Chapter Fourteen: Jess

He didn’t say a word.

He couldn’t.

Jess felt his chest tighten in anticipation as Rory clasped his hands and held it against her chest.

How do you find the right words to say when the most perfect moment in your life is passing you by?

Rory slowly raised her eyes to meet his, and he shivered.

Rory Gilmore, you are amazing.

Totally, truly amazing.

I’m standing right in front of you now, drenched to the bone and hopeless.

And you’re standing in front of me, holding my hands to your heart.

She smiled at him, a slow meaningful smile, and whispered, “You’re welcome.”

“For what?” he said gruffly.

She chuckled gently.

“You said thank you.”

God, this feels so good I don’t even remember saying anything to her.

“Huh.”

He smiled at her and pulled her hands to his lips.

Jess’ smile grew wider as Rory’s face got redder.

This is it, Jess.  The moment.  THE moment.

Where Rory Gilmore kisses you and you die with spastic happiness.

Don’t screw this one up.

“Come here,” he said and gently tipped her face to meet his.

Brace yourself, Chuck.

And their lips met.

BANG.

God damn.  The Fourth Of July could never top this.

He hadn’t realized that he was crying until he tasted the salty tears slip to his lips.

Perfect.

Rory slowly broke away and sighed.

Jess opened his eyes and kissed her forehead.

“Rory?” Lorelai’s voice rang out.

They both turned and spotted Lorelai looking around for her daughter.

Rory sighed again, “I gotta go.”

He smiled at her and nodded a bit.

“Okay.”

Okay.  Just breathe, she’s not going to kill you.

She’s Rory Gilmore, for God’s sake!

It’s the next day.  The next plausible thing to do is ask her.

Jess, let go of the rag and get your ass over there.

…

LET THE GODDAMN RAG GO!  The freaking counter is clean enough.

Jess took a deep breath and slowly made his way to Rory and Lorelai’s table.

When he got there, Rory glanced up at him timidly and grinned.

Lorelai raised her eyebrow and suspiciously said, “Hey, Jess…”

Jess cleared his throat and turned at look at Lorelai.

“Hey.”

He turned his head back to Rory.

“So.”

“So,” she stammered.

Oh, my God.  Say something.

“So, Rory.”

And another word is added.  Bravo, for my speaking skills.

She bit her lip and tipped her head back to look at him.

“Yes?”

“Do you…”

Silence.

“Good God, people.  Jess, just say it,” Lorelai said in exasperation and rubbed her temples.

“Do you… want to go out tonight?”

I’m actually doing this?

“Uh,” Rory laughed nervously, “okay.  What do you want to do?”

Oh, man.  I didn’t even think about that part yet.  Damn my impulsiveness.

“I’ll think of something.”

Yes.  Good going.  Mysterious yet concrete.

Rory nodded with an amused grin, “Okay.”

Jess checked his collar and nervously straightened it.

Dammit.  Why are things so weird?

“Jess?  Are you okay?” Rory asked, a bit concerned.

They were in Luke’s beat-up truck, on their way to a nice fancy restaurant in Hartford.

Jess, for the life of him, really didn’t know why he had to reserve a stupid place, in stinking Hartford, no less.

Am I okay?  I’m sweating like a pig, I have no idea what to say, and WHY THE HELL ARE THINGS SO GODDAMN WEIRD?!

“I’m fine,” he said with gritted teeth.

Much to both of their relief, they finally arrived at the stupid restaurant.

Okay.

Restaurant, dinner, then hang out.

Restaurant, dinner, hang out.

Nothing different from the other times we’ve hung out…

Except I’m wearing clothes I never even knew existed in my closet, and Rory is in a pretty skirt.

With a top, of course.

Why wouldn’t she be wearing a top, for Heaven’s sake?

Oh, God.  Picturing Rory in a skirt with no top now.

AKKK!

FOCUS, you dork!  And stop being such a pervert!

“Reservation for Jess Mariano, please,” he said to the weird hostess lady in her little concierge desk/podium.

“Wow.  Jess, you didn’t have to go all out, you know.”

Jess shrugged.

“Just wanted the first date to be memorable.”

Rory smiled at him warmly and clasped his hand.

Good start.

I just hope it lasts.

It didn’t.

Jess sat in front of Rory trying desperately not to tear off his uncomfortable clothes and die in the middle of the restaurant, while Rory nervously fiddled with her cutlery, searching for things to say.

The food still hadn’t arrived.

“Hold on,” Jess said, as he moved to stand.

Unfortunately, he knocked a server over, who was balancing a tray of ice cream and a pitcher of water. 

NOOOO!

But he could do nothing but stay still as the ice cream flew to some lady’s head and the water splashed all over his.

He bowed his head as the woman screamed.

God.  DAMMIT!

He raised his eyes to meet Rory’s, afraid of what he’d see.

Don’t be mad.

Or amused.  That would suck.

Be… I don’t know… calm?

He saw none of those expressions.  Instead, he saw worry in her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.  I’m sorry.  I ruined it all, didn’t I?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“You sure?  You don’t want to kill me?”

The corners of her eyes crinkled into a smile.

“Actually, I kind of wanted to get out of here.”

Oh, there is a God.

She wants to leave as bad as I do.

“Yeah, lets.”

They got up and walked out of the restaurant together smiling.

Those smiles didn’t last very long, either.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE TRUCK WAS TOWED?!”

“Luke, calm down.”

Jess pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated.  Then he smacked his forehead against the see-through doors of the payphone booth.

“I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!  WHERE THE HELL IS MY TRUCK?”

He bit his lip.

“The city pound… or somewhere…”

There was a pause on the other end of the line.

“WHAT?  YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE IT IS?!”

Oh, God.

He closed his eyes and imagined a bloody death.

“No.”

“I HATE YOU, JESS!”

“I’ll find it tomorrow, I swear to God.”

If there is one.  He seems to go invisible from time to time.

“YOU’D BETTER!”

“Bye, Luke.”

“FIND MY GODDAMN TRUCK!”

*click*

Jess sighed and got out of the booth.  He heard Rory whistle a tune.

“Was he mad?”

“No, he was pretty great about it, actually.”

“Oh.  Okay.  Well, we’ll just have to take the bus, then.”

Jess nodded sadly and followed her to the bus stop.

The bus was quite crowded when they got on, so they both had to stand.

“Rory?”

“Yeah?”

Crap.  Now, what do I say?

“I apologize for such a crap-ass first date with me.”

She only grinned.

The bus bounced on a big speed bump or some humongous obstacle, and Rory flew to his arms.  He caught her.

At least you did ONE thing right tonight.

They shared a small moment and they both chuckled.

“You know, you really didn’t have to try this hard.”

“I wanted to.  It’s the first time I’ve tried this hard for a girl.”

Rory stared at him silently for a moment, and then rested her head on his shoulder.

“Well, thank you.”

He smiled as he looked out the window.

“You’re welcome.”

Finally, they reached the Gilmore Residence, tired and quiet.

“It was a lovely evening…”

Jess snorted.

Yeah, if you were on a date with effing Mr. Bean…

“It was!”

“Rory, you don’t have to be nice about it.  You had a horrible time, you hated the restaurant, your feet probably are swollen with blisters, and you’re imagining me with my head shrunk seventeen times smaller than it’s—“

He never got to finish, since Rory had cut him off with a kiss.

Jess closed his eyes and kissed her back with everything he felt. 

Which was a lot.

Rory quickly broke away, leaving him with his eyes still closed.

He opened them and saw Rory Gilmore smiling at him, her eyes dancing.

“I had a wonderful time, Jess.”

She hurried inside her house, tossing him a coy smile along the way.

Jess smiled back at her retreating form and lightly touched his lips.

He turned to leave, but Rory’s voice stopped him, “Jess!”

“What?”

“Stop trying so damn hard!”

He smirked and continued walking.

Perfect.