Chapter 4- Dinner From Hell
Lorelai looked around the school canteen in search of the table her friends had sat down at. She saw her least favorite table, the one full of girls who were destined to be housewives and boys expected to take over their father's businesses. These people made Lorelai sick. They actually enjoyed the balls and societal status. This was the table she knew her mother wished she was at, but instead Lorelai was friends with the 'outcasts'. The group that had money but didn't care about it, they just wanted out of this life and the responsibility that came with it.
"So my father calls me into his office and says 'Son, this is your year. You are going to get good grades and actually make something of yourself, no more of this nonsense' I mean come on. Fat chance" Christopher's friend Damon shook his head in despair. Lorelai sat down next to him.
"Well my mother decided over the weekend that she wanted to be on the board of the horticultural society. Just another one of those stupid dinners I now have to attend" Sissy sighed, "Hey Lorelai, didn't you get out of going to the Barch's dinner on Saturday"
"Oh I was sick" Lorelai looked up from her food as she was suddenly involved in the conversation.
"Emily Gilmore fell for the 'I'm sick' lie, I need the name of the tablets you used to throw up, the phone number of the doctor who wrote you the sick note and the address of where you got the faulty thermometer" Maddison laughed, she was Lorelai's best friend and the only one other than Christopher that she trusted, "I'm serious, I do not want to go to the Nafra Ball next week"
"Sorry Maddie, I was genuinely sick. I threw up in the back of the jag. Though I expect mum would have still made me go if Dad hadn't been there"
"I love your jag. It is my dream car I swear"
"Alex!" Maddison hit her twin on the arm, before turning to Lorelai, "Are you feeling better"
"yeah I'm fine, thanks. Mum was mildly pleasant and Dad was actually great "
"So, has your mother paid you back yet?" Copper looked at her pointedly. She was always trying to one up Lorelai "My mother would have done something heinous to get me back for ruining the day" She looked at Lorelai smugly
"Geez Cop calm down" Maddison looked at Copper and rolled her eyes
"Ummm not outright, but I did wake up yesterday to find my entire collection of CDs in a pile next to the recycling" Lorelai looked at Copper watching her face fall
"WHAT!?" Beatrice yelled distraught as she turned off her walkman. She loved music, playing it, listening to it, talking about it. "Every one?"
"pretty much. Apart from the sesame street theme song"
" AC/DC, Steely Dan, ABBA!"
"All gone"
"No, who would do that? Destroy all that precious music"
"Emily Gilmore."
"Your mother is a monster"
"tell me about it"
"Don't worry Lor" Christopher's familiar voice rang in her ears, "we'll get them back, all of them" He reached out and touched her arm comfortingly as the bell rang for class. The group got up. Lorelai, Maddison and Sissy heading for biology while the others walked in the opposite direction.
"Soooo," said Maddison, "the others aren't here now. Are you going to tell us or am I going to have to force it out of you, cause quite frankly my hair would not do well in prison"
"No it wouldn't, too damp" Lorelai laughed
"Well tell us then, I'm dying over here!" Sissy begged,
"Fine. Chris came to the house last Friday and, well we kissed"
"eeeek" Sissy screamed
"That's great, It's been a long time coming though, he finally plucked up the courage to face you" Maddison mocked
"Oh your hilarious" Lorelai retorted sarcastically
"What all the fuss over here about '' A proud girl with pristine hair walked up to them. She was the Queen of the school, head of the DDAR (Daughters of the Daughters of the American Revolution) and the person whom Lorelai hated the most. Charlotte smirked at the three with her possy of mindless followers behind her.
"Oh Charlotte, it's wonderful to see you" Lorelai retorted, remaining her sarcastic tone
"Lorelai.You need to pick your friends wisely. You come from a good family, and your place is here among us" She beckoned to the people behind her
"I'm fine, thank you. I'd rather be sung by a thousand bees and buried alive in a vat of honey than ever become one of your minions"
"No one, and I mean no one says no to me, ever!"
"Oh well when you make threats like that, I'll have to reconsider my answer... hmmm No!" Lorelai said forcefully, "It's great to see you again though, you really haven't changed since middle school, still have your head up your ar-"
"We better be getting into class" Maddison interrupted before Lorelai could make anything worse
"Yes, I'll see you in there" Charlotte said coldly as she scowled at Lorelai, "Oh by the way, I never did ask how you did on the surprise Physics test yesterday, how rude of me. I got an 87. How did you do?"
"Not bad, I'm so glad I remembered to carry the electrons on that last one" Lorelai said as she turned to enter the classroom leaving Charlotte standing there stunned, confused and annoyed.
"Wait, we had to carry the electrons, I thought it was a periodic table!?"
"That's Chemistry Sissy" Maddison sighed and shook her head, as Sissy left them and walked over to her bench.
"What did you get?" Lorelai asked Madison
"76, thanks to you" They sat down, "Hey, I still haven't forgiven you for not telling me about Christopher, I mean this is the biggest thing to happen since the discovery of squirty cheese"
"Ah that was a good day, and a good film as well"
"Stop trying to change the subject"
"Okay, his parents are coming over tonight"
"Your kidding"
"nope it's gonna be interesting"
The bell rang and class started. They said goodbye to each other at the door after class and Lorelai headed home. Anticipating the hell that waited for her there.
The doorbell rang, its dong sounded throughout the whole house. Emily took a deep breath and looked at Lorelai brushing her shoulders and straightened her hair, "Now please for goodness sake try and be nice. No comments you understand me"
"Yes ma'am" Lorelai mumbled as Emily opened the door
"Strobe, Francine. How wonderful it is to see you again"
"Oh hello Emily, it's been way too long" Francine said sweetly
"Let me get Richard from his study, Christopher, Lorelai is in the living room" Emily smiled
"Hey Lor" Christopher walked up behind her
"Chris, thank goodness you're here"
"Having fun?"
"Mum been running around like Violet Newstead, and house has been like a scene from 'the odd couple' since I got home" Lorelai laughed as Strobe, Francine, Emily and Richard entered the living room
"Mr and Mrs Hayden, it's good to see you" Lorelai stood up to shake the hands of the Haydens
"How are things in school Lorelai?"
"Good thank you Sir"
"Christopher had a physics test last week, did you have that?"
"Yes Sir"
"You had a science test? Why didn't I know about this?" Emily looked to Lorelai confused
"Are you in the same class I forget?"
"Not for science"
"Christopher your button" Francine looked at Christopher as he did up his top button
"He got a 63"
"A reasonable score" Richard piped in
"Yes, especially since it was the first one of the year with no notice, still there is always room for improvements. What did you get Lorelai?"
"Oh I don't think we had our scores back yet"
"Yes you did, Sissy was talking about it at break"
"Chris" Lorelai whispered under her breath
"Well, what did you get?" Strobe looked at her expectantly
"Yes, I would like to know that as well" Emily looked to Lorelai.
"I really can't remember, but I think 63 is about right" Lorelai looked to her feet
"Lorelai, you must know '' Richard looked at his daughter earnestly.
"Oh, let's not embarrass her. She obviously didn't do very well and doesn't want to talk about it. That's okay, you'll do better next time" Strobe said condescendingly as the maid entered the room.
"Dinner is ready ma'am"
"Oh thank you Martha, shall we go then" Emily looked around and guided the group to the table
"Ummm mum I'm just going to-"
"Whatever Lorelai, don't be long," Emily said coldly, refusing to look at her daughter. Lorelai shot Christopher another look and headed upstairs to her room.
"terribly sorry Emily but would you mind if I used your restroom" Christopher smiled innocently at Emily,
"Of course not Christopher, it's just upstairs and to your right" Emily said sweetly,
"Thank you Emily" Christopher said before following Lorelai upstairs.
"Lor, Lor" Christopher knocked and then opened the door to Lorelai's room peering in he spotted her on the balcony, "Hey, are you alright"
She chuckled, shook her head and placed it to her hands, resting her elbows on the balcony railing, "Why did you dob me in"
"I'm sorry I just. I thought you did well on the test" He took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders pulling her close.
"And what was with 63?" she asked resisting his embrace,
"yeah well it was more like 36 but I didn't want them to know that"
"What did you get anyway" He looked at her inquisitively, "Come on, you can tell me"
"92"
"Lor, that's amazing"
"Lorelai, we're all down here waiting for you" Emily's voice interrupted them
"I guess we better get going then" Christopher kissed Lorelai and the two went down the stairs to join their parents, "Look who I found" Christopher laughed before pulling a chair out for Lorelai and tucking her in.
"Thanks Chris"
"What a gentleman you have there Strobe"
"Christopher your button" Francine narrowed her eyes and looked at him pointedly as he did up his top button
"I would like to propose a toast" Said Richard holding up his glass, "To Christopher and Lorelai"
"To Lorelai and Christopher" The adults repeated as Lorelai tried to hide her awkwardness.
"Lorelai" she looked up at Strobe who had just spoken, "What are your plans for the future?"
"I'm sorry?"
"What kind of a question is that?" Richard looked to Strobe shocked
"Strobe, please stop it" Francine pleaded,
"It is a perfectly normal question. What do you want to do Lorelai?" He looked at her intensely, waiting for her response
"Lorelai is going to attend Yale, my alimata and she will be very successful at whatever she decides, Strobe. Now let's drop the subject"
"Yes, please" Emily said, "time to eat" there was a moment of silence as everyone began to eat.
"The food is excellent thank you Mrs Gilmore" complemented Christopher,
"Oh it is simply devine Emily" Francine said, "you've outdone yourself"
"It's wonderful Emily" Richard proudly held his glass up in her direction and nodded his head.
"It doesn't sound like you have the grades to get into Yale Lorelai" Strobe interrupted abruptly, "what is your plan then?"
"Strobe drop this I'm getting a headache" Francine sighed,
"Lorelai has plenty of time, they have only just begun highschool for God's sake," Richard said with an air of definitiveness.
"Exactly, they're in highschool, they aren't children anymore Richard"
"Dad really this isn't the time or place" Christopher placed his hand on Lorelai's arm for comfort. She hadn't looked up from her meal.
"Strobe the two are fine, Lorelai is going to do well this year. And we know Christopher's reputation but this is their chance change things" Emily pleaded with him
"I would like to hear from the girl"
"I'm doing fine in school. My grades are good enough to get into the college I want to go to, and anyway if they aren't then I'll become a hooker and make my living there, excuse me" Lorelai got up and left without a word trying to stop the tears from streaming down her face.
"Lorelai" Emily called turning around,
"Do you think this is a joke young lady?" Strobe yelled after her as she walked out of the room, "Christopher is going to go to Prinston and he's going to take over the company. He doesn't need someone like you to distract him"
"Strobe I think we should go" Francine pleaded, looking around apologetically, "Christopher get your coat and for goodness sake do that top button up" the Hayden's left the house quickly and all was silent.
In her room Lorelai lay on her bed tears rolling down her cheeks, there was a knock on the door, "Go away" it opened and Richard walked in
"Lorelai, did you have to act like that?" He asked annoyed,
"Dad, he, I" she burst into tears and burrowed her head into the pillow. Richard's face dropped as he felt sorry for her. This was the first time she had cried in front of him since she was a toddler.
"I know, I know. He shouldn't have behaved that way, but he just wants what's best for his son and I can understand that because I just want what's best for you" He stroked her hair, and she looked up at him, "Lorelai you have to understand that your grades aren't great and Strobe wants Christopher to do well. He's worried your going to slow Christopher down"
"I got 92 on the test"
"Lorelai please don't lie to me"
"I'm not dad, I swear"
"Then why didn't you tell Strobe that then, Lorelai, this changes everything." He turned around shaking his head, "Right, tomorrow I'm going to call the dean and demand your results, and have him fax all future results to me as well. Then I'm going to call Strobe apologize and explain the situation, so we can all go back to being friends"
"Why are you apologizing dad?" Lorelai asked confused and slightly frustrated,
"Because that's the right thing to do to keep the peace"
"But-"
"No buts Lorelai. Go to bed" He left the room not quite sure what had just happened.
Lorelai collapsed back in bed, this wasn't how she had wanted things to go down. The phone beside her rang, she picked it up "Lor-" before hanging up again. She wasn't in the mood to talk. She could do that tomorrow at school, for now she just wanted to lie down and forget that everyone else existed. So closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.