Jess' Girl

Chapter 7

Winter had finally hit and there was more snow than I could cope with. If I saw one more snowman, I was  going to move to Arizona, which wasn't an option considering I wasn't 18 and I was required to live with Aunt Patty. I rounded the corner into town and stared at the square. Every inch of it was covered in snowmen for the contest. Tugging on my gloves, hat, scarf and coats sleeve, I tried to stay warmer. 

Luckily, Luke had opened the door for me to save me having to retrieve my key to get in, which would have involved removing my gloves. 

"I'm here," I called into the open diner as I waited for an answering shout or the sound of steps. I tucked my gloves in my coat pockets, along with my hat. I hung the coat up on the coat stand along with my scarf as I headed to make a hot cocoa to try and warm up. 

I'd just brought my mug full of cocoa to my lips as Luke burst through the back curtain a wrapped present in his hand. 

"You didn't," I whined lowering my mug onto the counter. 

Luke walked over to me, his hands out with the present, "Happy Birthday." 

I sighed and took the present from him, "Thank you. You know I don't celebrate," I whined 

Today was my birthday and only three people in town knew: Aunt Patty as well as Luke and Babette. Both Babette and Luke only knew because they were my two emergency contacts for school. 

"If Lorelai makes me celebrate mine, I get to give you a present," Luke insisted as he gestured for me to open it. 

I hated my birthday. It was a day that reminded me of my parents so I had decided to have it wiped from society much to my Aunt Patty's displeasure. She did insist on a birthday cake at dinner as well as a present. Luke picked up on the present idea, when I was 11 as he found out he was one of the only ones who actually knew my birthday. 

"Did you tell Jess?" I asked. I really didn't need to add another person to the list. 

"No but he'll figure it out if you don't open your present and dispose of the evidence," Luke prompted. 

I shook my head and sighed as I carefully unwrapped Luke's terrible gift wrapping. I peeled the paper off to reveal a sealed cardboard box, "Am I playing pass-the-parcel with myself?" I glared at Luke, who crossed his arm and glared right back waiting for me to open the present. 

I cracked open the box to reveal a selection of books. Luke spoke up, "I know you are reading with Jess so I figured you would like to read something new for both of you. They recommended these for people your age getting into reading."

I flicked through noting a series called 'The Lord of the Rings'  and another trilogy called 'His dark materials'. My eye brow quirked at the last book ' How to boil an egg'. 

Luke noticed my look, "I figured you might want to learn to feed yourself since you can't eat here constantly. If you don't understand it we can go through the recipes in the kitchen here around your shifts till you can do it without the recipe book." Luke looked so concerned that I didn't like it but I thought it was really thoughtful because not only was he going to help me figure out reading by myself but he also allowed me to spend time with others since I didn't have many stable friends beside Rory and Lane, who both seemed very busy with their boyfriends at the moment. 

I hugged Luke tightly, "Thank you. Where shall I hide the paper and can I store the books in the back till I leave?" 

Luke hugged me close, "I'll put the books in the back and you can keep the recipe book here if you want. You put the wrapping in the bin." 

We pulled apart and got to work and I even turned the sign to open just before Jess made his way downstairs, "Leena." He nodded at me as he moved to grab a rag to wipe the tables down.