Better in cones
Chapter One
'Is that your car?' Jess asked peering out of the diner door.
'Yes why?' Rory replied getting annoyed with his lack of focus. They were meant to be studying.
'Tell you what,' Jess began now sitting opposite her, leaning in close. 'You come on an ice cream run with me and then when we get back, I promise I will be the model student.' He smiles at her. A real smile, unlike his usual smirk.
'We're in a diner, there's ice cream here.' Rory protests, although the thought of going to get ice cream sounds good to her.
'Ah but there aren't cones.' He raises his eyebrows and Rory can't help but smile.
'And you'll study when we get back?' Rory asks. He nods his head.
'I will study as much as you like.' He promises.
'I could not believe you less. Here you drive,' She says handing him the keys. 'I'll read you Othello, doesn't that sound fun.'
'You have no idea how fun.' He says holding the door open for her. Locking it behind him. As soon as the get into the car she puts the stereo on. Blasting out a loud clash song.
'Good taste teach.' He comments as he pulls away from the side of the road.
'Right, where are we off to for this ice cream?' Rory asks.
'Well....There's a place in Woodbury, or a great place in Hartford, though the best place by far is this little ice cream shop just outside the city.' Jess replies, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
'City? As in New York City?' Rory asks.
'Got it in one.' Jess smirks, turning round a corner.
'No. Jess we can't go to New York for ice cream. Let's go to Woodbury.' Rory says quickly.
'As you wish.' Jess replies. Knowing she wouldn't choose to go to New York. She was far to responsible for that, and for some reason that only made him like her more.
*
'So I just go straight on to get back to the diner.' Jess states. Watching Rory out of the corner of his eye.
'Good sense of direction.' Rory smiles. She was having fun, more fun than in a long time. She doesn't want to admit it but she hasn't had this much fun since the bid a basket festival.
'Or...I could go right and then we'd just be driving.' Jess watched her. She looked over at him, their eyes connecting, holding each others gaze.
'Turn right.' She says. He smiles and turns right. It had been the answer he'd been hoping for, and hadn't expected to get it.
'As you wish.' He almost laughs.
'You know I never did read any Othello.' Rory said eyeing the book on her lap.
'I've read it.' Jess said taking the book from her lap and tossing it into the back seat. Brushing his hand against hers.
'Jess! Watch out!' Rory screams as a small furry thing runs into the road. Jess swerves across the road to miss it, steering back quickly to avoid the poll at the side of the road. Missing them both.
'Wow, you're a pretty good driver.' Rory says as she looks behind, seeing the furry animal scurry off into the bushes.
'Lots of practice joy riding.' Jess says, watching for her reaction, she doesn't even flinch. 'You don't care?'
'I know you have a past Jess, I'm not going to judge you on who you were back in New York. I'll make a judgement on you now. As far as I know you haven't taken any cars out for a spin here.' Rory said watching the steering wheel slip through his fingers as he took a corner.
'Huh, well I can't make any promises that I won't take a car out, but I haven't yet...I'm actually saving for my own car.' Jess replied.
'Really? Jess that's great, maybe you should add graduate onto that to do list. You know, save for a car, be nicer to Luke, Graduate, go to college, ect.' Rory prompts.
'Tell you what, since you came on this ice cream run, and lets face it we aren't going to study. I'll do one of your list things, your choice.' Jess said. 'But..you have to hang out at the book store tomorrow.'
'Done. So I get to choose?' Rory agreed readily.
'You certainly do, though I bet I can guess which you'll pick.' Jess said taking another corner.
'Which?'
'Graduate.' Jess replies instantly.
'And what makes you think that?' Rory asks, though he had picked right.
'If I graduate, it'll make Luke happier, so it's sort of being nicer. It also leads the way to college, so really you'll be hoping to get all 3, though I wouldn't hold my breath on college.' Jess answers her.
'You're good.' Rory nods her head, smiling uncontrollably. 'And right as usual, so I'll go to the book store with you and you will do everything in your power to graduate, including study so come on let's head back now.' She was reluctant, but excited at the same time at the prospect of Jess graduating.
'You really want to study tonight? It's getting pretty late. What time is your mum expecting you back?' Jess asked reaching over to change the song, guns of brixton filling the car. Rory smiled thinking back to the lyrics that were written out on her notebook.
'I should be getting back I guess. What time is it?' Rory asked.
'Just gone twelve.' Jess answered checking his watch as he turned the corner.
'Twelve! Jess we've been driving for over three hours! I was meant to be home at ten thirty. Where's my phone, I have to call my mum..Jess where's my phone?' Rory was frantically searching round the car.
'Rory I'm trying to drive.' Jess said half seriously and half laughing. She moved quickly back into her seat.
'I left it at Luke's.' Rory said suddenly, the song ending. 'Why are we stopping? Jess we're already late, why are we stopping?'
'We're at the diner.' Jess smirked. Rory looked out the window quickly.
'Good, come on lets go. The lights are on, did we leave them on?' Rory jumped out of the car followed by Jess.
'Luke's in their.'
'Oh right of course. Oh no! Oh no! My mum's in there, she looks mad. Quick give me your keys and then hide.' Rory said grabbing the keys.
'Why? Rory I'm not scared of your mother.' Jess was laughing now.
'I just think it would be better if she didn't see me with you.' Rory stopped him, just out of sight of the diner. He looked at her with amusement.
'I think she knows.' Jess smirked, her nervousness was making him smile. She rolled her eyes but had to agree.
'Ok but just know if she starts yelling at you and blaming you then it's not your fault. And Jess...' Rory trailed off.
'Yeah?' He prompted her.
'I had a really good time tonight.' Rory smiled.
'Finally she chills out, by the way I had a good time as well.' Jess almost smiled at her. 'Come on let's go in.'
Rory took a deep breath and followed Jess inside the diner.
'Where have you been? Rory I was frantic, you don't come to tutor somebody at a diner and then leave with said person without telling anyone. You don't stay out past midnight and not call, scratch that you don't stay out past midnight.' Lorelai screamed, hugging Rory tightly.
'Sorry mum we went for ice cream.' Rory replied lamely.
'Ice Cream! No I've been here for an hour or two, so unless you went to New York for ice cream.' Lorelai refused to believe it. Rory and Jess looked at each other and tried to stop themselves laughing, Jess managing and Rory failing.
'Please tell me you didn't.' Lorelai shook her head.
'No mum we just went for ice cream and then a drive and lost track of time, it was just funny because Jess did mention this place in New York, but I knew better than to go there and so we just lost track of time and I'm sorry.' Rory explained.
'Ok but you're ok?' Lorelai asked.
'I'm fine.' Rory reassured her.
'Right well we'll talk about this in the morning.' Lorelai said as Rory gathered her things, the whole time Lorelai had managed to block Jess out until she heard what Rory said to him.
'So I'll see you tomorrow?' Rory asked.
'I'll pick you up at eleven and I'll bring coffee if you let me borrow that book we were talking about.' Jess said quietly.
'Eleven? I'll lend you a book? What is that? What's at eleven tomorrow?' Lorelai demanded.
'Nothing, me and Jess are just going to hang out at the book store, and Jess eleven is fine. Bring the book I wanted about the punk movement and the coffee and I'll lend you the other book, but why do you need to pick me up? I could meet you at the store.' Rory turned back to him.
'Ah but I never said the store was in Stars Hollow.' Jess said smirking at her.
'Intrigue. Ok eleven then, and we'll take my car.' Rory smiled at him, trying hard to stop but failing until Lorelai pulled her out.
'Bye Luke.' Lorelai called. The two girls stayed silent on the drive home, remaining so until they reached the house.
'What are you doing Rory? This is Jess and you're just going to hang out with him, go to a random book store for the day. Honey I know you think he's a good guy but he's not, just look at tonight it's past midnight and you're out driving with him. What about Dean?' Lorelai asked following Rory into her room.
'Mum me and Jess are just friends, I like hanging out with him because we have a lot in common and Dean should understand that I can chose my own friends. I'm sorry we were out so late we lost track of time and my phone was at the diner. As for Jess he is a good guy and he's my friend so I'm going to hang out with him tomorrow.' Rory said needing to stick up for Jess.
'Fine, just be careful.' Lorelai knew she wouldn't win the fight against Jess any time soon. 'So when does Dean get back?'
'He's gone for today and the weekend, comes back late Monday. Why?' Rory questioned, finding the book she was going to lend to Jess.
'So you and Jess will still be hanging out on Tuesday? With Dean around?' Lorelai asked.
'Mum! Stop it, me and Jess are just friends. I'm allowed to be friends with him and I have hung out with him before when Dean's been in town.' Rory was getting frustrated, she dropped herself down on the bed.
'Yeah and we all know how well that went down. I just want to make sure that you and Jess are just friends.' Lorelai had growing concern for her daughter.
'We are! How many times do I have to tell you that, me and Jess are friends nothing more, and I love Dean so you've got nothing to worry about.' Rory said, saying goodnight to her mum as she left for her own room, still not pleased that Rory was going to go out with Jess the next day.
A/N- This is just because I love re-writes of this episode and 'There's a Rub' and the Bid-A-Basket Festival one, and I've read all the ones going :( so I thought I would try my hand at one of the episodes. Tell me what you think :) next part will have the book store outing (If I get a lot of reviews!)