*Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or the characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

*A/N: Hey! I can't believe the amount of reviews I got! I swear I'm not saying this to flaunt them or anything, I'm just surprised. I mean, I haven't written Lit's for a while and I wasn't expecting the response that I got. It's a great feeling and I wanted to thank you guys! :-) I hope you enjoy this chapter.

*~*~*:-)*~*~*Bye, smile :-)

The diner was bathing in the serenity of the early morning. The rays of the sun were shining through the windows, making the floor and tables shine. The only two people in the diner were Luke and his nephew, Jess. A silence lingered between them like an almost unnoticeable breeze. But when the door of the diner flew open and announced the presence of the two Gilmore Girls, the silence disappeared through that same door.

''Beautiful morning, isn't it ?'' Lorelai asked before she stepped in to the diner.

''You know what would make this morning even better ? Coffee !'' Lorelai yelled as she started to head for the counter.

Rory came in to the diner, dribbling her ball, deep in thought.

Lorelai sat down on one of the stools. ''See, I got a new alarm clock that sounds like a rooster, so when it went off this morning, I thought it was coming from outside and ignored it. So, coffee would be really appreciated right now.''

Luke shook his head, grabbed a cup and mumbled something that sounded like, good morning to you too, before he started to pour her some coffee. Lorelai looked at Rory and asked, ''What do you want sweets ?''

''Coffee and a donut please.''

Luke put the coffee down in front of Lorelai and looked at Rory. ''Does this look like a basketball court to you ?''

Rory caught the ball in mid air. ''Sorry.''

She walked towards the counter, spinning the ball in her hands.

Jess was leaning against the counter, drinking a soda. He wondered if this was just another morning in Stars Hollow. Instead of cabs honking at each other to hurry up, they had a overly cheerful woman who yelled for coffee every morning. Jess took another sip of his soda as she shifted his gaze to Rory. He watched her as she sat down on one of the stools and quickly tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ears. As she removed her hand from the side of her face, they met each other's gaze.

''Hi,'' she whispered.

He nodded at her.

Rory looked away just as Luke put a cup of coffee down in front of her.

''Thanks Luke.'' She reached for the coffee and took a sip. She looked at her mom as she dipped a piece of her donut in her coffee.

''Now that's what I call a slam dunk,'' Lorelai said, before putting the piece of donut in her mouth.

Rory smiled and took another sip of her coffee as she glanced at the clock above the counter. She put her coffee down and got up.

''I have to go to school. Luke, can you store my basketball here until after school ?''

Luke nodded and she handed him the ball. He turned around and put the ball underneath the counter.

''Rory, is it okay if Jess tags along ? It's his first day and...........''

''Sure,'' Rory interrupted him.

''I can't go,'' Jess said. ''I feel sick. It must be a fever or something. I better go lie down.''

He started to head for the stairs, but Luke stopped him. ''Jess.....''

Jess turned around in one swift movement, scooped up his backpack and headed for the door. He patiently waited for Rory as she kissed her mom goodbye and got her bag.

''Bye,'' Rory said, as she picked up her coffee and donut and headed for the door.

Jess opened the door for her.

''Thanks,'' Rory mumbled, surprised by his gesture.

Jess nodded at her, amused by her reaction to his simple gesticulation. He closed the door behind him and followed her with his hands in his pockets. They walked in silence, until someone yelled Rory's name.

''Hey,'' Rory said, as Lane joined them.

''Hey.'' Lane took off her denim jacket and revealed a tight black shirt with glitters on it. She took the donut from Rory and took a bite.

''Thanks...........This tastes so good. You don't know how long I have waited for the simple taste of sugar.''

''I'm guessing that the tofu was that bad ?''

''Horrible. I mean, I like tofu, but not every day. Besides...........'' Lane stopped talking when she noticed Jess.

Rory held back a smile. ''Lane this is Jess. He'll be going to Stars Hollow High with us.''

Lane exchanged looks with Rory. ''Hey.''

Jess nodded. ''Hey.''

Lane quickly finished her donut and turned around so she was facing Rory.

''How do I look ?''

Rory rolled her eyes. ''I think you should ask Joshua that.''

''I'm going to take that as a compliment. I'll see you guys later.''

Rory drank her coffee as Lane ran off in search of Joshua. Jess watched Rory intensely as she drank her coffee. The way she let her lips linger on the edge of her cup before she actually took a sip. For some reason he found that simple gesture very sensual. But then again, he always could find something beautiful or sensual about any girl. It were always the little things that he found sensual though. The way a girl could flick her hair, the way her mouth could curve into a smile that suited their mood. Jess followed her up the few steps that would lead them to the entrance. A group of guys were standing near the entrance, leaning against the walls. As soon as they saw Rory, they stopped talking and just stared at her. Rory ignored them and brushed past them, but right before she entered the building one of their comments had already reached her.

''I wouldn't mind playing some one on one with you.''

The guys started to laugh, causing Rory to feel embarrassed and angry at the same time. She lowered her head and quickly slipped inside the building. Once again she was reminded why she never went on a date with a guy before. They all seemed to be jerks, who had no respect whatsoever for her or any girl for that matter. In the beginning they weren't that bad. She had even played basketball with a few of them, but they always thought that there was something more to it than just playing basketball. After that they started focusing all their attention on her, just because they knew it would bother her since she didn't like attention.

Jess glanced at her. ''They're just jealous, cause you're better at basketball than any of them..''

Rory smiled as she brought her lips to the cup again. She was smiling at Jess's attempt to make her feel better and at the fact that she, indeed, was better at basketball than any of the guys here. She finished her coffee and threw it away.

''Come on, I'll take you to the Headmaster's office.''

*~*~*

After her last class, Rory hurried towards her locker. She was glad that it was Friday and she didn't want to spend any more time here than was necessary. She didn't pay any attention to the group of girls that was standing near her locker and started to put the books that she needed in her bag. She tried to block out the conversation, but for one particular reason she couldn't, or better yet, didn't want to. She had heard one of the girls mention Jess' name. Rory pretended to be looking for a book while she listened to the conversation.

''I know, he is so cute.''

''Cute ? I was going more for hot. I mean, did you see his body.''

''And his eyes.........''

''I know, they totally have an I'm-undressing-you-with-my-eyes-vibe to it.''

''I wouldn't mind him looking at me like that.''

The girls started to giggle and Rory rolled her eyes. She was always amazed of how much they could assume of a person when they didn't even know that person. Rory slammed her locker shut and turner around only to find the group of girls staring at her. They whispered something to each other, before they turned around and walked away laughing. Rory lowered her eyes to her bag, that was still lying on the floor. She sighed and picked it up. When she looked up again, she found Jess leaning against a locker across from her. His eyes were intensely fixed on hers and he didn't move. All he did was follow her with his eyes, like paintings sometimes seemed to do. She started to feel uncomfortable under the weight of his eyes and lowered her eyes. She adjusted the strap of her bag and looked at him again. He was still looking at her. Now, she wasn't one to judge people by their appearance or actions, but if he had thrown a remark at her similar to the one the guy made earlier, she would have put him in the category jerks. Rory turned around and headed for the doors, not saying anything.

*~*~*

She went straight to the Inn where her mom worked. She went up the three or four steps, entered the lobby and headed towards the counter.

''Hey Michell, is my mom here ?''

Michell looked up from the magazine he was reading.

''Since she works here, I would say.........yes, she's here.''

Rory tried not to smile and tried again. ''Michell, do you know where my mom is ?''

''Why of course,'' Michell said. ''She's around here somewhere.''

Rory sighed and was just about to try again when she heard her mom's voice behind her.

''Is that my angel ?!'' Lorelai yelled, as she came down the stairs.

Rory turned around and smiled at her mom.

''Hey mom.'' She gave her mom a quick kiss when she reached the counter.

''How was school ?'' Lorelai asked, as she joined Michell behind the counter.

''How cozy,'' Michell said, not removing his eyes from his magazine.

Rory ignored Michell's comment. ''Guys suck.''

''What happened sweets ?''

''The usual. I was just minding my own business and there they were again, being jerks.''

''Let's go over the details again shall we ? Guys are jerks and they suck, got it.''

''Mom.......''

''Excuse me,'' Michell said.

''They just can't handle a girl like you,'' Lorelai said, ignoring Michell.

''A girl like me ?'' Rory asked.

Michell interrupted again. ''I'm still here.''

''Yeah, a strong and independent girl like you.''

''Goodbye,'' Michell said and walked away.

Rory smiled. ''Ignoring him always works.''

Lorelai nodded. ''Yeah, besides half the time I don't even hear what he says, cause I have the tendency to block his voice out after the first word. How was Jess' first day ?''

Rory shrugged. ''Okay, I guess. I don't have a lot of classes with him. The girls seem to like him though. I overheard a couple of them talking about Jess. It was hard to understand them, cause of all the drool that was running down the corners of their mouth.''

''Thanks for the very descriptive image,'' Lorelai said. ''Obviously they think he's dreamy.''

''Yeah,'' Rory said. ''Dreamy in a nightmare kind of way.''

''I'm assuming you don't like Jess ?'' Lorelai asked.

Rory shrugged. ''I don't know him. I mean, sometimes he's nice, but other times he's.......creepy.''

Lorelai raised an eyebrow. ''Creepy ?''

''Never mind,'' Rory said. ''Is it okay if I make my homework in the lobby ?''

Lorelai nodded. ''I'll try to finish everything here as soon as possible, so we can get out of here.''

''Are you sure about that ?''

''Yeah, why ?'' Lorelai asked.

''No reason. I'm sure grandma will appreciate us being early for once.''

Rory grabbed her bag and headed for one of the chairs. Lorelai grimaced and headed for the stairs.

''Where are you going ?'' Rory asked as she dropped herself in the chair.

''I'm going to send everyone home.''

''Why ?''

''So, I have more work to do !'' Lorelai yelled as she hurried up the stairs.

*~*~*

''That's another freaky experience we can scrap from our list,'' Lorelai said as she closed the door behind her.

''We have a list ?'' Rory asked as she took off her coat.

''Yeah, my mom's weekly dinner's are way up there.''

''Interesting. What else is on our list ?''

''Getting abducted by aliens, running in to a zombie on a graveyard, but after tonight those things don't seem so scary anymore. You know what we should also put on our list ?''

Rory shook her head.

''Eating strange orange food.''

Rory smiled.

''Mom, that was just some kind of carrot salad or something.''

''Since when does salad move ?'' Lorelai asked as she kicked of her heels.

''I'm going to change,'' Rory said as she started to head for her room.

''All of a sudden the stuff in our fridge don't look that bad,'' Lorelai said as she went into the kitchen.

Rory disappeared into her room and shut the door behind her. She walked over to her mirror and looked at herself. She quickly scanned her grey skirt and white shirt and made her face. She thought she looked like another person. Like the person her grandparents wanted her to be. A sophisticated and elegant young lady. That was what her grandma wanted her to be. Rory had already explained to her a couple of times, that she didn't feel comfortable dressing up like this, but Emily didn't listen. She just kept buying her skirts and dresses she only wore to their weekly dinner's, just to please her grandparents. Rory shook her head and quickly changed into a pair of grey baggy pants, an oversized sweater and a pair of sneakers. She smiled at her reflection, pleased with the way she looked. She left her room and walked in on her mom sitting on the couch, eating Chinese leftovers out of a white carton.

''Mom, is it okay if I go out for a while ?''

Lorelai nodded, not taking her eyes of the television screen. ''Sure hon, just be home at a decent time.''

Rory nodded. ''I'll be back at 3 in the morning.''

Lorelai smiled and took a bite of her Chinese.

''This tastes weird...............''

*~*~*

It took Rory only a couple of minutes to walk over to Luke's. She knocked on the glass door, patiently waiting for Luke to open it. Almost immediately the door flew open and Rory looked up at the person she had least expected. Jess....... It was perfectly logical that he had answered the door, since he lived here and all, but still she hadn't expected it. As soon as her eyes met with his, a wave of shyness hit her.

''Hey,'' she said, as she fidgeted with the sleeves of her sweater.

''Rory.''

''I'm sorry for bothering you, but Luke still has my ball and.........''

''Come in, ''Jess said as he held the door open for her.

Rory went into the diner, ducking under his arm as she did and headed for the counter. Jess closed the door and went behind the counter to get her ball. He gently threw it at her and she caught it, locking eyes with him as she did.

''Thanks,'' Rory said as she got up and headed for the door.

''Hey........''

Rory turned around to face him once more. ''Yeah ?''

''Are you really that good ?''

Rory threw him a shy smile and he returned her girly gesture with a smirk of his own. Rory realized that this was one of the first times she had seen him smirk. It made him loose some of his edge and softened his features a little. The smirk itself was kind of coy, but it suited him just as well.

''I can hold my own in a game.''

''We'll see......,'' Jess said, as she turned around to open the door.

''Night Jess.''

And with that she left as quickly as a breeze could leave the room. He walked over to the door to lock it and watched her as she walked away, dribbling her ball.

*R*E*V*I*E*W*! Please ? :-) Okay, the next update will probably Friday, cause I have to figure out where this story is going. Just for the record, you guys do want me to continue right ? Sorry, I'm unsure about my own writing, cause there are already so many authors on this site who write extraordinary fics. Anyway, thanks! :-)