Connecticut Writers

Chapter 7 – A lie can change everything

Disclaimer: I don't own GG. I don't own any books, authors, or movies. I don't own any colleges. Of all of those things, I would most like to own GG, but since I read in the paper that Milo Ventimiglia is continuing on Gilmore Girls, I'm okay. lol.

A/N: Sorry this has taken so long! I've had it written for quite a while, but I'm only gonna have access to the computer I can upload on every other week this summer, because AOL hates me (lol) and this computer is at my dad's house, where I now am every other week. So, I'm really sorry for the delay between chapters! I don't know if all the stuff about Oliver Twist editions is true; I made it up for the purposes of the story. THANK YOU to all reviewers!! I would write who you are, but ff.n won't update my statistics page, so I can't see them all. They're all GREAT, and I love reading them. Thanks especially to: Tye, Stew Pid, Sirius, IloveJess, and smile. All the reviews are very much appreciated! Also: no offense to anyone named Natalie! I like the name; it just seemed to fit. You'll see! Sorry about the long A/N! ~Arianna

I walked back to my apartment the next morning, after insisting that Jess make me coffee. Which he did.

I called him, a few days later, to ask if he wanted to go to the used bookstore with me. He said yes and came over to my apartment so we could walk there together.

Mel looked pretty surprised when we walked in.

"Hey," I said.

"H-hey, Rory, Jess," she replied.

I grinned. I would tell her later.

"Jess, come over here," I said. "I wanna show you something."

"Coming." He followed me to the other side of the store. I pointed some stuff out.

"This is where I found your first edition," I said.

"Yeah…Oh, you know, I have a second edition Oliver Twist—there are some interesting differences in it from later editions," he told me.

"Cool," I said, smiling.

"You can borrow it," Jess offered.

"That'd be great."

Jess and I looked around for a while, recommending stuff to each other and discussing various books. Eventually I wandered over to the front desk to talk to Melanie.

"Hi, Mel."

"Hey, Rory." She grinned at me. "So it worked."

"Yeah, it did." I shook my head. "Did you know all that?"

"All what?"

"The stuff about him moving and everything…about me."

"No, I didn't know it."

"He told me yesterday…"

"I'm glad."

"Me too. Jess Mariano meets Lorelai Gilmore again, I guess."

Melanie looked at me strangely. "Lorelai Gilmore?"

Then I remembered. "I'm sorry…I never told you!"

"You're Lorelai Leigh Gilmore?"

I nodded, caught. "Rory for short."

"Okay then. Now I get it."

"I'm really sorry!" I said sincerely. "I just…at first…I didn't want attention. And then I forgot I hadn't said anything. And I was really surprised—what you said about my book. I did it for the writing. You've probably noticed that there's nothing about me in the book—"

"Don't worry about it," Mel interrupted me.

"Thanks."

She grinned. "Sign my copy?"

I laughed. "Sure." Mel held it out, and I wrote 'Rory Gilmore' on the first page.

Jess came up. "So I know a famous author."

I grinned at him. "Guess you do. At least I know one, too."

Both Jess and Mel knew what I meant. "I've already asked him," Mel laughed.

I glanced at my watch. "Oh—I have a class this afternoon!" I said.

"Now?"

"Almost twenty minutes from now."

"We'd better go then," Jess pointed out. "See ya," he called to Melanie.

"Bye, Mel!" I shouted as we left.

Jess walked over to the bus stop with me. "Hey, after your class, why don't you come over and pick up that book?" he suggested.

"Sounds good," I replied, as the bus screeched to a halt in front of us. "See you then."

"See ya, Ror." I got on the bus and sat in a window seat. It was relatively empty; there were only a few other unfamiliar faces there. I put my bag next to me on the seat and looked out the window, silently watching Jess walk away.

Class was fine—we discussed different styles of writing. I pretended to take notes while I proofread and fixed my paper. The teacher didn't notice.

I took the bus back to the same stop and walked over to Jess' apartment.

"Hey," he said, opening the door as I came up the steps.

"Hey, Jess."

"Come on in." We walked together into the apartment, to a room I hadn't seen before. There was a small table and two chairs in the corner. The rest of the room was books.

I didn't know what to say; I just grinned. Jess grinned back, then went over to the other side of the room and took a book off a shelf.

I stared at him. "Don't tell me this is all organized…"

"Organized chaos."

"That's my style," I said. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"Well…I've got homework," I told Jess.

"Yeah."

"I'll see you later."

"Bye, Ror." I smiled and let myself out.

The book was beautiful: Red leather binding, yellowed pages, old-fashioned print. The words 'Oliver Twist' were on the cover in gold letters.

It was a nice day; the sky was bright blue and scattered with clouds. A cool breeze came toward me, ruffling the pages of the book and blowing my hair back.

When I got back, I set the book on the table and took off my jacket. Then, unable to resist, I got the book and went to sit in the comfortable armchair. But when I set it in my lap, it fell open to a page in the back, where I could see a folded piece of paper.

I was pretty sure Jess hadn't known this was here, when he gave it to me. What was it…I hesitated. Was it any of my business? I knew what my mom would have done. And decided to follow her lead.

I picked up the paper and unfolded it, my hand shaking. It had writing on it. Light, rounded handwriting that was neater even than Jess' writing was.

I swallowed and read it:

Dear Jess: That's a great idea. I'll meet you at home. At your apartment, I mean. Dinner will be great. See you soon!     Love, Natalie

What could this mean? He lied. He lied to me.

Slowly, I took out a picture from under the note. It showed Jess, his arm around a pretty woman with dark hair. She was laughing, leaning on him, and Jess looked happy too. There was a look in his eyes, though…not exactly happy…I didn't recognize it. They were standing in a grassy field that reminded me of Central Park. Jess was wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt. The woman—Natalie, I guessed—wore a blue skirt and white sweater.

He said he'd tell me everything! I desperately wanted to rip it up, but I didn't. I slammed the book shut, threw myself on my bed, and cried.

When I was finished, I wiped my face on my sleeve, grabbed the note and photo, and half ran to Jess'.

I shoved the door open; luckily, it wasn't locked.

"Jess!" I yelled.

"Rory?" he said, coming into the hall.

"Yeah, it's me." I was shaking in anger. "How could you lie to me? I never thought you would. I trusted you! I've never lied to you! Not ever, as long as I've known you, except that once about your birthday present—"

"Lied to you…"

"Don't act confused!" I shouted.

"Rory?"

"Natalie," I said coldly.

Jess turned pale, and I knew I'd been right. I had hoped so much that I hadn't; that Jess would explain that she was his cousin or something…because that wouldn't be a big deal; that could just be something he'd totally forgotten about telling me…

My eyes filled with angry tears. "I suppose you were gonna tell me about that too? Or did you think I wouldn't find out about this either?" I was yelling partly because I was angry, partly because I was hurt.

"Rory…I…I would have…"

I didn't answer.

"I'm so sorry," he said.

"I don't know what happened! All I know is you left something out yesterday. Something big. You didn't want me to know and I don't know why!"

"I didn't wanna say it because it hurt, okay?" Jess yelled. "I met her at Columbia, and we were pretty serious, and it didn't work out, and that's why I left! My mom had nothing to do with it. So now you know." He had been trying not to yell at me, had been trying to be calm, but he lost it. I could understand that, though I wouldn't consider saying that now.

I didn't know what to say.

"I almost wrote to you afterwards, but every time I did I started crying and I gave up!" Jess told me, angrily.

"You could have told me!" I said helplessly, starting to cry again.

"You don't know what it's like!" he said harshly. "You haven't loved anyone since Dean. And he was your boyfriend six years ago!"

That stung. I threw the note and photo at him and covered my face with my hands, upset. Then I left, slamming the door behind me.

As I did, I noticed Jess pick up the photo and stare at it. And right before I shut the door, I thought I heard him start to cry too. I guess she must have been important to him…

I cried for the entire way to my apartment. I couldn't forget the hurt look on Jess' face.

Natalie. I hated that name. At least, now I did.

Maybe I shouldn't have said it like that. I didn't know what I should have done. But he promised…he said he'd tell me everything. I used to know everything about him.

And that comment about Dean…Jess used to understand me. He used to be one of the few who really did. I thought maybe he still did…

Six years could change so much.

I went to bed early, crying for a while before I could fall asleep.

I should have kept writing, should have called, should have gone to find him.

I got a chance to have my best friend back. Would he speak to me again? I'd hurt him and he'd hurt me…and things had seemed so great before. I didn't want to lose the chance. And yet what choices did I have…

I decided to call my mom in the morning, and finally, after a few hours, I went to sleep.