"No, I'm just saying, why couldn't he ever catch the Roadrunner?"
"That's the whole reason he's called the Roadrunner. So that no one could catch him."
"Yes, but are the writers of these cartoons so heartless that they can't cut the coyote some slack?"
"Well, it would ruin the Roadrunner's reputation if he was actually caught. It'd scar him for life."
"Please, being caught by an animated coyote? Not very frightening. Robin Williams in One Hour Photo? Now, that could definitely scar someone."
"Well, the next time you watch the Roadrunner cartoons, just picture a giant Robin Williams head chasing him instead of the coyote."
"Do I have to?"
"Do you have to what?" came a gruff voice.
"Oh, Luke! Hey!" Lorelai replied, blushing the palest shade of pink that no one but Rory noticed. "We were just discussing the Roadrunner cartoons." She flashed him a dazzling smile.
"Forget I asked. What'll it be?"
"Hm, how about pancakes? Oh, wait—how about waffles?" She threw a glance at Rory, who was now gazing absentmindedly out the window. "How about both? Lots and lots of chocolate chips, please."
"Coming up…Rory?" Luke waved a hand in front of Rory's face to bring her out of her reverie.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"What'll you have?"
"Oh…um, nothing, thanks," Rory said quickly. Luke gave her a questioning look, but he knew better than to ask a Gilmore anything, unless, of course, he was in the middle of one of his own rants. He headed back to the kitchen to cook Lorelai's food himself, since he couldn't trust Caesar to add the chocolate chips.
"So, you wanna tell me what's going on?" Lorelai asked, once Luke had left.
"I'm just not hungry."
"Rory, when have either of us ever passed up a chocolate chip waffle-pancake combo, unless something was bothering us?" She laid a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"My bus is here. I have to go," Rory said. She hurriedly gathered her things and rushed out of the diner, leaving Lorelai incredibly confused.
Minutes later, Luke returned with Lorelai's breakfast.
"So, what was that about?" he asked.
"Oh, Rory's just having a thing."
"A thing?"
"Yes, a thing. You know, a regular, everyday, teenage thing."
"You think that greasy-haired punk did somethin' to her?"
"Dean didn't do anything. And he is not a punk."
"Oh, please, Lorelai. That kid is trouble. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on him that he was bad news."
"Luke, Dean hasn't done anything to Rory."
"Except that one thing, you know, breaking her heart."
"Small technicality," Lorelai responded, flashing another smile. "Besides, I think you have some punk problems of your own to worry about."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, a certain nephew of yours comes to mind."
"Oh, not this again."
"Look, I promise I'll stay out of it, okay? But the kid's already caused enough trouble. If you can recall that little argument of ours last week, I think you'd agree." Luke said nothing but nodded slowly. "Thanks for the food."
"Sure. Right. Anytime," he finished awkwardly, leaving Lorelai to her rather unhealthy breakfast.
Rory Gilmore had never had trouble with anything. With the exception of Miss Patty's dance classes, which she had struggled with since the age of six, she mastered everything she set her mind to. The entire town of Stars Hollow knew that she was a perfectionist, and ever since she was young, there seemed to be no problem she couldn't solve.
That is, until Jess Mariano came to town.
Although she hadn't spent much time with him since the dinner fiasco last week, Rory could tell something was—different about Jess. In fact, she spent the remainder of that evening replaying their conversation in her head when she got home, and she found herself smiling every time she thought about how he knew her Oliver Twist reference. Dean would never know something like that.
That was something else that bothered her lately—Dean. Sure, Dean was nice and caring and protective. He got along with her mother and her friends, and he never failed to meet her at the bus stop with a hot cup of coffee every day after school. But Rory's boyfriend didn't share any of her interests. If someone were to ask him what he would prefer to do on a Saturday afternoon, he would easily choose playing basketball over reading Faulkner. Or worse, he would drag Rory to the umpteenth showing of The Lord of the Rings. Of course, Rory liked it; she had read all of Tolkien's works. But there were only so many times one could hear "My precious" without cringing.
Dean loved Gollum.
Lately, Dean and Rory were having a bit of a phase. Like all couples, they sometimes had their differences and argued, usually about pointless things. But they would always kiss and make up by the end of the night. However, all Dean seemed to want to do lately was kiss. Rory found herself struggling to remember the last time they saw each other and didn't end up making out. Maybe it was because they didn't have anything to talk about, but Rory was really starting to get bored.
She hated to admit it, but she was falling out of love with Dean.
"Rory, hey!"
"Oh. Hey, Dean," Rory responded, trying her best to sound happy to see him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just really tired. You know, school and stuff."
"Right. Whatever. It's nothing a kiss can't cure," Dean said, leaning down to give Rory a peck on the lips.
"Um, Dean….I think we need to talk."
"Sure. What about?"
He sure was an idiot. Every person in a relationship knows that "We need to talk" means "We're breaking up".
"Do you think we could go someplace more private? Like my house or something?"
"Oh, no," Dean said, voice filled with worry. "Are you doing what I think you're doing?"
"Um….what do you think I'm doing?"
"You're trying to drag me to your place to watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory again, aren't you?"
Rory was stunned. Of all the reasons she could possibly want Dean to come over, watching a Gene Wilder movie was not on the top of the list.
"Uh—guilty as charged," Rory said, with a nervous laugh. "I just can't resist those….Oompa-Loompas." Dean chuckled.
"Well, first do you think we can….," he trailed off, raising his eyebrows suggestively, as if Rory could read his mind.
Unfortunately, she knew what he wanted to do.
"Kiss?" He nodded, grinning. Rory sighed.
"Do you think the kissing could wait? Just for a minute? I really need to talk to you about something."
"Fine, Rory. Whatever. Let's go watch those stupid Oompa-Loompas."
"Whoa, what's the matter? You're mad at me 'cause I don't want to make out with you for the hundredth time this week?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Dean, I wasn't bringing you to my place to watch Willy Wonka, I wanted to talk to you. But all you ever want to do is kiss. We hardly see each other, with your schedule at Doose's and my schoolwork, and whenever we do see each other, all you seem interested in is kissing."
"Well, sorry for wanting to be close to my girlfriend."
"You're always around! You follow me everywhere! I can't stand you anymore!"
"What the hell is your problem? God, Rory, all you care about is yourself! You're not being a very good girlfriend!"
"Oh, I'm not being a good girlfriend? Dean, we don't have anything in common! I want to browse at a bookstore, you want to shoot hoops. We're so different, Dean!"
"Then why are we still together?"
"I don't know, okay? I have no idea why I've been wasting my time with you. That's the reason I wanted you to come over—so I could break up with you. But, of course, you had to get mad at me for not wanting to make out, and we ended up having a fight in public. This is just how it was the first time."
"What are you talking about?"
"You dumped me because I wouldn't say I love you!"
"Well, I was a little upset that you didn't love me back!"
"Dean, I've never been in love with you! Even the day you came to Chilton, I didn't mean it when I said I loved you. I just felt so pressured to say it back to you, and I didn't want you to leave. But, right now, I don't care if you leave." Rory finally took a breath. Tears stung her eyes as she and Dean stared at each other, not knowing what to say next.
"Rory," Dean began, slowly and softly, "I don't think we should be together anymore."
"Okay," she replied, her voice breaking. A single tear rolled down her cheek as the reality of the situation slowly began to hit her. "I'm sorry, Dean."
"Me, too. I love you, Rory. I really do." Rory merely nodded.
And with that, Dean walked away, tears threatening to fall. Rory turned on her heel and started towards her house, ignoring stares from townspeople who had seen the entire ordeal.
People like Jess.
A/N: Yes, I know, it's been ages since my last update. Writer's block is partly to blame, along with just being insanely busy lately. But I kind of got an idea yesterday and just started writing. Reviews are love! )