I just want to be part of your symphony
By blackbirdfree
Chapter Forty
Rory awoke from her place on the floor. She was groggy and tired. She looked around herself with bleary eyes.
"Oh, right," she said quietly to herself. "Grandma and Grandpa said that I could stay over at Logan's."
That was exactly what happened. In the evening, Rory approached her grandparents about staying over at Logan's home for the evening. She was sure that they would have rejected that idea if it wasn't for Mr. and Mrs. Huntzberger. They explained that there were a number of young people staying the night. They said that this was a tradition and had been for some time.
"Are you sure she won't be a bother?" questioned Lorelai.
Mrs. Huntzberger laughed lightly. "Oh, not at all. Logan always has people over after one of our soirées. It's safer."
Lorelai huffed in irritation. However, Emily and Richard didn't seem to mind so Lorelai agreed in the end.
"You're up," said Logan from somewhere behind Rory. Rory turned around. Logan stood there in the same polo and khakis that he wore the night before. There was a mug in his hand.
"Is that coffee? The drink of the gods," said Rory. "Mind if I have a sip?"
Logan shrugged good-naturedly. "No, it's actually for you. I had mind earlier in the kitchen."
Rory smiled. She reached for the mug and drank from it slowly. It only took a few seconds for her to feel better.
Then, she looked around herself to see the chaos that was left after the party. Finn and Colin were sleeping on the floor next to her. There were empty red solo cups and plastic champagne flutes everywhere. There were also a number of people sprawled over the coach that was there.
"Do you need anything?" asked Logan after a moment. "We have extra toothbrushes. You can shower and borrow something from Honor's room. She still has a lot of stuff there that she kept even after she moved out."
Rory nodded. "That would be great actually. I would love to shower."
Logan nodded and directed Rory toward the main house.
"Mom, I'm home!" said Rory. Rory entered her home and waited to hear Lorelai's answer. Silence greeted her.
Rory walked into the kitchen and noticed a note on the refrigerator. It said that Lorelai was needed at the Independence Inn and that she would be gone for the rest of the day. Lorelai told her to order a pizza with some money on the counter.
"Phew," said Rory. "That's good. I won't have to worry about her bitching at me because I stayed over at Logan's place."
Rory knew that the conversation about that would take place sometime… and she wasn't looking forward to it.
Rory woke-up from her nap confused. She heard someone knocking on her window. She got up and shuffled to the window with unsteady steps.
It was Jess.
"Damn it," said Rory quietly to herself. She opened the window.
"You don't look dressed for a fun day-time outing in Post-Christmas Eve Stars Hollow," said Jess.
Rory blushed. "I'm sorry," said Rory. "I completely forgot about our date. I stayed at Logan's place all evening and came home just a few hours ago."
Jess frowned. "You stayed at Logan's place? I thought you and he weren't an item?"
Rory nodded. "We're not," she confessed. "There were a lot of people staying there late. I was just one of the many."
Jess scowled. "So are you going to get dressed to go out?"
Rory thought for a second. She wanted to go out… but her gut instinct told her to say, "no."
"I'm sorry," said Rory again. "Can we do a rain-check?"
Jess looked annoyed. "A rain-check?"
"Yeah. I'm too tired after last night to go out. And I don't think it would be a good idea to go out again so soon after the party. Lorelai's not home but she will be soon… and I don't want any more drama."
Jess scoffed. "You didn't seem to care when you decided to stay over at Logan's."
"Jess, I—"
"Forget it," snapped Jess. "Rain-check it is."
He turned around and stomped away.
