Chapter 2

2 weeks later

Alex awoke to the aroma of breakfast cooking. She quickly showered, dressed and ran downstairs. "Good morning!" she greeted everybody as she piled food onto her plate. The family was getting used to her big appetite.

"Good morning Alexandra. We need to talk." Aunt Barbara said handing her a cup of juice.

Alex sighed. She knew she wouldn't like whatever she had to say since her aunt called her by her first name. She also hated the fact that Aunt Barbara refused to allow her to drink coffee.

"About what?"

"Well you start school today and I want to talk to you about your behavior."

Alex sighed again. "I got it Aunt Barbara No pranks."

"It's not just that. I want this to work. I love having you here."

"I want this to work out too And I love being here."

"That's good to hear. Now I heard you've been hanging out with that Jessie kid." The sour look on Barbara's face when she mentioned his name was enough for Alex to know that she didn't like him.

Alex glared across the table at Dean who she knew told her aunt about her spending time with jess. "I wonder where you heard that."

Barbara realized she was putting Dean in an awkward position. "Alex this is a small town. People talk." Barbara realized that what she was saying wasn't affecting Alex at all. "I just want you to be careful."

Alex stuffed her last fork full of food in her mouth." Be careful and stay away from Jess. Got it. Now I have to go meet Jess at Luke's maybe we'll be spontaneous and jump in front of a moving car." She said sarcastically before leaving.

Alex left in a huff. She didn't even realize how angry she was until she ran into Lorelai at Luke's. Of course Lorelai made a few jokes and made her feel better. She was really beginning to like Lorelai.

"Hey Luke." She greeted as she sat at the counter. "One coffee and one Jess to go please."

"He'll be down in a minute." Luke said handing her coffee.

"No witty comeback?" Oh no Luke. You're getting soft"

"I'm just happy you're getting Jess to go to school. He started skipping school and getting himself in who knows what kind of trouble. I'm just glad that he has people around him doing the right thing you know."

"Well be grateful by yelling at me about my bad choices."

Luke grinned at her and snatched the coffee from her hand. "No coffee for you."

She smiled and snatched it back. "Now that's more like it."

When Jess came down Alex grabbed a donut and they walked to school together.

"Apparently you're so bad people don't want me to be around you. Back at home I was the one people kept away from their kids." Alex joked.

"You know you never told me why you like Dean so much. Or why you got kicked out of your school."

"Pick one."

"Dean."

"Wow you must really hate my cousin. You'd rather hear about him than my juvenile ways in New York."

"Cousin? Dean is your cousin?"

"Our mothers are sisters."

"Wow. Now I wish I would've picked the other one"

"Too late. Now it's my turn to ask a question."

Jess groaned. "Nah that's okay."

"Stop being such a baby Jess. It's an easy question."

"Fine."

"What book are you reading today?"

Jess was confused. "Wait a second. Let me get this right. Out of all of the questions in the world; you want to know what book I'm reading?"

"That's right." She nodded.

He pulled the worn paperback book from his pocket. Alex could tell he had read it a million times. It was falling apart.

"The Grapes of Wrath."

"And what is that about?" Alex egged him on.

"It's a story about a family who suffers hardships and oppression as migrant laborers during the great depression."

Alex stopped before they entered the school building and turned to Jess. "You can tell a lot about a guy from the books he reads. I can tell how you're feeling from the book you're reading " she winked at him before heading to the building. She opened the door and turned towards Jess. "Grab a snickers bar or something. That helps me when I'm depressed." She winked at him before going into the building.

"Dammit." He cursed. She had one upped him again. He couldn't help but to smile.

"What are you smiling at?" Dean walked over to Jess with anger written all over his face.

Jess gave a mischievous grin. "Oh nothing. I's just a beautiful day in the neighborhood." Jess said sarcastically which only pissed Dean off more.

"I'm only going to say this one time Jess. Stay the hell away from Alex!" Dean barked which only made Jess pick at him more.

"It's a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine?" he began to sing the words to Mr. Roger's neighborhood.

"I mean it Jess!" Dean yelled at Jess who continued to sing.

Jess stopped singing. He was enjoying pissing Jess off. "Why is it that the women in your life would rather spend time with me than you? First Rory and now Alex."

Dean had enough. Jess was really pissing him off. Dean shoved Jess into the building door. Jess got up and charged towards Dean knocking him to the ground. Before it could go any further a teacher broke up the fight.

After school….

"Aunt Barbara is going to kill you." Alex teased as she and Dean walked out of the school building. "Maybe you're the one who should stay away from Jess." She said walking in the opposite direction of their house.

"Where are you going?" he asked raising his hands in the air.

"To Luke's duh."

Dean walked closer to Alex to close the gap between them. "Alex I'm serious. Stay away from him. That kid is bad news."

"Well news flash Dean. So am I. That's why I'm here." She got defended tired of everybody warning her about the "evil Jess."

"Fine Alex. Do what you want. I don't care anymore. He shouted before storming off. He realized that it was a losing battle.

"I'm not even going to meet Jess. I'm going to see Rory." She shouted but it was too late he was too far away to hear her.

"Wow. He seems angry." Jess said nonchalantly as he caught up with her.

Alex punched him in the arm with as much force as she could before picking up her stride towards Luke's.

"Ow."Jess laughed as he held his stinging arm and jogged to keep up with her pace. "What the hell was that for?"

"You know what it's for Jessie."

"OO. She called me by my first name. I must be in trouble." Jess joked.

Alex stopped in front of Luke's and turned to him. "I'm serious Jess. Why did you have to start a fight with him?"

Jess started to get mad. "Is that what he told you?"

"Yes it is."

"Wow so before you even ask me what happened you decided to blame me."

"Well is it what happened?" she asked in a softer tone when she realized he was right.

"It doesn't matter does it? You already have your mind made up." He stormed into the diner and headed straight upstairs. Alex wasn't going to let it end like that. She too stormed into the diner. She managed to greet Luke and order a coffee as she followed Jess upstairs. She could hear his music blaring.

"Jess. She yelled at him.

He ignored her. She found his stereo and turned it off.

"What do you want Alex?"

Alex sat next to him. "I want you to tell me what happened." She said softly.

"Nothing happened. We got into an argument that turned physical."

"Well if you liked me you would try to get along with Dean."

"Who said I liked you?" he asked smugly.

"I don't see anybody getting Stars Hollow's most skipped student to go to school."

Alex turned his music back up and headed back down to meet with Rory. Jess was glad she left because he didn't want her to see the grin on his face. He had been smiling a lot since she came to town. He couldn't remember ever smiling so much.

When Jess came down to help, Alex and Rory were sitting at one of the tables laughing and joking.

"Hey Uncle Luke Let me get that for you." Jess took the rag from Luke and began to wipe the table down.

Luke grabbed a couple of donuts and took them to Alex.

"I thought you said you weren't going to serve me donuts again until I had a salad."

"That was before that." He pointed at Jess who was now helping a customer with a smile. "Earlier he stormed upstairs which usually means I'd be dealing with a disgruntle and rude Jess but after you talked to him he's actually polite and helpful."

"Wow. I've never seen Jess smile at a customer. What did you do?" Rory asked when Luke walked away.

Before she could answer Lorelai slipped into the seat next to Rory. "Hey what did I miss? Make it quick. I only have ten minutes before Michel realizes I'm not at the Inn."

"Jess is in love with Alex."

"What?" Lorelai exclaimed.

Alex couldn't help but to blush. "He is not in love with me."

"Look he's being nice to Taylor." Rory pointed over at Jess who was smiling at Taylor.

"So it is true. Alex and Jessie sitting in the tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g." Lorelai sang.

"Shh. he'll hear you."

On queue Jess walked over to their table with a pot of coffee and a mug for Lorelai. "Here you go ladies."

"Wow Alex. All I usually get from that kid is nearly cold coffee and an attitude. It must be love" Lorelai said when Jess walked away to help another customer.

For a split second Alex thought she could see jealousy on Rory's face. Alex decided she would ignore it for now.

"Anyway mom Alex and Lane are spending the night this weekend."

"Like a sleepover?" Lorelai asked excitedly. "I have to go shopping now. I have to get enough snacks to feed an army." Lorelai excitedly gulped down her coffee and headed for the door.

"I thought you had to get back to the Inn. I don't think leaving Michel alone with customers for too long is a good idea." Rory stated

"Oh to hell with the Inn. We're having a sleepover!" she shouted over her shoulder as she nearly ran towards Doose's market.

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