Jess had his arm around Rory and she was curled against him.
He enjoyed the weight of her body on his body. Her head on his chest listening to his steady breathing, hearing his heart beat after beat. The bent of her knee touching his knee. They said very little because there wasn't a real need to talk, and small conversation was out of the question. Rory's eyes were closed but Jess knew she wasn't asleep, he could just tell.
He looked out of the window and saw through the rain familiar buildings swooshing by him. They were getting closer to his apartment. Jess tried not to focus on how nervous he was. They would get there and they would probably just go to bed, he told himself.
Suddenly the cab stopped and they were there and Jess swallowed audibly.
Rory opened her eyes when the cab stopped, and moved off of Jess to collect her things. Jess handed the driver what was left of his cash and stepped out, Rory following. They stood in front of his building for a minute, side by side. Rory examining her surroundings and Jess' home, and Jess watching her........ waiting for the reaction.
"Home, sweet home," Jess said completely deadpan. Rory looked back at Jess and smiled. It was a brown, middle class apartment housing. It was probably 10 floors and Rory noticed nobody else was outside right then. The block was deserted.
"You have a stoop."
"Its not my personal stoop."
"Do you ever sit there with while little girls in pig-tails double jump with catchy songs while you and your buddies bounce a basketball and talk about the atrocities of life?" Rory imagined Jess there.
"No, because I don't live in a Gus Van Sandt film."
"Are we going to sleep on the sidewalk?"
"I was thinking about it." Rory raised her eyebrows at Jess her meaning clear. It was raining. She was wet. She was tired. She was in a fight with her mom. "Let's go inside." Jess said and they walked in.
The wood floor was dark and worn, scratches and stains in each footstep.........but not in a dirty way, the building was old and had character. The walls were white, plain. Rory followed closely behind Jess not knowing where they were going, looking around and taking silent observations.
"I'm on the 4th floor. It's pointless to take the elevator cause it takes forever." He spoke quickly, nervously, and opened a door that led to a stairway.
Walking down was a middle aged black man that had thick buddy holly glasses on and a white beard. He was holding a Frisbee and Rory thought it was strange. Where was he going, she thought. Jess knew him. It was Mr. Elliot who lived on the 2nd floor alone after his lover Paul died a few years earlier. He had always been quiet and kept to himself. But Jess was also curious about the Frisbee.
Once they reached the 3rd floor, Jess realized that they hadn't spoken in a while. That the silence had grown from comfortable to awkward.
"Sorry about the stairs."
"It's fine." Rory also noticed the silence, but thought little of it. She knew Jess was probably nervous. When they got to the 4th floor Jess opened the door to his hallway that he walked routinely so many nights, not nearly as self conscious as he was now. He reached into his pocket and got out his keys.
It was all agonizingly slow.
"God I'm soaked." Rory was shivering a little and she spoke to fill the dead air.
"Yeah me too." Jess had pulled out his keys and he was jingling them in his hand as he walked to his apartment. They walked only a little ways further to a brown door with the number 413 above it.
Inside was a crème colored living room with the same wooden floors. Average and not at all spectacular at first glance.
Jess shut the door behind Rory and watched her face.
"You should probably get out of those wet clothes." Jess ran a hand through his hair nervously and walked to the silver four person circular table next to the kitchen and set down his keys on the clear glass, making a clanking noise.
"So this is where you live." Rory looked at the green and blue striped rug on the dark wooden floor. Probably something his mother picked out, she thought. As well as the maroon flowered lamp.
"We could call for some Chinese takeout if you want. I mean, you have to eat like every few hours right?" Rory ignored Jess and focused on the maroon couch and matching chair with a yellow knit blanket on top of it.
"How long have you lived here?" She looked back at Jess, and over his shoulder at the small kitchen and black and white tile floor in the kitchen area.
"Chef Chan's is the place, but it is really popular so it will take about an hour for it to get here."
"How long, Jess?" Rory looked at Jess evenly.
"Four years. And before that on Congress for two years. And before that on Belmont for three years." Rory looked around for a moment then back at Jess.
"Can I see your room?"
The last time a girl had asked Jess that she was implying more than just a friendly tour. Her name was Ashley and she had long gorgeous dark black hair, against her tan shiny skin. Jess remembered her giggling that into his ear, after a night of excessive drinking and sloppy kissing. They had stumbled to his bedroom and not even minutes later her hand was down his pants. She was not very shy. When Jess woke up the next morning with an incredible headache, all that remained next to him on the pillowcase was a brief note about being able to sneak back without her step-dad knowing. There were a few more similar nights between Jess and Ashley. She moved on to someone in her building and Jess couldn't think of a real conversation that had transpired between them.
"Yeah it's this way." They walked only down a tiny hallway that Rory doubted was more than 2 and half feet wide. Jess opened the door and cursed himself for not cleaning up before he went out that day.
"Going for the minimalist look?" There was nothing on the walls. Just white paint. A few shirts, jeans, some books, CD's and a stereo rested on the floor, scattered throughout the room.
"Most of my stuff is still at Luke's." The next thing Rory thought was that it would be easy for Jess to move back to Stars Hollow.............but she said nothing.
A chest of drawers against the wall with stickers covering the entire thing, not a space of original color on it, caught Rory's eye and she walked over to it. She put down her backpack and traced her fingers on the layers upon layers of band stickers.
"Whoa, I didn't know I was getting involved with somebody who is both a Nirvana and Pearl Jam fan." Jess thought it was lovely how she said 'getting involved with.' Now they were involved. Rory was 'involved' with him.
"When looked at individually both are brilliant mid-nineties masters of the grunge era."
"That and they both used heroin extensively."
"True but 'Daughter' and 'All Apologies' came out of it."
"And they both really hated each other."
"Listen Rory I think I can handle you not fully appreciating Pearl Jam. I am used to that closed minded way of thinking. But I cannot let you stand there and criticize Nirvana. If this is how it's gonna be, I think we should just end this now." Jess stepped toward her smirking. Rory turned back to him smiling, but inwardly wincing at the little dance they were doing. Saying things, hinting at things, but not really saying them.
"I'll have you know that I am a huge Nirvana fan." Rory threw the record on the bed, and Jess eyes followed it to its safe landing then back to Rory.
"You know you have that agonizing self-destructive tendency and the violent anger for the greedy capitalistic society written all over you," Jess said dripping with sarcasm.
"You're not the first to make that observation." They held the look for a few moments more smiling.
"So......" Jess said as he looked at the bed. White sheets crumpled and a dark blue comforter tossed aside. He cursed himself for not making it that morning, but how could he have known by that night Rory would be alone in his room soaking wet and dripping a little on his floor. Which she was.
"So I like your place." Rory really did. This was where Jess lived, how could she hate it?
"It's a dump." Jess ran his hand through his hair.
"No its not."
"Yes it is." Jess didn't like Rory placating him.
"Will you just let me like your apartment? I'm trying to pay you compliment here."
"Fine. It's right up there with the Trump Tower."
"That's more like it mister."
"Listen, since you like it so much you'll sleep in here tonight. I'll crash in my mom's room." The delicate issue of sleeping. Jess decided it was best to address it from the beginning, at least for him anyway.
"Okay." And Jess was surprised she wasn't embarrassed. That he didn't see the color come to her cheeks and that shy cute look away, that she does so often in his presence.
"And I have some extra clothes that you can change into. Just you know.......sweat pants and a shirt. Unless you want to wear your wet uniform for the rest of the evening." Jess realized that using the words 'wet' and 'uniform' was definitely not good for his state of mind. Now images of Rory filled his mind at lightening speed.
"That would be great." Rory liked that Jess was thinking of all of this. That he was nervous.
"Good." The images were still coming, and moving like a movie.
"Um.......where's the bathroom? So I can take a shower."
"Oh yeah. Mine's right there." Jess opened a door that Rory had assumed was a closet revealing a small green painted bathroom.
"Okay. And Jess?" The shower curtain was basically transparent with "The Top 100 Karaoke Songs" listed on it in bold black print.
"You want me to order that Chinese food I told you about."
"Well yeah, but that wasn't what I was going to say."
"What was it then?"
"This." And she kissed him. A good kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her back. It went back and forth for quite a bit, the kissing. Rory crazily thought about getting in the shower with Jess and taking off all of their clothes and Jess was thinking the same thing in much less romantic light. Jess kissed her neck a few times and pulled away still holding onto her.
"Have I told you how happy I am that you came here?" Jess' voice was serious and he stared at Rory's baby blues almost as if he was mad.
"No." Rory's fingers played with a bit of Jess' curly hair.
"Well I am. Deliriously so."
"Good." Rory said as she smiled.
"I'll let you get to that shower." And Jess left Rory flushed and feverish in his own green bathroom. Rory stood there and wished she could say that she loved him.
He enjoyed the weight of her body on his body. Her head on his chest listening to his steady breathing, hearing his heart beat after beat. The bent of her knee touching his knee. They said very little because there wasn't a real need to talk, and small conversation was out of the question. Rory's eyes were closed but Jess knew she wasn't asleep, he could just tell.
He looked out of the window and saw through the rain familiar buildings swooshing by him. They were getting closer to his apartment. Jess tried not to focus on how nervous he was. They would get there and they would probably just go to bed, he told himself.
Suddenly the cab stopped and they were there and Jess swallowed audibly.
Rory opened her eyes when the cab stopped, and moved off of Jess to collect her things. Jess handed the driver what was left of his cash and stepped out, Rory following. They stood in front of his building for a minute, side by side. Rory examining her surroundings and Jess' home, and Jess watching her........ waiting for the reaction.
"Home, sweet home," Jess said completely deadpan. Rory looked back at Jess and smiled. It was a brown, middle class apartment housing. It was probably 10 floors and Rory noticed nobody else was outside right then. The block was deserted.
"You have a stoop."
"Its not my personal stoop."
"Do you ever sit there with while little girls in pig-tails double jump with catchy songs while you and your buddies bounce a basketball and talk about the atrocities of life?" Rory imagined Jess there.
"No, because I don't live in a Gus Van Sandt film."
"Are we going to sleep on the sidewalk?"
"I was thinking about it." Rory raised her eyebrows at Jess her meaning clear. It was raining. She was wet. She was tired. She was in a fight with her mom. "Let's go inside." Jess said and they walked in.
The wood floor was dark and worn, scratches and stains in each footstep.........but not in a dirty way, the building was old and had character. The walls were white, plain. Rory followed closely behind Jess not knowing where they were going, looking around and taking silent observations.
"I'm on the 4th floor. It's pointless to take the elevator cause it takes forever." He spoke quickly, nervously, and opened a door that led to a stairway.
Walking down was a middle aged black man that had thick buddy holly glasses on and a white beard. He was holding a Frisbee and Rory thought it was strange. Where was he going, she thought. Jess knew him. It was Mr. Elliot who lived on the 2nd floor alone after his lover Paul died a few years earlier. He had always been quiet and kept to himself. But Jess was also curious about the Frisbee.
Once they reached the 3rd floor, Jess realized that they hadn't spoken in a while. That the silence had grown from comfortable to awkward.
"Sorry about the stairs."
"It's fine." Rory also noticed the silence, but thought little of it. She knew Jess was probably nervous. When they got to the 4th floor Jess opened the door to his hallway that he walked routinely so many nights, not nearly as self conscious as he was now. He reached into his pocket and got out his keys.
It was all agonizingly slow.
"God I'm soaked." Rory was shivering a little and she spoke to fill the dead air.
"Yeah me too." Jess had pulled out his keys and he was jingling them in his hand as he walked to his apartment. They walked only a little ways further to a brown door with the number 413 above it.
Inside was a crème colored living room with the same wooden floors. Average and not at all spectacular at first glance.
Jess shut the door behind Rory and watched her face.
"You should probably get out of those wet clothes." Jess ran a hand through his hair nervously and walked to the silver four person circular table next to the kitchen and set down his keys on the clear glass, making a clanking noise.
"So this is where you live." Rory looked at the green and blue striped rug on the dark wooden floor. Probably something his mother picked out, she thought. As well as the maroon flowered lamp.
"We could call for some Chinese takeout if you want. I mean, you have to eat like every few hours right?" Rory ignored Jess and focused on the maroon couch and matching chair with a yellow knit blanket on top of it.
"How long have you lived here?" She looked back at Jess, and over his shoulder at the small kitchen and black and white tile floor in the kitchen area.
"Chef Chan's is the place, but it is really popular so it will take about an hour for it to get here."
"How long, Jess?" Rory looked at Jess evenly.
"Four years. And before that on Congress for two years. And before that on Belmont for three years." Rory looked around for a moment then back at Jess.
"Can I see your room?"
The last time a girl had asked Jess that she was implying more than just a friendly tour. Her name was Ashley and she had long gorgeous dark black hair, against her tan shiny skin. Jess remembered her giggling that into his ear, after a night of excessive drinking and sloppy kissing. They had stumbled to his bedroom and not even minutes later her hand was down his pants. She was not very shy. When Jess woke up the next morning with an incredible headache, all that remained next to him on the pillowcase was a brief note about being able to sneak back without her step-dad knowing. There were a few more similar nights between Jess and Ashley. She moved on to someone in her building and Jess couldn't think of a real conversation that had transpired between them.
"Yeah it's this way." They walked only down a tiny hallway that Rory doubted was more than 2 and half feet wide. Jess opened the door and cursed himself for not cleaning up before he went out that day.
"Going for the minimalist look?" There was nothing on the walls. Just white paint. A few shirts, jeans, some books, CD's and a stereo rested on the floor, scattered throughout the room.
"Most of my stuff is still at Luke's." The next thing Rory thought was that it would be easy for Jess to move back to Stars Hollow.............but she said nothing.
A chest of drawers against the wall with stickers covering the entire thing, not a space of original color on it, caught Rory's eye and she walked over to it. She put down her backpack and traced her fingers on the layers upon layers of band stickers.
"Whoa, I didn't know I was getting involved with somebody who is both a Nirvana and Pearl Jam fan." Jess thought it was lovely how she said 'getting involved with.' Now they were involved. Rory was 'involved' with him.
"When looked at individually both are brilliant mid-nineties masters of the grunge era."
"That and they both used heroin extensively."
"True but 'Daughter' and 'All Apologies' came out of it."
"And they both really hated each other."
"Listen Rory I think I can handle you not fully appreciating Pearl Jam. I am used to that closed minded way of thinking. But I cannot let you stand there and criticize Nirvana. If this is how it's gonna be, I think we should just end this now." Jess stepped toward her smirking. Rory turned back to him smiling, but inwardly wincing at the little dance they were doing. Saying things, hinting at things, but not really saying them.
"I'll have you know that I am a huge Nirvana fan." Rory threw the record on the bed, and Jess eyes followed it to its safe landing then back to Rory.
"You know you have that agonizing self-destructive tendency and the violent anger for the greedy capitalistic society written all over you," Jess said dripping with sarcasm.
"You're not the first to make that observation." They held the look for a few moments more smiling.
"So......" Jess said as he looked at the bed. White sheets crumpled and a dark blue comforter tossed aside. He cursed himself for not making it that morning, but how could he have known by that night Rory would be alone in his room soaking wet and dripping a little on his floor. Which she was.
"So I like your place." Rory really did. This was where Jess lived, how could she hate it?
"It's a dump." Jess ran his hand through his hair.
"No its not."
"Yes it is." Jess didn't like Rory placating him.
"Will you just let me like your apartment? I'm trying to pay you compliment here."
"Fine. It's right up there with the Trump Tower."
"That's more like it mister."
"Listen, since you like it so much you'll sleep in here tonight. I'll crash in my mom's room." The delicate issue of sleeping. Jess decided it was best to address it from the beginning, at least for him anyway.
"Okay." And Jess was surprised she wasn't embarrassed. That he didn't see the color come to her cheeks and that shy cute look away, that she does so often in his presence.
"And I have some extra clothes that you can change into. Just you know.......sweat pants and a shirt. Unless you want to wear your wet uniform for the rest of the evening." Jess realized that using the words 'wet' and 'uniform' was definitely not good for his state of mind. Now images of Rory filled his mind at lightening speed.
"That would be great." Rory liked that Jess was thinking of all of this. That he was nervous.
"Good." The images were still coming, and moving like a movie.
"Um.......where's the bathroom? So I can take a shower."
"Oh yeah. Mine's right there." Jess opened a door that Rory had assumed was a closet revealing a small green painted bathroom.
"Okay. And Jess?" The shower curtain was basically transparent with "The Top 100 Karaoke Songs" listed on it in bold black print.
"You want me to order that Chinese food I told you about."
"Well yeah, but that wasn't what I was going to say."
"What was it then?"
"This." And she kissed him. A good kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her back. It went back and forth for quite a bit, the kissing. Rory crazily thought about getting in the shower with Jess and taking off all of their clothes and Jess was thinking the same thing in much less romantic light. Jess kissed her neck a few times and pulled away still holding onto her.
"Have I told you how happy I am that you came here?" Jess' voice was serious and he stared at Rory's baby blues almost as if he was mad.
"No." Rory's fingers played with a bit of Jess' curly hair.
"Well I am. Deliriously so."
"Good." Rory said as she smiled.
"I'll let you get to that shower." And Jess left Rory flushed and feverish in his own green bathroom. Rory stood there and wished she could say that she loved him.