Everything that you recognize from Gilmore Girls the show belongs to Amy S-
P and the WB. Everything else is mine. Enjoy!
Thank you to iminlovewithaboynamedJESS (me too, by the way), for helping me out with the coding problems. Hopefully everything will work now. Also thank you to smile. I really love knowing that you are reading my work that carefully. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I just want to say, also, thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, and also, to anyone who has been reading, even if you haven't been reviewing. It makes me happy to know that people are enjoying my work. So without further ado, here you go! The eleventh chapter.
-----
Rory woke up, glanced at her watch, and then proceeded to bury her head in her pillow. It was inhumane to wake up this early. Oh well, at least it was Friday. The last day of the week.
Friday was a mix of sweet and sour, especially this Friday. It was the end of the week, but she had Friday night dinners. This Friday, she had also decided that she would tell Jess how she felt.
She was actually getting really nervous about that. Lately, their relationship had been really good. She had been getting Jess to open up, to share his feelings. She had even gotten him to go so far as to put aside his ego and let her help him study. That had been a real breakthrough, both in her relationship with him and in his school life. Now, with this. . .
All she knew was, this was not good. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him away? No, that was ridiculous. She shouldn't have to do things that she wasn't ready for for Jess, and she thought that he knew that. Whatever it was that happened that night, this was going to be a very uncomfortable situation.
-----
After school, Rory walked to the Inn instead of to the Diner, where she had been heading from her bus stop every day since she and Jess had been going out. It felt odd, avoiding him, but she didn't want to talk to him in front of all of the people who were sure to be in the diner. She wanted to talk to him later. Alone.
Before she went in, Rory called the apartment. As usual, no one picked up. She left a message. "Hey. It's me. Meet me tonight, at 9. You know where. OK. Bye."
She slipped her cell phone in her pocket and walked into the inn.
"Hey baby-cakes!"
"Hey Mom."
"This is so nice!" Lorelai said, coming over to give Rory a hug, "You haven't been by lately."
"Sorry."
"No! No problem. I'm just saying, it's a nice surprise. Look, I'm a little busy right now, but why don't you go hang with Sookie for a little while, and then I'll come play with you!"
"OK, cool." Rory walked into the kitchen to say hello to Sookie. Jackson was also there, making a delivery. For once, they weren't arguing about it. Rory found a stool to sit on.
"Hey sweetie! Hungry?" Sookie said in greeting.
"Yes! What have you got for me?"
"I'm doing chocolate soufflés today. Give me ten minutes and the next few will be up."
"Wow! Soufflé!" Rory waited as patiently as possible for her soufflé, and then ate it as she talked to Sookie.
"Done!" Lorelai called, breezing into the kitchen. "Ready to go home sweetie?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks so much Sookie! That was so good."
"Anytime sweetie!"
"Bye!"
"Thanks for what?" Lorelai asked as they left the inn."
"Oh, nothing. Just a soufflé."
"Sookie made you a soufflé?"
"I'm special."
"I'm jealous."
"Luke's?"
"I. . . uh. . . don't think we have time. Before dinner at the grandparents."
"Oh jeez, you're right!" Lorelai said, looking at her watch.
"Let's just go home, we can shower, get changed, maybe be on time for once. . ."
"Hey! I resent that," Lorelai said, pouting.
"Well maybe your resentment will be an incentive to be on time."
They walked back to the house, and as they walked up the front path, Lorelai got the mail. "Water bill, electric bill, Vassar!"
"What?"
"Vassar! It's a biggie! A big one! A big one!"
"I got into Vassar!"
"You got into Vassar! And Yale."
"What?" Rory stopped jumping up and down and took the envelope. "Yale?"
Lorelai passed her a third envelope. "Harvard."
"Harvard." Rory stood, staring at the envelopes she held in her hand, "Wow."
"We don't have to say anything to the grandparents tonight. We can wait, until you make up your mind."
"OK."
-----
"You ring it," Lorelai said.
"OK." Rory rang the bell.
"Lorelai! Rory! Come in! Can I get you something to drink?"
"Sure. I'll have whatever's opened."
"Can I have a Coke please?"
"Of course. Richard! Lorelai will have some of the Chardonnay, and Rory would like a Coke."
"Just a moment Emily."
They took their drinks and soon after sat down to dinner.
"So, have you heard from any universities yet?" Richard asked, as they were eating their salad.
"No, but we should be hearing any day now!" Lorelai answered quickly.
"Yes, soon."
"Have any of your school friends heard yet?" Emily asked.
"Um. . . well, Paris heard from Georgetown and Vassar. She got into both. But she's waiting to hear from Harvard. That's where she really wants to go. Seven generations of her family went there."
"Well, I can understand that," Richard said, "wanting to keep it in the family. You applied to Vassar and Georgetown as well, didn't you?"
"Just Vassar. But Paris lives in Hartford, so I guess it got to her sooner. I should be hearing soon."
"Yes. Yes, of course."
-----
After dinner was over, Lorelai and Rory got back in the car to drive home.
"Wow," Lorelai said, "that was close."
"Yeah. I'm glad I didn't tell them. He just would have kept pushing for Yale, Yale, Yale."
"Honey, I just want you to know. I'm not going to push for anything, OK? Whatever you decide, I'll be happy for you."
"Even if it's not Harvard?"
"Even if it's not Harvard."
"OK."
When they got back to the house, Rory went into her room to open the envelopes that she had received. First Harvard. It had always been Harvard. Anyone who looked at her room would think that she already attended the school. She pulled the letter out of the envelope, the one that began "Congratulations", and pinned it on her wall, next to a pennant from the school.
Next was Vassar. She didn't really think that she would go to Vassar. Her guidance counselor had recommended that she apply. She pulled the letter out of that envelope as well and pinned it on her wall, next to the one from Harvard.
Yale. Yale had never been an option. It had always been Harvard. She supposed that she had always known that her grandfather had gone to Yale, but until he started pushing for Yale, it hadn't even been an option. She had only really applied to make him happy. But now. . . she didn't really know. She tentatively pulled that letter out of the envelope and pinned it on her wall. She stared at the three letters on the wall. Her first three. She supposed more may come. She had applied to eight schools, and she hadn't even heard from her safeties yet, but she had a feeling that those other five schools weren't even in the running. It was going to end up being a contest between Harvard and Yale. It was just a matter of which.
Jess! She had completely forgotten. She checked her watch. It was a quarter to nine. She still had time. She changed out of the skirt and shirt that she had worn to her grandparents' house and put on a pair of jeans and a powder blue t-shirt. She took her hair down from the ponytail that she had been wearing it in and slipped on her sneakers.
"Mom!" she called, "I'm going out for a bit. I've got my phone!"
"All right sweets! See you later!"
She walked briskly to the bridge. She had completely forgotten about Jess since her college acceptance letters had arrived. Now the churning feeling in her stomach returned. What if he broke up with her? What if he thought she was a baby because she wouldn't go further with him? She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she had to do something, so she walked over to the bridge. She paused a few feet away.
Jess was standing, hands in his pockets, staring off into space. She watched his figure for about a minute before she slowly walked up to him. He turned as she started coming towards him.
"Hi," she said. He nodded in greeting.
"Um. Look. About the other night. . ." she almost expected him to cut her off, but he was just standing there, watching her, attentively.
"I know that I said, before, that I wouldn't mind, that I wanted to. . . go a little further with you. But I meant some day. I know that I'm behind the rest of the world, I know it's weird, but I really haven't done that much, and I guess. . . I guess I'm scared."
She paused, waiting for him to say something. He seemed to be waiting to see if she was done. Then he spoke. "It's not that weird. And I understand."
She wasn't sure what to do. He still seemed a little. . . cold towards her. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "Are you having trouble in school? Or-"
"My mom is remarrying."
"Oh." She didn't know what else to say.
"It's no big deal. It's just a change is all. I'm not trying to make excuses. This and what happened that night are in no way connected. You just asked what was wrong." Jess paused.
"I'm not mad. Well, not at you. I'm a little mad at myself, for pushing you where you didn't want to go, and I guess. . ." he sighed, "I guess I'm a little mad at my mom. I don't even know the guy. His name is Pete. And I talked to him on the phone for a minute. He made it clear that he doesn't want to be involved whatsoever in my life. I don't really care about him either, it's just. . ."
Rory slowly lifted her arms and placed them around his waist, inside his jacket. She pulled him close to her and rested her head on his chest. She lifted one hand and ran it through his hair, but she didn't lift her head. "I care about you," she said.
"OK," he said, and he wrapped his arms around her too. They held each other like that quietly for a few minutes, and then Rory lifted her head and kissed him softly on the lips.
"I'll let you know."
"OK." He stood still where he was as she walked away.
Thank you to iminlovewithaboynamedJESS (me too, by the way), for helping me out with the coding problems. Hopefully everything will work now. Also thank you to smile. I really love knowing that you are reading my work that carefully. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I just want to say, also, thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, and also, to anyone who has been reading, even if you haven't been reviewing. It makes me happy to know that people are enjoying my work. So without further ado, here you go! The eleventh chapter.
-----
Rory woke up, glanced at her watch, and then proceeded to bury her head in her pillow. It was inhumane to wake up this early. Oh well, at least it was Friday. The last day of the week.
Friday was a mix of sweet and sour, especially this Friday. It was the end of the week, but she had Friday night dinners. This Friday, she had also decided that she would tell Jess how she felt.
She was actually getting really nervous about that. Lately, their relationship had been really good. She had been getting Jess to open up, to share his feelings. She had even gotten him to go so far as to put aside his ego and let her help him study. That had been a real breakthrough, both in her relationship with him and in his school life. Now, with this. . .
All she knew was, this was not good. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him away? No, that was ridiculous. She shouldn't have to do things that she wasn't ready for for Jess, and she thought that he knew that. Whatever it was that happened that night, this was going to be a very uncomfortable situation.
-----
After school, Rory walked to the Inn instead of to the Diner, where she had been heading from her bus stop every day since she and Jess had been going out. It felt odd, avoiding him, but she didn't want to talk to him in front of all of the people who were sure to be in the diner. She wanted to talk to him later. Alone.
Before she went in, Rory called the apartment. As usual, no one picked up. She left a message. "Hey. It's me. Meet me tonight, at 9. You know where. OK. Bye."
She slipped her cell phone in her pocket and walked into the inn.
"Hey baby-cakes!"
"Hey Mom."
"This is so nice!" Lorelai said, coming over to give Rory a hug, "You haven't been by lately."
"Sorry."
"No! No problem. I'm just saying, it's a nice surprise. Look, I'm a little busy right now, but why don't you go hang with Sookie for a little while, and then I'll come play with you!"
"OK, cool." Rory walked into the kitchen to say hello to Sookie. Jackson was also there, making a delivery. For once, they weren't arguing about it. Rory found a stool to sit on.
"Hey sweetie! Hungry?" Sookie said in greeting.
"Yes! What have you got for me?"
"I'm doing chocolate soufflés today. Give me ten minutes and the next few will be up."
"Wow! Soufflé!" Rory waited as patiently as possible for her soufflé, and then ate it as she talked to Sookie.
"Done!" Lorelai called, breezing into the kitchen. "Ready to go home sweetie?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks so much Sookie! That was so good."
"Anytime sweetie!"
"Bye!"
"Thanks for what?" Lorelai asked as they left the inn."
"Oh, nothing. Just a soufflé."
"Sookie made you a soufflé?"
"I'm special."
"I'm jealous."
"Luke's?"
"I. . . uh. . . don't think we have time. Before dinner at the grandparents."
"Oh jeez, you're right!" Lorelai said, looking at her watch.
"Let's just go home, we can shower, get changed, maybe be on time for once. . ."
"Hey! I resent that," Lorelai said, pouting.
"Well maybe your resentment will be an incentive to be on time."
They walked back to the house, and as they walked up the front path, Lorelai got the mail. "Water bill, electric bill, Vassar!"
"What?"
"Vassar! It's a biggie! A big one! A big one!"
"I got into Vassar!"
"You got into Vassar! And Yale."
"What?" Rory stopped jumping up and down and took the envelope. "Yale?"
Lorelai passed her a third envelope. "Harvard."
"Harvard." Rory stood, staring at the envelopes she held in her hand, "Wow."
"We don't have to say anything to the grandparents tonight. We can wait, until you make up your mind."
"OK."
-----
"You ring it," Lorelai said.
"OK." Rory rang the bell.
"Lorelai! Rory! Come in! Can I get you something to drink?"
"Sure. I'll have whatever's opened."
"Can I have a Coke please?"
"Of course. Richard! Lorelai will have some of the Chardonnay, and Rory would like a Coke."
"Just a moment Emily."
They took their drinks and soon after sat down to dinner.
"So, have you heard from any universities yet?" Richard asked, as they were eating their salad.
"No, but we should be hearing any day now!" Lorelai answered quickly.
"Yes, soon."
"Have any of your school friends heard yet?" Emily asked.
"Um. . . well, Paris heard from Georgetown and Vassar. She got into both. But she's waiting to hear from Harvard. That's where she really wants to go. Seven generations of her family went there."
"Well, I can understand that," Richard said, "wanting to keep it in the family. You applied to Vassar and Georgetown as well, didn't you?"
"Just Vassar. But Paris lives in Hartford, so I guess it got to her sooner. I should be hearing soon."
"Yes. Yes, of course."
-----
After dinner was over, Lorelai and Rory got back in the car to drive home.
"Wow," Lorelai said, "that was close."
"Yeah. I'm glad I didn't tell them. He just would have kept pushing for Yale, Yale, Yale."
"Honey, I just want you to know. I'm not going to push for anything, OK? Whatever you decide, I'll be happy for you."
"Even if it's not Harvard?"
"Even if it's not Harvard."
"OK."
When they got back to the house, Rory went into her room to open the envelopes that she had received. First Harvard. It had always been Harvard. Anyone who looked at her room would think that she already attended the school. She pulled the letter out of the envelope, the one that began "Congratulations", and pinned it on her wall, next to a pennant from the school.
Next was Vassar. She didn't really think that she would go to Vassar. Her guidance counselor had recommended that she apply. She pulled the letter out of that envelope as well and pinned it on her wall, next to the one from Harvard.
Yale. Yale had never been an option. It had always been Harvard. She supposed that she had always known that her grandfather had gone to Yale, but until he started pushing for Yale, it hadn't even been an option. She had only really applied to make him happy. But now. . . she didn't really know. She tentatively pulled that letter out of the envelope and pinned it on her wall. She stared at the three letters on the wall. Her first three. She supposed more may come. She had applied to eight schools, and she hadn't even heard from her safeties yet, but she had a feeling that those other five schools weren't even in the running. It was going to end up being a contest between Harvard and Yale. It was just a matter of which.
Jess! She had completely forgotten. She checked her watch. It was a quarter to nine. She still had time. She changed out of the skirt and shirt that she had worn to her grandparents' house and put on a pair of jeans and a powder blue t-shirt. She took her hair down from the ponytail that she had been wearing it in and slipped on her sneakers.
"Mom!" she called, "I'm going out for a bit. I've got my phone!"
"All right sweets! See you later!"
She walked briskly to the bridge. She had completely forgotten about Jess since her college acceptance letters had arrived. Now the churning feeling in her stomach returned. What if he broke up with her? What if he thought she was a baby because she wouldn't go further with him? She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she had to do something, so she walked over to the bridge. She paused a few feet away.
Jess was standing, hands in his pockets, staring off into space. She watched his figure for about a minute before she slowly walked up to him. He turned as she started coming towards him.
"Hi," she said. He nodded in greeting.
"Um. Look. About the other night. . ." she almost expected him to cut her off, but he was just standing there, watching her, attentively.
"I know that I said, before, that I wouldn't mind, that I wanted to. . . go a little further with you. But I meant some day. I know that I'm behind the rest of the world, I know it's weird, but I really haven't done that much, and I guess. . . I guess I'm scared."
She paused, waiting for him to say something. He seemed to be waiting to see if she was done. Then he spoke. "It's not that weird. And I understand."
She wasn't sure what to do. He still seemed a little. . . cold towards her. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "Are you having trouble in school? Or-"
"My mom is remarrying."
"Oh." She didn't know what else to say.
"It's no big deal. It's just a change is all. I'm not trying to make excuses. This and what happened that night are in no way connected. You just asked what was wrong." Jess paused.
"I'm not mad. Well, not at you. I'm a little mad at myself, for pushing you where you didn't want to go, and I guess. . ." he sighed, "I guess I'm a little mad at my mom. I don't even know the guy. His name is Pete. And I talked to him on the phone for a minute. He made it clear that he doesn't want to be involved whatsoever in my life. I don't really care about him either, it's just. . ."
Rory slowly lifted her arms and placed them around his waist, inside his jacket. She pulled him close to her and rested her head on his chest. She lifted one hand and ran it through his hair, but she didn't lift her head. "I care about you," she said.
"OK," he said, and he wrapped his arms around her too. They held each other like that quietly for a few minutes, and then Rory lifted her head and kissed him softly on the lips.
"I'll let you know."
"OK." He stood still where he was as she walked away.