A/N-I know, these don't get updated that often. Honestly there is a whole list of reasons, but I hope you guys will still read and review. It encourages me to update more often. And this chapter is named after the song 'On Fire' by Switchfoot. You should listen to it. :
Ring…..Ring……Ring……Rory picked up her cell phone. Damn Dean. "Hello?" she said, trying not to sound discouraged.
"Rory? Where have you been? I've been calling…." He said.
"I've been home sick for a few days."
"Well it sounds like your still capable of picking up your phone."
Rory sighed. "Sorry."
"What's up with you?"
Rory sighed, louder so he heard.
"Scratch that, you want some pancakes?"
"A girl never turns down pancakes."
"Pick you up in an hour?"
"Sure."
Rory rolled out of bed. "Ahhhhhhh," she groaned as she walked into the kitchen.
"That's my peppy girl. Ready for school, do I need to fluff your pom poms?" Lorelai said, handing Rory a massive cup of coffee.
"Ugghhhh," Rory said, taking a long sip.
"You'll be fine. Have to go, I guess Michelle ate some of that bad octopus. Kiss," Lorelai said, kissing Rory on the cheek. "Later chick."
"See ya dude," Rory said.
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Dean smiled when he saw Rory. She grinned back. "Hey there stranger."
Rory grabbed him, kissing him softly.
"Nice to meet you," he said, smiling.
Rory stepped back, disappointed. She didn't want to fall for the bad boy.
"You too kind sir. Where shall we be dining on this marvelous morning?"
"I was thinking Luke's, considering you eat there all 5 meals a day."
Rory punched him playfully. "How about Weston's?"
"Why?"
"Because life is meant to be a variety Dean. You shouldn't just go on day after day eating apples. Mix it up, throw in an orange or a grape."
"Right….well let's get eating those fruits then," he said, taking her hand.
Rory pulled her hand away. "I have a weird rash."
"Do your lips have a rash?"
"No."
"Good," Dean said, leaning in and kissing her.
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"You've barely touched you pancakes," Dean said as he and Rory sat eating at Weston's.
"I've been sick. Which is why we probably shouldn't be kissing."
"I'll take my chances. Besides, when has anything ever stopped you from eating?"
Rory sighed and put her head in her hand, staring out the window. She saw Jess walking around the town square and sat up a bit.
Dean noticed and looked out the window. "Oh….that jackass."
"He's not a….well..you know."
"Rory…."
"Dean….."
"He punched me."
"You punched him."
"I don't like you hanging out with this guy."
"He's at my school, what am I supposed to do, ignore him?"
"Maybe."
Rory shook her head, then spotted Lane.
"Look I have to go, my bus is coming early this morning."
"Okay well,"
"Bye," Rory said, leaving.
"Lane!" Rory said running out to her on the street.
"Is it really you? Rory Gilmore? I thought you died in a plane crash or something," Lane said.
"Shut up and let's go," Rory said, hooking arms with Lane.
"Violence is not the answer. Unless it's Koreans fighting for the last piece of Tofurky," Lane said, following.
"I'm falling for Jess," Rory said, once they were out of sight.
"WHAT?" Lane screamed. "Luke's long lost nephew?"
"Yeah…."
"What happened between you and Dean, and what about that one Tristan kid whose always hitting on you?"
"I just….I feel like I'm on fire with Jess. With Dean I feel like….I'm kissing my cousin."
"Oh jeez definitely time to end it then. That's so wrong."
"Fine then like I'm kissing my friend. Dean's a great guy, and Jess is a bad boy. I don't want to be that girl, the one falling for the bad boy."
"But you are. Wait, have you and Jess kissed?"
"Yeah…"
"Rory Gilmore you are so grounded! How could you have not told me?"
"We have twice."
"Rory! Your with Dean!"
"I know, and I'd like to think that I'm still in love with him, but, I don't know."
Lane shook her head. "3 guys Rory, Lane zip. Except I do believe this one chick was checking me out yesterday."
"Lane Kim you're so grounded! I have to go, we'll get to your punishment later."
"Wait, what are you going to say, to Jess?"
"I don't know."
Lane smiled. "This is so exciting!"
Rory shook her head.
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Rory walked into class that day with butterflies. She didn't get these before speeches, or when she saw Dean. Just now.
She went and took her seat, biting her lip.
Her heart jumped as Jess walked in, giving her a smirk as he sat down next to her.
"Where ya been?" he said, as casual as ever.
"Sick."
"Right. Well we have to do our gay presidents presentation today."
"Oh," Rory said, looking into his eyes and nodding her head like an idiot.
Jess laughed a little to himself as the teacher walked in.
"Good morning class. Isn't it a marvelous morning?" she said.
"Someone got laid last night," Jess whispered to her.
Rory hit him and let her arm drop down next to his. He put a finger on one of her fingers.
She smiled and put a finger over that finger. He put another on top of hers.
"Rory, Jess? Presentations?" the teacher said.
"Oh, right," Rory said, pulling her hand away and standing up, Jess following her.
"So, we decided to do our second president, John Adams," Rory said.
"And Jess, why is that?" the teacher asked.
"Because, even though the first president was beloved, sometimes you have to move on to the second, and see what possibilities lie there."
"Very well said. Proceed," the teacher said as Rory looked over at Jess and sighed.
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Rory walked out of class as fast as possible, heading to her locker and grabbing her stuff for her next class.
"I got the feeling you were avoiding me just there," Rory heard a voice say, as she shut her locker to reveal Tristan.
"You felt right."
"Come on Rory, our attraction is undeniable."
"Right."
"You agree? I knew you would."
"I have to go," Rory said, walking off.
Behind her she heard him say, "Hey what's goin on?" to some other girl. She shook her head, before nearly falling over as she got pulled into a closet, the door slamming behind her.
It was dark. "Hello?" she said, searching for something to hold onto.
She reached out and felt a face, and a hand took hers and brought it down. "Hello there," came Jess's voice.
"Jess!" Rory said, smiling. "What is this?"
"I just wanted to….talk to you."
"In the dark?"
"The lights bulbs out."
"I see. So….."
"I know your scared."
"Just a little. We're in a dark closet with who knows what in it. Buckets of puke?"
"No, I mean. I'm not good with words but…..your scared…..of us. Of me."
"Oh, well. I just don't…..I don't know."
"Ever heard the saying 'don't judge a book by its cover?'"
"Yeah, it's a cliché."
"But it's not. Give me a chance."
Rory couldn't say anything. She felt a hand grab hers, and then the other.
"Dean," she muttered.
"If you really love Dean, you won't do this," Jess said.
She felt his breath against her face. "Do you love him?" Jess asked.
Rory grabbed him, kissing him hard, with everything she had been thinking about the past few days. Which was just him.
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"So, love the mommy. I got Al's new combo for us to try, and I picked up pie from Luke's," Lorelai said, walking in the door.
"Love the daughter. I just got all 3 Godfather's."
"Ah man, and I thought I would get the bone tonight."
The doorbell rang.
"Down boy down," Rory said, passing Lorelai and heading for the door.
She opened it, expecting to see Babette trying to get them to plant bulbs again, but instead saw just who she wanted. But also who she didn't want.
"Jess, hey," she said, stepping out on the porch.
"Hey."
"So, what's going on?"
"I'm just about to eat Al's, pie, and various other junk foods while watching the Godfather's with my mom."
"Your mom?"
"Yep."
"Interesting town this is."
Rory blushed and looked down.
"Actually I just stopped by, to give you something."
Rory looked up, surprised. This was so, not what she pictured him to be like.
"Here," he said, handing her a small bag. She pulled out a book, 'Howl.'
"Thanks Jess, but, I have this."
"Now you do."
"No I mean, I already have this."
"Look on the inside. This is yours."
"You stole my book!" This seemed more like him.
"Just to put some notes in the margins, like we talked about."
Rory flipped through it, grinning as big as she could without smiling.
"I'm still curious as to when you broke into my house and stole my book."
"I wasn't stealing, I was finishing a previously agreed upon arrangement. I was practically obligated too."
Rory laughed. "Right. Well Maybe you could steal my Oliver Twist next. This is really good."
"Maybe I will," Jess said, leaning in and giving her a gentle kiss.
"Goodnight dodger," Rory said as Jess walked away.
"Goodbye Rory," Dean said to himself as he watched from the side of the house.
