Chapter 17/ Epilogue – I never thought anything could be this good

Jess' POV

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Gilmore Girls, I don't own any book or author references, and I am not associated in any way with Harvard University.

A/N: Okay, this is the last chapter. I was going to end it at chapter 16, but I got this idea, so I wrote it. I hope you all like it. FYI, I don't know much about college acceptance letters, so I made it up. Sorry if it's wrong. Thanks SO much to everyone for reviewing! I really appreciate it; it's great to read them and all of them make me want to write more. I've loved writing this; it's been a lot of fun, and I hope you've all liked reading it as much as I've liked writing it. I'm starting a new fic, and it should be up soon, as soon as I can think of a name for it! lol. If anyone has any ideas for a story (preferably literati), please tell me! Also, please review if you haven't. Sorry for the long A/N. Thanks again for the reviews, and for reading this, and on with the story!

   ~Arianna

And then, after a great summer with Rory, it was fall and I was a senior at Stars Hollow High. Still catching up in some courses, but I was in Honors English. It really wasn't that hard. And I knew the reason it had happened.

I took the SAT's in October. I knew I hadn't done that badly. Rory insisted that I'd done really well. I appreciated her thinking that, whether it was true or not.

People eventually stopped staring at me like I was evil. It made things easier; I knew Rory was glad too.

And then, before long, I sent in my applications. Rory still desperately wanted to get into Harvard. She was terrified; I kept telling her she would get in—she only partially believed me.

In early spring, there was an envelope in the mail with the Harvard logo in the corner and my name, Jess Mariano, on the front. I brought it inside, but I couldn't open it. It was hard to admit, but I was scared. About being wrong. Maybe I should never have listened. Maybe I should never have tried.

I heard Rory's voice in my head: "You can do anything, Jess."  "Why haven't you done this?"  "Teachers have been known to make sudden decisions based on sudden increase of enthusiasm…"  "You're the only person I know who reads like I do."

Slowly, I opened the letter.

Mr. Mariano:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Harvard University.

I couldn't see anything else. I just sat there, staring at it. I had never expected that, never…I'd only applied because Rory asked me to…I couldn't believe it. I got in. I really got in.

Luke came up the stairs. I didn't look up.

"Hey, Jess—" Then he noticed the envelope on the bed next to me. "Jess…" He leaned over, reading the letter over my shoulder. "Jess, that's great! You got in! What's wrong?"

I guess, right then, I finally realized what had happened.

"Nothing." I grinned. "I never thought this would happen."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"You know the reason for this."

"Of course." I picked up the phone to call Rory. Lorelai answered it.

"Hey Jess."

"Hey. Is Rory there?"

"No, sorry, she just left."

"Okay. Bye." I hung up. Then someone ran up the stairs and opened the door. It was Rory.

"Jess!" She was holding the book charm I'd given her and smiling. "Jess…I got into Harvard!" Wow. I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe this is happening.

"Rory…" I said.

"Yeah?"

"So did I."

I've never seen her that happy. I've never seen anyone that happy. She ran across the room and threw her arms around me, and I hugged her back and started kissing her.

"Congratulations, Jess!" she said, sitting next to me. She was crying slightly, and I sort of started crying too. Rory noticed, of course. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," I said quickly. "You got in, congratulations, Rory, that's great!"

"Jess, you're going to Harvard!"

"Rory, you're going to Harvard."

"I know."

"Who else knows?" I asked, wiping my eyes and grinning at her.

"I told you first," she said. "What about you?"

"Luke."

"Was he surprised?"

"Sort of, yeah."

"I'm gonna go tell my mom."

"Okay."

She hugged me again. "I knew you could do it," she whispered, and left, literally beaming.

And I thought things like that only happened in books.