Chapter 10:
"Well Rory! Hello there!" Shira said as they entered the room. Her voice was coated with at least three extra layers of sugar, but Rory still detected the venom in it. Logan must have sensed her distress, because he squeezed her hand harder.
Mitchum greeted the two of them and Josh and Rory were introduced. Everyone sat in a highly uncomfortable silence for a full three minutes, sipping their drinks. Finally, Elias spoke for he first time.
"So. The two of you are dating now," he said, straight forward and somewhat angrily.
Logan opened his mouth to respond, but his grandfather continued. "Logan, Miss Gilmore here is a lovely girl. You shouldn't be toying with her emotions like this. Besides, we can set you up with someone more suitable."
"Unbelievable," Logan muttered, pulling Rory closers and apologizing as profusely as he could with his eyes.
"If you were ready to have a more permanent girlfriend, all you had to do was ask us, dear," Shira said, trying to be nice and understanding.
Logan stood up. "Guys, I'm with Rory. Not because I think she will be good for the family, or good for my pre-destined future."
"Well then, why?" Mitchum asked. He looked genuinely confused.
"Oh my God! You're actually seriously asking me that? I love spending time with her! It… it's not something that you can describe, especially not to your parents," Logan said, exasperated. "Listen, here are your options. You drop the topic now and we will stay and have a pleasant evening. Or, you say another word about Rory and I going out and we walk out that door right now."
"Logan, dear. You live here," Shira said.
"I'll find somewhere else to stay, then," he said, rolling his eyes. "Don't think that Finn, Colin, or Tristan would hesitate to take me in."
"Fine. Consider it dropped," Elias said gruffly.
The rest of the night was filled with awkward pauses and the clinking of forks against plates.
Walking out of the Huntzberger residence, the two teens were in a shocked silence.
"I- I'm so sorry, Ace. I had no idea they would-" Logan started to apologize, but was cut off by Rory's hand over his mouth.
"You didn't do anything wrong," she said. "Thanks for yelling at them."
"Ha. My pleasure, believe me," Logan said, smiling and kissing her softly.
Rory sighed and kissed him back. The two stayed like that for an immeasurable moment and then broke apart, somewhat reluctantly.
"We should get going," Logan said.
"Yeah, my mom will get worried," Rory said, her voice very unconvincing.
"Let's go," he said, sighing and opening the door to the car.
Meanwhile back at Luke's, Lorelai and Luke were having a screaming match.
"I can't believe you!" Lorelai said angrily.
"What? What did I do?" Luke said, getting defensive.
"You moved and you didn't bother to tell me?" Lorelai said. She was disgusted with herself for feeling tears building up in the back of her eyes.
"Nothing's changed!" Luke said. "I'm still here to serve your coffee and other life-shortening foods!"
"God! You are such an idiot!" Lorelai screamed at him. "Do you really think that's why I'm mad?! You can move if you want to, I mean, it's not like I like it, but I can't stop you-" she was cut off by Luke.
"Well then what the Hell is your problem?"
"Why didn't you tell me! I thought we were friends!"
"We are friends, Lorelai!" Luke said.
"Luke, if we were really friends you would tell me important things going on in your life, such as the fact that you have moved in with your girlfriend who you have only been dating for a little over a month!" Lorelai said, grabbing her purse and storming out the door, desperately trying to hide the tears that were now streaming down her face freely.
Logan had pulled up in front of Rory's house and she had leaned over to give him a short, sweet kiss good night. However, when she tried to pull away, he grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, deepening the kiss. A heavy make-out session ensued, and a full half an hour later, the two reluctantly pulled apart and pressed their foreheads together, gasping wildly for breath.
"I- should go in now," Rory said meekly.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Logan said, still trying to calm his breathing.
"Yeah. Goodnight," she said, giving him a chaste kiss and pulling back before either of them could deepen it.
Logan watched her leave. The door to her house was already closed when he managed a weak "Goodnight, Ace."
On Sunday morning, a very happy Lane hugged her ex-boyfriend goodbye and promised that she would stay in touch. The three days he had stayed with Zach and Brian had started off as awkward but ended up being ok. Lane was still happy with Zach, and now things had been smoothed over with Dave.
The same could not be said for Lorelai Gilmore, who was currently sitting on the couch, pouring out her confused feelings to her daughter.
"I just don't know any more. I mean, why didn't he tell me? Why would he move in with her? He barely knows her!" she cried out, immensely frustrated and immensely upset.
"Mom, listen. I'm meeting the Chilton gang in twenty minutes at Luke's. I wanted to go now so I could give Jess a book he wanted to read. It will also give you a chance to make up with Luke," Rory said, tugging on her mother's hands in a vain attempt to get her off the couch.
"No! Are you crazy! I can't talk to him ever again! He hates me now!"
"Mom, Luke does not hate you. He couldn't hate you. Now, this is ridiculous. Come on," Rory said.
After five minutes of persuasion, the two Gilmore's were on their way to Luke's Diner.
"Jess, I have it!" Rory shouted, running over to him and handing him the book.
"Finally! You said you would bring this in a week ago," Jess said, reading the back.
"Yeah, yeah. Well, you have it now," Rory said, rolling her eyes at him and going up to a table. At that moment Paris walked in the door. Rory walked over to her and the two began chatting while waiting for everyone else to arrive.
"L-Luke?" Lorelai stuttered, walking up to the counter.
"Coffee?" Luke asked, not even making eye contact with her.
"No, Luke… I wanted to apologize," Lorelai said, whispering.
He looked up.
"I was such a jerk, Luke. I'm sorry. I was so busy thinking about myself that I didn't even say congratulations," Lorelai was generally a very proud person, so this humiliating apology was immensely difficult for her.
"It's ok," Luke said, his gaze softening as he stared at the genuinely upset woman in front of her. "I should have told you. I don't know why I didn't." he said. But this was a lie. Luke had waited for Lorelai Gilmore for so many years, he had almost taken it for granted that he would always want her. It made no sense, but he felt almost guilty for not waiting around forever. He shouldn't feel guilty that he had found someone who actually wanted to be with him, but Lorelai had always done strange things to his mind.
"Good. I hate fights," Lorelai said, smiling. "I'll take that coffee now."
Luke rolled his eyes and handed her the mug.
"Ace," Logan said as a way of greeting before sweeping her into a sweet, lingering kiss.
"You know, Huntz, some of us are trying to eat here," Finn said disgustedly. The Chilton gang had been slowly trickling in to the diner for the past fifteen minutes. Logan had just shown up, and Colin and Stephanie were the only two they were waiting for.
The plan was to eat and then go back to Rory's house for the ultimate all-day-long movie marathon. Jess had been invited but had politely declined, saying he had homework. Rory saw through that. Jess had never really become close with Rory's Chilton friends, and she knew he would feel uncomfortable hanging out with them all day. Lorelai wasn't going to be there either, so it would be strictly Chilton goers.
Empty pop bottles, chip bags, pizza boxes and Chinese take-out containers were spread out haphazardly around the room. Paris sat on a chair, Colin, Stephanie, Finn and Rosemary had somehow managed to all squeeze onto the love-seat, and Tristan and Juliet were sitting up against the foot rest. That left Rory and Logan up against the couch. All of them were drifting off. They had spent the entire day watching movies, some of which included Footloose and Willy Wonka. It was currently 10pm, and all of them were surprised about how much simply sitting around all day could wear you out. Rory felt Logan kiss her temple and she smiled softly.
"G'night, Logan," she whispered.
"'Night, Ace."
Rory smiled. Everything was perfect.