This chapter written by Lauren
Disclaimer: We don't own GG, we r just bored teenagers who happen to be totally & completely obsessed with Chad & Milo
*June 3, 2003*
Ah, the sweet smell of freedom. Rory breathed the fresh air as she opened the door to Luke's.
After having graduated from Chilton the day before. Rory graduated as valedictorian, and when she got back to Stars Hollow, she had found that her mother was throwing as surprise party for her in the town square. The party had gone on late into the night, and all the usual Stars Hollow townspeople happily attended.
However, she and Jess had managed to escape into the apartment over the diner for a little while. Rory smiled as she thought of him.
As if by telepathy, Jess came bounding down the stairs into the area behind the counter. Rory sat at a stool.
"Rory," he said uncomfortably.
"Jess," she said.
He was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Come with me for a little while."
They went to the bridge. Rory smiled as she thought about the memories here. The picnic, after the dance marathon, their six-month anniversary. Yes, the bridge was their special place.
Jess sat and faced her. "Rory," he began. "I don't know how to tell you this . . . but . . . you know the graduation ceremony in a few days at Stars Hollow High?"
"Yeah, I'm going," Rory reminded him.
"Send me a postcard," he told her.
Rory got a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Because I'm not graduating."
She was stunned. "What?" she asked. "But . . . you're going to school, you're passing . . ."
"Well, that's just it," Jess said. "I'm not."
"Going or passing?"
"Both."
They sat for a moment. Rory was shocked, and Jess was ashamed. Neither wanted to be in close proximity to the other at the moment.
He spoke first. "Rory, if I don't graduate, Luke won't let me live with him."
She looked up sharply.
"I'm moving to California to live with my dad."
Rory gripped the edge of the bridge.
"Where?"
"California," he articulated slowly.
"No, where in California?" she snapped. It wasn't like it mattered where in California; no matter where in California he lived, he was still across the world from her.
"Venice Beach," Jess answered. "I'm leaving tonight. Luke called my dad up and told him, and I got a ticket waiting for me at the gate."
"Oh," she said.
They were silent again.
"I guess this means we're breaking up," Rory said, talking first this time.
Jess sighed. "Ror . . . there's no way it could work."
"Yeah, I know," she said, a lone tear running down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away.
"I love you," he told her.
She looked up at him. "Don't make this more painful than it already is."
"Sorry," he said. Then he added, "I hope we can stay friends."
Rory answered, "Always." Then she hugged him, stood up, and left the bridge.
The next day, Rory walked into Luke's with Lorelai in tow. They sat at a table near the window.
Luke came over to take their order. It was the first time in months that Jess didn't take their order.
"Luke, extra coffee today," Lorelai told him. "And don't even try to argue me on this one, it would end up like Hannity and Colmes. "I'll also take a wallowing meal for Rory and a worried mother one for myself."
"Coming right up," Luke told them. He avoided Rory's face, knowing sadly that he had kicked Jess out and this was the cause of her ordering the wallowing meal.
"Even the coffee?" Lorelai asked, surprised. "You know, it's really bad for you. It rots your teeth and stunts your growth and --"
"You would think you would take advantage of the opportunity," Luke pointed out. He left the fix the food.
After he was out of earshot, Rory said to him, "I'm hardly wallowing."
"Believe me babe, you're wallowing," Lorelai said. "And the worried mother meal is justified as well -- you have all the symptoms of a world-class wallower, dead eyes, unshaved legs, clashing shorts and shirt . . ."
Rory tuned Lorelai out. She glanced around the diner, seeing only Luke, Caesar, and the regular morning crowd.
Jess was really gone.
Disclaimer: We don't own GG, we r just bored teenagers who happen to be totally & completely obsessed with Chad & Milo
*June 3, 2003*
Ah, the sweet smell of freedom. Rory breathed the fresh air as she opened the door to Luke's.
After having graduated from Chilton the day before. Rory graduated as valedictorian, and when she got back to Stars Hollow, she had found that her mother was throwing as surprise party for her in the town square. The party had gone on late into the night, and all the usual Stars Hollow townspeople happily attended.
However, she and Jess had managed to escape into the apartment over the diner for a little while. Rory smiled as she thought of him.
As if by telepathy, Jess came bounding down the stairs into the area behind the counter. Rory sat at a stool.
"Rory," he said uncomfortably.
"Jess," she said.
He was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Come with me for a little while."
They went to the bridge. Rory smiled as she thought about the memories here. The picnic, after the dance marathon, their six-month anniversary. Yes, the bridge was their special place.
Jess sat and faced her. "Rory," he began. "I don't know how to tell you this . . . but . . . you know the graduation ceremony in a few days at Stars Hollow High?"
"Yeah, I'm going," Rory reminded him.
"Send me a postcard," he told her.
Rory got a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Because I'm not graduating."
She was stunned. "What?" she asked. "But . . . you're going to school, you're passing . . ."
"Well, that's just it," Jess said. "I'm not."
"Going or passing?"
"Both."
They sat for a moment. Rory was shocked, and Jess was ashamed. Neither wanted to be in close proximity to the other at the moment.
He spoke first. "Rory, if I don't graduate, Luke won't let me live with him."
She looked up sharply.
"I'm moving to California to live with my dad."
Rory gripped the edge of the bridge.
"Where?"
"California," he articulated slowly.
"No, where in California?" she snapped. It wasn't like it mattered where in California; no matter where in California he lived, he was still across the world from her.
"Venice Beach," Jess answered. "I'm leaving tonight. Luke called my dad up and told him, and I got a ticket waiting for me at the gate."
"Oh," she said.
They were silent again.
"I guess this means we're breaking up," Rory said, talking first this time.
Jess sighed. "Ror . . . there's no way it could work."
"Yeah, I know," she said, a lone tear running down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away.
"I love you," he told her.
She looked up at him. "Don't make this more painful than it already is."
"Sorry," he said. Then he added, "I hope we can stay friends."
Rory answered, "Always." Then she hugged him, stood up, and left the bridge.
The next day, Rory walked into Luke's with Lorelai in tow. They sat at a table near the window.
Luke came over to take their order. It was the first time in months that Jess didn't take their order.
"Luke, extra coffee today," Lorelai told him. "And don't even try to argue me on this one, it would end up like Hannity and Colmes. "I'll also take a wallowing meal for Rory and a worried mother one for myself."
"Coming right up," Luke told them. He avoided Rory's face, knowing sadly that he had kicked Jess out and this was the cause of her ordering the wallowing meal.
"Even the coffee?" Lorelai asked, surprised. "You know, it's really bad for you. It rots your teeth and stunts your growth and --"
"You would think you would take advantage of the opportunity," Luke pointed out. He left the fix the food.
After he was out of earshot, Rory said to him, "I'm hardly wallowing."
"Believe me babe, you're wallowing," Lorelai said. "And the worried mother meal is justified as well -- you have all the symptoms of a world-class wallower, dead eyes, unshaved legs, clashing shorts and shirt . . ."
Rory tuned Lorelai out. She glanced around the diner, seeing only Luke, Caesar, and the regular morning crowd.
Jess was really gone.