Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, but I do own Vanessa Gilmore. She is made-up by me, so she is mine. So is her best friend, Angie. I also do not own Hole.

Chapter 3

Dinner At Gilmore's

Luke stopped the car in front of the Gilmore house and turned to his daughter. "What are the rules, kiddo?"

Vanessa recited, "If Emily asks you a yes-or-no question, always say 'yes.' If she asks an open-ended question, nod your head and/or say, 'Fine.'"

"Good girl. That's been working for me for the past seventeen years and they just adore me." Everyone got out and walked up to the door. Lorelai rang the doorbell, then stepped back, waiting for Emily to answer.

Emily swung the door open and greeted warmly, "Hello, everyone!"

Lorelai raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Emily Gilmore?"

"Well, nice to see you too, Lorelai," Emily snapped coldly. She turned to her granddaughter and, hugging her, gushed, "Vanessa! How are you, darling?"

"Fine, Gramma," Vanessa replied.

"Come, come! Rosa will take your coats," Emily informed them. Everyone handed their jackets to the new blonde maid.

Emily lead them to the study where Richard sat in his chair, reading the paper as usual.

"Richard, they're here," Emily announced.

Richard looked up and greeted everyone. "Well, hello everyone! Please, everyone sit down."

"Hey Grandpa," Vanessa responded, hugging her grandfather. She plopped down between her father and her mother as Emily and Richard sat down on the love seat across from them.

"So Vanessa, you're going to be sixteen this year?" Emily questioned.

"Yes, ma'am," Vanessa answered.

"How many more days?"

"Three weeks from tomorrow."

Richard proclaimed, "Ah, July! What a fine month to be born in. And the ninth is the perfect time, that way it's here before the dog days of summer."

"Oh, I hope you're having a sweet sixteen," Emily stated.

"Yes, I am," Vanessa proudly replied.

"Yeah, Luke and I are going out and Vanessa's going to have a reckless orgy," Lorelai joked.

"Where are you having it?" Richard inquired, ignoring her.

"At my house. It's just gonna be friends and family."

Lorelai, just remembering that she forgot to invite her parents, added, "You guys are coming."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "Oh really now? How come we didn't get an invitation?"

"Um, we didn't send them yet," Lorelai lied. "But we will tomorrow!"

"I see." Emily turned back to Vanessa and questioned, "Will your boyfriend be there?"

Vanessa slouched a little, feeling very uncomfortable. Feeling slightly angry, Luke looked at his daughter and asked, "What boyfriend?"

"Well, a girl like Vanessa can't be single her whole life. She has to have a boyfriend. You do have a boyfriend, don't you?" Emily asked.

"Um. No," Vanessa muttered.

Richard almost choked on his drink. "You don't!"

Vanessa shook her head. "I don't." What was the big deal?

Lorelai looked at her daughter and questioned in confusion, "You don't?"

"Are all the boys in Stars' Hollow that stupid?" Emily asked, angry at the fact that Vanessa didn't have a boyfriend.

"I guess so," Vanessa shrugged.

Lorelai said, "But Vanessa doesn't need a boyfriend until she's my age."

"You mean, 29 and 276 months?" Vanessa joked.

"OK, sorry, are you the good kid or the bad, grounded kid who will now have to live in the attic and survive on stale pop-tarts?" Lorelai shot back.

Luke stated, "Lorelai, we don't have an attic."

"So!" Richard said loudly, changing the subject. "Luke, how's the diner?"

"It's getting the best business it's gotten in years," Luke happily responded.

"Yeah, I bet," Emily muttered into her cosmopolitan.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke asked.

Like clockwork, Rosa rushed in and announced, "Dinner is ready."

"Thank God," the females grumbled under their breath.

Later

Fifteen minutes after dinner was served, Emily asked, "So, Vanessa, did you get your schedule for Chilton yet?"

Vanessa nodded and said into her lamb, "Yes, I did."

"What courses do you have?"

Looking up, Vanessa answered, "Well, for first semester, I have Geometry, American History, Lunch, Study Hall, Biology II, and Health. Then second semester, I have Music, Art, Lunch, Study Hall, French III, and English III Level I."

"Well, you'll do fine. Junior year was my favorite year. You know, Rory was valedictorian when she graduated," Emily reminded.

Vanessa looked back down at her lamb, stabbing it, and whispered, "Yeah, I know."

Lorelai saw the hurt in her daughter's eyes, saw the way she stabbed at the lamb, and had an deep hatred towards her mother. Emily expected Vanessa to be like Rory, and she just wasn't! Vanessa was a smart and bright girl, but neither Luke or Lorelai expected her to be like Rory. They wanted her to be her own person and if that meant she was going to be Chilton's next valedictorian, then great! But if not, oh well, it's not gonna be the end of the world.

After dinner

Emily looked at her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. "Well, it was great to see you all again. See you next week."

Everyone exchanged farewells as the Gilmore-Danes headed back to Lorelai's Jeep. Vanessa just stared out the window. That Friday night dinner was hell. Why did Emily expect Vanessa to be like Rory? Smart, pretty, funny, and the best at everything.

When they pulled up into the driveway, Vanessa hurried out of the car and into the house in a rage of hopelessness, anger, and sadness. She hurried into her room, flung herself onto her bed, and started blaring Hole.

Hey you, you're way ahead of me

You're drunk on apathy

you burned right out

Hey you, you're just a cripple now

We sell for millions now

They sold you out

Luke and Lorelai walked into the house. Hearing the angsty music, Lorelai hissed, "I hate Emily Gilmore!"

Luke turned to her and responded, "And this is news to me how?"

Her voice rising, Lorelai started yelling, "She totally expects Vanessa to be like Rory! That's so not fair to the poor kid! I can't believe Emily could possibly want Vanessa to be a little Rory clone. I love Rory to death, but there's only one Rory Gilmore. And Vanessa is not Rory Gilmore."

Luke agreed, "Of course she's not. Now, calm down."

"No!" Lorelai snapped. She picked up the phone and started dialing. Luke demanded, "Who are you calling?"

"Emily and giving her a piece of my mind!" Lorelai exclaimed. Luke pulled the phone away and hung up.

"Lorelai. No."

"But I want to yell and kick and scream and tell her that she is making our daughter feel like everything great she has done is nothing!" Lorelai hollered.

"Calm down. Go talk to Vanessa. Make plans about the sweet sixteen," Luke suggested.

Lorelai took a deep breath and said, "OK. Thank you." Lorelai turned around and headed up the stairs to her daughter's bedroom. She threw the door open and announced, "Hey kiddo! We gotta make plans for your sweet sixteen."

"Die," Vanessa muttered, putting her pillow over her head.

Lorelai walked over to her stereo and said, "Aw, what's this angry, emo stuff? Where's Beck? Where's The Killers? Wait, that is emo... So! Hey, that reminds me, what music do you want to play at your party?"

"Mom, I love you, but right now, go away," Vanessa commanded, pointing towards her bedroom door. "Can't we talk about this in the morning?"

Lorelai sighed. "Fine. But when you wake up, I'm going to be on a coffee rush, so watch out."

"How unsuspected," Vanessa sarcastically remarked.