A/N: 1. Jamie is an asshole, but he doesn't mean any harm. Unless you argue
with him. Then he gets mad. And violent.
2. The places in NY I mention? They're made up. I don't claim to know a damn thing about Shopping or nightlife in New York. The establishments have been pulled out of my ass for you to read.
3. Jess's Grandmother = hardcore. I just wanted to say that.
4. The Song Choice: Love Song by The Cure. Why? 1. This song rules. 2. It reminds me of Rory and Jess a bit. 3. I belieeeve they both listen to The Cure. Rory, at least.
Onto the fic
"So... what exactly did Jamie do to wind up in jail?" Rory asked Gloria as they walked down the city sidewalk. Sofia had come home from the store and kicked them out so she could make lunch. Jess and Jamie had gone to find the latter a change of clothes, and Gloria had dragged Rory out with her.
"He got drunk, and he started arguing with this guy about... the chicken or the egg."
Rory raised an eyebrow at the curly-haired girl. "What?"
Gloria cracked a smile. "Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Jamie said the egg. This other guy said the chicken. Things got outta hand, and Jamie started swinging. And throwing. And kicking. He's very violent."
Rory nodded. "Jess, too."
"You're lucky you've never seen them fight together," Gloria commented.
Rory nodded and looked around the crowded sidewalk. "Where are we going?"
"Shopping," Gloria smiled. "You need clothes for tonight."
"What's tonight?" Rory asked.
Gloria's smile grew wider. "We're goin out." She grabbed Rory's hand and dragged her into an eclectic-looking clothing shop. There were racks and displays everywhere. The decor involved a lot of lamps and string lights that lip up the room as best they could, as the walls were painted a dark gray.
Gloria zoomed straight to a skirt rack and pulled out a black, belted skirt that looked to hit mid-thigh. She handed it to Rory.
Rory looked shocked at the skirt. "I can't wear this."
"Why not?"
"I'll be living in wedgie-ville all night! The paranoia will drive me insane."
"Oy... you're gonna be picky, aren't you?"
Rory looked a little guilty. "Sorry."
Gloria smiled and took the skirt. "Sokay. I'll wear this."
Rory gave her a smirk and wandered over to a dress rack and started sifting. She glanced back at Gloria, who was now rummaging through tops. She really liked the girl. She had a laid-back nature that most of the girls at Yale lacked. Gloria had a slightly Lane-ish quality about her. They would probably get along.
She kept sifting through dresses, until she pulled out a dark blue number that had tank-top sleeves and a scoop neck that showed off a modest amount of chest. The skirt portion was slanted, and went from the lower thigh to mid-knee cap. The entire dress was layered with a thin, shimmer-y mesh-like fabric.
She smiled and turned to Gloria. "Found one." She held up the dress.
The curly-haired girl looked up and smiled. "Cool. You'll look great. Jess will flip."
"Any luck?" Rory asked, walking over to her.
Gloria nodded and held up the skirt and a plum-purple, gauzy peasant top. "I'm all set."
Rory smiled and they headed for to the counter to pay.
*****
Jess sighed as he waited for Jamie to finish getting changed. "What's taking so long?"
"I can't find any pants," Jamie called loudly from his room.
"Aw, god," Jess muttered. "How did we wind up being friends, again?"
"Corey Marshall beat the crap out of both of us in first grade, and we tag teamed him and took him down," Jamie replied.
"Oh, yeah," Jess smirked. "I remember that. We broke his nose."
"No, you broke his nose. I broke his arm."
Jess nodded. "We were a couple of little bastards."
"We still are," Jamie laughed.
"Not so much anymore."
Jamie finally came out, wearing cleaner clothes. "What's with you, man? You're so fucking different."
Jess shrugged. "It's the girl. I don't know. I feel so much more..." he sighed. "What the fuck am I talking about, again?"
Jamie smirked and patted his best friend on the shoulder. "Come on; let's go help your gramma with lunch."
*****
"I want to tell them, Lorelei."
Lorelei sighed guiltily, as she sat across from Jason at lunch that day. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't seen Jason since before Christopher had come and gone.
Christopher.
It was over between them.
It didn't change the fact that Lorelei had cheated on Jason with him.
She hadn't realized things were so messy.
And Luke was getting divorced.
She didn't know why that thought popped into her mind. It was none of her business. She felt terrible that things hadn't worked out with Luke and Nicole.
Though part of her was slightly relieved...
"Lorelei?"
She looked up at Jason. "What?"
"I want to tell your parents about us," Jason replied. "I really think it's time. It's getting a little ridiculous."
"Well, I'm a little ridiculous," Lorelei informed him.
Jason smiled. "I know. But..."
"Yeah. You want to tell them," Lorelei nodded. "I just... I don't think I'm ready."
"Will you ever be?"
She sighed.
Christopher. Jason. Luke.
Dammit.
*****
"I like her."
Jess looked up from slicing tomatoes in the kitchen. His grandmother was smirking at him. "Like who, Gramma?"
"The girl. Rory," his grandmother replied. "She eats."
Jess smirked and nodded as he went back to slicing. "Yeah. She does."
"The last one didn't eat."
Jamie rolled his eyes. "That's because she's a- OW!"
Sofia smacked him in the head with her spatula. "More mix, less talk."
Jess smirked and kept slicing.
******
"So, do you go to school?"
Gloria nodded. "Yup. I got to the community college around here. I'm studying to be an elementary school teacher."
Rory smiled. "Wow, that's really great."
"Where are you?"
"Yale."
"No way!" Gloria looked shocked. "That's so amazing!"
Rory blushed a little and shrugged. "It's... it's a lot of work. I go back to school on Monday."
"I wish I coulda gone to one of those big schools," Gloria said wistfully. "That'd be great."
"Why didn't you?"
"Not enough cash," Gloria shrugged. "Plus, Gramma needs me."
Rory nodded. "Do your parents live with you?"
"My mom passed away," Gloria replied as if it were nothing. "And my dad's... wherever."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rory said, kind of shocked. She wasn't expecting that. It was probably the last thing she was expecting. "When did your mom pass on?"
Gloria rolled her eyes. "I was eight."
"Wow."
"Ah, it's not a big thing," Gloria told her. "It was a long time ago."
Rory nodded. It was a scary thought. Not having any parents. It made her want to call her mother and talk for an hour. Hell, it made her want to steal Jess's car and drive home just to give her mother a hug. And it made her want to forgive her father.
She suppressed a sigh.
*****
Jess straightened his white button-down shirt that evening as he waited for Rory to get ready. Gloria was dragging them out to one of her favorite clubs. Jess had never been a big fan of this, but Gloria was determined to show Rory a good time while she was in the city. They were to leave the next morning.
Sofia smiled at him, and straightened his collar even more. "You're a handsome boy."
He smirked. "Thanks, Gramma."
"Don't be stupid tonight," she cautioned.
He sighed and nodded. "Yes, Gramma."
"If you come home drunk, you sleep in the hall."
"Yes, Gramma."
"I mean it."
He rolled his eyes, and she smacked him upside the head.
He flinched and glared. "Ow."
*****
The club was nice. The four of them mostly sat and talked. They ran into a couple of Jess's old friends from when he lived in the city. They seemed nice enough. Gloria would sporadically grab Jamie and drag him onto the dance floor.
"Are they together?" Rory asked Jess over the loud music.
He shrugged. "Who can tell?"
Rory smirked. "You don't like it here, do you?"
"They play crappy music," Jess replied.
Rory nodded. "Yup. But most places probably do."
Jess nodded, and glanced at her. "You look really great, by the way. I don't know if I said that."
She smiled and turned a little red. "Thank you. You look nice, too."
He smirked at her briefly, but sighed a moment later, and went back to his stony complacent look.
The song changed, and Rory heard the familiar sounds of The Cure. "Oh, great song," she said over the opening riffs of "Love Song."
Jess nodded. "It's good."
They sat in silence and she stared at him a little.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Jess stared back. "What?"
She shrugged and smiled.
"You wanna dance."
She gave him a guilty look.
"I don't really do dancing," he told her.
She nodded.
"But..."
She looked back up at him and smiled. She got up and pulled him to his feet and led him onto the dance floor.
*****
"You danced."
Rory smiled as Jamie continued to tease Jess. It had gotten colder by the time they exited the club, and Jess had tossed her his heavy leather jacket, as her dress didn't provide much protection against the night's wind.
"Shut up, Jamie."
"You did!" Jamie laughed. "You danced! You got all close and snuggly and you danced, ya big softy!"
Jess glared. "Don't make me hurt you."
Gloria smiled and nudged Jess. "You're not a bad dancer."
He rolled his eyes.
"Y'know, if I remember correctly, he's not a bad dancer at all," said a new voice.
Rory turned to see a girl of their age, who had straight red hair, and a skinny, almost sickly figure. Her dress was light lavender, and didn't leave much to the imagination.
Gloria shook her head, and tried to herd them off in the opposite direction, pulling Rory by the arm gently. "Come on, it's almost one in the morning, we gotta head back."
"Who is that?" Rory asked Gloria quietly as she let herself be dragged.
"Leslie," Gloria whispered.
Rory glanced at Jess, who was lighting a cigarette. He didn't seem affected at all by the appearance of his ex-girlfriend.
It was Jamie who turned around and glared at the girl they were leaving behind.
Rory glanced back behind her, seeing the girl smile and wave. She seemed eerie. Almost dead. Almost ghostly, it seemed. She had to wonder what exactly had happened between Jess and the ghostly redhead.
*****
Gloria leaned against the bathroom doorframe as she watched her cousin wash his face in preparation for bed. "So?"
"So, what?" Jess asked, wiping his face.
"You saw Leslie."
"No, I didn't," he replied, turned to Gloria, leaning on the sink. "I heard Leslie. I didn't see her. Rory saw her. You saw her. Jamie saw her. I didn't see her."
Gloria sighed. "She's gonna be here every time you come back. And she still wants... well... you, I guess."
"She's messed up," Jess replied. "She doesn't know what she wants."
"One of these days, you're gonna have to tell me what really happened," Gloria told him, grabbing a hairbrush from a small basket near the sink.
"She cheated on me," he replied simply. "You know that."
"But there was something else she did that you aren't telling me. Or Jamie. Or Rory," Gloria said as she began brushing her hair. "She did something else. If she hadn't, you woulda turned around tonight and told her off."
Jess stared intently at the wall behind Gloria.
She smiled a little and patted his hair. "G'night, Jess."
He nodded as she left, and shortly after, he sauntered out to the living room, and laid down carefully next to Rory, who was already asleep on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her, and breathed her in. He was asleep shortly thereafter.
2. The places in NY I mention? They're made up. I don't claim to know a damn thing about Shopping or nightlife in New York. The establishments have been pulled out of my ass for you to read.
3. Jess's Grandmother = hardcore. I just wanted to say that.
4. The Song Choice: Love Song by The Cure. Why? 1. This song rules. 2. It reminds me of Rory and Jess a bit. 3. I belieeeve they both listen to The Cure. Rory, at least.
Onto the fic
"So... what exactly did Jamie do to wind up in jail?" Rory asked Gloria as they walked down the city sidewalk. Sofia had come home from the store and kicked them out so she could make lunch. Jess and Jamie had gone to find the latter a change of clothes, and Gloria had dragged Rory out with her.
"He got drunk, and he started arguing with this guy about... the chicken or the egg."
Rory raised an eyebrow at the curly-haired girl. "What?"
Gloria cracked a smile. "Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Jamie said the egg. This other guy said the chicken. Things got outta hand, and Jamie started swinging. And throwing. And kicking. He's very violent."
Rory nodded. "Jess, too."
"You're lucky you've never seen them fight together," Gloria commented.
Rory nodded and looked around the crowded sidewalk. "Where are we going?"
"Shopping," Gloria smiled. "You need clothes for tonight."
"What's tonight?" Rory asked.
Gloria's smile grew wider. "We're goin out." She grabbed Rory's hand and dragged her into an eclectic-looking clothing shop. There were racks and displays everywhere. The decor involved a lot of lamps and string lights that lip up the room as best they could, as the walls were painted a dark gray.
Gloria zoomed straight to a skirt rack and pulled out a black, belted skirt that looked to hit mid-thigh. She handed it to Rory.
Rory looked shocked at the skirt. "I can't wear this."
"Why not?"
"I'll be living in wedgie-ville all night! The paranoia will drive me insane."
"Oy... you're gonna be picky, aren't you?"
Rory looked a little guilty. "Sorry."
Gloria smiled and took the skirt. "Sokay. I'll wear this."
Rory gave her a smirk and wandered over to a dress rack and started sifting. She glanced back at Gloria, who was now rummaging through tops. She really liked the girl. She had a laid-back nature that most of the girls at Yale lacked. Gloria had a slightly Lane-ish quality about her. They would probably get along.
She kept sifting through dresses, until she pulled out a dark blue number that had tank-top sleeves and a scoop neck that showed off a modest amount of chest. The skirt portion was slanted, and went from the lower thigh to mid-knee cap. The entire dress was layered with a thin, shimmer-y mesh-like fabric.
She smiled and turned to Gloria. "Found one." She held up the dress.
The curly-haired girl looked up and smiled. "Cool. You'll look great. Jess will flip."
"Any luck?" Rory asked, walking over to her.
Gloria nodded and held up the skirt and a plum-purple, gauzy peasant top. "I'm all set."
Rory smiled and they headed for to the counter to pay.
*****
Jess sighed as he waited for Jamie to finish getting changed. "What's taking so long?"
"I can't find any pants," Jamie called loudly from his room.
"Aw, god," Jess muttered. "How did we wind up being friends, again?"
"Corey Marshall beat the crap out of both of us in first grade, and we tag teamed him and took him down," Jamie replied.
"Oh, yeah," Jess smirked. "I remember that. We broke his nose."
"No, you broke his nose. I broke his arm."
Jess nodded. "We were a couple of little bastards."
"We still are," Jamie laughed.
"Not so much anymore."
Jamie finally came out, wearing cleaner clothes. "What's with you, man? You're so fucking different."
Jess shrugged. "It's the girl. I don't know. I feel so much more..." he sighed. "What the fuck am I talking about, again?"
Jamie smirked and patted his best friend on the shoulder. "Come on; let's go help your gramma with lunch."
*****
"I want to tell them, Lorelei."
Lorelei sighed guiltily, as she sat across from Jason at lunch that day. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't seen Jason since before Christopher had come and gone.
Christopher.
It was over between them.
It didn't change the fact that Lorelei had cheated on Jason with him.
She hadn't realized things were so messy.
And Luke was getting divorced.
She didn't know why that thought popped into her mind. It was none of her business. She felt terrible that things hadn't worked out with Luke and Nicole.
Though part of her was slightly relieved...
"Lorelei?"
She looked up at Jason. "What?"
"I want to tell your parents about us," Jason replied. "I really think it's time. It's getting a little ridiculous."
"Well, I'm a little ridiculous," Lorelei informed him.
Jason smiled. "I know. But..."
"Yeah. You want to tell them," Lorelei nodded. "I just... I don't think I'm ready."
"Will you ever be?"
She sighed.
Christopher. Jason. Luke.
Dammit.
*****
"I like her."
Jess looked up from slicing tomatoes in the kitchen. His grandmother was smirking at him. "Like who, Gramma?"
"The girl. Rory," his grandmother replied. "She eats."
Jess smirked and nodded as he went back to slicing. "Yeah. She does."
"The last one didn't eat."
Jamie rolled his eyes. "That's because she's a- OW!"
Sofia smacked him in the head with her spatula. "More mix, less talk."
Jess smirked and kept slicing.
******
"So, do you go to school?"
Gloria nodded. "Yup. I got to the community college around here. I'm studying to be an elementary school teacher."
Rory smiled. "Wow, that's really great."
"Where are you?"
"Yale."
"No way!" Gloria looked shocked. "That's so amazing!"
Rory blushed a little and shrugged. "It's... it's a lot of work. I go back to school on Monday."
"I wish I coulda gone to one of those big schools," Gloria said wistfully. "That'd be great."
"Why didn't you?"
"Not enough cash," Gloria shrugged. "Plus, Gramma needs me."
Rory nodded. "Do your parents live with you?"
"My mom passed away," Gloria replied as if it were nothing. "And my dad's... wherever."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rory said, kind of shocked. She wasn't expecting that. It was probably the last thing she was expecting. "When did your mom pass on?"
Gloria rolled her eyes. "I was eight."
"Wow."
"Ah, it's not a big thing," Gloria told her. "It was a long time ago."
Rory nodded. It was a scary thought. Not having any parents. It made her want to call her mother and talk for an hour. Hell, it made her want to steal Jess's car and drive home just to give her mother a hug. And it made her want to forgive her father.
She suppressed a sigh.
*****
Jess straightened his white button-down shirt that evening as he waited for Rory to get ready. Gloria was dragging them out to one of her favorite clubs. Jess had never been a big fan of this, but Gloria was determined to show Rory a good time while she was in the city. They were to leave the next morning.
Sofia smiled at him, and straightened his collar even more. "You're a handsome boy."
He smirked. "Thanks, Gramma."
"Don't be stupid tonight," she cautioned.
He sighed and nodded. "Yes, Gramma."
"If you come home drunk, you sleep in the hall."
"Yes, Gramma."
"I mean it."
He rolled his eyes, and she smacked him upside the head.
He flinched and glared. "Ow."
*****
The club was nice. The four of them mostly sat and talked. They ran into a couple of Jess's old friends from when he lived in the city. They seemed nice enough. Gloria would sporadically grab Jamie and drag him onto the dance floor.
"Are they together?" Rory asked Jess over the loud music.
He shrugged. "Who can tell?"
Rory smirked. "You don't like it here, do you?"
"They play crappy music," Jess replied.
Rory nodded. "Yup. But most places probably do."
Jess nodded, and glanced at her. "You look really great, by the way. I don't know if I said that."
She smiled and turned a little red. "Thank you. You look nice, too."
He smirked at her briefly, but sighed a moment later, and went back to his stony complacent look.
The song changed, and Rory heard the familiar sounds of The Cure. "Oh, great song," she said over the opening riffs of "Love Song."
Jess nodded. "It's good."
They sat in silence and she stared at him a little.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Jess stared back. "What?"
She shrugged and smiled.
"You wanna dance."
She gave him a guilty look.
"I don't really do dancing," he told her.
She nodded.
"But..."
She looked back up at him and smiled. She got up and pulled him to his feet and led him onto the dance floor.
*****
"You danced."
Rory smiled as Jamie continued to tease Jess. It had gotten colder by the time they exited the club, and Jess had tossed her his heavy leather jacket, as her dress didn't provide much protection against the night's wind.
"Shut up, Jamie."
"You did!" Jamie laughed. "You danced! You got all close and snuggly and you danced, ya big softy!"
Jess glared. "Don't make me hurt you."
Gloria smiled and nudged Jess. "You're not a bad dancer."
He rolled his eyes.
"Y'know, if I remember correctly, he's not a bad dancer at all," said a new voice.
Rory turned to see a girl of their age, who had straight red hair, and a skinny, almost sickly figure. Her dress was light lavender, and didn't leave much to the imagination.
Gloria shook her head, and tried to herd them off in the opposite direction, pulling Rory by the arm gently. "Come on, it's almost one in the morning, we gotta head back."
"Who is that?" Rory asked Gloria quietly as she let herself be dragged.
"Leslie," Gloria whispered.
Rory glanced at Jess, who was lighting a cigarette. He didn't seem affected at all by the appearance of his ex-girlfriend.
It was Jamie who turned around and glared at the girl they were leaving behind.
Rory glanced back behind her, seeing the girl smile and wave. She seemed eerie. Almost dead. Almost ghostly, it seemed. She had to wonder what exactly had happened between Jess and the ghostly redhead.
*****
Gloria leaned against the bathroom doorframe as she watched her cousin wash his face in preparation for bed. "So?"
"So, what?" Jess asked, wiping his face.
"You saw Leslie."
"No, I didn't," he replied, turned to Gloria, leaning on the sink. "I heard Leslie. I didn't see her. Rory saw her. You saw her. Jamie saw her. I didn't see her."
Gloria sighed. "She's gonna be here every time you come back. And she still wants... well... you, I guess."
"She's messed up," Jess replied. "She doesn't know what she wants."
"One of these days, you're gonna have to tell me what really happened," Gloria told him, grabbing a hairbrush from a small basket near the sink.
"She cheated on me," he replied simply. "You know that."
"But there was something else she did that you aren't telling me. Or Jamie. Or Rory," Gloria said as she began brushing her hair. "She did something else. If she hadn't, you woulda turned around tonight and told her off."
Jess stared intently at the wall behind Gloria.
She smiled a little and patted his hair. "G'night, Jess."
He nodded as she left, and shortly after, he sauntered out to the living room, and laid down carefully next to Rory, who was already asleep on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her, and breathed her in. He was asleep shortly thereafter.