A full week passed without a call or an e-mail from Jess. Rory wanted to know so badly what he was thinking at this very moment. Lost in her thought, alone again (Paris had a second date with Jamie), she decided to call Mom. She dialed the number at home but she only reached the answering machine.
(Lorelai's voice): "I am poor and lonely 'cause my evil child is in Washington. If you wanna talk to her, don't call here! Oh! And if your name is Emily Gilmore, you've got the wrong number!" BIPPPP!!!
Rory laughed out load. Lorelai was so funny! She decided to leave a message.
"Mom! You're gross! I hope Grandma won't hear this! Well, I'm sure she already heard this.. Anyway. So I assume you're not home so you're at Luke's! Don't drink all the coffee, it's infect here and I'll need exquisite coffee when I'll be back home! Oh well, call me on my cell when you get back. Love ya!"
Rory hung up. She wasn't sure of what to do so she took her copy of 'The Fountainhead' and began to re-read it. She was in the middle of the page 118 when she heard the ring of her cell phone. Rory reached for it in her pocket. She was pretty sure it was her Mom so she didn't take the time to look at the caller ID and pressed the 'talk' button.
"Mom? I was sure it was you", Rory said with a little laugh.
Silence. Hu-oh. It meant nothing good.
"Rory, you shouldn't have assumed it was Lorelai calling. You know, there's a reason why caller ID's exist", a sarcastic voice said.
"Jess!", Rory exclaimed.
She was so surprised! She really hadn't expect him to call her after what she had told him a week ago.
"I guess that's me. How are you?", he asked her.
Rory could almost see him smirked. He was acting normaly, as if nothing had ever happened. It was a game and she decided to play it along.
"I'm doing pretty fine. I was reading 'The Fountainhead'", she said, knowing exactly what he would say.
"Oh no, not again! You really should give Hemingway a chance. His books are mucu better than the Rand's ones", he replied.
Rory softly smiled. They had often had this conversation, but it was still interesting to debate which one of Ernest Hemingway or Ayn Rand was better than the other.
"Hemingway is painful. I already gave him a chance. I've read 'A Farewell to Arms'", Rory added.
"Then, you'll have to re-read it", Jess said.
"And you'll have to give 'The Fountainhead' a try".
She could say that Jess faked a sigh of despair. She smiled, very satisfied. She knew he would do it for her.
"So, how's Washington?", Jess asked Rory.
"I'm surviving", she replied, laughing.
"What about the crazy one? Oh no, that's you", Jess added.
"Oh well, Paris is fine. She's very excited about being here", she told him, still laughing.
"Glad to know that. I have to go, I'm closing tonight".
"Okay, bye", Rory said and hung up.
After that night, Jess and Rory talked on the phone everynight. They still hadn't talked about their feelings. Rory wasn't sure of his; she wasn't even sure if she wanted to know. Curiously, at the end of each phone call, Jess always seemed to be about to say something, but he never added anything.
That night, Rory was deep down into her sleep, far away from the real world when her cell phone rang. She didn't want to answer, her cell was in her bag and it wasn't near her. The ringing was persistant, it was probably important. Rory sighed and reached for her bag, searching for her cell phone. She wasn't sleepy anymore.
"I swear, if it's a wrong number...", she muttered as she picked it up.
She looked at the caller ID: unknown number.
"Yes?", Rory asked, annoyed but somewhat curious.
"Rory".
"Jess? Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?", she asked.
"Well, you called me a lot of times in the middle of the night", Jess teased.
"Where are you?", she asked, remembering the caller ID.
Silence.
"Jess?"
"I'm on my way. Be ready", he finally answered.
"On your way to where? You know you can't come here and stay", Rory said, stupefied.
"That's why I won't stay. I'm going somewhere to do something and you're coming", Jess said.
"But...", she began.
"No buts. Please, Rory, trust me".
"I trust you, Jess, but I can't just leave here! What will I say, huh? 'I'm sorry, I have to go 'cuz my lovely but crazy boyfriend is taking me I don't know where and I don't know when I'll be back'? No-uh", she said.
Silence.
"What did you say?", Jess asked, breaking the silence.
"I said 'No-uh'. I...", Rory began, not realizing what she had said.
Jess cut her off.
"No, not that. You said... 'lovely but crazy boyfriend'", Jess smirked.
"Did I really...?"
"Yes."
"I didn't mean to... Well, you know what I meant, Jess", Rory said, blushing.
Jess was about to tease her but he only smiled. He smiled 'cuz she couldn't see it. Jess was surprised by Rory's revelation, but hadn't she told him she loved him some weeks ago? Yes, she had and that was precicely what it was all about. Jess wanted to be sure of Rory's feelings. She was still with Bag boy after all.
"So, I'm on my way. I'll be at your hotel tomorrow night. Be ready", Jess said.
"But Jess..."
She didn't know what to do.
"Will I come back here?", she asked.
"Yes, eventually. You better tell Paris to cover you for that one. I mean, with the meetings and conventions... We're leaving for a week. You'll be back here for your last week", Jess said.
"Okay. You're crazy, you know that?", Rory said.
"Thank you", he said and hung up.
Rory went back to bed but remained awake. She couldn't sleep anyway. There was a lot of thoughts running into her mind. How would she explain this to Paris? How would Lorelai react? She would certainly be mad at Rory, but it was nothing to compare to what she would do to Jess. Maybe Rory should keep her mouth shut for this one? She knew her mom was like her best friend, but she would never forgive her what she was about to do with Jess.
Then why are you doing it?
The next morning, when Paris woke up, Rory gave her a small smile.
"How was your 'it's not a date' thing?", she asked her.
Paris was always with Jamie; it had changed her a lot. Well, not that much after all. Rory wanted to laugh at the thought but didn't. Paris would be angry.
"I'm not doing this", she replied as she shook her head.
"You're not doing what?", Rory asked, confused.
"You know what. What Madeline and Louise are doing all the time. Talk about boys and you know.. sex", Paris told me.
"I never said something about sex!", Rory said, amused.
"Yeah, well, I'm not doing this anyway. It's not like we were actually friends", she added quickly.
"Oh", Rory said, disappointed.
Paris took a deep breath.
"It was wonderful! He took me out for dinner and we watched a movie. A bad movie I should have said, but it doesn't matter 'cuz we mocked it and laughed at it. We had so much fun!", Paris exclaimed. "I sound like them, huh?", Paris asked when she saw the look on my face.
"No, no, it's not about you", Rory replied.
"Jess?", Paris said more like a declaration than a question.
"I think you know me more than you think you do. Yes, it's about Jess and... I have a big favour to ask you", she said slowly, unsure of Paris' reaction.
"I won't sleep somewhere else! You can't bring him here! If it's what you were planning to do, then I can't help you", Paris said, jumping at a conclusion.
"Huh?! I'm still with Dean, remember? Floppy-haired, tall, Dean!"
"You never mention his name. It's always Jess, Jess and.. Jess! And I highly doubt you talk to Dean on the phone every night since we're here 'cause the name I usually hear is 'Jess' or 'Dodger' who's the same person. What's going on?", Paris asked.
Rory remained silent. What was going on with her? Dean was the perfect boyfriend.. Rory looked up at Paris.
"You've heard our conversations?", she asked.
Then she probably knew what was going on. Paris ignored Rory's question but asked her something else.
"Why are you still with Dean?"
"He's my first boyfriend!", Rory replied.
"First loves never last", Paris cited.
"What do you know about love? Jamie seems to be your first love", Rory told her, angry.
I shouldn't be angry. She's just trying to understand...
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean...", Rory apologized.
"No, it's okay, but you didn't fully answer my question. Why are you still with Dean?", Paris asked, once again.
"He built me a car!", Rory said.
She knew she didn't sound convincing. It was because of Jess. Her feelings for him were stronger everyday. It was new to her.
"Not a good reason and you know that, Rory", Paris said softly.
"I'm... in love with..."
Rory couldn't say Dean. She loved Dean, but not in a boyfriend/girlfriend way.
"Jess", Paris finished for her. "Does he know? I mean, does Jess know you love him?"
"Yes."
"And does Dean...", Paris began.
"Nope. I told you I was still with him...", Rory cut her off.
"Aww.. Yeah. You shouldn't wait any longer to tell him, Rory. It's not fair."
"I know that! I just... don't want to hurt him", Rory said with a soft voice.
"He'll be hurt one way or another, Rory", Paris said, understanding Rory's situation. "Now, now, what was the big favour you wanted to ask me earlier?"
"Oh well, Jess is coming tonight, but he won't stay. He... wants to take me somewhere. I think he wants to talk about whatever is going on between us", Rory said.
"And where do I enter in this thing?", Paris asked, a little confused.
"Huh... well, Jess is taking me somewhere for... a couple of days. Please, let me finish", she added, before Paris could say something against Jess' plans. "You could say that I'm very sick, in fact, I'm so sick that I'm contagious... or that a Oompa Loompa kidnapped me to take me to the Wonka's chocolate factory! Oh no, don't say that, they'll call the police! Use your imagination, but don't say a word about Jess. Will you do that for me? Please?"
"Awwww, I prefer the sleeping thing! You know that you sound just like your mother for all I know, right?", Paris said.
"Thank you! So? Pretty please!", Rory begged.
"I'll check what I can do for you, but you do realize that you'll owe me, right Gilmore?"
"Thank you! Thank you so much! Well, I better get prepared then", Rory said, smiling.
"I'm ready."
"You're ready", Paris said. "Good luck and don't do something you could regret. Not that I actually really care about what you do.. You know what I mean. Call me, Gilmore. Let me know when you'll come back."
"Thanks again, Paris", Rory said and hugged her.
She froze.
"Don't do this again!"
Rory laughed.
"I promised", Rory said.
"I'll go see if he's there. You, you better stay here while I'm downstairs", Paris told her.
"Okay."
Paris left silently. A couple of minutes later, she came back. Alone.
"He's not...", Rory began.
"Hurry up, he's waiting for you in the parking", Paris exclaimed. "I told him to take care of you..."
"Thank you for everything, Paris. I'll owe you big."
"Go, go. Don't make him wait", Paris added.
"Okay, bye!"
Rory walked downstairs and headed to the parking. There he was, standing next to his old car, with his mysterious dark hair.
Thank you all!
I hope you'll keep on reading! :)
Sarah