I'd Rather Be Anywhere But Here

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: My name is not Ann Sherman Palladino.  So in other words, I don't own this.

Spoilers: Not really unless you haven't seen season 3.

Rating: PG-13  because there's some mild cussing.

Pairing: Read and find out! :P

Summary: Rory is at Yale. Jess is in California. Rory is over Jess…or is she??? Jess is not over Rory. Please read and review. Thanks! :D

A/N: I would like to thank: smile1, xXMiSFiT 247Xx, Gabi, X-identaty, someone5, Milo12, punkcatwitissues, cellardoor, jimmylegs, kmb,nice-one, golden+girl736, amanda and anyone else who I've missed for reviewing! I love you all!!!

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Lorelai walked into the diner and sat down at the counter.

"Hey, Lorelai, here's your coffee,"  Luke said as he sat the cup down in front of her.

"Aren't you gonna tell me how bad it is?" She asked him frowning.

"Nope, I think you've heard that story plenty of times," Luke answered, "What do you want for dinner?"

"I'll have a hamburger and fries."

"Coming right up," Luke said and he yelled the order to Ceasar.

"So what's new?" Lorelai asked as she slipped off her shoes.  Let the games begin.

"Hard day at work?" Luke asked seeing her shoes on the floor.

"It, was okay…….the jeep broke down, so it's in the shop." She said.

"Bummer…Hey, have I told you about my new shoes?" Luke asked leaning against the counter.  

"Yeah Luke, half a dozen times…today," Lorelai said nodding.

"Oh," Luke said as he grabbed a towel and started wiping down the counter.

Lorelai put her purse on her lap, grabbed her cell phone, entered in her cell number, and waited for her phone to ring.  A second later the tune to 'I Dream of Jeannie' could be heard through out the Diner.

"Lorelai!" Luke shouted at her.

Here it comes.  "What?" She asked.

"Your phone is ringing." Luke replied

WHAT??? He's actually gonna let me answer it?  "Uh, yeah, I should probably answer that," Lorelai said and grabbed it. 

"Hello?" She said to the dialtone.  "Hey! How are you………Uh huh………….Oh no……………Your kidding me! HaHaHa………..Okay……..Are you sure?…………….Alright…………..bye."  She hung up the phone.

"Uh, Luke?"

"What Lorelai?" He asked frowning.

"This is my cell-phone," Lorelai said pointing to it.  "And I was just talking on it in YOUR DINER!" Lorelai exclaimed.  "And that," She said pointing to the sign, "Is your NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED sign! How come you didn't yell at me and make me go outside?"

Luke shrugged, "I just wasn't in the yelling mood I guess," He answered.

"Since when are you not in the yelling mood?? Tell me everything you know!" She demanded.

"Uh…about what?" Luke asked confused.

 "You know what I'm talking about." Lorelai said in a matter-of-fact way.  If I act like I know what I'm talking about then maybe he'll give in. 

Jess, I swear to god. "What the hell did he do now?" He shouted.

"What did who do?" Lorelai asked frowning.

Oh, shit.  I guess she doesn't know about Jess.  "Uh, Ceaser!" Luke said recovering quickly.  He ran over to a customer and grabbed her plate, "I'm sorry M'am, we forgot to add cheese to your cheeseburger.  I'll get you a new one." He ran into the kitchen, yelled at Ceaser and came back out, ignoring the woman's protests.

"Luke, what's going on?" Lorelai asked as she watched Luke pace back and forth.

"Nothing."

"Luke…" She said sternly.

"There's nothing wrong Lorelai!" Luke insisted.

"Okay…well if you change your mind, you can talk to me," Lorelai said taking the last bite of her hamburger, "Anytime, anywhere…okay?  You can trust me with anything Luke." Lorelai grabbed her purse and walked out the door.

If only I could trust her with this.  But if she knew…she would kill me.  Luke sighed heavily and cleared her plate from the counter.

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Venice Beach, California

Jess put his book down and looked at the clock. 7: 30.  I should call now.  Yep, I'm going to call right now.  Jess picked up the phone and dialed the number.

"Hello," She answered slowly.

"….Hey," Jess finally said.

Rory frowned, "Brian?" He must have looked up my number.

She has a boyfriend.  Jess cringed.  "Uh, no, this is, uh, Jess."

Rory froze.  Why the hell are you calling me Jess???  "Hi."

"Hey," he said back.  Neither one of them spoke for a few seconds.  Finally Rory broke the ice.

"Why are you calling me Jess?" She asked sighing.

"You gotta boyfriend?" He asked, avoiding the question.

Rory smirked, "No, but I have a date tomorrow night." Boy it feels good to rub that in his face.

"Oh," Jess said.

"So why are you calling?" Rory asked getting annoyed.

"How have you been?" He asked stalling.

"How have I been?" She asked incredulously, "HOW HAVE I BEEN?  My boyfriend left town without a word to anyone and then six months later, out of the blue, he calls me up to ask me how I've been?  Well I'll tell you how I've been!  I've been just dandy Jess, just fine and dandy.  Never better!  I've moved on…I'm over you, and I can't wait for my date tomorrow night!" Rory yelled into the phone, holding back the tears that were forming in the corners of her eyes. Why does this hurt so bad? Why does this hurt? It shouldn't hurt. I should not be crying for him…he does not deserve the pleasure of hearing me cry…..this is PMS.  It has to be.

Jess felt an overwhelming pang of guilt, "….I'm sorry Rory.  That's why I called…to apologize."

Rory couldn't take it anymore, she was barely holding in the tears.  "Well I don't accept it!!" She yelled and quickly slammed the phone down.

She fell back onto her bed and began to sob. "Why did you leave me Jess? Why?" she yelled and pounded her fists into her pillow.  She cried and cried and eventually fell asleep, huddled in a ball, hugging herself.

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Jess hung up the phone and slid down onto the floor, leaning against his bed.  His hands were shaking.  He sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes.  What the hell did I do?  What the hell did I do? I ruined everything.  Everything that I had with her… it's gone.  She can't stand talking to me and she won't even let me explain. She hates me.  His head began to pound.  God, my stomach hurts…I wonder if this is what a broken heart feels like? Jess grabbed the bed and stood up.  He walked into the kitchen in a daze and placed the phone in the cradle.  He got a cup out of a cabinet and began filling it up with water.

"Can you read to me before I go to bed?" Lily asked as she walking into the kitchen.

"No!" Jess snapped as he turned off the sink.

Her face fell.  "Oh," she said sadly.

Jess noticed her expression and felt bad.  "Sorry Lil…I'm not in the best mood… but I promise that I will tomorrow."

She smiled.  "You pinky swear?" She asked holding out her pinky.

He nodded and locked his pinky with hers.  She hugged him tightly and ran off to her room.

A small smile formed on his lips, but only for a moment.  He grabbed his glass, chugged his water and trudged back to his room.  He fell onto his bed, not even bothering to unmake it.  All he could think about was Rory.  'How can I fix this?' was what he asked himself over and over again until he finally drifted off to sleep.

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A/N:  Sorry this chapters so short!  How was it?  In character or out of character?  Continue or stop?  Review or not review…that is the question….and REVIEW is the answer!!! :P LOL.  I am working on chapter 5 as we speak…well not literally, but mentally. ;) REVIEW PLEASE, FOR THE SAKE OF MY SANITY!