Author: Summer

Rating: R

Title: Whimsical Raindrops

Title Explanation: Yeah, this warrants one. One of my friends was ranting the other day about how many websites use teardrops or raindrops in their name.

Chapter Title: Human Touch

Summary: Everyone always thought Louise was a bad influence, that she'd make a horrible mother. Of course, only Larissa would know whether or not that's true.

Disclaimer: Would I be putting up with FanFiction.Net if I owned Gilmore Girls? No, obviously. I don't own it. Is Christine (When She Cries, Midnight State of Mind, Girl Like That) the best source of inspiration a girl could have? Yeah, but it might come with some ego attached. Do I even own Larissa? Kind of, but not really. What about Katia? Erm… portrayed as Kelly Monaco. And Morgan is Rebecca Budig. Marissa's Eliza Dushku. Don't own Bruce Sprinsteen's Human Touch either. Thanks for rubbing it in.

Author's Note: To Loz, Katherine, Christine, Lauren, and Marissa, who, without them, Jonathon would still be called "Hero."

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So you been broken and you been hurt / Show me somebody who ain't / Yeah I

know I ain't nobody's bargain

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Larissa Athena DuGrey heaved an impatient sigh as her mother spoke. "Mom, I already know this. I wouldn't be home anyway. Remember? I'm going with Katherine to the book signing in New York this weekend."

Forty-year-old Louise paused, mulling this over. "Yes, I remember you telling me that. I forgot though. Leave a message when you get there. I'll check the messages from my hotel Friday night. Leave the phone number of your room in case something happens too."

Larissa rolled her sapphire eyes, then met her mother's serious gaze. "Okay, okay. I know all this. Plus, Dad will be in New York for the next week anyway, so if anything happened, I could call him." She paused. "Mom, your hair's falling down." Her eyes twinkled as her mother's hands flew to her flaxen hair. It always worked. Larissa slipped from the room, Louise still preoccupied with her hair.

Katia Lynn barely glanced up from her copy of Seventeen as Larissa sat down next to her. After a moment of Larissa's gaze fixed on her face, Katia sighed, and set aside the magazine. "Yes?"

"School starts in two weeks," Larissa started, reclining in a lounge chair.

Katia raised a perfect eyebrow. "I'm aware. I'm not as air headed as my reputation would suggest."

Larissa nodded. "I know. That's not the point. The point is that you've been dating Jared Foley for almost three weeks now."

Katia started, her dark eyes widening. "Really? I wasn't keeping count."

Larissa sighed. "Then start. If you don't want to become an old maid, I'd suggest you find a new guy by the time school starts." A perfect eyebrow raised, Larissa emphasized her point.

Katia mimicked her. "Okay, okay. I'll dump him tomorrow. There's a whole sea of fishes, right?"

"Of course."

Katia paused, a smile consuming her face. "Speaking of fishes, did you hear who's coming back?"

"Jonathon Gabriel Mariano. Son of Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Mariano and Jess Anthony Mariano. Worth slightly over one million, as he's a Gilmore. Planning on going into law or medicine, both sound choices, as Grandfather says. He has a younger sister, Virginia Elizabeth Mariano, but she prefers to be called Ginny."


"I take it your grandfather finds him acceptable."

Larissa sat up, adjusting her bikini top. "I'd say so. I already have his whole profile."

"I heard he's hot," Katia said bluntly, grinning.

Larissa nodded. "Probably is."

"And you don't care?"

Larissa shrugged. "I do. But I don't at the same time. If he does turn out to be hot, I'll sleep with him. If he's not… well, I won't."

Katia smiled. "You seem sure of yourself."

"I am."

Marissa Dawn Reynolds was used to getting what she wanted. She didn't go about this in the profligate manner certain other Chiltonites did. Yes, she was beautiful, with thick dark hair and big brown eyes. She had a body no girl would be ashamed of, and she knew it.

Marissa refused to resort to their level. Instead of hiking up her skirt or pinning her blouse so it showed more cleavage, Marissa used her brains. It was this personality trait that left her stunned at the antics of her new stepsister and her best friend.

Marissa had been planning on taking a quick swim before she went to enroll at Chilton, but she had paused when she saw the two girls reclining by the poolside. Both wore teensy bikinis and tanning lotion, and Marissa was quick to label them as shallow.

Katia was laughing at the other girl, pushing her dark hair from her face. The other girl smiled, glancing toward the house. She resembled James King, with the same golden hair. She said something to Katia, then caught Marissa's gaze. "If you're just going to stare, come out here," she called.

Marissa groaned, stepping out the door. She was in a bad enough mood due to a fight with her mother earlier, and she didn't want to have to listen to these girls drone on about whether Amethyst Smoke or Copperglaze Wine was a better lipstick color. Still, she sat down in the chair next to Katia, waiting for an introduction.

It was the blonde who finally spoke. "You must be Melanie's daughter," she alluded. She didn't hold out her hand, didn't smile, didn't do anything that would suggest friendliness. "I'm Larissa."

"Marissa," she responded, keeping her tone the same as Larissa's. Lovely. Their names actually rhymed. How ironic was that?

Larissa nodded. "That's right. Marissa. And will you be starting at Chilton in two weeks?"

Marissa didn't like the way Larissa was talking to her. She sounded as if she were talking to someone much younger than herself, not someone only a year behind her. "Yes, I will. I'll be a sophomore."

Larissa nodded again. "And how do you like it in Hartford?"

"It's not Boston, but it will do." Marissa glanced back at the ostentatious house, and, considering her previous living arrangements, pondered over how much of an understatement this was.

Larissa nodded, and Marissa realized the blonde girl wasn't paying attention to what she said. Yes, her generalization had been accurate.

"How's your mother doing?" Larissa heard her father's deep voice ask via the phone.

"Lovely. She's absentminded, as she always is when you aren't home. She gave me a little lecture today. You would've enjoyed it."

"I'm sure I would've. And you didn't get it on tape?" Tristan joked, letting out a hardy laugh.

"No. I'm sorry. I thought that would've looked quite suspicious." Larissa stretched out on her bed, grinning.

"And you're being yourself, correct?"

"Yes." Larissa paused. "Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

"Are you a bad witch, or a good witch?" her father responded jokingly. Really, he could be quite incongruous sometimes. "I don't know. I've yet to decide where to draw the line between good and bad, in case you haven't noticed."

Larissa snickered. "No? Really? Okay. Give me an example."

"My punishment tactics with you."

"But Daddy, they're purr-fect."

"Taking the phone away for a day when you went to New Hampshire without telling us?"

"Anything harsher would've been cruel and unusual punishment." Larissa glanced at her watch, sighing. "Daddy, Matt's supposed to be calling in a few minutes. I have to go."

"Okay, sweetie. Tell Matt I said hi."

"I love you. 'Bye."

"Hey Matt!" Larissa answered the phone cheerfully.

"Daddy's little princess get laid?" he asked monotonously, only a slight hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Of course not… you know you're the only guy for me, Matt." Larissa tried to suppress a laugh at this.

Matt didn't bother. "Yeah, sure. Maybe the only nineteen year old guy with a name starting with M."

"Hmm… no, that would discount Mikey."

"Mikey's still eighteen."

"Really? I thought he turned nineteen in-"

"Larissa."

"Yes?" she asked innocently.

"Why are we talking about this?" She heard Matt sigh, and frowned.

"Sorry. I promised I wouldn't get in any committed relationships, and I haven't."

"That's good. I guess. Where's your father? You never answer the phone."

"New York. I'm actually going there this weekend. Book signing."

"Your dad's in New York for a book signing?"

"No, silly. That's why I'll be going. Daddy's in New York on business." She pouted. "He's always on business."

"Pity Riss time?"

"No. I'm just kidding. If he didn't work so much, I wouldn't be able to live the way I did." She recited what her mother had told her so many times when she was little.

"That's bull."

"Yeah, I know."

"Larissa, it's almost dinnertime here. I have to go. Bye. I love you."

"Bye."

"Bye Sweetie, I love you." Louise gave Larissa one last hug. "If anything happens, call home. And shop! No trip to New York's complete without shopping."

Larissa smiled at this advice, knowing that only Louise would advise her child to shop. "Okay, Mom. You have fun too. Or… at least make the deal."

Louise laughed. "You make me sound like some drug trafficker, Larissa. If anyone ever overheard this conversation…"

Larissa smiled, kissing her mother's cheek lightly. "Just have a good time. I'll be fine. I'm just going-"

"I know, I know. You'll be with Katherine so you'll be fine." Louise paused. "You listen to her, okay? If you listen to her, I know you won't end up dead or anything."

"Okay, mom." Larissa grabbed one of her mother's suitcases, accompanying her to the car. Tossing the suitcase in, she added, "Don't worry. I'll only sleep with people if I know their last names."

Louise smiled, shaking her head. "If you feel you have to have sex while you're in New York, at least remember protection." Freezing, she said, "I can't believe I just told my sixteen year old daughter that."

"Love you Mom."

"Love you too."

The day was warm, and since Larissa wasn't leaving until the next day, she decided to have a few friends over. Katia, of course, had to bring Marissa, seeing as her father was presently on a 'make-your-new-sister-feel-comfortable' kick. Katia's boyfriend, Jared, had to come as well.

Larissa had nothing specific against Jared, except the length of his relationship with her best friend. Neither girl was the long-term commitment type, and Katia got bored quickly.

Larissa invited Trinity Lawson, her quietest friend, the blonde daughter of Vivian Nevins and David Lawson. The problem was Trin didn't go anywhere without Morgan Hendricks, her best friend and Larissa's enemy. The blonde was a pain to deal with, having too many morals and not living by any of them. Hypocrite.

And of course, Kyle Gellar-Bennet came, as he always did when Larissa had people over. Larissa had known Kyle since she was born, seeing as he was a family friend. He was two years older than himself, and was a freshman at Yale University, in nearby New Haven.

Larissa didn't want a ton of people over, so she refrained from inviting any more, only calling the elite.

Trinity, naturally, was the first to arrive. She'd brought a vegetable dish, well aware that Louise could be very absentminded and forget to shop for necessaries.

Morgan stepped onto the veranda, an eyebrow arched and a skeptical look on her face. "This should be fun."

Larissa smiled pleasantly. "Even more if you weren't here."

Morgan chuckled. "Always leave it to Daddy's little girl to cut to the chase. I'd be careful, Riss. One day that's going to get you in trouble."

"If anyone will end up in trouble, it would be you. See, Morgan, generally opening your legs for every guy you meet causes a problem later in life. And for now, it makes you look really desperate."

"Oh, a pun! My Lit teacher would be so proud."

Trinity laughed nervously, glancing between the two girls. Larissa felt bad for her. "I'm going to go see if the food's done yet."

"You do that."

"I swear I could wrap my hands around her neck and just strangle the life out of her," Larissa ranted to herself as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Morgan here?" Kyle's voice teased from behind her.

Larissa spun around, grinning. "It's good to see you. How's Yale been?" she asked, giving Kyle a hug.

"Different without you guys." Kyle smiled. "Katia here yet?"

"Nooooo." Larissa sighed. "Why haven't you slept with her yet?"

"That was crude."

"That was honest, and the question on everyone's minds."

Kyle laughed, shaking his head. "No. It's definitely not. And Katia and I… we aren't right for each other, you know that."

Larissa paused. "She's coming here with her boyfriend," she tested.

Kyle glanced away. "Oh."

"See? You like her."

"Larissa, let it go." Kyle ran a hand through his short dirty blonde hair, almost pleading with her. "Please."

She sighed. If it were anyone else, she'd probably continue on this line of conversation just to get a rise out of them. "Okay. I'll stop." It was Kyle.

"So, Marissa, are you looking forward to starting school?"

Leave it to Jared to make the new girl feel welcome. Incorrigible ninny. Katia rolled her eyes as her diabetes-inducing boyfriend spoke to her stepsister.

"Yeah, sure. I'm nervous about it, because I won't know anyone, but I think I'll be okay." Marissa shrugged, pushing a strand of dark hair behind her left ear.

Katia sighed loudly. "Interesting. Well, at least more so than, say, Morgan's life." She grinned at Morgan, feeling the need to back up her best friend.

Morgan glared, holding up her hand. "Really, dah-ling, you need to come up with more interesting responses. That was so random."

Katia stared at her. "I am random."

"In a disorganized sense, yes. Just look at your outfit. Hasn't anyone ever taught you to wear a dark colored shirt over a dark bathing suit?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you need to wear a bra?"

Kyle snorted as Morgan's face reddened. "Well… yours is two sizes too small anyway."

Larissa laughed. "Guys, come on. How many times have we had this conversation?"

"Will you come over Monday, Trin?" Morgan asked later, examining her fingernails.

"I can't… my family's going to that homecoming party for Jonathon." Trinity shrugged, glancing at Larissa. "You'll be there, right?"

"Unfortunately." Larissa shifted. "My parents are friends of Rory's."

"Family obligations." Kyle sat down next to Larissa, handing her a glass of water.

Larissa nodded, cuddling into his side. "You going?"

Kyle nodded, running a hand through Larissa's hair. "Yeah. I go back to Yale Wednesday, so my mother's being… well, Paris."

"Err… sorry?"

Katia smiled. "I'm going too. I can't wait to see if he's hot or not. If he is, Riss, I might have to compete with you for him."

Kyle's hand froze, and Larissa felt him tense. "Katia, you don't even want him," she replied, more for Kyle's benefit than her own. "Plus, no one can compete with me."

"See, there's the Riss we all know and love," Kyle responded. "That cocky little Daddy's girl."

Ally grinned, glancing at Trinity. "Trin?"

"Hmm?"

"Who would win? Me or Kat?"

"You. No question. You're much more… premeditating that Kat. Plus, the Chilton guys seem to have something for blondes," she responded, flipping one of her own blonde tresses.

Larissa glanced over at Katia, and noticed Marissa staring at them, her eyes wide and face disbelieving. "Something wrong, Marissa?"

"Nothing." Marissa smiled sweetly, glancing away.

"Good." Larissa didn't like this girl. She wasn't in her league. She glanced around, trying to find something to talk about. Renewing the old subject, she said, "Jonathon would easily be mine."

Katia glanced up. "You sound awfully sure of yourself."

"I am."

"Would you be willing to place a sum on this certainty?"

"Certainly."

"Eight hundred."

"One thousand."

Katia paused, staring at her friend. "Settled."

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But hell a little touchup / And a little paint...

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