Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. Even the basic plot isn't mine. It's based of a musical titled "Mary Lou" (only in Israel ;)), with a change of some things to suit the plot and characters better.
A/N: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) story. Some characters are not where they are supposed to be or not how they're supposed to be or not in the place you're used to see them at. You'll see.
2001
It was late. Very late. So late that it was actually early.
He was smoking his cigarette, making his way back from the store, towards 'his'
house. It was only a few blocks away, and he preferred walking on bus-rides. He
also knew there aren't any within-the-area busses at this time. So he walked.
He hated busses, anyway.
He hated a lot of things. He hated working long hours, but he was able to do so
and he had to do so.
The bookstore was always opened 24 hours, 7 days a week. Ever since he
remembered himself going to the store, it was opened 24/7. The store could've
been dead empty at nights as stars were in the morning skies, and still,
closing the store even one hour earlier was unacceptable.
His dad hired a
worker a few years before. Ralph something-somethingson. He usually took over
while Jess went to catch on his missing sleep hours.
Something caught his
eyes. A delicate image wrapped in the soft light of the beautiful sunrise.
"She didn't let the night stop her." He started with a smile as the hurled his cigarette to the ground, choking the fire as he stepped on it on his way to her. His mind was scrabbling words, which incautiously left his mouth. "It was dark. But even in the darkness, she shone. The brightness blessed her only. She was the sun."
She recognized him and looked down, smiling widely, giggling embarrassedly.
"It was time for
the sun to set, but her smile didn't allow it. It was eternal, she knew, and
she was one to cause it."
She held on to the back of the bench in the old-looking bus-station he was
passing through everyday on his way to the store and back. Her eyes darted to
examine his sweet but teasing smile, his cheerful but sad hazel eyes.
"I've never read
that one." She said, fiddling with a loose nail, which she earlier found
on the ground.
"It was never
published." He replied, joining her on the bench.
"It's
beautiful." She admitted. "Sappy, but beautiful."
He chuckled, moving
his fingers to her face in order to gently remove a string of hair away. She
proceeded to blush and to look down, allowing his fingers to travel into her
hair.
She had nothing to
say. She had no idea who he was.
"Her light-brown
hair fell upon her face. Her ice-blue eyes turned to the ground, burning holes
that will forever grace her presence." He kept going, his fingers running
on a thin piece of her hair. "She was everything. It was all about her.
All about..." He dropped his hand, letting her fill in the blanks.
"Rory." She
completed with a coy smile.
"Rory." He
repeated, making a mental note, and she nodded. "And who shall King of Sap
be?" She asked, tilting her head at him.
"Jess." He
replied as simply as possible.
She sat straight,
smiling at his nonchalant expression. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
She announced, slowly nodding her tilted head.
"Likewise." He agreed with a sole nod.
She looked around and he looked around, until she kept talking.
"So, what was
with the stream of poetic thoughts?" She asked, placing one of her legs on
top of the other, leaning on it.
"Was just
inspired." He stated with a shrug.
She ran a hand
through her hair, feeling her cheeks warming again. "Do you say that to
all the girls you meet?" She asked, mildly hoping to put him in a slightly
uncomfortable position, if he deserved to be put in one.
He didn't take on her
attempt and replied with a short, simple "Nope".
She smiled,
satisfied. "I shall now proceed to sigh with relief." She mused, and
he replied with a "You do that."
She looked away at
the horizon, and he tried to search and follow her gaze.
"You own that
bookstore?" She asked, surprising him, her voice trailing with hints of
confusion.
He shook his head.
"It's my dad's." He replied with a bittersweet grin.
"Mariano's?"
She asked, referring to the name of the store.
He nodded. "That
is us."
"Family
business?" She asked curiously,
He shook his head
again. "Not necessarily." He replied, and she swallowed the
information in with a nod.
"Do you
read?" She showed interest, narrowing her eyes.
"I can." He
smirked.
"Do you like
to?" She perked an excited eyebrow.
"You can say
that." He smiled at her excitement.
She smiled as a reply
to his smile. "Fascinating."
He nodded in agreement.
"I think so."
They sat in silence.
It was perfect.
"So." He
broke the silence. "What is a girl like you doing here in a time like
this?" He asked a little late, glancing at the sunrise, then back at her.
She followed his
glance. "Waiting for a bus." She answered, her eyes still set on the
sun's glory.
"Where to?"
He narrowed his eyes, watching her watching the sun.
"Hartford."
She sighed, turning to look at him.
And his heart sank.
Hartford. That's not in New York.
"Hartford?"
He said, his tone a mixture between a question and a statement.
"Hartford."
She echoed in agreement.
He shifted uneasily
on his seat. "You have friends in Hartford?" He asked, hopingly.
She looked down,
wishing she was able to dig her head into the ground. "I live near
Hartford." She admitted, her voice quiet and gentle.
She lived in
Hartford. Hartford was at least a few hours away.
Only five days had
passed since he first saw her. And now, she was leaving.
"Will I ever see
you again?" He asked, narrow eyed, hoping not to sound too pathetic but
also not caring if he does.
"You
might." She nodded, "My dad lives somewhere around this area,
so..." She trailed off and lightly smiled.
"Okay,
then."
She smiled again, but
it faded as soon as she heard the sound of a bus coming from afar. "I have
to go." She announced with disappointment, standing up, taking her
light-orange backpack with her.
"Oh." He
muffled, watching her preparing to walk away and out of his life. Suddenly,
remembering something, he reached to grab her arm. "Listen!" He said,
almost too intensely. She turned to him and he let go of her arm. "There's
a party."
She frowned at him,
confused. "Two days from now, on 23rd." He continued. "You
should come." He recommended.
She pondered for a
moment and then crooked a smile. "I'll think about it."
The bus pulled by the
curb and he looked at it with awe. She looked at him, pressing her lips
together, not wanting to say anything. She turned to walk away when something
fell out of her bag.
A book. It fell
spread, and he hurried to pick it up before she left without it. "You
dropped..." She turned at the sound of his voice, looking at the book.
"Oh." She sighed with a smile, taking it from his hand, meeting it
for a split second.
"Thank
you."
"Don't mention it." He smiled back. They stood there, looking at each other, interrupted only by the horning sound the bus-driver made to get the passenger's attention.
She frowned, glancing
backwards at the bus, then back at him.
"Goodbye,
Rory." He said, trying to stay as cheerful as can be. "Goodbye,
Jess." She replied before she turned to walk away, stepping up on the bus,
disappearing inside of it.
He kept watching
until the bus drove away. He walked backwards and leaned against the station
pole, wishing he had another cigarette in his pocket.
He closed his eyes
and breath deeply. Opening his eyes after that, he noticed something.
He walked towards it
and bended, taking it in his hand. It was left where her book fell earlier.
It was a bookmark. A
simple but very special bookmark. It was plain white, but it seemed a bit
worn-out. It had the name 'Gilmore' written on it with golden letters.
He traced his fingers along the letters, then stuffed it in his pocket.
This was one to remember.
