"Mom, please, stop asking me if I want anything." Rory laughed.
"Hey, just want to make sure you're ready for the movie."
"I have popcorn, soda, candy, bubble gum, and napkins… is there anything else possible to have ?"
"Straws!" Lorelai said as she jumped from her seat.
Rory giggled as she watched her mother dash out of the theater to the concession stand.
"This theater is absolutely disgusting."
Rory turned her head, she knew that voice all too well.
"Sheena, I cant believe I let you talk me into this."
"It's supposed to be a really good movie." Sheena replied.
Rory slumped down in her seat, attempting to hide from Sheila and Sheena's sight. Lorelai came crashing down in the seat beside Rory.
"Okay, I have the straws… Now there is nothing else we could possibly need."
" Actually, I think we need to leave." Rory whispered.
"Leave? Are you kidding we just got here? We've not even seen a crappy preview yet."
"Mom, please…" Rory scrunched down farther in the seat.
"Rory, what's wrong?"
"They're here."
"Who's here?" Lorelai looked around the dark theater.
"Mom, stop drawing attention to us!"
"What?" Lorelai lowered her head. "Is it Sheila?"
"Yes." Rory replied.
"Come on, Rory… we have just as much of a right to be here as they do."
"Mom…. I don't want to be here."
"Okay…" Lorelai said sympathetically. "We'll go."
(The inn)
"That's so sad…" Sookie replied.
"I want her to stand up for herself and her rights, but at the same time I don't want to push her too far."
"Did they ever see you?"
"I don't know." Lorelai answered. "I wasn't allowed to glance in their general direction."
"Well, look at the bright side… at least she didn't try to go over and talk to them… I mean, it could have been worse. She's trying to stay away."
"Yeah… I guess so." Lorelai agreed. "I just hope this all works itself out soon."
(Stars Hollow Book Store)
"You like books?" A tall boy asked.
Rory turned around quickly. "Uh… yeah." she stuttered.
"Cool."
"Yeah." Rory's eyes fell back onto the books.
"I'm Dean."
"Rory…"
"Rory… that's a cool name…I like that." Dean smiled. "I'm new in town."
"I'm not." Rory awkwardly replied.
Dean laughed a little and then stuck his hands in his pocket. "I kind of figured. I've seen you around."
"You have?" Rory asked surprised. Why would someone have taken a notice to her?
"Yeah… here and there… mostly with another girl… she looks a little older than you."
"That's probably my mom." Rory replied.
"Your mom? Seriously?"
"Yeah." Rory shook her head. "She had me when she was 16."
"Oh…" Dean said trying to not seem judgmental. "Well, I'd love to maybe… um… well…" He let out a nervous laugh. "Do you like coffee?"
"I love coffee."
"Great!" Dean said, as a thousand pounds of dread lifted from his body.
"I'll buy you a cup…" Dean paused. "I mean not right now…. Sometime… unless you want it to be right now, cause I can buy it right now."
Rory smiled. She had never been so flattered before. "Sure… right now is fine."
"Okay…" Dean said confidently. "Ahh, where's your favorite place to get coffee?"
Rory quickly thought of Luke's and was about to say it, but then she remembered the fight that he and Lorelai had earlier that week. "Umm… Todd's has great… coffee." Rory finally replied.
"Isn't that a gas station on Maple Ave?" Dean asked a little unsure.
"Yeah, but hey, who knows coffee better than… people who work at gas stations?" Rory sighed. What a stupid comment.
"Well, okay. If that's your favorite place. Let's go." Dean extended his arm forward to signal that ladies were first.