Previously in "I am the Tower Around Which You Orbited: One perfect crime, all my life"

On the walk home, I thought about it. I was taking Rory to the Stars Hollow High prom. Proms weren't my thing, but I was taking her. So, I'd have to get a tux, a limo, a corsage, etcetera. But those weren't the only thoughts about it parading through my mind.

Chapter Seventeen: Sweet Little Thing

The line for prom tickets was unusually long. 'Don't you people know how stupid this thing is going to be?' I thought, but then I remembered that I was among these idiots buying prom tickets.

"Jess Mariano is buying tickets to the prom?" came a familiar voice behind me.

"Well, Lane, it was Rory's idea."

"I am assuming it was also her idea to have me and Dave tag along."

"I'm not buying your tickets for you, Lane."

"Oh, I know. I'm buying mine tomorrow. Waiting for the last minute, so I can ease my mother into the idea of me going to prom."

"She'll have a heart-attack."

"Indeed." As the line moved like molasses, so stood Lane and I. "So… I cannot picture you in a tux."

"I cannot picture you in a prom dress with a non-Korean attached to your arm."

"Hmm, it'll be a first for both of us."

The line moved up and it was my turn to purchase tickets. The girls selling them raised their eyebrows in confusion, having the same reaction Lane had, without the sarcasm. "Two." The blonde one nodded and took the money from my hands, giving me two tickets in the 40's place.

I turned and Lane turned with me. "Uhm, what Lane?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just, I'm sure you and Rory want to match?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Protecting you."

"From what?"

"From the creepy stoner girl."

"Aerin? I highly doubt she's a stoner."

"Yes, but she is creepy."

"Lane, why would you be protecting me from her?"

"You're kidding me right?"

"Lane, do I ever kid?"

"Every now and then." I rolled my eyes and sighed. She looked at me innocently. "Oh, c'mon Jess. Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"Aerin."

"And…"

"And Dean."

"Okay, I really do not care, so I'm walking away now."

"She's dating Dean."

"And you have no idea how little I care. If Dean wants to date a crazy, insecure, Samara look-alike, then let him."

"Jess, you are aware that Dean is aware of how she really feels about you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, you and Dean had a fight recently, right? Well, Aerin's kind of his rebound girl, and it turns out she likes you too and figured you'd give her some more attention if she dated your worst enemy, however, it just so happens that it got you a nearly broken nose."

"How do you even know all this, Lane?"

"Listen, I heard a rumour that she's dumping Dean for you as soon as you say yes to going to the prom with you, so I'm just protecting you from her wrath once she finds out firsthand that you're taken."

"Lane, where would you even hear that rumour? She doesn't talk."

"Oh, she prates every now and then."

"Oh, really?"

"Fine. Don't want my help, I see."

"No, I really don't." Lane shook her head and departed from my side as I slipped the prom tickets into my pocket. I looked over at the ticket line and saw Dean standing there, talking to the blonde girl, flirting. I laughed under my breath and walked off to class.

While waiting for the last bell to ring and this goddamned class to end, I thought that maybe, just maybe, Lane was a little bit right. Aerin had been following me, trying to be as close to me as possible. If she were in fact, dating Dean, it would, in fact, piss him off to no extent.

The bell clanged and school was dubbed officially over. I picked up my notebook and made my way to detention.

The door echoed through the empty detention hall as it slammed behind me. I took a seat at the very back and pulled out A Raisin in the Sun.

Dean entered, with Aerin next to him. They both looked grim and took seats across from each other in the room – Dean in the very front and Aerin two seats to my right. She kept stealing glances at me and Dean just stared forward.

Finally, Aerin turned to me and Dean let out a huff. I looked over at her from the top of my book and smiled tightly. She weakly smiled back, showing her extremely pointy teeth. Nobody should naturally have teeth that pointy. It's just wrong.

"Uhm… Jess?" She turned away, almost chastising herself for speaking to me. Dean adjusted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Yeah."

"Uh, are you… perchance, going to prom?"

"Yeah, actually I am." Her face brightened.

"Yeah?"

"Oh, uh, not in the way you're thinking. I am… kind of in a relationship. I'm taking someone."

Her face fell, and it looked as though she wanted to bury herself in the ground. For some reason, I felt kind of bad for her, although I'd never really felt bad about rejecting someone before. She turned to her desk, pulled her hoodie over her head, and pulled out the penknife, proceeding to scratch something into the surface of the desk. I could hear Dean snicker at his ex-interest. Now I felt even worse for Aerin. However, my heart lay in Rory's hands and some girl that I barely knew was not going to change that at all, no matter how badly she humiliated herself.

The three of us sat silently as two people filed in followed by whoever the teacher was who was watching over us for the next forty-five minutes.

I finished Raisin and reread about halfway through it when we were dismissed from our duty.

I picked myself up and watched Aerin dash out of there as though she was never there. Dean walked out after one of the fellow detentionees. I walked out after the last one, and caught Dean arm in arm with the blonde girl. "Boy, that was quick."

I walked out into the fading sunlight and someone popped up behind me, covering my eyes with her hands.

"Guess who?"

"Stalin?"

"Of course," Rory said, taking my hand. I kissed her passionately on the lips and she returned it lovingly.

"I bought the tickets today."

"Oh, yay. Happiness shall ensue." She kissed me and it was my turn to return the kiss lovingly. We smiled at each other as we walked off to the diner, arm in arm.

However, as we passed the gazebo, I saw a flash of a shadowgirl running away, distressed.

THE END of chapter seventeen

Prom next chapter.