Through Your Eyes #1: People Change
By: Apolla
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).
Pairings: Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p
Setting: This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.
Don't Worry: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.
~*~*SPECIAL NOTE! I'm sorry it has taken so long to update. I've had the chapters ready, but fanfic.net was acting up on me and not letting me upload new chapters.
And YES, I love long reviews!!!! J
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"You're dressed up," Luke told Lorelai and Rory as they entered the diner late Friday afternoon.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. I want coffee and a big cheeseburger with extra fries."
"Oooh, me too," Rory said.
"Why are you dressed up?" Luke asked.
"It's Friday," Rory told him. "We have dinner with the grandparents in an hour."
"If you're having dinner, then why are you here?" Luke asked.
"Because last week they served us squid!" Lorelai told him in horror.
"And then we almost died of starvation," Rory added.
"So I thought - Rory, we must come up with a plan!" Lorelai said dramatically.
"And she did."
"Oh, I can't stand the suspense," Luke said sarcastically.
"Luke, I don't like your tone," Lorelai told him. "But I'll tell you anyway."
"You always do."
Lorelai ignored him and continued. "We eat good food before the grandparents dinner, and then when we don't eat their gross food, we still won't die of starvation!"
"Because we ate here first," Rory told him.
"Wow, that's just brilliant," Luke told Lorelai. "Really, it is. I mean, I think that is the most brilliant idea I have ever heard. Cure for cancer? Cloning a human? Oh, no. How to avoid eating gross food without starving, that's it."
"So coffee and a burger?" Lorelai asked.
"Coming right up."
"Hey Luke, where's Jess?" Rory called.
"Upstairs!" he called back.
"Can I - "
"Yeah!"
"Be right back, Mom."
"Yeah, sure you will. I know what you're doing up there."
"Mom!"
"Oh, just go."
Rory headed up the stairs and knocked on the door, but no one answered. She slowly opened it and saw Jess sitting in a chair, reading, with headphones on. She could hear the music blaring from where she was standing.
Rory crept up behind him, then wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, kissing him on the cheek. Jess turned off the music, took off the headphones, and dropped the book, letting them fall in a pile on the floor. "Hey," he said.
He pulled Rory into his lap and put his arms loosely around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hey," she said.
Rory tilted her head to one side, Jess leaned forward, and they kissed. It was a demanding kiss that seemed to last a lifetime - Rory opened her mouth and Jess crushed it with his. Rory played with the hair on the back of Jess' head as they kissed, and Jess pulled Rory tighter up against him.
Suddenly they heard loud banging on the stairs and stopped kissing, both flushed and breathing hard. "Hey!" Luke said, bursting in. "Different pieces of furniture!"
"We're not on the same piece of furniture," Rory told him innocently.
"Yeah, I'm on the chair, and she's on me," Jess said.
"Jess," Luke said warningly.
Rory blushed and got up. "Your food's ready," Luke told Rory gruffly.
"Okay," Rory said meekly.
She disappeared down the stairs and Jess made to follow, but Luke blocked the doorway. "Jess."
Jess stopped, but didn't say anything. "What are you doing?" Luke asked warily.
"Right now, or before?"
"You know what I mean."
"Kissing my girlfriend?" Jess said.
"I have rules!"
"Yes."
"You're supposed to follow them."
"Oh, is that how it works? Huh. Well, now I know."
"Jess - "
"What!" Jess said, annoyed.
"Are you sleeping with her?"
Jess' head jerked up. "What? No!"
"Are you going to?"
"None of your business."
"Jess - " Luke began threateningly.
"I'm not going to make her do anything she doesn't want to," he told Luke defensively.
"Okay," Luke said simply.
Luke turned around and went downstairs, and after a moment, Jess followed him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You and Jess were up there for a long time," Lorelai told Rory when she came downstairs and sat down.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I detained Luke for you."
"Thanks."
"So?"
"So what?"
"So what happened?" Lorelai prodded.
She eyed Rory. "You and James Dean were making out," she teased.
"I thought you were going to come up with a different nickname."
"I'm working on it. But you're not going to distract me."
"Who's trying to distract you? Me? No, not me. Nope. Must be somebody else."
"Uh-huh. So?"
"So what?"
"Is he a good kisser?"
"Mom!"
"Well?"
"Mom, you should not be asking me this. Besides, I thought you didn't like Jess."
"I don't. But you do, so I'm pretending I do."
"I see. And yes."
"I knew it!" Lorelai said triumphantly.
"Knew what?" Jess asked, coming over to their table.
"Nothing," Lorelai said in a sing-song voice.
He looked at Rory, who was blushing. "What'd you tell her?" he asked Rory.
"Rory and Jess, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Lorelai sang.
"Mom, stop!" Rory begged.
"What'd you tell her?" Jess repeated.
"So, James Dean, I hear you're a good kisser," Lorelai said.
Luke, was had also come over to their table, looked like he was about to fall over. "What?"
Rory put her face in her hands. "Not happening. Not happening," she said over and over, her voice muffled.
"Lorelai!" Luke said.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"You sound like - like - like Miss Patty!"
"I do not! I am merely repeating information given to me. Miss Patty talks about how she wants to pinch Jess' butt."
"What?" Jess asked.
Rory took her head out of her hands and giggled. "Yup. Should I be jealous?"
"Can we please stop talking about Jess and - and - " Luke stopped.
"Jess and how he's a good kisser, or Jess and Miss Patty?" Lorelai asked in an I'm-trying-to-be-helpful tone.
"There is no Jess and Miss Patty," Jess told Lorelai.
"Sure there's not."
"There's not."
"Sure there's not."
"There's not!"
"Sure - "
"There's NOT!"
"Wow, I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much. Can we start this argument again?"
"No," Jess replied.
Rory looked at her watch. "Mom, we have to go. We're going to be late."
"Oh, all right."
Rory gave Jess a quick kiss and waved goodbye to Luke. "'Bye Lukey! 'Bye Jessie! It's been fun!" Lorelai called.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ring the doorbell," Rory told Lorelai.
"You ring the doorbell."
"Why can't you do it?" Rory asked her.
"Because if I ring the doorbell, someone's going to answer the door."
"Yes, that's what usually happens when somebody rings a doorbell."
"And then we're going to have to go inside."
"Mmm-hmm, but you forgot the part where someone lets us in through the door."
"You know, sometimes I think I've raised a cheeky child," Lorelai told Rory.
"Cheeky?"
"Yes. Cheeky," Lorelai said, looking proud of herself for using a new word.
She giggled. "Cheeky," she said again.
Rory rang the doorbell and a maid answered the door. "Hello, my name is Elena."
"Hiya, Elena. We're the daughter and granddaughter."
"Right this way," Elena said, leading them to Emily.
"So I think cheeky should be our new word," Lorelai continued.
"A new word?"
"You're right, we should turn it into a phrase. Like, 'you're much too cheeky today, Charles'," Lorelai said with a fake British accent.
"Okay."
"You're going to use it on Luke, aren't you," Rory said, seeing the slight smile on her mother's face.
Lorelai shook her head. "Guess again," she sang.
"Oh no. Jess?"
She grinned and nodded. Rory rolled her eyes upward. "Oy with the poodles already!"
"Oh, Rory, Lorelai. How nice to see you," Emily said.
"Right back at ya, Mom."
"Hi Grandma."
"What would you like to drink?" Emily asked them.
"Soda is fine," Rory said.
"Martini. Dry."
After Lorelai and Rory received their drinks, Emily sat down with them. "So, Rory. How's school going?"
"Fine, Grandma."
"That's nice. And Lorelai, how are things going at the Inn?"
"They're going great."
"How's Sookie doing? Is she pregnant yet?"
Lorelai spluttered on her drink. "No, Sookie's not pregnant yet! I can't believe you just asked me that."
"It was just a question, Lorelai. You don't have to get so excited."
There was a pause, until Emily asked Lorelai another question. "Are you seeing anyone?"
"Enough with the twenty questions!" Lorelai exclaimed.
"Well, Lorelai, honestly, it's the only way I can get anything out of you - "
"So, Mom, how's Gran doing?" Lorelai interrupted.
"Fine. She insulted the new chair in the study just yesterday."
"Wow, I see how great you two are getting along."
"Ma'am, dinner is ready," Elena said, coming up to Emily.
"Excellent. Go and fetch Mr. Gilmore from his study, please."
Emily turned to Lorelai and Rory. "Shall we, girls?"
"Oh yes, we shall," Lorelai said.
"You're much too cheeky today, Charles," Rory quietly told her mother.
Lorelai giggled. "Cheeky."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Uuuuhhh," Lorelai moaned the next morning, coming into the kitchen. "I think I'm dead."
"Look, Fred made coffee," Rory told her mother.
"He did? Good boy!" Lorelai said, perking up and patting the top of the coffee maker.
Lorelai and Rory sat at the table silently, drinking their coffee. "So what are your plans for today?" Lorelai asked her daughter.
"Well, I have some homework to do, and then I'm going to go see Lane. How about you?"
"I have to go to the Inn. I mean, Michel was in charge last night. Who knows what happened?"
"Yeah. Movie night tonight?" Rory asked.
"Of course."
"Um, Mom…….." Rory hesitated.
"What?"
"Can I invite Jess?"
Oh, great. Movie night ruined by James Dean. Hey, maybe we should get a James Dean movie, and make comparisons between him and Jess the whole time. Hmm………, Lorelai thought.
"Yeah, okay," Lorelai said.
"Thanks. Luke's?"
"Duh!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Lukey! I have arrived!" Lorelai called across the diner as she tried to make a dramatic entrance.
Rory pushed her through the door. "Hey, missy, keep it movin'."
They sat down at a table in the corner. "So flannel man," Lorelai began as Luke came over and poured them coffee. "Seen any more of the mystery lady?"
"Yeah."
"You have? Ooooh, so what else do you know about her?"
"Nothing. Oh, but you missed it when she put Taylor in his place."
"Why do I miss all the good stuff?" Lorelai asked Rory, who shrugged and kept drinking her coffee.
"How come we've never seen her?" Lorelai asked Luke.
Luke looked at them for a moment. "You know, it's strange," he said slowly. "She's here a lot, but whenever you two come, she suddenly disappears."
"Gee, Luke, don't make it sound like we chase customers away or anything," Lorelai told him.
"It's just odd," Luke muttered to himself as he walked away.
"Hehe! This is driving Luke crazy!" Lorelai said gleefully.
"Is this some prank you two are pulling?" Jess asked, coming over to their table and sitting down next to Rory.
"No!" Rory told him indignantly. "We would come up with something so much better!"
Lorelai and Rory turned to look at each other. "Why haven't we ever come up with a huge prank to pull on Luke?" Lorelai asked Rory.
"I don't know. If this gets out, it could ruin your reputation," Rory told her.
"I know! I better think of something!"
"It has to be something big."
Lorelai nodded. "Monumental."
"Huge."
"Gigantic."
"This conversation is repetitive," Jess told them.
"And redundant," Rory replied.
Jess rolled his eyes. "What are you doing today?" he asked Rory.
"I have homework and then I'm going to hang out with Lane."
"Okay."
"But - " Rory shot a glance at her mom, who was pretending that she wasn't listening to every word they were saying, "I was wondering if you wanted to come to movie night tonight."
"Um, you know what? I have to go ask Luke something. I'll be right back," Lorelai interrupted.
"Okay, Mom."
Lorelai got up and left, and Rory turned to Jess. "So?"
Jess shrugged. "Okay."
"You want to?"
"I want to see you."
Rory smiled. "Okay."
She gave him a light kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Luke!" Lorelai said, going behind the counter.
"Lorelai, what have I told you about coming behind the counter?" Luke admonished her.
"You know, I've worked behind the counter before."
"Yes, I know. You remind me at every available opportunity."
"You're much too cheeky today, Charles," Lorelai said in a fake British accent.
Luke looked at her strangely, and Lorelai giggled. "Cheeky!"
"Will you go sit down now?" Luke asked her.
"No. I have to ask you something."
"No."
"Lukey, you don't even know what it is yet! It's a fabulous opportunity!"
"Okay, what is it?"
"I am extending to you an invitation to be a part of the Gilmore Movie Night! This is an invitation not extended to just anyone, my friend. It involves great - "
"No."
"Luke, please!" Lorelai said desperately, grabbing his arm. "I'll even buy carrots or celery or something for you!"
He examined her face closely. "Why?" he finally asked.
"Because Rory invited Jess, and I don't think I should be alone with him."
"Rory will be there."
"What if she gets up to go the bathroom or something? I will not be responsible for my actions."
"And it just never occurred to you to give the kid a chance?"
"No, it occurred to me. Please, Luke, this is a whole night! I don't know if I can handle it."
"All right."
Lorelai stopped her pleading and looked at him. "All right?"
"Yeah, all right."
"Why are you saying yes?"
"Because then I can keep an eye on him."
"Aw, you're just too good to Rory."
"Yeah, yeah," Luke said gruffly. "Are you going to sit down now?"
"Yes," Lorelai said obediently, giving him a smile.
Luke shook his head as Lorelai danced back the table. "Okay, stop kissing now!" Lorelai said. "Mother incoming!"
"Why are you in such a good mood all of the sudden?" Rory asked her mother after she and Jess broke apart.
"I convinced Luke to come tonight too."
"You've got to be kidding me," Jess said.
"Nope!"
"Great," he muttered.
"You're much too cheeky today, Charles," Lorelai told Jess with a fake British accent.
He looked at her as if she had spouted an extra head. "Did you just use the word 'cheeky'?" he asked her.
Lorelai and Rory giggled. "Cheeky!" Lorelai said.
"JESS! GET TO WORK!" Luke yelled.
Jess rolled his eyes. "I'll see you tonight," he told Rory, giving her a kiss.
"Be there by seven."
"Okay."
"'Bye Charles!" Lorelai called after him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hello?"
It was early afternoon, and Rory had just finished her homework when the phone rang. "Hey babe, it's me."
"Hey Mom. What's up?"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm about to go to Lane's."
"Okay, well, will you have time to stop at Doose's?"
"Sure. Why?"
"I won't have time to pick up the movies and the food, things are crazy here."
"And why must you be the one to pick out the movies?"
"Because we're having guests, and I want it to be an extra-special night for them?"
"Just don't be too cruel when selecting movies."
"What? I can't hear you!" Lorelai said, raising her voice. "I think the phone lines are going down - what? What? Rory, are you there?"
Rory rolled her eyes. "See you tonight, Mom."
"What? See who? When?" Lorelai asked, still speaking loudly.
Rory hung up the phone. Looking at her watch, she decided to go to Doose's before heading over to Lane's - she had told Lane she wouldn't be coming over for another hour or so anyway.
Rory grabbed her jacket and went outside, looking around as she walked. It hadn't snowed for a while, and everything looked gray. She wished spring would hurry up and come.
Rory suppressed a smile as she entered Doose's. Taylor had, once again, gone all out. The store was covered in Valentine's Day decorations. "Rory!" Kirk called.
"Hello, Kirk," she said, walking over to him.
"Which food do you think Kirk would like the best?" he asked her.
They were standing in the pet food aisle. "CatKirk? I don't know."
"I have to get him food he'll like. My mother said that if I feed him food he likes, then maybe he'll stop attacking me. She says he's attacking me out of anger."
"Oh."
"Yes. But I don't know which food he would like! What am I going to do? Mother will be so upset! She doesn't like to see me getting hurt, you know."
"I see."
"Why don't you get this kind," a voice interrupted. "Most cats like it."
Rory looked up and saw Dean standing there. Dean handed a bag of cat food to Kirk, who thanked him and left. "Thanks," Rory said.
"No problem."
They stood in silence for a moment. "So," Dean said. "How are you?"
"I'm good. You?"
"Good."
"Clara?"
"Good," Dean replied.
"Good."
Silence again. "Well, I have to get junk food," Rory finally said.
"Movie night?"
"Yeah."
"Well, see you around."
"Yeah. See ya."
Rory left in search of junk food. Even though she and Dean had agreed to be friends, things were still awkward sometimes. Well, all of the time, really.
Rory grabbed bags of chips, cookies, candy, and a box of PopTarts, then brought it to the register. The girl rang it up, and Rory was just leaving when she heard Dean call her name. "Rory!"
Rory stopped and turned around. "Long time no see."
"Yeah. I'm on break. What are you up to?"
"Oh, well, I have to bring all this junk food home, and then I'm going to Lane's."
"Need help?" he asked, seeing Rory struggling to carry all of the bags herself.
"Well - "
"Come on, I'm on break for another twenty minutes. I have time to help a friend."
"Okay."
Dean took most of the bags, leaving her with just one. "Thanks," she said.
"No problem."
They walked back to Rory's house, Dean talking about school and Rory listening politely. "You can just leave the bags on the counter," Rory told him as they walked into her house.
"Okay."
They left the bags on the counter, then walked back outside. Dean saw Rory glance at her watch. "Time to meet Lane?" he asked her.
"What? Oh, not yet."
"Want to grab a coffee or something?"
"Oh, well, actually I was thinking of stopping by Luke's for a quick coffee."
"Mind if I join you?" Dean asked as they walked to Luke's.
"Well - no, I guess not," Rory said, unable to think of a way to politely refuse.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot he'll be there."
"Jess won't care."
"Yeah, right," Dean scoffed.
"He won't," Rory told Dean defensively. "He trusts me."
"Okay then. Let's go."
Rory sighed inwardly. She hoped she was right and that Jess wouldn't care. She had thought he was okay with her and Dean being friends, but her mother had planted a seed of doubt into her mind.
Dean and Rory entered Luke's, and Rory quickly looked around. Jess had his back to her and was talking to someone sitting at a table in the corner. That's strange, Rory thought. Jess doesn't voluntarily talk to anyone………except me.
"Where do you want to sit?" Dean asked her.
"Um, we can sit at the counter," Rory said, thinking that it seemed less like they were there together if they sat at the counter.
Luke came up to them and looked from Rory, to Dean, back to Rory. "Okay. What can I get you?"
"Just coffee for me, Luke."
"I'll have the same," Dean said.
"Right. Okay," Luke said, looking between them again.
"This is kind of weird," Rory said to Dean after Luke left.
"Yeah."
"But we're just friends, so it shouldn't be. Right?"
"Right," Dean agreed.
"Here's your coffee," Luke said, bringing them each a cup.
"Thanks," Dean said.
"Who's Jess talking to?" Rory asked Luke curiously.
She hadn't been able to resist sneaking a glance over her shoulder, and had seen that Jess still hadn't even noticed her come in. He was still at that same table. "Oh, that's Maggie," Luke said.
"She's here?"
Luke nodded. "And Jess is talking to her?" Rory asked disbelievingly.
"She's an interesting person to talk to," Luke said.
"Are you telling me you talk to her too?" Rory asked him.
"She comes in here a lot. Yeah, I talk to her. So does Jess. So what?"
"Nothing, it's just - nothing."
"Who's Maggie?" Dean asked.
"This old lady nobody knows who comes in here," Rory told him.
"You should go over and talk to her," Luke told Rory. "Meet her yourself."
"Maybe I will."
Dean looked at his watch. "My break's up, I better get going."
"Okay. 'Bye," Rory said.
"It was nice, you know, having coffee. 'Bye."
He left, and Rory faced forward to find Luke looking at her. "What?"
"Oh, uh, nothing."
"Okay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jess had looked up and seen Rory and Dean entering the diner together. He heard them talking about how it was weird to be getting coffee together, and heard Rory say something about how they were just friends. Yeah, right. I know what Dean's trying to do, Jess thought.
"That's your girlfriend, isn't it?" Maggie asked him.
"What? Oh, yeah."
"Who's that with her?"
"Her ex-boyfriend."
"Ah."
"They're friends."
"I see."
"I stole Rory from him," Jess told Maggie smugly.
"Really?"
"Yes," Jess told her, waiting for her to say that he shouldn't be proud of it or something like that.
Maggie shrugged. "I'm sure she made up her mind on her own."
Jess looked at Maggie. "I've never met anyone like you before," Jess told her.
"Well, you know what they say," Maggie told him, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Everyone's a unique individual."
Jess smirked. "So. What do you think of Farewell to Arms?" he asked her.
A few days ago, Maggie and Jess had started talking about books. Jess had recommended it to her, and Maggie had started reading it yesterday. "I like it so far."
"Really?"
"Yes. Don't you?"
"Well, yeah. But - "
"Hey," he heard Rory's voice.
He turned around. "Hey."
Maggie cleared her throat. "Um, Maggie, this is Rory."
"Hello, Rory. I've heard a lot about you."
"You have?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at Jess.
"Yes."
"Rory, this is Maggie," Jess said quickly.
"Nice to meet you," Rory said politely.
"Likewise, my dear."
"Were you two talking about Farewell to Arms?" Rory asked.
"Yes," Maggie replied.
"And you like it?"
"Yeah. She does," Jess told Rory, smirking.
"Well, I just can't believe it. I mean, what about………………"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's something weird about this lady, Luke thought for the hundredth time that week, watching her talking with Jess and Rory.
How does she get Jess to talk to her? I'm his uncle and I live with him, and I still can't get him to talk to me. His brow furrowed. Every time Lorelai and Rory come in here, Maggie leaves. And now, Rory walks right up to her, and she just sits there talking to her like she's known her for years. If she's talking to Rory, why did she always leave before, when Rory and Lorelai came in? He shook his head. It must just have been a coincidence. Maybe she had somewhere to go.
Luke sneaked another glance at the woman. There was something about her, something he just couldn't put his finger on. And it was driving him crazy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh no!" Rory said, looking at her watch.
"What is it?" Maggie asked.
"I was supposed to meet my friend Lane a half an hour ago!"
"Lose track of time?" Jess asked her.
"You know I always do when I'm talking about books. I'm sorry, I have to go. Maggie, it was nice meeting you."
"Likewise."
"I'll see you tonight?" Rory asked, giving Jess a quick kiss.
He nodded, and she left. Jess had been acting a little strange, but she shrugged it off. He probably just wasn't looking forward to spending an evening with her mother.
Rory hurried along to Lane's house, then knocked on the door. Mrs. Kim answered. "Rory, you're late," she said.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kim, I lost track of time."
"That's very irresponsible of you."
"I know. I'm sorry. Is Lane upstairs?"
"Yes. But you still have to leave at our agreed time, even though you came late."
"Okay."
"All right. You may go up."
"Thank you."
Rory went up to Lane's room, trying not to run. "Hey," she said, bursting in.
"Hey! Where have you been?" Lane asked, running over to her and closing the door.
"Sorry. I lost track of time," Rory said, taking off her jacket.
"Where were you?"
"At the diner."
"Jess?"
"Well, yes. But we were talking with this lady about books."
"What lady?" Lane asked.
"Her name's Maggie, and………well, actually, that's all I know about her."
"Hmm."
"Yeah. Oh, and guess who I ran in to at Doose's?"
"No."
"Yes. Dean. He helped me carry my bags home."
"And?"
"And then we went to Luke's for a cup of coffee."
"You went to Luke's?"
"Yeah."
"But wasn't Jess there?"
"Jess knows I'm friends with Dean. He trusts me," Rory said defensively.
"Okay. So what happened?"
"Nothing. Jess was talking to Maggie when I got there, and I don't even think he saw me with Dean. After Dean left, I went and talked with Jess and Maggie."
"Are you sure he didn't see you with Dean?"
"He didn't say anything if he did."
"Was he acting weird?"
"Well - " Rory hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. "I did think he was acting a little strange."
"So maybe he saw."
"But then why wouldn't he say anything?"
"Because he doesn't want to be like Dean."
"What?"
"Remember when you and Jess were 'friends', and Dean kept getting all jealous? Jess doesn't want to do that, to show you that he's different from Dean."
"How do you know?"
"It's obvious."
"You've been giving this way too much thought."
"Well, you know me. I have no life, so I live through you."
"How are things with Dave?" Rory asked, changing the subject.
Lane lowered her voice. "Things are good."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Rory smiled. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks."
Rory picked up a flyer off of Lane's desk. "Ziggy's is having a huge sale," Rory read. "Lane, we should go!" she exclaimed.
Ziggy's was a huge, extremely popular music store in Hartford. Rory and Lane had been there a few times, and both of them had really liked it.
"I don't know if I can. Mama Kim," Lane said by way of explanation.
"Oh."
"Besides……..Dave kinda already asked me to go."
"He did? Oh, yay!"
"I know!" Lane exclaimed, a smile threatening to split her face.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I have to think of something to get out of the house."
"Well, let me know if you need any help," Rory said.
"Will do."
Lane paused. "So. How are things going with Jess?"
Rory smiled. "Good."
"Good?"
"Yeah. We've talked, and……..we're closer now."
"So he's being a good boyfriend now?" Lane asked.
"Yes."
Rory paused, looking at Lane. "Why?"
"Well, no reason. I was just wondering. He's been showing up for school lately."
"I know."
"Yeah. I bumped into him in the hallway."
"You did?"
"Yeah. I mean, we both walked straight into each other. And he started to say something, but then he looked up and saw that it was me, and I said sorry, and then he just said 'me too' and walked away."
"Well, he's making an effort. Will you give him a chance?"
"I guess I could."
"Thank you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Review! Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top? And a cherry! Two cherries!
Coming in Chapter 4………Luke and Jess go to the Gilmore home for movie night. I wonder what movies Lorelai picked out?