Is There More?
Author: Knowhere
Chapter 17: Entrance
Rating: Pg-13
Disclaimer: Nothing
AN: I feel that this story is drawing near to the end of its usefulness. A conclusion will be up within the next chapter or so and then possibly, an epilogue. I've got some ideas for other stories that I'm excited to try out, so that's one of the reasons I want to wrap this up. Besides, I've dropped subtle hints that graduation is nearing, and with this fic I wanted to only pursue their college years as I explain in my summary. The one thing I can say for sure is that the next one will be from a third person point of view, instead of Rory's as my last two have been. I like the personal aspect of it, but I can tell that I would have much more room for exploration if the narration shifted away from just one central character. Anyways, I just wanted you guys to look out for the ending of this story soon.
Summary: AU. College life is a journey of ups and downs; are Rory and Jess ready to take on what life is about to throw at them including a prospect of a new relationship, or will they choose the path of friendship like they did years ago? Literati.
*Move slightly forward in time…*
Jess comes up behind me and pitches forward while he stretches his arms out in front of me, leaning upon the window banister. "Where?" He whispers softly as if he were afraid to wake up anyone.
"The third one from the far right." I point with my finger and smile, full of joy and excitement.
I can tell that even Jess is smiling and it only serves to widen my grin even more. Although I won't tell him, it does spark my interest that he would be so involved and concerned through this whole ordeal. He nudges my head softly and I tilt it to the side so that he can nuzzle into the crook of my neck. He mumbles something that I can't hear but I don't bother to ask what he just said—I'm just so happy right now that nothing can diminish my feeling of bliss. Jess begins to leave a trail of soft butterfly kisses along the path of my shoulder to my neck and I giggle faintly at the tickling sensation. His kisses intensify and I turn around to say, "Jess, not here. There are literally dozens of virgin eyes looking at us."
Jess chuckles softly and refrains. "Yeah, I guess these babies have a lifetime ahead of them to be ruined by images that they'll see on TV."
We turn back around to glance at the many little babies just tucked into their blankets, staring straight back at us with an innocence that is unsurpassed by anything else in the world. "Isn't he so cute, Jess?"
"Yeah, he kinda has you and your mom's eyes; good for him, better than getting Luke's eyes." I laugh and I peer into my newborn baby brother's eyes. It's true; he got the lucky Gilmore genes of the bright blue eyes. His lighter brown, almost blonde, hair resembles baby pictures of Luke that we've seen. I can already tell that Nick is going to be a heartbreaker. With those killer eyes, and a charming personality that is bound to have been passed down, Nick is going to be smart with a witty personality. It's pretty amazing to see him and know that he has the world in front of him just waiting for his entrance.
Tugging on my hand Jess leads me back to Mom's room where she'll probably be begging for coffee already. After sixteen grueling hours of hearing Mom screaming for caffeine and drugs, it is a nice feeling to actually be able to enter Mom's room without having her curse at the nurses for their lack of coffee for pregnant women. We enter the dimly lit room to see that Mom's fast asleep with Luke next to her bed rubbing his hand because of the future damage she might have caused while squeezing his hand in pain during labor. Jess and I take a seat at the foot of the bed just quietly talking amongst ourselves about the long day.
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Two days later and Jess and I are thrown back into the college scramble. We left Mom and Luke with the promise that we'd be back to see Nick the next weekend. Mom happily gave us hugs goodbye while sipping a bowl of coffee. Now that we're back in the apartment, I feel somewhat empty without the entire family; but I do enjoy the silence that lives in our home. It won't be too long until we both have to get things prepared for graduation.
Jess heads on over to the kitchen to order us a large pizza while I take the time to change out of my clothes and into something more comfortable. Grabbing a pair of sweat pants and my old hoodie, I slip them on thinking about the time that lies ahead of me. I slide open the closet door and dig into the drawer that I now keep the letter in. I sink onto the floor with my legs crossed and gently unfold the creases to read it once again. The emblem and the letterhead stares back at me with such an air of significance.
Miss Lorelai Gilmore: We're pleased to offer you the opportunity to experience the life of a journalist first-hand. Our scholarship program is presented to only those in the top five percent of their graduating class. Our journalism program will take you aboard to London, England to work as an intern to The London Chronicle. With the completion of our program, you will be offered many other opportunities to promote your future career as a journalist. This curriculum will plug you into newspapers, magazines, and other journalism-related businesses all over the world. This program is a seven month course that will…
Seven months…I still can't get over it. The night that Jess discovered my letter, after the initial shock, he was so proud of me that it made me hurt to think that I would have to leave him for such an extended period of time. He reassured me that our relationship would be fine and that we could make the long-distance thing work out. But to me, those are just famous last words. Long distance relationships don't equal lasting relationships. I don't doubt Jess's loyalty to me or to our relationship; it is other people's involvement that I worry about. Jess might adamantly deny it, but I can't ignore the looks that I've seen other very attractive girls give him. I may have been naïve once when I was younger, but I've seen the world much more now that I'm older and I can't reject the notion that other women wouldn't try to move in just because Jess isn't technically single. I turn away from the letter because I can't bear to draw out anymore conclusions than I already have; but I can't tear myself away to look at one more line of the letter—please reply before June 19 to reserve your place in the program…
I have less than a month to decide and although Jess feels that it's a great opportunity and that I should not pass it up, I'm still extremely weary in my final decision. "Rory! Pizza's here." Jess calls from the living room and I quickly fold up the letter again and replace it back into its home.
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"You awake?" Jess shifts to face me and I can barely see the outline of his face through the darkness of the late night. The bed stirs as I also turn to face him. I give him a slow nod; however, I don't know whether or not he can actually see me. His voice is thickly laden with sleep but I love that sound. It'll also resonate in my head as one of the sexiest sounds I've ever heard. It was the first thing that I noticed after our first night together and he had woken up to mumble that he loved me. A small sob threatens to come out as I think about the many wonderful moments like these that I would miss if I were to go to London. Jess opens his mouth as if to say something, but instead he just leans in to kiss me deeply with the fervor that is unique to only him. He pulls back just enough to look at me and I close my eyes, pushing aside the thoughts that I cannot seem to escape lately. I want nothing more but to concentrate on the emotions of love that Jess is drawing out of me right now.
"Jess, promise me that nothing will change." I feel childish and irrational but I don't want to return into the waiting arms of anyone but him.
Silence spins around us swallowing us up the blur of the ticking clock. He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a soft sigh while whispering, "So I guess this means you're going, huh?"
I don't want to answer him because that would make it official—with me verbally acknowledging my departure. "Just promise."
Jess doesn't utter another word, but he promises me with his actions. Making love to Jess tonight was the one thing that finally cut the strings from childhood to maturity. I couldn't describe it in words even if I tried how cherished and treasured I feel now as I lay in his comforting arms. He knows that I have to go because it's my calling; and he even promised me a long time ago in that infamous car ride that I would be able to become that esteemed reporter that I've always wanted to be. Jess is never one to break promises and with this one last pledge, I know that no matter how hard I try, I cannot predict the future. I don't know what will happen when I'm gone or when I come back, and even in Jess's arms right now, I can't seem to formulate whether or not he'll be able to keep this promise.
AN: Drop me a line—Thanks for taking the time to read, I really appreciate it.