Disclaimer: We don't own anything affiliated with Gilmore Girls, the WB or anything even remotely related to it.
Summary: Just a cute, general story focusing on Rory and Lorelai's life in Stars Hollow before the show started. We both felt there was not enough stories of that sort so we decided to write one.
Chapter 1:
The sun was shining through the window of the potting shed, and Rory yawned, full of anticipation and eyes ablaze. It was her first day of second grade. Of course, she'd been up for hours in excitement. Lorelai had bought her a brand new shirt and overalls, and a shiny new backpack. After Lorelai had been promoted to day manager, they were beginning to get back on their feet.
Soon Lorelai was up on her feet, too. "Mom! Mom!" giggled Rory, her cheeks full and rosy. "It's the first day of school!" Lorelai knew that Rory looked forward to the first day of school as much as her birthday, or more. She got up, and helped Rory put on her new clothes.
"Mom! School starts in five minutes," she said, in a hushed and excited voice. She smiled mischievously.
"Rory," Lorelai said, playfully swatting at her. "It starts in two hours and five minutes, you silly girl." She thwacked her adorable eight year-old daughter with a pillow, then shushed herself and Rory. "We're going to bother the golfers," she laughed, and Rory climbed onto her mother's lap.
Rory went into a shelf in the shed, and grabbed a book. "Let's read," she said, as she plopped onto Lorelai's lap. Rory loved to read as much as her peers adored video games and the like.
Together with her 24 year-old mother Rory read and tried to understand Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. One would say that the book is too advanced for an eight year-old but not for Rory. Ever since she began to read she'd take books she found in the Inn and ask her mom to read them to her- or she'd read to Lorelai, with much less help than you'd expect.
However, Lorelai noticed her daughter fidgeting in her lap, not paying rapt attention to the going ons in the book, contrary to the usual intensity of Rory's listening.
After 30 minutes, Lorelai smiled and closed the book, "Fine, I know you can't wait. Let's go down to the Inn, get some breakfast and maybe then we can start to go to the school."
Immediately Rory jumped up, donned her backpack and waited expectantly for her mom.
The duo giddily made their way from the potting shed to the kitchen at the Independence Inn, where Sookie was waiting for them, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Fresh out of the Culinary Institute of America, the assistant chef was the cream of the crop. Close in age to Lorelai, and Sookie, a clumsy but good-natured woman was in love with Rory. She greeted them excitedly, and in her typical manner almost destroyed the kitchen. Lorelai grinned with exasperation. "Morning, Sookie," she said, laughing. "Morning girls!" chirped Sookie, shoving pancakes and waffles into their mouths, and thrusting coffee at Lorelai in a true sign of friendship. "How my Gilmore girls doing?"
Rory could barely wait to tell Sookie. "It's my first day of second grade!" She was so excited and adorable the whole kitchen staff clapped, and Sookie gave her a hug. "Go get 'em, sweets," she said, as she embraced the blue and bright-eyed student in her grasp.
"Thanks, Sookie," said Lorelai. "I just have to take Rory to school, and then I'll be back. We're going a little early this morning. Biiiig day," she feigned the happiness for Rory's benefit. Secretly, Lorelai hated the first-days-of-school. Last year, and the especially the year before, for kindergarten, it was a marathon of "You're SO young," looks of haughty disapproval, and "You must be the babysitter" from average parents in the small-town Connecticut town of Stars Hollow where the Independence Inn was located. They hopped in Lorelai's car, a used Jeep Wrangler, and, with a sigh from Lorelai and a squeal from Rory, set off towards Stars Hollow Elementary.
All through the short ride, Rory bounced excitedly in her seat. Second grade already! Lorelai smiled sadly at her daughter, she couldn't believe she was growing up already. She knew that in a couple years Rory would become more and more independent and that thought made her sad.
Soon Lorelai parked the car in front of the school and Rory jumped out, full off anticipation.
Lorelai had to run to catch up with her, "Whoah, hold on sweetie. Mommy is in heels. She can't run so fast."
An impatient Rory then took her mother's hand and tried to drag her to the door when suddenly the pair almost, literally, ran into someone.
Another mother with her young daughter, except there was a stark difference. This mother-daughter pair didn't seem anywhere as happy as Lorelai and Rory were and the mother carried a stern expression. The mother's harsh look first flicked to Lorelai, then to Rory and then back to Lorelai.
Meanwhile, the shy girl who hid behind her mother curiously looked at Rory while Rory at her.
They stared at each other when Rory timidly said, "Hi, are you in second grade?"
The black-haired girl nodded, "Yes." After a beat she said, "I'm Lane."
At that Rory smiled, "I like that. I'm Rory. This is my mother."
Lorelai, glad to have an excuse to escape the Korean woman's harsh look, smiled at them, "Nice to meet you Lane." Suddenly the woman's head snapped towards her daughter, "Lane! Come on. Don't talk to them."
Meekly, Lane answered, "Yes, Mama!" She followed her but not without a quick smile towards Rory.
