Seven

I walked past her locker and couldn't resist the urge to open it and take in the smell that was Lorelai, lavender with a mix of coffee. I noticed her empty seat in English class and felt my heart sink into my stomach. I realized I needed someone to slap me, I was acting like a love sick puppy. I avoided her the day before because I hadn't the clue as to what I was going to say to her. I ran right into it. I loved her.

The thought became pointless the day she left town. The emptiness I felt became too much. Monday, I locked myself in my bedroom. I wasn't usually the emotional man but that day I cried. I cried for my father and the reality that he was getting weaker by the day, I cried for the hopes that Rachel would accomplish, what ever she wanted to accomplish and the disappointment at the fact that she was actually happy to leave Stars Hollow, and lastly I cried for the guilt I felt for ignoring Lorelai when she wanted to talk.


He cloistered himself away from society. He seemed hollow. The news of her departure spread through town like wild fire. The first week I don't even remember if he came out of his bedroom. I received rides to school from various friends. Matt worked to keep up the store. Even though my father was weakening he was strong-willed, he begged to at least watch Matt work. I think he missed society. The many "Get Well" gifts he received wasn't enough contact to the human world.


As soon as I got home the routine snapped back to the way it was before. I went to school, came home, ignored my parents, and went to bed. The closeness I developed with my mother outside Hartford seemed to disappear.

Chris seemed happy to welcome me home when I went back to school. We got back to our touchy relationship we had before I left. I even began to think I loved him.

Apparently, I was wrong.

That day at school, I wasn't happy. I had woken up late and got detention for being late to class. I forgot my Algebra homework at home in it's textbook and, as if I wasn't already grumpy, I failed my Physics test. As soon as the last bell rang I was out in a flash. When I walked through the court yard what I saw slapped me in the face. Chris was sitting underneath the giant oak tree, but he wasn't alone. His arm was wrapped around a busty blond I believe I heard someone call Heather. I ran to my car as fast as my legs could go and jumped inside, locking the door behind me, as if it was going to protect me from the world that was crumbling around me.