Better in cones
Chapter Nine
Two days after the big break up Rory finally felt like leaving the house. A shorter mourning period than Lorelai had expected, so when she came out of her room dressed and with a bright smiled fixed on her face Lorelai was a little shocked.
'Hey hun, you done wallowing? I was expecting this to take a little longer.' Lorelai said watching as Rory filled herself a cup of coffee and put a pop-tart in the toaster.
'I know it's weird, this should take longer right? To get over the breakup with my first boyfriend, but I don't know I woke up this morning and all of a sudden I just felt...happy. Is that bad of me? That I've moved on so fast?' Rory asked sitting at the table with her food and coffee.
'No it's not bad, just unexpected. So when you say moved on, how much further on are you?' Lorelai asked, Rory looked up at her, knowing she was skirting round the issue.
'You mean Jess wise?' Rory clarified, Lorelai simply nodded and took another sip of her coffee. 'I don't know, I haven't seen him in two days or spoken to him. I guess I need to see him before making up my mind on how I feel about him and I need to talk to him.' Rory added, leaning back in her chair a little. 'Which is why I'm heading over to the diner.' She said getting to her feet.
'Now? Well I have to get to work so just...let me know what happens.' Lorelai said uncomfortably, and secretly hoping Rory wouldn't be with Jess by the end of the day.
'I will, so I'll see you later.' Rory said picking up her bag and leaving the house.
'Morning doll, how you doing?' Babette asked, her voice full of concern for the newly single Rory.
'I'm fine Babette, I was just heading over to the diner.' Rory replied, knowing that she would have more than one person stopping to ask her if she was ok, by now the news of the breakup would have been spread though the whole town.
'Really sugar, you don't have to put a brave face on around me, I know if me and Morey ever split then I would be heart broken, just look at me when my cat died.' Babette said her eyes welling up.
'I appreciate your concern, but really I am fine.' Rory smiled. 'It wasn't entirely unexpected.'
'Oh I see, but the way it happened.' Babette pushed, by now Rory knew she was after all the gory details of what had led up to the split.
'It was hard, but I really am ok with it all. Me and Dean just grew apart.' Rory said smiling kindly. 'I really do have to get going though.'
'Of course sugar, you have a good day and if you need someone to talk to, well you know I'm here.' Babette said before returning to her house. Rory moved on down the streets towards the town square, being stopped by Miss Patty, Kirk, Taylor and Gypsy along the way it had never taken so long to get to Luke's. So she was thrilled when she finally entered the diner, just to find that everyone inside was staring at her, and whispering about her. Sighing inwardly she approached the counter.
'Hey Rory, how are you?' Luke asked as she sat down on one of the stalls.
'Fine, just a little worn out from answering that question.' Rory indicated the nosey customers.
'Sure, sorry. What can I get you?' Luke asked instead, moving the conversation away from Rory.
'Coffee, and is Jess in?' Rory asked noting how Luke looked at her with surprise before he answered.
'Uh no, he went out a while ago, I have no clue where because he never tells me
but if it helps he said he was going somewhere and he'd be back at some point.' Luke said a little angrily. Rory nodded and stood up again.
'Thanks Luke, could I get that coffee to go?' Rory asked, Luke nodded and filled her up a cup, securing a lid on top and then passing it over. Rory paid and thanked Luke again before heading out. Her first stop was the bridge where she was fairly sure Jess would be. Sure enough as soon as she stepped onto the wooden planks, Jess looked up from his book and met her gaze. She smiled a little unsure of herself, before heading down to meet him and sitting down next to him.
'Hi.' Rory said nervously.
'Hi.' He replied looking at her, she didn't seem torn up about the breakup, that was what went through his mind at first, and then the fact that she didn't have a book with her, which made him think she'd come here to find him.
'Hi.' Rory repeated, playing with her coffee cup nervously.
'You said that already.' Jess smirked. Amused by her nervousness around him, she blushed slightly and looked down at her hands which were clasped tightly around the coffee cup, as if afraid it would run away if she didn't hold on tight.
'I did, sorry.' Rory apologised. 'This is weird.'
'A little.' Jess replied feeling just as nervous as she was, there was no barrier anymore, no Dean in the picture and that was making them both nervous, wondering what the other was thinking or feeling now that there was no reason why they couldn't be together.
'I don't really know what to say, I like you Jess and I'm hoping you like me.' She said sounding so unsure of herself that Jess couldn't help but smile.
'Do you honestly not know how I feel?' Jess asked her quietly.
'I guess I do, it would be nice to hear it from you though.' Rory looked at him sideways and saw him looking out over the water, she put her coffee cup down to one side and waited for his reply. She was about to talk again when she heard his voice.
'I like you.' Jess said, never having admitted feelings like this before he was nervous. 'As more than a friend.' He added. Rory smiled shyly. 'So what now?'
'I don't know, I just broke up with Dean and I'm not sure how the town will react if I start dating you straight away. Maybe it would be better if we waited a while.' Rory said quietly. Jess sighed a little but nodded his head.
'I understand.' Jess said 'If you need time that's fine.'
'Just until I can straighten things out in my head.' Rory reassured him.
'Take all the time you need.' Jess said catching her eye, Rory held the eye contact for a few seconds before leaning forward and kissing him. He kissed her back, both of them pulling away ten seconds later resting their foreheads against each others.
'If we're waiting then what was that?' Jess asked with a smirk.
'Security deposit.' Rory joked. 'I just wanted to make sure nobody else got you, so now I've put down a deposit.'
'Ah so you've put me on hold as your boyfriend.' Jess laughed.
'Sort of, are you ok with that?' She asked seriously. He pulled back and nodded his head.
'Just don't make me wait around too long.' He said before she got up to leave.
'I won't I promise.'
A/N- Shorter I know, sorry. I wrote it both ways, one with them being friends and one with then dating and couldn't decide which to post, so I wrote this which is somewhere between the two :) Hope you liked it and please review.