Thanks goes to Ali (For the idea) , and the Clash. (for the song)
Rory peered into the semidarkness. "Where are we?"
She could just imagine the look on his face, the semi-sarcastic grin. "We're in the back of a Wal-Mart." He replied matter of factly.
"Yes, I realize that, but we don't seem to be on ground level."
"Well Miss Yale, we came up stairs to get here, what gave you that idea? If I remember correctly we are currently standing just above the shelf that houses tide and toilet paper."
Rory still slightly tipsy did not want to be over anything, even if it was tide and toilet paper.
With no explanation, he grabbed her hand, his hands rough; she could feel calluses on his fingers. For the first time she wondered what he did in the City, what his job was, where he lived.
"Stairs."
"Oh." They clomped down the metal stairs, bumping into each other, before finally reaching the solid concrete floor.
Rory saw Jess' shadow disappear to her left and she waited for him to return.
Overhead fluorescent lights buzzed on and she looked around.
"So this is what the back of a Wal-mart looks like." There were shelves going up twenty-five feet high, holding gigantic boxes filled with everything from Skippy peanut butter to alarm clocks. Across one wall, written in huge blue letters was written:
If you see a customer without a smile, give them yours.
Rory stiffened a chuckle.
"Ah yes the secret of Wal-Mart, they buy in bulk."
Rory dug in her purse, pulling out the list. "I'd just like to buy and leave, I don't want to get caught here."
"We are not going to get caught. And besides don't you mean, steal and leave?" Jess said with the airy breeze of a criminal mastermind.
"Where is the actual store?"
He pointed to a door, below the chipper slogan. "There."
They stepped out into the darkened wal-mart near Women's wear, Rory scanned her head around, still nervous, she could still end up being photographed with numbers across her chest. Her mothers list of kooky wedding supplies was not worth it.
"So what's on the list?"
"Twinkies, Popsicles, olives, gratin flavoured ruffles, little people for the top of the wedding cake, hello kitty napkins.--"
"Hello kitty napkins?" Jess asked incuriously.
Rory peered down at the list. "In brackets it says, small children and me."
"So your Mom is still crazy."
"Yes."
"Please continue."
"Trashy garter belt, seven cameras you can throw away. A gift for the maid of honour, and in brackets, pick out something nice. Two vases -Cheap for Emily's table. Colourful scrapbook corners, cute statues and last but not least, easy Mac- hangover tomorrow.
Jess shook his head, and rolled his eyes. "Perhaps we should get a cart."
"That might be a good idea."
"What do you think of this one?" Rory held up a plastic two-foot high cupid.
Jess rolled his eyes. "Lame." Rory put it in the cart.
"What about this one" This time a cherub perching on top of what looked like a gigantic apple.
"Lame." Rory put it in the cart.
"Alrighty, that's done."
Rory checked her list.
They strolled the darkened isles, Rory drove the cart, found the items and Jess trailed behind her not saying anything.
"How about you stop acting like you have the patent on having a crappy life?" He was silent.
They continued walking.
"I never claimed that." He replied looking away from her.
"Why do you keep bringing up the fact that you seem to think that I am better than you?"
Again, he was silent.
"I haven't always been the girl going to Yale and who had grandparents that would give me anything. Things were hard for me too, but just because I don't wallow in them, doesn't mean it didn't happen for me."
"Fine, your hard up. Are you happy now?"
"Why did you bother coming here?"
"You needed a ride." He pointed out bluntly.
"No! I meant here, Stars Hollow, why did you come?"
"Jesus Christ Rory, its Luke's wedding, I'm his best man, if you think that I was going to disappoint Luke and not show up for probably the most important event in his life, just so I don't inconvience you, you're more spoiled than I thought."
She wanted nothing more than to shout fuck you at him as loud as she could, but the last thing she wanted was to become stranded alone at a Wal-Mart.
"I think we both want to get out of here, let's split up I'll go get the food stuff, and you can get everything else." Rory sensed that he was not only mad, but he didn't feel like accompanying her to the lingerie section to buy a weird garter belt.
Jess dumped an armful of stuff into the cart, right above a set of Hello Kitty napkins and a garter belt decorated in pink lace, and cheetah spots.
"Fine, let's go."
"Lets." his voice was cold again, she wasn't sure if she hated him or herself more.
The walked to the back without a word, and climbed the rickety steps.
"Oh, this is new." Jess stated with a start.
"New? New? What is new?" Rory asked her arms weighed down with unpaid for purchases standing on top of a rickety pair of stairs in an abandoned wal-mart at midnight.
Jess pointed to the blue sticker on the door.
"Notice to all employees, due to the unworker conduct being used in conjunction with this door, it has now been hooked up with an alarm that will be online 24 hours a day." Jess exhaled. "Typical, they care more about catching their own employees than catching burglaries."
Rory starred at him. "This is what happens when great employees like you use this door to sneak out!"
"Why don't you just try it, nothing happened when we came in"
"Do you feel like going to jail today Rory? Because I don't!"
"We could make a run for it." She pleaded. "Your car is just down there."
"You, weighed down with meaningless crap, high heeled shoes and too many cocktails would like to make a run for it, down a pair of unstable metal stairs. Go ahead."
"Perhaps you're right."
They stood in silence for a moment.
"Would you like a Twinkie?" Rory asked.
"Sure." They both stood in silence crewing for a few moments.
"Well I guess we better go down."
Rory nodded.
She could hear him humming, she felt miserable, angry and stupid with her mouth filled with stale twinkie and he was humming. She slid slightly closer to him to try to decipher this song that was making him so goddamn chipper. He must have sensed her, he started singing under his breath.
"I'm lost in a supermarket, I can no longer shop happily came here for that special offer; guaranteed personality..." Rory smiled in despite of herself, his voice, she had never heard him sing and for some strange reason it surprised her that he was not only good at it, but he had such a soft, gentle voice.
"I'm all tuned in, I see all the programmes, I save coupons from packets of tea, I've got my giant discothèque albums, I empty a bottle I feel a bit free." She started humming, smiling. The Clash made everything better she reasoned.
He stopped singing. "Well Rory, looks like we're lost in the supermarket."
"And I can no longer shop happily."
He smiled, a real smile, the smile she used to see from him. "We'll have to see about that."