Rory was shocked. She wasn't even thinking of seeing him there.
Luckily he was reading a book and wouldn't immediately spot them.
"Lucy, how about I go order and you find a seat."
Lucy agreed and quickly told Rory what she wanted. Rory approached the cash register and put in her order.
"Rory, could I also get a cookie? Chocolate chip would be preferred. Thanks," Lucy yelled from across the room. She knew his eyes were on her. That he had seen her. Avoidance was very hard for her. Lucy didn't make it any better.
Without replying she grabbed a cookie for Lucy and carried their lunch over to the table Lucy had chosen. Luckily it was no where near him.
"Did you get my cookie," Lucy asked, "I'm sorry it's just a childhood habit."
Rory let it go as she took her seat. 'This will definitely be a long lunch.' She thought to herself.
Looking over at him, she winced to see him stare back at her. Quickly she turned to look back at Lucy and pretended to pay attention to how little Stacy was doing in school.
After Rory finished eating she excuse herself to go look at the selection of books. Skimming through the titles she found one that looked interesting. She picked it up and read the description on the back.
"Looks like a good choice," a deep voice whispered from behind her.
"Jess, what are you doing." Rory was shocked that he had approached her and she desperately wanted to end the conversation.
"What, I don't even get a thanks for saving your life?"
"I'm sorry, Jess thank you soo much for saving my life and protecting me from the bad guys with the guns." Rory said sarcastically.
"That was very sincere. For someone who almost lost their life you aren't being very serious." His tone was hushed, as if he wanted no one else to hear.
"Thanks." Rory added silently.
"What was that? A thank you, from Miss I'm too good to be around you?"
"Jess, if anything you should be apologizing to me."
"Really? I didn't know that saving you from a gunshot was a bad thing," Jess added skeptically. She felt overpowered, but that wouldn't stop her.
"You left. You didn't call or anything," she yelled out with frustration raging through her voice. She abruptly left him standing there and went over to see if Lucy was done her lunch. Rory was relieved when she said she was. Quickly they left the Café and rushed back to work. ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * ** * * * * ** * * * ** * ** ** *
That evening, Rory poured over her next assignment. A popular band was in town and she was to do an interview on them, meaning she would likely have to go to the concert. She could imagine the sickening appearance of girls drooling over a lead singer. She had been given their website address and decided to get a feel for their personality and music.
After a few hours of listening to their music and reading about their background, she heard a knock at her door. Surprised she slowly inched her way to the door, she had already been shown how violent some New Yorkers could be. She looked through the peephole to see a man standing in front of her. He looked vaguely familiar. Though it was hard to make out any noticeable appearances under the faded light. As she opened the door the man turned around. Immediately a smile hit her face.
"Hey, I hope you don't mind I got your address."
"Are you kidding, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"
The thoughts about what Dean had warned her about briefly raced through her mind, but quickly exited as he smiled at her. He moved closer to her and hugged her.
"These are for you." from behind his back he pulled out a dozen red roses.
She blushed but gladly accepted them.
"Come on in. Is there something I can get you?"
"No, just seeing you is enough."
"I was just working on my next story."
"What is it on?"
"I'm interviewing a band that's coming to town."
"I see."
"Oh, I went to a local Café today and spotted a few books I thought looked interesting."
"Do you have any titles?"
"No..I tried to remember them but I was really distracted with work."
"That is perfectly fine. If you're done your work we should go book shopping."
"That actually sounds pretty good. I've been researching for hours and I'm getting a little tired of it. A break would be good."
Rory went to the closet to grab her jacket when the phone rang.
"Would you like me to get that for you?"
"Actually that's ok. It might be my mom and she would be kind of freaked out."
Walking over she picked up the phone.
"Hello."
"Rory?" She knew by the tone of his voice that it was Dean. If Adam found out that it was Dean he might be mad or curious and she didn't want to have to explain everything.
"Can I help you with something?"
"I want to prove to you I'm right."
"Could you wait one second please?" She turned the phone to face her shoulder and tried to make it obvious that he was over...
"Adam, I just need to go to my room/ office for a few minutes it's work." She said extra loud.
"Ok sweetie."
Moving to her room she put the phone to her ear.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes. Why is he over?"
"He just showed up." She whispered.
"Are you in front of your laptop?"
"Yes." He quickly gave her a website to type in.
"This is a record of girls he's abused. It's on the internet for a law class or something."
Rory kept watching the door, frightened that he might come in any second and see what she was doing. Glancing down at the screen, she saw a list of many names. At least 30. Their ages were shown, and typically ranged from 18 to 28.
"Oh my god.. Dean I'm scared."
"That's what I said earlier. I just hoped you would listen and I wouldn't have to show you this."
"Not to say I don't trust you, but is there a place where I can get an official copy of this."
"I'm pretty sure and local "law library" will have one."
"This really isn't a joke?"
"Rory, no, it's not a joke."
"Okay, I just have to get him out of my apart..." All of a sudden the door opened and Adam smiled a little as he entered.
"Is everything okay?" He said with concern in his voice.
"Yep, I'm just finishing up."
Rory spoke into the phone, she hoped Dean would catch on.
"Ok, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Just to verify, how long did you want the report?"
"I'll call you tomorrow okay?" Dean had immediately caught on, but wanted to help Rory so badly.
"Sure. What time would you like it by."
"Around 2o'clock."
"Ok, we'll meet at my office then?"
"Yah, I still have that number."
"Bye."
"Good luck. I'm sorry this had to happen."
"No problem."
With that she hung up. Adam walked a little further into the room. She quickly closed the screen and shut off her laptop.
"Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, let's go."
She didn't want to make it seem suspicious so she decided to go along. She silently slipped her cell into her coat pocket and prayed that she would be able to return to her apartment safely.
"Lucy, how about I go order and you find a seat."
Lucy agreed and quickly told Rory what she wanted. Rory approached the cash register and put in her order.
"Rory, could I also get a cookie? Chocolate chip would be preferred. Thanks," Lucy yelled from across the room. She knew his eyes were on her. That he had seen her. Avoidance was very hard for her. Lucy didn't make it any better.
Without replying she grabbed a cookie for Lucy and carried their lunch over to the table Lucy had chosen. Luckily it was no where near him.
"Did you get my cookie," Lucy asked, "I'm sorry it's just a childhood habit."
Rory let it go as she took her seat. 'This will definitely be a long lunch.' She thought to herself.
Looking over at him, she winced to see him stare back at her. Quickly she turned to look back at Lucy and pretended to pay attention to how little Stacy was doing in school.
After Rory finished eating she excuse herself to go look at the selection of books. Skimming through the titles she found one that looked interesting. She picked it up and read the description on the back.
"Looks like a good choice," a deep voice whispered from behind her.
"Jess, what are you doing." Rory was shocked that he had approached her and she desperately wanted to end the conversation.
"What, I don't even get a thanks for saving your life?"
"I'm sorry, Jess thank you soo much for saving my life and protecting me from the bad guys with the guns." Rory said sarcastically.
"That was very sincere. For someone who almost lost their life you aren't being very serious." His tone was hushed, as if he wanted no one else to hear.
"Thanks." Rory added silently.
"What was that? A thank you, from Miss I'm too good to be around you?"
"Jess, if anything you should be apologizing to me."
"Really? I didn't know that saving you from a gunshot was a bad thing," Jess added skeptically. She felt overpowered, but that wouldn't stop her.
"You left. You didn't call or anything," she yelled out with frustration raging through her voice. She abruptly left him standing there and went over to see if Lucy was done her lunch. Rory was relieved when she said she was. Quickly they left the Café and rushed back to work. ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * ** * * * * ** * * * ** * ** ** *
That evening, Rory poured over her next assignment. A popular band was in town and she was to do an interview on them, meaning she would likely have to go to the concert. She could imagine the sickening appearance of girls drooling over a lead singer. She had been given their website address and decided to get a feel for their personality and music.
After a few hours of listening to their music and reading about their background, she heard a knock at her door. Surprised she slowly inched her way to the door, she had already been shown how violent some New Yorkers could be. She looked through the peephole to see a man standing in front of her. He looked vaguely familiar. Though it was hard to make out any noticeable appearances under the faded light. As she opened the door the man turned around. Immediately a smile hit her face.
"Hey, I hope you don't mind I got your address."
"Are you kidding, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"
The thoughts about what Dean had warned her about briefly raced through her mind, but quickly exited as he smiled at her. He moved closer to her and hugged her.
"These are for you." from behind his back he pulled out a dozen red roses.
She blushed but gladly accepted them.
"Come on in. Is there something I can get you?"
"No, just seeing you is enough."
"I was just working on my next story."
"What is it on?"
"I'm interviewing a band that's coming to town."
"I see."
"Oh, I went to a local Café today and spotted a few books I thought looked interesting."
"Do you have any titles?"
"No..I tried to remember them but I was really distracted with work."
"That is perfectly fine. If you're done your work we should go book shopping."
"That actually sounds pretty good. I've been researching for hours and I'm getting a little tired of it. A break would be good."
Rory went to the closet to grab her jacket when the phone rang.
"Would you like me to get that for you?"
"Actually that's ok. It might be my mom and she would be kind of freaked out."
Walking over she picked up the phone.
"Hello."
"Rory?" She knew by the tone of his voice that it was Dean. If Adam found out that it was Dean he might be mad or curious and she didn't want to have to explain everything.
"Can I help you with something?"
"I want to prove to you I'm right."
"Could you wait one second please?" She turned the phone to face her shoulder and tried to make it obvious that he was over...
"Adam, I just need to go to my room/ office for a few minutes it's work." She said extra loud.
"Ok sweetie."
Moving to her room she put the phone to her ear.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes. Why is he over?"
"He just showed up." She whispered.
"Are you in front of your laptop?"
"Yes." He quickly gave her a website to type in.
"This is a record of girls he's abused. It's on the internet for a law class or something."
Rory kept watching the door, frightened that he might come in any second and see what she was doing. Glancing down at the screen, she saw a list of many names. At least 30. Their ages were shown, and typically ranged from 18 to 28.
"Oh my god.. Dean I'm scared."
"That's what I said earlier. I just hoped you would listen and I wouldn't have to show you this."
"Not to say I don't trust you, but is there a place where I can get an official copy of this."
"I'm pretty sure and local "law library" will have one."
"This really isn't a joke?"
"Rory, no, it's not a joke."
"Okay, I just have to get him out of my apart..." All of a sudden the door opened and Adam smiled a little as he entered.
"Is everything okay?" He said with concern in his voice.
"Yep, I'm just finishing up."
Rory spoke into the phone, she hoped Dean would catch on.
"Ok, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Just to verify, how long did you want the report?"
"I'll call you tomorrow okay?" Dean had immediately caught on, but wanted to help Rory so badly.
"Sure. What time would you like it by."
"Around 2o'clock."
"Ok, we'll meet at my office then?"
"Yah, I still have that number."
"Bye."
"Good luck. I'm sorry this had to happen."
"No problem."
With that she hung up. Adam walked a little further into the room. She quickly closed the screen and shut off her laptop.
"Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, let's go."
She didn't want to make it seem suspicious so she decided to go along. She silently slipped her cell into her coat pocket and prayed that she would be able to return to her apartment safely.