Lorelai ran up to him, arms open wide, crying. She wasn't sure why she was crying; she was elated that he'd shown up. She didn't think he would, with their exchange earlier in the day. She had promised herself that the next time they ran into each other, she would tell him how she felt.
"You came!" Se cried.
"Of course I came, I practically raised that kid! If I hadn't been there, she'd be living off of coffee and pop tarts!" Luke exclaimed.
"Um. . .I hate to burst your bubble, but she kinda does," Lorelai smiled the first genuine smile since they'd broken up. However, there were things she needed to take care of and her serious face came back, "Luke, I need to talk to you."
"Can't it wait Lor? I think, if I'm not a complete idiot, Logan just proposed to your daughter; so you might wanna see this." She looked over at the couple, coming slowly back to reality.
"Oh, yeah, I guess it can. . ." She said, a bit deflated.
"Rory, I lost you once and I'm not gonna do it again! I'm not gonna leave this time! Just please, hear me out!" Jess exclaimed.
Rory stared at the two men on either side of her, this was not necessarily the position she wanted to be in at the moment. "Um. . .can we take this one outside guys? I'm not sure I want my whole family to see the latest episode of 'As Rory's World Turns'," she whispered as she grabbed them by the arms and lead them out onto the terrace.
"Just listen to me, please! I wouldn't do that to you again, I couldn't," Jess said, desperately. He seemed sincere enough to Rory, but then again, she'd fallen for the same lines many times before.
"How do I know? You've done it to me countless times before. And why the hell are you showing up now?! " Rory's head was in a jumble. "Must have been the extra two cups of coffee I had this morning," she thought vaguely.
"Because I love you you idiot!" Jess yelled.
"Oh, so you realize it now?! I don't know if you've realized this or not, Jess, but someone just proposed to me. And not just anyone, a man who has been there for me at my lowest. Where were you all these years when I needed you the most?" Rory stated. Logan's face was painted with pure cockiness.
"Oh, don't you think you're off the hook! Why the hell did you do that? I've told you before what I thought a proposal should be! It should be a private thing, with a few yellow daisies, and maybe a carriage ride or something. Well, maybe the carriage ride is a little extreme unless your on it. . .The point is, you didn't listen to me! Why didn't you listen to me? You should know me better than that, Logan." She reprimanded him.
"What, you're telling me just because you didn't get your dream proposal that you don't want to marry me? Is that it, princess?" He spat.
"Yeah, that's it! I don't want to marry you! I have a whole lifetime ahead of me and I'd like to do what I want to do; I don't want to follow you to California. I don't want to be in your shadow all the time."
"So then, I guess this is it Rory, you got what you wanted didn't you? I should have known, that night at the restaurant when you defended him. How could I have been so stupid?" he said, dropping the box and walking away from her.
Rory sat down in a chair overlooking the elaborate rose garden. She never thought her graduation would end up like this. She thought it was going to be a happy occasion, with her surrounded by people she loved, the people who cared.
"Maybe its a pattern, this 'not getting what I want' thing. Maybe I am a princess. . ." She thought to herself. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she thought about the possibilities she'd just thrown away.
Jess sat down next to her, a concerned, but hopeful look on his face. "Rory, it's gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine. You're better than this, don't cry over that. . .that jerk," he said. After a bit of silence, he decided to take a leap of faith, "Is he gone for good? Is that idiot out of your life forever? Is there room for me now?"