Disclaimer: I own Phoebe, Paige, Jamie, and Paige's friends.
A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I love writing this story! If you want to see the trailer for it then go to my profile.
All you need to know:
- Rory and Jess never dated, but have been best friends since they were kids.
- Rory went to Yale when she graduated and Jess went off to travel. Still kept in touch, but not as much.
- Both twenty-four.
I got my inspiration from the movie My Best Friend's Wedding and Brown Sugar. Never seen it? It's okay, you'll get it.
And by the way I want to give a special thanks to my BETA: Just A Girl of the Hollow x3 AKA Cat.
I stare at her in disbelief. My chest is pounding as I watch her mouth open and close, trying to think of what to say. All I can do is stare, afraid that if I open my mouth I will say something I will regret.
"I just- I mean- Jess, all I was trying to say is that if you get married nothing will be the same. I know you say it will be, but you don't know that. It won't be. It'll be you and Paige forever and I won't be the only girl in your life anymore. We're best friends, Jess, but after you say 'I do' we won't be as close."
She's looking at my face, trying to read my emotions. She knows she's made me angry. I bite my tongue and stand up without saying a word to her.
"Jess?" Rory calls to me, standing up also, "Come on, Jess … say something."
I turn around, "I can't! Because all I am going to do is blow up at you! Rory, God! Let me be happy without making me feel guilty!"
"I didn't say you couldn't be happy, ju—," I cut her off, not wanting to hear more.
"Just I'm leaving you out, is that it Rory?" I bite at her, wanting to hurt her as much as she has hurt me. She flaunted around her boyfriends for the past ten years … I finally have someone and she is put off because she's not the only girl in my life anymore.
"No! Well, yeah, but … not like that!" Rory has her pleading voice on, the one that I usually break down for, because I hate making her cry.
"I'm sorry, Rory, okay? I am sorry that I have someone that I love enough to marry and you are still single! I'm sorry I have grown up and got a life!" She winces, noticeably at my words and I suddenly feel a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew what I said was a little harsh, but I needed her to stop talking so I could get away.
She backs down and looks at me with her eyes glistening. I shake my head and walk off of the bridge, leaving her heartbroken.
I walk to Luke's and up to the apartment. I walk in and Paige is curled into a ball on the couch, watching a movie and eating cookies. I look over at the kitchen and it is clean with a plate of fresh cookies in the middle of the counter.
She's so different from Rory. Rory would have eaten the dough raw and if she wouldn't have, she would have burnt the cookies.
Flashback
Rory fans the oven as smoke comes out and fills the kitchen. The smoke alarm is going off and a bag of flour had been spilt. I walk over to the alarm and turn it off before walking over to Rory, "What were you doing?" I ask her.
She turns to me with tears forming in her eyes, "I'll never be like June Cleaver!"
"And I thank god for that, because honestly the Stepford Wives thing is so creepy." I smirk, trying to make light out of this situation. Even though I honestly don't know what is wrong with her.
"You don't get it Jess! Women are supposed to be able to cook! It is supposed to be in their blood!"
"Rory, woman are also supposed to not eat, because they are obsessed about getting fat," I add and grab a broom from beside the refrigerator.
"So what are you trying to say? I'm not a woman?!" She raises her voice and rests her head in her hands.
"Of course you are. You are a Gilmore woman, though. Not being able to cook is in YOUR blood. It's like genetic." I smirk at her and sweep up the white powder, "What possessed you to try out your cooking skills?"
She just crosses her arms over her chest and sniffs, "Well, Tristan said he wanted a wife that could cook so he didn't have to go through maid after maid."
I just laugh and pull her into an embrace, "Come here, you." I hug her and she lets her arms fall limply at her sides before wrapping one loosely around me, "I'm sure you'll be a great wife for someone, cooking skills or not."
I feel her nod and rest her head under my chin.
End Flashback
Paige looks up from her movie and smiles, "Hey baby."
I walk over to her and kiss her full on the mouth, trying to get the thoughts of hurting Rory out of my head. She kisses me back before moving her head away and glancing behind me to catch a glimpse at the film.
Walking over to the fridge, I hear her call to me, "You and Rory have a good time?"
"I don't want to talk about it," I reply, getting a soda out of the refrigerator.
I hear Paige get off of the couch. Her footsteps get closer and she wraps her arms around my waist from behind. She lays her head on my back, "Jess … are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I get out of her hold and walk over to the couch. She follows me and leans in front of me on the table, "Jess?"
"It's nothing Paige!" I snap at her and then regret it after seeing her eyes fill with hurt. I sigh, "I'm sorry, just watch the movie…let it go?" I didn't want to make her mad at me, too.
Paige just nods and sits beside me, not saying another word.
In Philadelphia, being drug down the road with a blindfold on my face and my fiancé behind me with one, also … I would be scared. In Stars Hollow, with my guide being Lorelai, it doesn't surprise me at all.
We stop in a certain spot and Lorelai takes the blindfold off of my face and then does the same to Paige. I look up and see Miss Patty's dance studio. I stop and look down at what I am wearing, "Lorelai, why did you tell me to wear a suit if we were just going here?"
"Because everyone else is," Lorelai replies, grinning at me and Paige. She grabs my hand and I grab Paige's. Lorelai pushes open the barn door and I smile when I see everyone inside dressed up nice.
Music is playing and there are gifts stacked on a table in the far corner.
"Lorelai, what is this?" I ask her, smiling.
"Rory planned an engagement party for you!" She smiles and walks in the building.
I look at Paige with a big smile on my face and walk inside, holding her hand. Even though we aren't on good terms, I still admit I love Rory to death for doing this.
It's been at least three hours and everyone is still here. Paige is opening the gifts and showing me every once in a while. I look around the room for Rory and see her finishing off a beer. I watch her closely and notice she is going up to the stage.
She walks up and taps on the microphone once and everyone looks up at her.
"Hello Stars Hollow!" She's a little tipsy and my stomach turns in a knot, but I wait to hear what she has to say, "As you all know, this engagemen- ment party is for the bad boy of Stars Hollow. Also-so known as my bestest friend, Jess Mariano."
"You all always-s thought it would be me and Jess getting married, huh? Well, so did I. He promised me that we would ru- run away when we were 21 and get m-married. Looks like that didn't work out. I mean, Rory Mariano? Sou- sounds good, doesn't it?" Paige furrows her brow and looks at me. I sigh and shake my head, heading for the stage.
"Well Paigey, just tre- treat my boy good, okay? Make him h- happy, any girl that can do that is good in my book. He's a hard guy-y to please. Oh, did did you know he was the first per- person I ever had s-sex with? Also the first guy that I ever k-kissed. I have many stories-s about Jess, I can go on and on a-and on …" I walk up the stage stairs and over to her.
"Rory, what are you doing?" I ask her, covering the microphone with my hand.
"Making a t-t-toast," she says, grinning at me. I shake my head and take her arm, leading her off of the stage.
I pull her outside and grip my head before speaking to her, "What the hell was that Rory?!"
"I w-was just mak- making a toast for you and Paige!" She stomps her foot on the black top and stumbles a bit.
"Are you trying to ruin this for me?!" I shout at her and run my hands through my hair.
"I-I'm ssorry." I hear her broken voice and I look up to see her standing there with tears running down her face, "I just miss my best friend, that's all."
I look up at the sky, the sun has gone down and the stars are glistening just like her Rory's eyes earlier today when he had yelled at her, "I'm still here, Rory." I groan a little and look at her, "Do you know how much explaining I am going to have to do tonight? To Paige?"
"Just … Jess, I'm s-s-sorry!" She slurs a bit, but she isn't completely drunk.
I lick my lips and nod my head, "You just told the whole town, including your mom, my mom, and my fiancé that you were my first and I was your first! I thought we made a deal to never tell anyone that!"
"It s-slipped out … I guess … I'm sorry."
"That word will only get you so far!" I stop and look at her. She stares at me with an emotionless face. Before I can say a word to her, she turns around and walks away.
She gets at least six feet away before she turns around, "Oh y-yeah, I plan-planned you a bachelor party." She hiccups, "Tomorrow night, be at Luke's at ten."
Despite whatever fight we have or whatever we say to each other or however mad we are at each other, she'll always keep a promise or something she has planned. I shake my head and walk back into the party.
I look at Paige who has stopped opening gifts and is looking at me with her arms crossed. I had a lot of explaining to do…
A/N: Okay, so this chapter wasn't my favorite, but oh well. Give me an idea of what you would want to see happen. Review, please.