"So, Prom is coming up." She looked meaningfully at me. "You going to go with Dean?"
"Um...yeah, he asked me last night..." I looked down at my omelet, which was getting cold. I poked at it.
Unless I break up with him...
Ch 3
I got out of Jess's car and walked to my locker, with him trailing strong and silent behind me. Nothing showed what had changed this weekend. No one could possibly know.
And yet, when Dean walked up to me at lunch that day I very nearly freaked and almost dumped my lunch on him...
But at the end of the day, no one knew. And I was safe.
I walked to Doose's Market with Dean after school. He had to work and I was going to meet with Lane.
I kissed Dean goodbye. On the cheek. He looked at me for a second, searching my face, knowing I had been in a haze all day, then walked inside.
I walked across the street and sat on a bench to wait for Lane. My cell rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Rory, it's Lane. Look, my mom freaked at me today when I dropped off my stuff."
"Why?"
"I trailed dirt in." We giggled. Ms. Kim always got mad at the slightest thing.
"So? You can't come?"
"No, sorry, Rory. You know how my mom gets..."
"Yeah, it's-" I broke off as Jess sat on the bench next to me and smiled. Wow that boy can smile..."Um...it's cool. Look, uh, Lane? I'll talk to you at school tomorrow, all right? Okay, bye"
I hung up and turned to look at Jess. "Why are you everywhere?" I said, laughing a bit.
"I know everything n this town, Rory, you should know that by now." He leaned back, eyes closed.
"Yeah, mostly because you cause most of what goes on in this town."
He opened one eye and looked at me. "You're a quick one, Rory Gilmore. Anyone ever told you that?"
"Of course. Nice to hear it from you though, nice to see you're finally catching on." I smiled.
"Oh, so I'm slow now? I think I'm going to go across the street to the Market and have a little chat with the bag boy, do you remember his name?"
"Jess! Leave Dean alone...I think..." I think I'm going to break up with Dean...I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. Not yet.
"You think too much" He opened his eyes and smirked. I smacked him on the shoulder and stuck my tongue out at him.
"I wouldn't stick your tongue out at me if I were you" He warned, wagging a finger at me reproachfully.
"Why?" I asked, already laughing.
"Because I might try to swallow it" He looked up and laughed at my shocked face.