PART 5
A few days later. Rory and Jess hrelped Liz to move into her boyfriend's appartment. When they were over, Liz brought them to the grocery store and then to a the high school nearby their appartment to get them in. The two would begin classes on the next monday and, on their request, the headmaster gave them the same schedule. When they got back home, they crashed down on the couch, exhausted.
Rory: Wow, what a day!
Jess: I can tell…What time is it?
Rory (looking at her watch): 6h. I'm starving.
Jess: Me too. You want me to do something?
Rory: You know cooking?
Jess: Well, I might have learnt a few things with Luke.
Rory: You know I love you?
Jess: I love you too.
He leaned in and kissed her.
Rory: What will you do?
Jess: I have a curious craving for pastas. What about you?
Rory: That's strange, me too.
They smiled.
Jess: Pastas it is, then.
And Jess went to the kitchen. Jess took the few days that they had left before going back to school to bring Rory into his favorite places in the city before he went to Stars Hollow. Then THE monday arrived. As to add to their stress, the alarm didn't ring, so they woke up late, which led them to be late for their first class. They ran to the classroom.
The teacher: Oh, late people. And to add to this, you might be the two new ones.
Jess: That's right. We're sorry, sir. We arrived in town only last week and we're not all settled down yet.
The teacher: Well, just know that this is the first and the last time that I'll let you come into my class late.
Rory: Yes sir, we'll remember.
The teacher: Good! Well, I am the professor Malcolm Jackson.
Jess and Rory: Nice to meet you sir.
Mr. Jackson: And you are?
Rory: Rory Gilmore.
Jess: And Jess Mariano, sir.
Mr. Jackson: And where are you from?
Rory: We were living in Stars Hollow, in Connecticut, but some personnal problems made us leave.
Mr. Jackson: Ok. Were the two of you going to Stars Hollow's high school?
Rory: I went for a few years, before Jess arrived in town, and then I went to Chilton, in Hartford.
Mr. Jackson: Hum…Chilton. I heard it's a very good school.
Rory: That's true.
Mr. Jackson: And you, mr. Mariano?
Jess: Well, before going to Stars Hollow High, I was living in New York and I was going to the Hell's Kitchen's high school. My mother sent me to live with my uncle in Stars Hollow, so I was going to Stars Hollow High since then.
Mr. Jackson: Ok. You can take a seat, I'll tell you a little about what we were doing since the beginning of the year, and I'll resume today's class.
Rory and Jess: Thank you sir.
They found two seat side by side at the front of the classroom and then mr. Jackson told them about the stuff they already did and then he continued on the day's lesson. The rest of the day went by really good and all the teachers welcomed Rory and Jess very well.
In Stars Hollow, Lorelei was giving her heart to the inn, not having any other interest than working. Luke was in the same situation, and Sookie quickly noticed it. Of course, the guilt feeling was still there, but seeing her to friends killing themselves at work was driving her crazy. She tried to have Lorelei hanging out a few times, but it was unsuccessful. Lorelei went out of her house only to go to work or the grocery store. Her parents got worried about their daughter's attitude because she wasn't going to Friday nights dinners anymore. They went to Stars Hollow one night to see what was happening to their daughter. Emily and Rochard arrived aroud 7 PM on a Friday night. Lorelei opened the door for them and went back to the living room.
Emily: Lorelei, what's going on? You passed on the 2 last dinners at home with you daughter.
Lorelei started to cry. Emily came and took her in her arms and Richard sat down on the other side of his daughter, rubbing her back.
Emily: But talk to us, Lorelei! We don't like to see you like that. It has to something to do with Rory, no?
She then noticed Rory,s absence and looked at Richard.
Richard: Where's Rory?
Lorelei (between 2 sobs): I don't know!
Emily: What?
Lorelei: Mom, Rory's gone!
Emily and Richard looked at each other.
Emily: But when? Why?
Lorelei: Last week. She's gone with Jess, her boyfriend. They couldn't live with all the hate the town had towards them. And when I say the town, I'm included…I didn't give Jess a chance 'cause I'm so damn stubborn!
Richard: Jess…that's the one with who she got into the accident, no?
Lorelei nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
Emily: That little hoodlum!
Lorelei: Mom, she loves him! There's nothing we can do! We just have to accept it, now…now that it's too late…
She started to cry again. Emily took her back in her arms.
Emily: My god…what could we do? Maybe we could…I don't know…try to find her!
Lorelei: Really? And how do you want to do that? She could be anywhere on the continent!
Emily: Good point…
Emily and Richard stayed there the rest of the evening to comfort their only daughter.
The same night, in New York, Rory and Jess were sat on the couch, Rory's head on Jess's shoulder, Jess's arm around Rory's waist, watching the television, when suddenly, Rory began to cry. Jess noticed it and dryed her tears with his thumbs.
Jess: What's wrong, Ror?
Rory: I suddenly thought about my mom…and all the pain I caused to her.
He panicked a little.
Jess: Do you…do you regret having left with me?
Rory: No! I would never regret that, Jess. I love you, we're finally living the life we wanted to live. But I can't help but feel guilty for what I'm making my mother through.
Jess: I understand. But remember that she was part of the people that made us leave…
Rory: I know.
He kissed her gently.
Jess: You want to call her?
Rory: No. That's too soon. I want her to realize that she should have given you a chance instead of despise you like she was doing.
She exploded.
Rory: According to her, Dean was the perfect man! The perfect gentleman! He was even changing the water bottle! He was nice and polite! He was TOO perfect! The kind of guy that everyone loves! Never I could have thought about spending the rest of my life iwht him. Perfection is not what I'm looking for.
She calmed down a little and turned to Jess.
Rory: But you…you're my perfect man.
He smiled to her.
Rory: You're not perfect. And that's what I like about you. You, you let your wrong sides get out, but Dean was always trying to hide them, and that was driving me crazy.
Jess: Good to know.
Rory: Life with you, every day, is something unpredictable, and I love it. With Dean, we were always doing the sme thing.
Jess: This gets on a man's ego.
Rory: Sorry…it's just that I can't help but kind of compare you to Dean. I was getting sick and tired of doing always the sme things.
Jess: I know.
Rory: Living in the unpredictable, I love that.
Jess: Carpe diem.
Rory: Yeah. Live in the moment. That's my philosophy.
Jess: That's mine too.
They smiled at each other and kissed. After a while, the kiss more passionnate and Jess began to lay down on the couch. Rory stopped him when she felt his hand under her sweater.
Rory: Jess…I'm not ready…actually…yes, I am, but I'd like it to be special…and that it wouldn't be on the living room couch.
They laughed a little.
Jess: And how would you like it to be?
Rory: I'll probably sound like those old romantics, but…I'd like that there would be flowers everywhere, a dinner with candles…real prooves that my boyfriend loves me, that he's with me only to get what he wants to leave after.
Jess: If I had been that kind of guy, would we be living together in New York?
Rory: Good point.
They kissed one more, briefly this time, and then Rory sat and got up.
Jess (sitting up): What are you doing?
Rory: Going to bed. I'm really tired.
Jess: Ok. I'll be there in a minute.
Rory: Ok.
Rory went to their room (Liz's former room, which they redecorated) and closed a little the door. About 10 minutes later, Jess turned off the tv and went to their room. Rory was in bed but wasn't sleeping. He took off his t-shirt and his pants and then put on a pyjama bottom and slid under the sheets, taking Rory to him.
Jess: You ok?
Rory: Yeah, don't worry.
Jess: Ok. Good night, then.
Rory: Yeah, good night to you too.
They kissed a little and Rory turned off the lamp. A while later, Rory was unable to fall asleep. She looked at Jess and snuggled into his arms. Jess opened his eyes and looked at Rory, circling her with is arms.
Jess: Can't sleep?
Rory: Yeah, I don't know why.
Jess: Maybe you're worried.
Rory: About what?
Jess: I don't know…your mother, maybe?
Rory: Ok, you win. But I'm not calling her, ok? First, it's too late, and second, it's too soon for me. I'm not ready yet to confront her.
He kissed her on her forehead.
Jess: Good night. I love you.
Rory: I love you too. Good night.
Jess got back to sleep almost instantly and Rory fell asleep minutes later.