Sookie's wedding."
"Jess, I can. . ."
"No, Don't. Wouldn't want to make a mistake. I don't want to hear it either. How you felt sorry for me. Oh look, poor Jess is back. Maybe I'll kiss him, break his heart and then run off back to my true love boyfriend. Just save it."
"But Jess the kiss did mean some thing . . . to me anyway."
"Really? Huh, if I remember clearly you're still with him. If you'd really have feelings inside that kiss, you'd left him."
"Jess, I just. . ."
"No, no explanation needed. I get it. I'm going to Luke's, my shift starts soon."
"Shifts? You hardly even work."
"Yes I do, I just started."
"Now who's the one trying to avoid the other huh? You are trying to get away from me. At least I try to explain, but no you wouldn't listen to a word I say."
"No, I'm not trying to get away from you. How could I if you're the one getting away from me!"
"Ok, us blaming each other is not going to help the situation. Anyway, you can't go there."
"Why? You gonna try to stop me?"
"No and because Luke had some thing important to tell my mum."
"Huh, that important." By this time, Jess had already stopped facing Rory.
"Yup, It looked like a serious love question."
"Fine, then I'll just walk around for another half hour and that should give then plenty of time."
"Don't go, I'll go."
"No, I have to drop by the bookstore. See ya around."
As Jess left Rory sat down on the bridge. "Now who's trying to get away." She whispered lightly to herself.
Jess felt sick but also happy that Rory was still talking to him.
Back at the diner, Lorelai was still getting used to the idea of being stunned after Luke's sudden question.
"um. . ." Lorelai could not seem to be able to find the words she wanted to say.
"Do you want more coffee?" Luke began to pour more coffee into Lorelai's cup.
"Luke I . . ."
"No really, you don't have to if don't want to, to go to dinner I mean." Luke stared up to the ceiling as he said this.
"Luke, just stop. At this time, I' love just to get a word in. I'd love to go to dinner, with you of course." Lorelai replied with a smile breaking out.
"You sure?" Luke suddenly looked down from the ceiling to her eyes.
"Well, I'm usually not but I had some seriousness going there."
"Ok, well tomorrow night?"
"um . . .yeah sure."
"Yes, ok everyone out! NOW! We're closed come back tomorrow!" Luke was so happy, he rushed everyone out as fast as ox ran.
Lorelai walked out feeling excited about the date, but weird that it was with Luke. Then, she felt happy that it was Luke.
At the Gilmore's residence, Rory was packing clothes into her bag for her trip to Washington. Lorelai walks in with a grin on her face and sees Rory, folding and chucking her clothes in her bag.
"Mum! I can't believe that you forgot to remind me of my trip. It's tomorrow!" By now, Rory was pratically just throwing her clothe and anything else she needed straight in.
"Rory, you were upset last night. And anyways, did you really expect me of all members of this society to remember?"
"Believe it or not, I actually did."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Really?" Lorelai had a huge smile on her face.
"Vicious circle. . . and why the heck are you smiling so much?"
"Guess."
"You pot a part in a Shakira video?"
"God, I wish!"
Just then somebody knocks on the door and walks in.
"Oh my god, oh my god!" Sookie runs into Rory's room, screaming. "You're going out with Luke!" She looks at Lorelai and sees the disappointment of not being able to tell Rory herself. "Sorry."
"Doesn't anyone know the meaning of privacy?" Lorelai shots an evil at Sookie.
"Wow!" Rory looks up from her bag to Lorelai. "really?"
"Huh."
"Stop."
"Really."
"Ok, I get the point, you're surprised." Lorelai now turned to Rory with an evil look.
The next morning, Rory was sitting at the bus stop waiting for her bus to come and take her to Washington. Her mum would have been there except that there was emergency at the inn. Something about Sookie slipping and falling... something along those lines. Lorelai had apologized profusely but Rory had told her not to worry about it. So Rory was sitting by herself at the bus stop reading.
"Hello Mary," Rory shivered as she heard a smooth voice mutter in her ear.
'NO! No! no!' She though. Just what she needed right now, a few more incessant insults from the well know Tristan DuGrey. Rory turned to see Tristan sitting on the bench next to her.
"And what did I do to deserve your presence, your highness?"
"Why Mary, must you ask? I thought that you would know."
"Yeah, uh huh, how'd you know that I would be here?" Tristan just smirked at her. "It was Paris wasn't it?" The look on Tristan's face told it all.
"A man never tells his secrets."
"Oh, get over yourself Tristan. You're not a man, you're still a little boy."
"Why Mary, I thought you knew that I had taken the step to enter manhood- " Rory cut him off.
"Tristan, you're full of yourself. Contrary to what you think, no-body's interested in your sexual conquests."
"Really? But there was one time with summer- " Rory cut him off again.
"Urgh. You still haven't answered my first question yet."
"Which was.. . ."
"What do u want?"
"To ask you something. By the way, where is bag-boy? I'd think that he'd at least be here, making the last few moments with his oh so special little Rory, before she goes off the big bad Washington." Rory's face fell and a look of anger seemed to immediately possess over her pretty features.
"Don't talk to me about that. . . that. . . Lying scumbag!" Tristan sat there shocked.
"What happened?" Tristan had a sympathetic look on his face, "Rosy come on , you can tell me." A small grin broke out on Rory's face.
"Well, that evil bag-boy," Tristan smirked at Rory calling her ex bag-boy, "cheated on me." Tristan's face registered shock.
"Really? Idiot! How could he find anyone better then you to love? She must be hotter or something- or maybe a bimbo. Do you know who it is?" Rory shifted uncomfortable on the bench.
"Well . . ."
"It was Madeline." Tear started to trickle down Rory's face. Tristan leaned over and brushed the off her face. Rory felt surprised and shivered as she felt his hand brush her face.
"Don't cry Rory. He's not worth it." Rory looked up at Tristan. 'Wow, he knows my name.' Rory thought out loud and somehow this made her feel better.
"How about this. A compromise."
"Oh no, what do you want?"
"For me to keep on calling you Rory, you must. . ." Rory could see the cogs working in his head, " . . . escort me to an under 18's club that U2 are guest performers at."
"But unless you've forgotten, I'm going to Washington."
"That's the beauty of it. My family decide to spend the next week in Washington for a conference my dad has to attend. I'm going with them. So, will you?"
"No strings attached- right Tristan? Wait . . . why should I believe you - after P.J Harvey?" Rory raised one eyebrow in question.
"This time, no pressure Rory. You can say yes or no."
"Fine . . .only if you promise to call me Rory."
"Alright. Where are you staying?" Tristan seemed to have a Cheshire grin as he said this.
"Why?" Rory looked at Tristan cautiously.
"So I can pick you up."
"Oh right, The Hilton."
"Hey, I'm staying there too. Maybe we'll see each other around."
"Maybe," Rory turned to see her bus coming, "I'd love to stay and chat but my bus is here, I gotta go. See you later."
"Bye Mar. . .Rory," Tristan ducked at the glare Rory cast his way, "Sorry - habit."
Rory watched as Tristan walked over to his car, waiting for him to turn around. When he did, she smiled and waved, just as the bus pulled out of the stop.
Rory had decided to get out of the diner while she could. She could see that Luke obviously had something important to talk to her mum. Outside, she pondered about where to go. She didn't want to go home as she didn't have ay homework and she didn't want to go anywhere near Doose's market or anywhere that Dean might be. Then it hit her.
"The Bridge!" It's peaceful and the quietness could give her some time to think. She had only ever been there with another person other than Lane or her mum, and that was Jess. The guy she'd kissed. The third guy she's kissed. The thought of Jess made her think about the good times they shared, the picnic, the ice-cream, then the bad came, the fights with her mum over him and the car crash.
"Why'd I ever kiss him," she muttered to herself, "before I kissed him, we were fine being friendish but now. . .I've stuffed up everything. Damn me, myself and I!"
As Rory neared the bridge, she slowed down. When she turned the corner to face the river and the bridge, she saw a familiar figure sitting there with his feet dangling off just touching the water.
"Jess," she whispered to herself softly. As she turned around to leave, she heard her named called.
"Oh shoot!," she mumbled. He had seen her.
"Rory, are on in a rush to go somewhere?"
"S sorry, I didn't know you were here. You stay, I'll go."
"No, wait, don't." He stood up to stop her from leaving.
"But Je. . ."
"You've been avoiding me. Ever since Sookie's wedding."
"Jess, I can. . ."
"No, Don't. Wouldn't want to make a mistake. I don't want to hear it either. How you felt sorry for me. Oh look, poor Jess is back. Maybe I'll kiss him, break his heart and then run off back to my true love boyfriend. Just save it."
"But Jess the kiss did mean some thing . . . to me anyway."
"Really? Huh, if I remember clearly you're still with him. If you'd really have feelings inside that kiss, you'd left him."
"Jess, I just. . ."
"No, no explanation needed. I get it. I'm going to Luke's, my shift starts soon."
"Shifts? You hardly even work."
"Yes I do, I just started."
"Now who's the one trying to avoid the other huh? You are trying to get away from me. At least I try to explain, but no you wouldn't listen to a word I say."
"No, I'm not trying to get away from you. How could I if you're the one getting away from me!"
"Ok, us blaming each other is not going to help the situation. Anyway, you can't go there."
"Why? You gonna try to stop me?"
"No and because Luke had some thing important to tell my mum."
"Huh, that important." By this time, Jess had already stopped facing Rory.
"Yup, It looked like a serious love question."
"Fine, then I'll just walk around for another half hour and that should give then plenty of time."
"Don't go, I'll go."
"No, I have to drop by the bookstore. See ya around."
As Jess left Rory sat down on the bridge. "Now who's trying to get away." She whispered lightly to herself.
Jess felt sick but also happy that Rory was still talking to him.
Back at the diner, Lorelai was still getting used to the idea of being stunned after Luke's sudden question.
"um. . ." Lorelai could not seem to be able to find the words she wanted to say.
"Do you want more coffee?" Luke began to pour more coffee into Lorelai's cup.
"Luke I . . ."
"No really, you don't have to if don't want to, to go to dinner I mean." Luke stared up to the ceiling as he said this.
"Luke, just stop. At this time, I' love just to get a word in. I'd love to go to dinner, with you of course." Lorelai replied with a smile breaking out.
"You sure?" Luke suddenly looked down from the ceiling to her eyes.
"Well, I'm usually not but I had some seriousness going there."
"Ok, well tomorrow night?"
"um . . .yeah sure."
"Yes, ok everyone out! NOW! We're closed come back tomorrow!" Luke was so happy, he rushed everyone out as fast as ox ran.
Lorelai walked out feeling excited about the date, but weird that it was with Luke. Then, she felt happy that it was Luke.
At the Gilmore's residence, Rory was packing clothes into her bag for her trip to Washington. Lorelai walks in with a grin on her face and sees Rory, folding and chucking her clothes in her bag.
"Mum! I can't believe that you forgot to remind me of my trip. It's tomorrow!" By now, Rory was pratically just throwing her clothe and anything else she needed straight in.
"Rory, you were upset last night. And anyways, did you really expect me of all members of this society to remember?"
"Believe it or not, I actually did."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Really?" Lorelai had a huge smile on her face.
"Vicious circle. . . and why the heck are you smiling so much?"
"Guess."
"You pot a part in a Shakira video?"
"God, I wish!"
Just then somebody knocks on the door and walks in.
"Oh my god, oh my god!" Sookie runs into Rory's room, screaming. "You're going out with Luke!" She looks at Lorelai and sees the disappointment of not being able to tell Rory herself. "Sorry."
"Doesn't anyone know the meaning of privacy?" Lorelai shots an evil at Sookie.
"Wow!" Rory looks up from her bag to Lorelai. "really?"
"Huh."
"Stop."
"Really."
"Ok, I get the point, you're surprised." Lorelai now turned to Rory with an evil look.
The next morning, Rory was sitting at the bus stop waiting for her bus to come and take her to Washington. Her mum would have been there except that there was emergency at the inn. Something about Sookie slipping and falling... something along those lines. Lorelai had apologized profusely but Rory had told her not to worry about it. So Rory was sitting by herself at the bus stop reading.
"Hello Mary," Rory shivered as she heard a smooth voice mutter in her ear.
'NO! No! no!' She though. Just what she needed right now, a few more incessant insults from the well know Tristan DuGrey. Rory turned to see Tristan sitting on the bench next to her.
"And what did I do to deserve your presence, your highness?"
"Why Mary, must you ask? I thought that you would know."
"Yeah, uh huh, how'd you know that I would be here?" Tristan just smirked at her. "It was Paris wasn't it?" The look on Tristan's face told it all.
"A man never tells his secrets."
"Oh, get over yourself Tristan. You're not a man, you're still a little boy."
"Why Mary, I thought you knew that I had taken the step to enter manhood- " Rory cut him off.
"Tristan, you're full of yourself. Contrary to what you think, no-body's interested in your sexual conquests."
"Really? But there was one time with summer- " Rory cut him off again.
"Urgh. You still haven't answered my first question yet."
"Which was.. . ."
"What do u want?"
"To ask you something. By the way, where is bag-boy? I'd think that he'd at least be here, making the last few moments with his oh so special little Rory, before she goes off the big bad Washington." Rory's face fell and a look of anger seemed to immediately possess over her pretty features.
"Don't talk to me about that. . . that. . . Lying scumbag!" Tristan sat there shocked.
"What happened?" Tristan had a sympathetic look on his face, "Rosy come on , you can tell me." A small grin broke out on Rory's face.
"Well, that evil bag-boy," Tristan smirked at Rory calling her ex bag-boy, "cheated on me." Tristan's face registered shock.
"Really? Idiot! How could he find anyone better then you to love? She must be hotter or something- or maybe a bimbo. Do you know who it is?" Rory shifted uncomfortable on the bench.
"Well . . ."
"It was Madeline." Tear started to trickle down Rory's face. Tristan leaned over and brushed the off her face. Rory felt surprised and shivered as she felt his hand brush her face.
"Don't cry Rory. He's not worth it." Rory looked up at Tristan. 'Wow, he knows my name.' Rory thought out loud and somehow this made her feel better.
"How about this. A compromise."
"Oh no, what do you want?"
"For me to keep on calling you Rory, you must. . ." Rory could see the cogs working in his head, " . . . escort me to an under 18's club that U2 are guest performers at."
"But unless you've forgotten, I'm going to Washington."
"That's the beauty of it. My family decide to spend the next week in Washington for a conference my dad has to attend. I'm going with them. So, will you?"
"No strings attached- right Tristan? Wait . . . why should I believe you - after P.J Harvey?" Rory raised one eyebrow in question.
"This time, no pressure Rory. You can say yes or no."
"Fine . . .only if you promise to call me Rory."
"Alright. Where are you staying?" Tristan seemed to have a Cheshire grin as he said this.
"Why?" Rory looked at Tristan cautiously.
"So I can pick you up."
"Oh right, The Hilton."
"Hey, I'm staying there too. Maybe we'll see each other around."
"Maybe," Rory turned to see her bus coming, "I'd love to stay and chat but my bus is here, I gotta go. See you later."
"Bye Mar. . .Rory," Tristan ducked at the glare Rory cast his way, "Sorry - habit."
Rory watched as Tristan walked over to his car, waiting for him to turn around. When he did, she smiled and waved, just as the bus pulled out of the stop.