Chapter Nine: Rory

Mmmmmmm, Bed.

God I love bed.

Bed rocks.

Rory tugged the comforter up around her shoulders, and glanced at her alarm clock.

11.54 am

Mmmm… bed.

She closed her eyes again and sighed.

Lazy?

Me?

I am not lazy.

She opened one eye and looked around her room.

Now, would that statement be more credible if I were standing?

She meant to stand, but rolled onto her left side.

Perhaps, but we may never know…

 A small voice wafted through the cracks in her door as it was slowly being pushed open:

“Oompa loompa, do be dee do

I’ve got a tray of breakfast for you,

Oompa loompa, di be dee dee,

If you are wise you’ll give it to me…”

Rory opened her eye again and saw her mother, grinning, holding what appeared to be very burnt toast, very runny scrambled eggs, juice which had formed a skin and a big mug of coffee.

She huffed and pulled the covers over her head.

“Ooooh no you don’t!!” Lorelai put the tray down and yanked the blankets off Rory, leaving her to feel the cold morning air.

That has to be just about the meanest thing in the world…

She tried to warm herself by curling into the fetal position, but she bumped into something.

Eh?

She opened her eyes to find Lorelai sitting up in her bed, drinking Rory’s coffee.

She made a motion to grab the mug, grumbling, “Mine mine mine mine mine…”

Lorelai sighed and pouted – but handed over the Gilmore elixir of life, which Rory guzzled happily.

Mmmm coffee!

God I love coffee.

Coffee rocks.

I am not addicted.

She paused and looked at her mug.

Now would that statement be – ah screw it.

She proceeded to devour the entire mug, and then jumped off the bed.

She opened her window and took a deep breath of the cool crisp winter air.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, another beautiful day in my beautiful town with my beautiful mother and my beautiful coffee…

She sighed contently and slowly tuned back in to something Lorelai was saying,

“…so I said we’d pick him up from the bus station – since the rest of the family are staying up there! He could have stayed but he said he couldn’t. He says it’s because he can’t afford to miss out on school but I think that he just misses you! Isn’t that just all sweetness and pie? I mean I would jump at the class to miss out on work even if it did mean I would never see you –“

“What?” Rory asked.

“- don’t get me wrong, honey – I love you and all but... hey! Work sucks!”

Rory frowned, “No, no, not that – the other thing.”

“He’s coming back early?”

“Who?”

“Dean.”

Rory jumped about five feet in the air – almost keeping up with her eyebrows, which shot up ten feet – “OH!... Oh my gosh… oooooooooh……uh, okay , I  - er – when?”

Lorelai raised her eyebrow at the girl bouncing around in front of her.

“We’re picking him up in half an hour…”

But… I have to …

We…

Well…

Not any more…we can’t… I have to cancel the…

But he… and I…

And Dean…

Aw, man…

“Would it be okay if I met you both in Luke’s?”

Lorelai looked puzzled, but nodded.

“Okay, why?”

…

….

……….

“I have to get my English Lit notes from Jess?”

Her mother frowned, “Is that a statement or a question?”

“A statement?”

“Is that a statement or a question?”

“A question?”

“Is that a –“

“Stop.”

“Good idea”

“Bye!”

“See you later!”

And with that her mother waltzed through the door and out of the house.

A moment later…

“HEY!”

‘”*^~o0o--;:…_____ _ _ _ _ _ _____....:;--o0o~^*”`

“Bitch” by Meredith Brooks was playing in the diner.

Gee, haven’t heard this in a while – I remember when mom used to sing this song during town meetings…

Rory sang along with the chorus while staring at the muffins.

I like bran

I like apple

I like plain

With sultanas

I like chocolate double chip

Down  my throat they will slip…

That’s not right…

She shrugged, grabbed a muffin and chomped on it happily.

Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her.

“Once upon a time, there was a girl.

And this girl loved to eat.”

Rory raised her eyebrow and continued to listen:

“she ate.

And ate.

And ate.

And ate.

And then she exploded.”

Rory grimaced, “Is this story medically accurate?”

She heard the voice laugh and she turned around cheekily.

Jess was standing there, smirking.

Mmmmmm, smirk.

God I love his smirk.

His smirk rocks.

I do not like him.

Oh god I’m repetitive – and redundant – I’m repetitive – and redundant - I certainly am entertaining, Mac –Indubitably tosh!

Rory’s smile faded as she remembered why she was there.

“We need to talk.”

Jess raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, forceful now? I like a girl with mood swings…”

Rory sighed

I’m doing a lot of sighing today – this can’t be good for my lung muscles.

“I mean it Jess, this is important!”

His expression was wiped of any joviality and became deadly serious.

“What’s wrong, Rory? Did somebody hurt you?”

“No. it’s just that… we have to stop our tutorials.”

Jess knitted his brow in confusion and shook his head as he said, “Why?”

She chewed her bottom lip

This isn’t going to be pretty…

“Dean is coming back.”

“But you said-“

“I know what I said, believe me, I do! But … you just… you… You don’t understand!”

He rolled his head back in frustration.

“Then try me, Rory!”

“… he … he… well… he…doesn’t like you.”

“Neither does the rest of this town, but you don’t avoid me like the god damn plague when they are around!”

“No! … He’ll… he’ll get mad! And upset! And hurt!”

“So you’d rather have him happy than spend time with me?”

“No!  It’s just he gets soo possessive! And over protective! And so jealous?”

Jess froze, and his face softened – “Does he have anything to be jealous of, Rory?”

Rory’s lip started to tremble.

“Yes! No! I… I don’t know!”

… Of course I know.

It is my heart after all.

Mine.

Nobody else’s.

I know how it works – I’ve had it for sixteen years, after all…

…I know what it’s trying to tell me

Jess reached out and tucked a piece of Rory’s hair behind her ear, and moved in closer.

“Do you really want to stop seeing me?” he asked, his eyes boring into hers.

Rory took a deep breath and brought herself to her full height.

She stared right back at him and said, “No.”

The two were frozen, staring at each other – unable to pull themselves from the moment.

Jess made to move closer when the door to Luke’s was pushed open.

They both jumped and sprang apart, looking to the doorway.

At it stood Lorelai, with Dean behind her – both smiling.

Smiles are good. Smiles are good.

All is well... nothing to see here…!

She sighed with relief as she greeted her boyfriend, all the while being very conscious of a singular body moving around the diner.

Jess.

…

Dean?

Jess.

Maybe if I pretend everything is okay, it’ll all get better.

Maybe if I make myself believe that everything is alright, things may stay the same.

…

But do I want them to stay the same?

She forced herself to smile as gave her boyfriend a quick kiss and drew him into a friendly hug.

While Dean hugged her intimately and with emotion –she hung limply in his arms as she gazed at a young man filling coffee cups…

Jess.

You always want what you can’t have…