Author's note: Wow! I was so happy when I read the reviews I got from the last chapter! I really appreciate that you tell me what you like about the story and tell me your opinion. Thank you so much, Susan, Robin2, Smile1, sooty7sweep, Becca, Callista NicTeryn, megliz716, mar0506 and to the rest of the people who continue on reading this story! Please keep the reviews coming!!! Anyways, happy reading....

Setting: Why do I even put this thing on?!?! I'm sure you already know the setting to this story by now....

Summary: A school newspaper. Two different opinions. A book. Mixed in with some confusion, misguidance and attraction. A perfect recipe for a good old fashioned fairy tale story, so to speak. (Trory)

Askepott

Chapter six

Later that afternoon, Gilmore house

"Hello, Gilmore house of pancakes, tacos and chicken! May I take your order?", Lorelai said, as she answered the phone.

"Lorelai, you disappoint me.", the all too familiar snide voice replied at the other end of the receiver.

"Well, I've never heard that before, mother.", Lorelai remarked sarcastically.

Ignoring her daughter's comment, Emily merely continued. "To think that you can't even answer the phone without saying anything sardonic is completely pathetic!"

"Geez, mom, tell me how you really feel!"

"Honestly, Lorelai, where are your manners? What if it had been an important person who was calling?"

"Mom, no one important ever calls here, except if you count the delivery boy calling to say that he'll be a few minutes late, so I'm sure I don't have to worry about anything.", Lorelai informed. She could picture her mother rolling her eyes at the other end of the phone and letting out a sigh. "Anyways, as much as I'd like to continue this game of '101 ways of criticizing my daughter', to what to I do owe the pleasure of this phone call?"

"I just called to say that there will be no Friday night dinner this week."

"Good golly! There is a God! I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I've been saved!", Lorelai exclaimed quite dramatically, going down on her knees and looking up, while raising her free hand in the air.

"Instead, your father and I are having a small dinner party on Saturday and you and Rory are invited."

"No! It's getting dark again. Where am I?!", Lorelai cried out hysterically, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I can't see!! I can't see!!", she said as she closed her eyes for effect and started to aimlessly wave her hand around as if in search of something to grasp.

"Lorelai, will you cut the playfulness and be serious for one minute!", her mother demanded.

Letting go of the act, Lorelai rose to her feet and answered her mother in a casual tone for the first time during their entire conversation. "Fine, mom. So you're having a dinner party? What's the occasion?"

Relieved that her daughter finally spoke to her in a normal manner, Emily excitedly continued. "Well, as you perhaps know, your father is doing quite well in the company and apparently this month they had a record breaking sales profit! So I thought some form of celebration was in order."

"You couldn't just have settled for a few bottles of cheap wine and a night at a karaoke bar, huh?", Lorelai asked quite mockingly, knowing that her mother wouldn't immidiatly get the joke.

"What?"

"Nothing, mom.", Lorelai said, not bothering to go into further explanation. "What time should we be there?", she asked instead.

"Six o'clock. And do try not to be late."

"The verdict is still out on that one, but I'll let you know as soon as it does.", Lorelai said, falling back into her sarcastic remarks once again.

"Fine, as you wish.", Emily replied tiredly, having no more energy to match her daughter's banter. "I'll see you then. Give my regards to Rory."

"I will.", Lorelai answered before hanging up the phone.

She put the phone on the coffee table and started limping her way to her bedroom. The reason why she was home at this time of the day was due to her left heel falling off, and so she had to rush home to change her shoes. This would be the last time she'd buy a pair of shoes from a guy with a beret and a pair of funny looking glasses, telling her that they were tailored and imported directly from Italy. 'Stupid ass guy!', Lorelai muttered under her breath as she went up the stairs. The front door swinging open caused her to stop at her tracks and cast her eye towards the hallway.

"Rory? What are you doing home so early?", she asked curiously.

"There was a fire at school. All classes were cancelled cause the firemen had to hose down the entire chemistry section and parts of the main building so the school is pretty much a scene from 'Waterworld'.", Rory explained.

"Is everyone all right? Did anyone get hurt?", the older Gilmore asked worriedly and rushed down, with her limping foot, to give her daughter a hug.

"No, no one got hurt or anything. Apparently some chemistry experiment sort of blew up, literally speaking, and then lit the ceiling on fire. Anyways, they got everyone out before anyone got injured."

"Wow, what a way to actualize the phrase 'The roof! The roof! The roof is one fire!', Lorelai said, with a twinkle in her eye.

"I guess so. But the bad thing is that I was in the library when the fire alarm went off and as I was hurrying out of the building, I must've dropped my book for lit class. And I was starting to write my next review for the paper and I can't seem to find that anywhere too!", Rory said disappointedly.

"No worries, honey. I'm sure it will turn up sooner or later.", Lorelai consoled. "Otherwise, you can always buy the book and start writing the review once again."

"Yeah, I guess.", Rory agreed. Finally realizing that her mom was also home this early, she looked her and asked. "So what are you doing here as well?"

Pointing to her left foot, she filled her daughter in on her day. "My heel broke! I can't believe I paid 30 bucks for these babies! If I ever see that beret wearing guy again, I swear..!", Lorelai threatened, trailing off. "And I would have been here sooner had it not been for Michel pestering me about some inane matters that I'm sure he could have figured out on his own! Seriously, that short little French guy is stepping on my last nerves!", she ended quite annoyed.

"Take it easy, mom. No need to burst an aorta for the sake of a foreign midget and a broken stiletto!", Rory said. "Besides, if you did, you wouldn't have the pleasure of making Michel's life a living hell every single day you're at work!"

Pretending to think it thru, Lorelai bobbed her head to side and rubbed her chin. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right. And you forgot to mention your grandparents on that list."

"Well, I kind of figured that fact was quite obvious since the very day you decided to leave their home to raise your child at small town, shielding her from that pompous superficial upbringing that you had the endure.", Rory enlightened.

"Eloquently put, my child.", Lorelai said quite impressed.

"Well, I do have my moments.", Rory replied, feigning arrogance.

"By the way, speaking of the parental unit, we've been invited to a dinner party at the House of Horrors this Saturday night."

"What about Friday night dinner?"

"Oh, that is replaced by us having to attend this Saturday shindig instead."

"Well, at least you can prolong your suffering for one whole day. Maybe grandma would have turned over a new leaf and you could actually have a civil conversation.", Rory proposed.

"Yeah, and maybe I'd be married to Bono and he'd conveniently whisk me off for a romantic get away this weekend.", Lorelai said mockingly.

Rolling her eyes to her mom, Rory merely shrugged and started to make her way to her room. She put her bag on her desk and kicked her shoes off. Opening her closet, she rummaged through it in search of something to wear, and she finally settled for a pair of jeans and sweatshirt. Quickly changing out of her uniform, Rory walked out to the hallway again, but this time with no Lorelai in sight. Thinking that her mom must've gone upstairs to look for a new pair of shoes, she leaned towards the staircase and called out. "Mom! I'm just going to the bookstore to buy a new copy of my book!"

"Okay! I'll see you at Luke's for dinner?", Lorelai's voice echoed from upstairs.

"Yeah, I'll see you there!", Rory said, and walked out of their front door.