This is not my best chapter, but I had a lot of tough pressure with school. I like to thank my beta ellie Gilmore without her this chapter would have been harder to read.

August, 24, 2004

The dinner was so far going well, with the exception of Lorelai's scowling at Rory and Logan. However, Rory tried to pay as little attention to her mother as possible. Also Emily had decided to give two more couple hints to Rory and Logan, but Rory, Logan, and Richard would quickly try and brush the subject aside when that would happen. Rory was surprised at how comfortable she and Logan were; he kept his hand on her knee or on her shoulder the entire time when he was not eating. Lorelai couldn't understand why her daughter was ignoring her, yet kept talking rapidly with Logan and her parents. Also the apparent closeness between Rory and Logan bothered her. She was desperate to find ways to break the ice, so she tried to find a conversation. "So Rory is August 30 still the first day of school?"

"Yes Mom'' Lorelai was surprised at her daughters quick and dismissive tone. However, she was going to keep talking until her daughter would fully talk to her.

"So do you want me to help you? I know you left some stuff at home that you need."

"Well about that, I will come home tomorrow to get my stuff." After all Rory needed to get her car as well because she didn't want to keep relying on Logan for rides.

"That's great! We can have a movie night afterwards, and you are welcome to spend the night tonight and tomorrow night." Lorelai said excitedly.
Same old Lorelai; Rory shrugged. 'Things are going their way' she thought, 'she tries to be your best friend.' Unlike her mother she didn't like to cause scenes at the dinner table. Thus, in her polite tone, with a society smile she said. "Sorry mom, but I need to leave after dinner and get my things tomorrow; I have plans tomorrow in the city. Plus Logan and I have plans tonight as well. "

Lorelai could not believe Rory, things were supposed to be good after her and Jess broke up; it was probably Logan's fault. "Well what sort of plans could you possibly have?"

"Lorelai, you know that Rory cannot always drop her plans to accommodate you."

"Your mother is right, it's highly rude to change plans on someone last minute." Richard piped in.

"Mom and Dad, stay out of this, it's none of your business" Lorelai said harshly.

Rory didn't want to cause any tension on the table, but she felt she had to reply to her mother to shut her up. "Mom stop being such a drama queen, there is gala that Logan invited me to tomorrow night, and tonight Logan and I planned on doing something together with friends."

"What sort of gala is that?" Emily asked curiously.

"It's this annual publishing gala, where my father and other big people in journalism business congregate every year." To talk about boring bullshit, Logan thought, but of course he wasn't going to tell Richard and Emily that.

"I have heard of this gala, it's one of the biggest corporate events of the year, Rory you will gain some good contacts from that", Richard said excitedly.

"Well, that is what I am planning to do."

"Do you have anything to wear? Because this is not the type of event to wear something from off the rack" Emily appeared to shudder at that thought.

"Actually, Rory already has a beautiful designer dress to wear." Logan vowed that he would keep his promise, and buy her a nice dress. Rory glared at him and Logan whispered in her ear. "I will buy you the dress. "

"You really are serious about that." Rory whispered back.

Logan smirked and nodded.

Lorelai was annoyed at Rory and Logan's constant whispering, and the fact that Rory was going to this type of party.

"Rory, I have this beautiful necklace that you could borrow to go with that dress."

"Mom enough" Lorelai said somewhat annoyed. "If Rory wants to borrow your bling she will ask; and, Rory you really don't have to go to this sort of thing if you don't want to."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Rory asked harshly, since she was sick and tired of her mother always assuming of what she liked and didn't like.

"I mean, I know you promised Logan that you would go, since you are the type of kid to always agree to a promise. However, I know that fancy parties are not your thing and that you will be bored and have a miserable time." Like always Lorelai jumped into conclusions.

"Unbelievable, mom, you are assuming things just like always. Look, the party might not be all fun and games. However, Logan promised me that we would find a way to have fun; and as Grandpa said, going to this party is a good way to establish connections. Plus, Logan has done a lot for me, and it seemed fair I do something for him." With that Rory turned to her grandmother. "So, grandma, how was Europe?"

"Wonderful, you should have seen those Italian men" Emily raved.

"Emily must you." Richard scowled.

"Yeah, Dad's right. Why don't we talk about how Rory is changing?" Lorelai had enough of being ignored at the dinner table all night, and wanted to lay down everything.

Rory had it up to here with her mother. "How am I changing?" That sounded like a threat and she knew it; but she didn't care.

"Let's see" Lorelai pretended to think hard. "You run off to New York without a plan; and just when I think you come to your senses you choose to live with a yuppie and attend society parties rather than spend time with me."

"Lorelai Gilmore, you should be thrilled that Rory found a suitable person to be friends with. Not insulting, but then again it's typical of you to be judgmental" Emily jumped in.

"Hmm mom, I wonder why you find him suitable? Is it his bank account?"

"Mom, stop it!" Rory yelled. "You are judging him on his bank account and that is just as bad."

Lorelai needed to just let everything out at that moment. "I am not judging him on his bank account; I just think that he is changing you. If it was not for him, you would be in Stars Hollow living with me, until Yale starts."

Rory really had enough by now. How could she? "Mom, he is not changing me, and you don't even know him. Even if I never had met him; our relationship is not going to go back to what it once was."

"Well I know that before you met him, you would never cancel plans on me before. Plus, you would always said I didn't know Jess, and while I don't know what happend with you and him, I know I was right."

That was it. Her mother had gone too far, way too far, and was so clueless. "Okay, you were right about Jess I admit it. However, you are wrong about Logan. He is smart, kind, and funny. He has guided me to the right choices, and I'm grateful for that. However, I cannot be your best friend anymore, because the only reason you talk to me is because I'm going back to Yale. If I didn't go back to Yale, you would still be freezing me out. "

"Girls calm down!" Emily tried to quiet them down. She had never seen her daughter and granddaughter fighting like this.

Lorelai ignored Emily, and continue talking. "Well honey, of course you would have been back at Yale."

"Mom don't you get the possibility that maybe one day I might do something different than our plans? That maybe I might want to be friends with someone from the world you appear to disapprove of? You never got that, and this is why I am not going to take it anymore!"

"Rory what are you talking about it?" Lorelai now was slightly panicked. Rory really was serious.

"You and I we're done! I will come tomorrow and get my stuff. However, I won't visit you on weekends anymore, or have movie nights. I will talk to you maybe on Friday Night dinners or during an emergency." She paused for a moment. "However, that is it. We can't be best friend anymore. "

"Rory, come on!" She could not believe that she was losing her daughter, and after everything they had been through.

"No, Mom" Rory interrupted her, a lot calmer now. "But you always said that Grandpa and Grandma wanted me to be their new improved Lorelai. And, to some degrees that is true, but, mom, you wanted a new and improved Lorelai as well. And the sad thing mom is, you wanted that more, and you don't realize it. Until you realize that I'm my own person. I cannot be friends with someone who does not." Rory was near tears when she said that, and Logan put his arms around her.

"Richard and Emily, it was lovely to see you again, but Rory and I have a long day ahead of us. May we call it a night?" Logan said politely. He wanted nothing more than to get his Ace out of that hell.

"Why yes I understand, come on I will escort you out" Emily offered.

"Grandpa I will call you" Rory said, swallowing her tears.

"I will hold you to that young lady." Rory smiled briefly as she and Logan went out.

Logan and Rory got up, and Logan had his hand on her back. Emily followed them to escort them out. "I am very sorry about Lorelai, she can be a bit of a drama queen sometimes."

"It's fine, Emily. Thanks for dinner.'' Logan said.

"Why, aren't you sweet. Rory, before you go I have something to tell you."

"Um, okay."

"Wonderful," Emily chirped. "Logan, it was lovely to see you, and despite what Lorelai says, your presence is always welcome."

"Thank you Emily." Logan smiled politely. Emily could be overbearing but he could sense that there was a lot of love within her.

"Logan I will meet you in the car."

Rory walked with Emily to Emily's room upstairs. Emily went into her jewelry box, and got out a beautiful necklace. "Here is a necklace that your Aunt Hope gave me this summer to wear at the Gala. Now, it's simpler then some of my other necklaces, but I think whatever dress you wear, this necklace will shine. Plus, you could never go wrong with a Harry Winston."

Rory gasped, it was a beautiful necklace; it had a very lacy pattern of diamonds scattering around. "Grandma, that is too much."

"Nonsense, people expect you to wear some fancy piece of jewelry at these type of parties. "

"Oh, well, I promise to take care of it, Grandma. Thank you" She and Emily hugged. "Well I better go down. I don't want to keep Logan waiting. "

"Just don't show him the necklace until the gala, a man likes to feel stunned. " Rory could tell that was another hint, so she went down the stairs faster.

Rory met Logan down the stairs after saying goodbye to Emily. "So, what was that about?"

"Oh nothing, Grandma wanted to say a private goodbye, since she couldn't with all the drama." She didn't know why she was following her grandmother's advice and hiding the necklace from Logan. "I don't know how she listened to you and let us go earlier."

"What can I say? I'm a charmer." He said and showed that beautiful smirk of his.

"God, you are so full of yourself" she then changed the topic. "Look, Logan I'm really sorry that my mom was so rude to you."

"Hey, it's no problem. I think she feels a bit left out. I mean, you were ignoring her." He tried to explain.

"Well, she was ignoring me all summer. Only when she found out I got an internship she was starting to act like my friend."

"Maybe if you calmly told her all of that, then things would get better" Logan suggested. "Then again I'm no expert in having a good relationship with parents."

"Discussing things calmly is not a Gilmore trait" Rory said. "Anyway, I just want you to know that what she said about you tonight was not your fault."

"Well, she didn't say anything that bad, and I'm glad you still are my friend" Logan shrugged Lorelai's behavior of and smiled.

"I'm glad I am, too, Logan. I don't know what would have happened this summer if I had not met you."

"Well, you would have figured out everything anyway. After all, you came to the realizations on your own."

"I know, but I would have still been pretty lonely, Logan." Rory had a sad smile on her face.

Logan took her hand, and said, "I would have been pretty lonely myself staying in New York all August."

They both stood there in what appeared to be a dreamy-like trance by just standing there and staring at each other next to the Gilmore fountain. Both noticed how close they were to each other; if one of them would move just one inch they could kiss. Rory kept wondering that maybe, for once it wouldn't be so crazy. She kept wondering how kissing him would be like, and if it would be like in her dream. Logan himself was wondering how sweet her lips would taste. But then he remembered the crying girl in his arms two weeks ago in Central Park, and he couldn't be responsible of causing her more pain. So he took a step back. "So, Ace, are you sure you want to go to the pub, after tonight?"

"Yeah, I am sure. I like your friends. And after the drama of tonight I could use a little fun." She hoped Logan wouldn't notice the tension in her voice. She couldn't believe that she had almost kissed Logan. She couldn't believe that she was partially disappointed that Logan had pulled away.
"Alright let's go and have fun."

They both went inside the limo trying to ignore the feelings the almost kiss had given them.

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The necklace that Emily gave Rory is a Harry Winston go to and click under necklaces it's the called a Lacy drop.