Chapter 2- Mirages to Touch
Rory's POV
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything in Gilmore Girls, as I'm sure you all know. The chapter titles are from the finale song in the musical "Pippin."
A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! I've had it written for a long time, but I left the notebook it was in somewhere where there was no computer. It's a long story. However, up to the fourth chapter is also done, so I'll post those right away. I'm almost done with the 5th, but I'm still rewriting it to keep Jess in character. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and please review if you haven't! I'll really appreciate it! This starts right after chapter 1 ends, by the way. ~Arianna
"Well, I'd better go," I said. "My mom's waiting for me at home…" I didn't really want to leave. I just didn't know what to say. What I said wasn't entirely true. Things with Dean and me were okay. But not good like they used to be. I didn't think it was because of Jess. But even if it were, I wasn't mad at him.
"Okay," Jess replied. He almost looked disappointed.
"So we're good?" I said. "Friends?"
Jess, of all people, sort of smiled. "Friends," he answered. I was glad.
"There you go, being monosyllabic again."
"I'll try to stop," he said.
"Okay, see ya." I grinned.
"See ya."
I walked home, very happy. I couldn't tell exactly why.
"I'm home!" I called.
"Hey, get in here!" my mom shouted. I hurried in. She looked at me. I was still smiling, looking excited. "Why are you so happy?"
"I just am," I replied.
"Where were you?"
"Around." She looked closely at me.
"You were with Jess."
I didn't see any point in lying. She would find out eventually, she's Lorelai. Besides, I tell her everything. "How can you tell?" I asked.
"Rory." I knew what she meant.
"No, don't worry. We're just friends. That's all."
"He likes you, you know," Mom said matter-of-factly. She was right, as usual.
"Maybe he does. But…he wouldn't hurt me."
"I think I know that by now." As much as Mom doesn't like Jess…I was surprised. "Are you sure you don't like him too?" No, no, I think I do, but I can't! I've got Dean…right? Why isn't it the same anymore? What happened?
"We're friends." I didn't trust myself to say anything else, afraid I might tell my mom that I did like Jess. Or that I didn't know…but I might like Jess.
"Okay, but Rory, if you're not happy being with Dean….he—"
"Mom! Dean. Is. My. Boyfriend." She held up her hands in innocence.
"Being quiet now."
"Hey...I'll think about it," I said. She smiled.
"I need coffee. However, I also need to get to the Inn. Right away. Before Michel destroys the entire place by himself. Meet you at Luke's at…five-thirty?"
"Sounds good." Mom left to go to the Inn. I picked up Katharine Graham's autobiography, sat on the couch, and started reading. I didn't have much left of the book, and finished it about twenty minutes later. I went to my room to get a novel, and continued reading.
More than an hour later, in the middle of Jane Eyre for the third or fourth time, I looked at my watch and jumped up to meet my mom at Luke's.
"Hi, Luke," I said as I walked in. "Is my mom here yet?"
"No," he replied. "You want to order, or wait?"
"I'll wait," I said, sitting at the counter and opening Jane Eyre again.
"Hey," someone said from behind me. It wasn't Lorelai.
"Hey, Jess." I turned around and smiled at him.
"Good book," he commented.
"Oh yeah," I agreed. Jess got up and poured a cup of coffee, gave it to me, and sat down next to me. "Thanks." I reached into my pocket for seventy-five cents.
"Hey, Rory. On me."
"Jess—"
"It's no problem. So what part are you at?"
"She's just gotten to Thornfield Hall."
"Oh, yeah."
"You've read this?"
"I've read that," he stated.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "It's just—"
Jess grinned. "Rory. It's a book."
"True." That's one of the things I like about you, Jess—you say it's a book, and I know you've read it, and you're the only person I've ever met who's like that… I glanced around, wondering for a second where Lorelai was. Then I realized I didn't mind. I was really talking to Jess. Like friends. And if my mom were here…first of all, she'd tell me I liked him the second we got home. Most likely the second she sat down. And Jess wouldn't be here, sitting next to me and giving me coffee. "Hey," I said, noticing a sheet of paper on the counter. I reached over and pulled it closer so I could read it. It was a math paper. With Jess' name at the top. "Jess…"
"Forget that," he said.
"No. Why haven't you done any of this?"
"It doesn't matter. Look, there's what? Three weeks left of school?"
"Teachers have been known to make sudden grade decisions based on sudden increase of enthusiasm," I said.
"Not a chance, Rory. I've got to go help—" He started to get up. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.
"You can do this. I'll help you if you want." I didn't understand. I mean, he'd said he was too cool for school. He also told me, the first time I met him, that he didn't read much. Jess was so much smarter than nearly everyone else in his class. Jess, who read all those books—he could do this so easily if he wanted to. I knew if he failed the year it would only make it worse. And as his friend, I was determined to make him see it.
"Rory!" Mom rushed in. "You won't believe what Michel did. Hi Luke, hi Jess."
"See ya later, Rory," Jess told me.
"I am so not letting you off the hook here!" I yelled after him. I grinned. And listened to my mom's entertaining story. About Michel's supposed one-handed destruction of the Independence Inn.
