JustPeachy123 – Your review was so cute, I simply loved it! And hopefully, the story will enter adulthood just as interestingly.
literatiever – Favorite chapter? Thank you! I hope to keep raising the bar.
sanfrangiantsfan – I'm honored.
My muse was alive and kicking the past few days. Finally out of hibernation! And just in time for the last few chapters. I'm guessing on 5-8 more.
To call or not to call? Jess couldn't decide. He'd taken the Gilmores home, went back to his own flat, fallen asleep, and woken up around noon. It had been a few hours, and he was wondering when the right time to call would be. He wanted to make sure Rory was alright, but he didn't want to revert back to the eager beaver he'd been channeling last night.
And, what was worse than fussing over the girl who not so long ago had declared him the very bane of her existence, was that he'd been too caught up in apprehensiveness last night to notice the change in his demeanor.
Now, he noticed. And he didn't like knowing that Rory had noticed. They weren't a real couple, he didn't want her to notice his moments of weakness.
Deciding not to call, Jess sat down and picked up the remote. And the image of Rory on the bathroom floor invaded his mind. Jumping up and physically swatting at his head to get the vision out, he dashed to the phone. Pride be dammed, he was checking in.
On the other side of town, Rory groggily picked the phone up. She had fallen asleep after getting back from the hospital, but since then she had drifted in and out of dream land, too tired to get up and do anything else.
"Ello? Max?"
"Close. It's Jess."
"How are you close to Max?"
"We work together, we're both Italian, we're both listed under the 'M' section of the phone book…or would be, if we were annnoynmous enough to be listed."
"Hi Jess."
"Hey. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright."
"I'm good. My head doesn't really hurt if I lay on my side, and I'm sleepy."
"I'll let you get back to resting then."
"No, talk to me. Mom hasn't come in here yet because she doesn't want to 'disturb' me, and I've been counting sheep for like an hour."
"Okay. Why did you think I was Max, has he called you yet?"
"Some magazine received an anonymous tip-off from someone else in the ER, and they're turning it into this big ordeal. I bumped my head. It's not a huge story."
"It's too a huge story. You didn't see yourself on the floor last night- all pale and in the weirdest position."
"Max wanted to make sure I was alright, and he sounded actually worried. He's not like some of those directors who just want you to be there during filming, and don't care about you as a person. He's a good guy."
"I know he is."
"He said to tell you thanks for all you did last night. I wanted to say it too, because I don't remember if I already said it."
"You're welcome." They both were silent, not knowing what to say next.
"Talk to me," Rory commanded childishly.
"About what?"
"I dunno. Anything. Tell me a story."
"Fictional or non?"
"I don't care, I just need human interaction right now."
"I'm not good at coming up with stories."
"Well, you read enough. You have to have retained SOMETHING."
"Fine. I will tell you about my first day of kindergarten." Rory laughed on the other end of the phone, a musical laugh that brought a smile to his face.
"Well, my mom bought this horrible wool vest for me to wear, and she made me wear it with some turtleneck and pants, and it was August, so I was sweating like a horse by the time we got to the school. And we'd gone ahead of time to see some of the teachers, and all the ones we'd met were really nice, and they had neat classrooms. Like, they had lofts, with books on top, and all kinds of neat things on the bottom. The teacher I really wanted had that little plastic Fischer-Price kitchen set."
"Because you're so domestic."
"Exactly. And out of all the teachers, I got Mrs. Jackston, The only teacher who thought the lofts were 'too dangerous', and had the most boring classroom known to five-year-olds everywhere. It was painful. She didn't have any good books, and no good toys, and she wasn't the nicest lady. When Liz had to go, and I started crying, she put me in time-out instead of telling me it was okay, and we'd have fun together like a decent teacher should have."
"I'm beginning to see why you're so jaded."
"And then we were making name tags, and she was going around and helping kids write their names, and I could already write 'Jess', and she got to me and instead of praising me for doing it by myself, she tried to tell me my name was spelled J-e-s-s-e. And we had a big row about that, and she moved my desk to the back of the room for the entire year."
"Mm-hmm." Rory was starting to doze off. Jess sensed this, so his voice got a little quieter, more soothing.
"It wasn't that bad though. I was a very strange kid, so I'd have ended up in the back sooner or later. Like I went through a phase about mid-year when I thought I was a Prince of some far-away land, and I made up this whole scenario for it. My dad was the King of wherever it was, I don't remember what I named it, and he was back in our kingdom with my real mother, ruling it with style, and Liz was this servant who was supposed to protect me from evil, and that's why I'd been taken away from my castle. And I'd do stuff like wear Burger King crowns to school, and tell everyone I met about my noble past, and wear capes everywhere I went." Rory gave a little laugh on the other end.
"The capes led into my superhero phase. I don't blame Mrs. Jackston. But the more she treated me like the stupid kid, the worse I was. There was a lot of singing back then. And hopping on one foot. And stealing crayons." Faint breathing was the only thing he heard.
"Sleep tight, sweet Rory."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
"So, all better?" Rory and Jess were walking around the studio lot, already dressed for their next scene. Consequently, Rory was in a little pink shirt, and Jess was sneaking peaks at every opportunity. She was the first girl he'd noticed for more than just her body- he couldn't help it. Rory had something other chicks didn't. Still, it's not like he could look away.
"Good as new. And I'm getting carpet put in my bathroom."
"Guess that means next time you don't have an excuse to get out of our date."
"Right. Because I didn't want to go out with you so much I risked a concussion."
"I knew you'd admit to it eventually. You free Saturday?"
"Yea."
"Good. We still gotta celebrate Tony's manhood." She punched him lightly on the arm in parting, as she turned towards her trailer. Lorelai was waiting for her inside.
"Did Jess like the shirt?"
"Oh yes." She's seen him looking.
"Are you cashing in your ow-my-head check?"
"Saturday." Lorelai grinned at her.
"Who knew my little Rory would be the one to tame the bad boy?"
"I hope he's not tamed," she said before she could think about it. Lorelai burst out laughing. "I didn't mean it in a dirty way!" Lorelai continued to howl.
"That's…my…girl!"
Holding her side, Lorelai accompanied her blushing daughter to her next scene. Everyone there greeted Rory with hugs, having heard or read about her little accident.
"I don't suppose it ever occurred to you to dry the bathroom floor." Everyone except Paris.
"People, pay attention. We're glad Rory is okay, but this is the third-to-last episode of season three. We're wrapping it up now, so it's gotta be GOOD. Otherwise, people won't watch next season!"
"Is it just me, or does Max have a lot less hair than he started the season with?" Lorelai muttered under her breath.
"Now, those of you who aren't involved in this scene, the 20-feet rule still applies. Those of you who are, get in place." Not wanting to argue with Max, everyone did as requested. Max gave the signal, called out his favorite three words (lights, camera, action), and Rory opened the locker she was standing in front of. She shuffled the books around inside it, and gazed at her reflection in the little magnetized mirror on the inside. Several feet away, Paris, Madeline, and Louise began to walk towards her.
"Just go up, and ask her to get coffee with us, Haley."
"Why can't one of you do it?"
"Because this whole thing started because she slept with YOUR ex. You ask her."
"Yea, but Ian and I are over for good. I don't think it should be my responsibility." Paris shoved her forward, barely able to conceal the glee she got at pushing Louise, and the blonde walked towards Rory. At that moment, Jess came out of nowhere, walked up to her, and leaned his head on her shoulder.
"Hi there." Smiling coyly, Rory dropped the books back inside the locker, and spun around to wrap her arms around his neck.
"Back atcha." They began to smooch passionately as Louise stopped her trajectory. She turned on her heel, and marched back.
"She doesn't want to be our friends anymore, she's happy with the loser."
"I think if we want to get back on speaking terms with Madison, we shouldn't call her boyfriend a loser."
"He'll be gone soon anyway. She's never been interested in a relationship, only sex."
"They've been together for months, Haley," Madeline/Kayla tried to placate, while Paris/Kris wrinkled her brow.
"You think she's having sex with Tony Diarcci? I'd bet money that he's a virgin."
"All things we can ask her when we get coffee," Madeline insisted, as Jess backed Rory up against her open top-row locker. She hopped up so she was sitting on the bottom of it (only on TV would it support her), and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"I don't think Diarcci's a virgin." Jess ran his hands up and down Rory's bare arms, as their public display of affection reached levels a real school would have bucked at. As it was, an administrator came up to request they cease and desist their activity. Jess lifted her back to the ground, and kissed her forehead.
"I'll see you later." Flushing, Rory happily took her books again, closed the locker, and headed to class. On the way, she saw the three girls standing there, staring at her.
"Where's Red?" she asked snidely, continuing on her way. Louise narrowed her eyes, as Madeline frowned and Paris's lips quivered. Francie walked up to them at that moment, and the scene ended. Max requested they do it again thrice, and as Rory was heading back to her trailer, Jess walked by. She blew him a kiss, and they continued on their separate ways, each surprised but comfortable at the level of flirty playfulness they'd achieved.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Rory knew she looked hot in red. But the look on Jess's face when she came to the door was still priceless.
"You kids be home by eleven."
"Eleven AM. Got it." Rory rolled her eyes as she waved goodbye to her mother, who was curled up in front of the TV with a carton of Ice Cream. "And I know Luke is coming over, so you can drop the hermit act." She closed the door behind them as Lorelai pretended to scoff.
"So, my Uncle's coming over tonight."
"Like she's going to stay here all by herself tonight. Lorelai is an extrovert. She doesn't do alone-time."
"I guess I should keep you out pretty late, so he'll be gone by the time you get back."
"Unless he's staying the night." Jess gagged.
"I prefer not to think about my Uncle doing anything other than fixing pipes for Lorelai."
"She's my mother, how do you think I feel?" They reached his car, and climbed in. "Where are you taking me?"
"McDonalds."
"You'd better not be. You said it was a nice place."
"Well then, you'll have to wait and see." He was being gentlemanly tonight, and he looked yummy. Ties had that affect on him. So she was fine with waiting and seeing.
Twenty minutes later, he pulled up in front of a picturesque Italian restaurant. It was small, but busy.
"What is this place?" Rory asked as he led her inside, letting the smells of garlic and tomatoes hit her. "This is what I imagined Heaven would smell like."
"I used to bus tables here. They have the most amazing food I've ever eaten." He stepped up to the raven-haired hostess. "Mariano, two."
"Right this way, please." They followed her towards the back, Rory noticing the place was littered with couples. Some younger sweethearts, some middle-age husbands and wives, some elderly old loves. The entire atmosphere made her appreciate Jess's hand on the middle of her back even more.
The waitress led them to a table, and handed them menus once Jess had seated them.
"Take your time. I'll be back in a few minutes to take your drink orders." Rory inhaled deeply again, still entranced by the smells.
"You're going to get woozy if you keep sniffing."
"I can't help it, it's delicious. Thank you so much for bringing me here." She placed her hand briefly over his, before studying her menu. Ten minutes later, the waitress was writing down their orders, and Rory and Jess were staring into each other's eyes. To her, they looked no different from the other lovers scattered around the restaurant.