Out Of My Ivy League
I made my decision a long time ago. I wasn't about to leave all the loose ends still hanging. I wanted her. I still do. Now it's time for me to take a chance, make a stand. Fight. Fight for her, for us, for everything we had and everything we could have. I've been fighting my whole life but this is something worth fighting for, an ongoing battle that I never fully understood until now.
As I wander around Yale's ivy-covered walls, desperately trying to locate her building, I wonder if she was right. If I could do more and be more. If I could have been sitting in one of these classrooms discussing the greats of literature. With her.
There's a light on in the hallway of her building and I catch sight of her. She's stood with her back to the door, talking to someone but I can't see who it is. I take a deep breath and quickly run through my prepared speech in my head. The door is heavy and as I push it open, it crashes into the brick wall.
There she is. Beautiful as ever. And I can finally see who she's talking to. A 6"2 mass of married ex-boyfriend complete with a dopey expression stamped across his face. Shit.
"What are you doing here?" It's accusing and not entirely undeserved.
My mind races, sifting through everything I wanted-needed-to say in a futile attempt to find the perfect opening line but his presence throws me completely and I settle for one of my trademark blunt statements.
"I need to talk to you."
She's hesitating and I see my chance but just before I've worked up enough courage to jump right in with my speech-which sounds a little contrived now, given the circumstances-Bag Boy finally processes that I'm here for Rory and gets territorial…as usual.
"Jess…" He's growling at me, warning me off but she still looks uncertain so I press on regardless of his Frankenstein scowl.
"I need to talk to you." I repeat, emphasising the "you" to make him realise that he is in no way invited to contribute to our conversation.
But he still doesn't get the message.
"What's going on?" He addresses her but she's still watching me, nonplussed.
"What are you doing here?" She repeats but I'm reaching boiling point now and appeal to her in desperation.
"Rory, please!" I'm disgusted with myself that I should debase myself by begging her in front of him but I'm left with little choice.
"Rory?" I hate that it's him who snaps her out of her stupor but she finally seems to realise that he's still standing there and turns to address him.
"Go. Go home."
"No."
"Yes, go. You should go." She sticks by her decision, which would leave us alone together and my spirits soar as he storms out and she turns to me. I allow myself to think that maybe I was wrong when I saw him here. That is, until…
"Why won't you leave me alone? You won't go away!"