Author's note: Hello to all my great readers and reviewers! Here's yet another chapter for you to enjoy.
Disclaimer: Last time I checked they weren't mine...
Now...on with it!
Hartford airport. Snow outside, as it should be around Christmas. It might sound stupid, but Jess had missed the winter season while he stayed in California. Somehow the idea of celebrating the holidays with lights hanging in palm trees and dressed in a t-shirt didn't fit his rather old fashioned picture. And of course, to him it had simply been one more indication he didn't belong on the west coast, no matter how hard he tried. Now, dragging his bag outside and inhaling the cold winter air, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Since they were back home (yes, it was what it was. Home.) a few days earlier than anticipated, they decided not to call Lorelai or Luke to come pick them up. They would just take the bus and surprise them. After he helped Rory with their luggage, they entered the bus and chose a seat in the back. The bus left the airport and Jess felt the knot in his stomach tighten. Just another hour and he would actually get off this vehicle and find himself in Stars Hollow. Voluntarily even. This was just weird. And great. He just hoped his return would not make things harder on anyone. For once in his life, he hadn't returned anywhere just to wreak havoc. He returned to make something of his life next to the girl (no, correction, the woman) he loved.
If he had been doubtful about seeing his uncle again, he was luckily proven wrong. The moment both teens were signaled getting off the bus, the usual Stars Hollow gossip chain made sure Luke and Lorelai were informed even before Rory and Jess had taken their luggage from the compartment. Rory dropped both her duffel bag and her borrowed suitcase unceremoniously on the sidewalk as she saw Lorelai come running toward her.
"Mini-me!"
"Mom!"
Both Gilmore girls hugged. Jess watched with an amused smile on his face. Luke approached them and for an instant Jess worried about his reaction. He'd probably never counted on seeing his nephew this soon again. But neither had he expected for his nephew to get his GED with honorable results and to attend college.
He needn't have worried. To his surprise Luke gave him a quick hug and a rather awkward smile.
"It's…eh…well…nice to have you back," poor Luke stuttered.
Jess, now fully smiling, picked up his bag and one of Rory's (who shot him a grateful look for that) and turned back to his uncle.
"It's nice to be back, Luke."
I can't believe I actually said that, about Stars Hollow of all places, he thought wryly. But then again, he was amazed at his own sincerity when he said it. Luke gave him a rather familiar smirk and guided the two teens upstairs to unload their heavy luggage.
All four of them soon settled down at the bar of the diner to catch up and make plans. It was kind of hard for Luke not to try and ask Jess directly about his plans. He looked at his son…eh…nephew (Where did that come from? Since when was he thinking about Jess as his son?) and couldn't decide what had changed but something had. Jess had changed entirely. Gone was the rebellious hoodlum boy, who hated the entire world around him. Gone were the smirks, the sarcastic answers. Instead, a young man with Jess's appearance sat at that bar, working his way through a plate of fries while talking almost… friendly (?) with Lorelai.
He glanced at Lorelai, who caught his eye and gave him a smile. Luke could tell she was just as surprised as he was. Or maybe even more.
Lorelai returned her attention back to Jess, who was telling her about the classes he had been taking at UCLA and wished to take at whatever college he would start at here. It was so hard for her to believe that this was the same boy who had hurt her daughter over and over again.
She guessed Rory had been right about him after all. He had changed, had proven himself capable of hard work and he showed ambition to do even better. Lorelai smiled. She could be happy for both him and her daughter now. This new kid, the new Jess, was a challenge to Rory. He could make her happy.
Looking back, it was a rather amusing night. The looks on the faces of Jess' former enemies was worth coming back for. Taylor, for once in his life completely speechless, Miss Patty, who hugged him fiercely just to try and pat his behind (which he dodged just in time), seeing the amused look on Rory's face which she couldn't hide quick enough. Kirk, who started a nervous rant and escaped as fast as he could. Lane, who yelled at him for leaving and hugged him right after that for coming back. It was just as weird as could be expected and Jess could just guess what (or who) would be the main topic in the next town meeting. For once he couldn't wait to attend.
But first, Friday the 19th came closer and closer, until Jess found himself fidgeting nervously outside Yale's headmaster's office. He had checked and double checked all the papers he thought he might need, he was wearing a new dress shirt and sleek black pants just for the occasion. Rory had thought he had bought those for the Christmas holidays and he happily let her believe that. She would know the truth if he got in. If not, he had new clothes for Christmas.
Yale was all about punctuality, as he found out just in time. At exactly 14.00 the door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with a stern look on his face.
"Mr. Mariano?"
Jess looked up, straightened his clothes and shook the man's hand. Gathering all his self-esteem, he lifted his head to look the man in his eyes. Which seemed to be a good idea, as a small smile appeared on the headmaster's face. Now he almost looked friendly.
Jess was taken into a spacious office, with comfortable leather chairs and a huge mahogany desk dominating. He smiled in himself. Somehow he had known what the place would look like even before he entered. It was just so typical. He was offered a chair and some coffee. Even though Jess wasn't really a coffee man, he didn't dare refuse.
After a few minutes of silence, in which both men seemed to be sizing each other up, the headmaster gently put his china cup on its saucer and pulled out a pair of reading glasses from his jacket pocket.
"Well, Mr. Mariano, we received all papers concerning your history and scores from your former university and I must say you did a good job. We've been told you started college a month late? Care to explain?"
Jess had a bit trouble hiding his annoyance. Why did important people always refer to themselves in a plural form? Or did the ghosts of headmasters past still float around? At least that would explain the sudden thickness in the air. Nonetheless, the question was something he had anticipated and he knew that being honest would be the best thing now.
"I had a bit of trouble graduating high school, Sir. I attended summer school and evening school to obtain my GED. That took me all of September."
"With your record and grades, Mr. Mariano, I find it hard to believe that your lack of knowledge was cause of your problems. And if that's not the cause, then what is?"
Again, Jess decided to be honest.
"Sir, I just never believed in succeeding high school, which I hardly attended, mostly out of sheer boredom. Until I came to the conclusion that, if I wanted to succeed later in life, if I wanted more than just some job somewhere, I had to work for it, get a degree, find out exactly what I am capable of."
"What made you come to that conclusion?"
Okay, being honest seemed to work, but to spill his entire life to this man was something Jess resented. This was where the man stepped onto holy ground. His soul, his savior was Rory and Jess knew the man wouldn't understand. Even he didn't truly understand yet. So it was time to retreat and speak in metaphors.
If the headmaster had even noticed Jess' inner turmoil and change of demeanor, he chose not to show it. He gave Jess all opportunity to formulate his answer. When it came, it was honest without revealing more than the boy wanted.
"I guess I had help, people who believe in me and want me to become the best man I can be. These people are worth taking chances for. They gave me back my self confidence."
The headmaster nodded, seemingly pleased with the answer. Jess gradually let go of the breath he was holding. Maybe he still had a chance here.
"Mr. Mariano, what do you aspire to be? In what ways do you think Yale could be of help to you?"
A little shaken at the question, Jess drew in another breath. God, he could use a cigarette right now. Or Rory. Her smile. Printing her image firmly in his head, he suddenly just knew.
"I want to win the Nobel prize for Literature."
"Excuse me? That is a rather bold statement, don't you agree? Do you think you can become the new Ernest Hemingway? "
"I don't think a can be the new Hemingway. I do not want to be the new Hemingway. I want to be the best Jess Mariano. The best he can be."
"So you aspire to be an author."
Jess smiled, he knew how to answer. There were a lot of kids out there who wanted to be a writer.
"No Sir, I aspire to be the best novelist of my generation."
"And you need Yale for that? You think you are entitled to a place at an Ivy League school so you can become a novelist?"
"No sir, I do not need Yale to become a novelist, if that's what I want to be. But as I said, I do not wish to be just some novelist. I want to be the best novelist. The talent is in me, the inspiration is right there with me, the drive, the motivation is in me. I need someone, a mentor, a teacher, within this institute or outside of it, I don't care, to challenge me, provoke me. Novels I can write on my own. Nobel-prize worthy novels can never be written without some…resistance. Without a fight for every page."
It was the longest monologue Jess Mariano had ever given and by the end of it he felt like a deflated balloon. No energy whatsoever left in him. And worse, it was quiet. It remained quiet. For a very long time. Then, the headmaster rummaged trough some papers on his desk and pulled out a plastic folder holding some documents. He held them in front of Jess.
"Very well, Mr. Mariano. You need to fill in these forms and hand them over at our registration desk, end of this hall on your right. It contains everything you need: names, dates, classes, application for a dorm room, etc. Any questions can be asked at said registration desk. Good luck Mr. Mariano, we'll see you after the holidays."
He stood up and Jess, stunned and dazed, automatically followed suit. At the sight of the young man's face, the headmaster's smile became wider.
"Welcome to Yale, Mr. Mariano. I think you'll do just fine here."
With a friendly nod and a handshake Jess was marched out. The thick wooden door closed firmly behind him.
Jess clutched the bundle of papers he was holding as if he was afraid they would vanish into thin air if he let go. He just got into Yale. Yale? No, no question mark here. Not anymore. Yale! YALE!
Soooo...? Good enough to review?