The Golden Child

The Infamous Dinner - Part 2

Everyone was talking and laughing around the living, but something was missing. Someone was missing. Ten minutes have passed since I left Jess in the kitchen to grab his soda. Getting off the couch and walking towards the kitchen, I find an empty kitchen and the back door opened slightly. 

Pushing forwards the already open door, I see Jess place the top of a beer bottle over one of the outdoor rails. "Holding out on me." I say, while a shocked Jess stares at me blankly, lost for words and jaw opened wide enough to touch the floor. Arms crossed over my chest, I walk over to him until I snatch the bottle and drink a quarter of the it.

 "I didn't take you as the rebellious type Gilmore." He says as I hand the bottle back to him.

"Well there's not much to rebel against; this is Stars Hollow." 

"There's plenty like dropping a gum wrapper on the sidewalk." 

"Or holding hands with the opposite sex on a Sunday." 

"They'd run us out of town."

"Or they'll take us to Mrs Kim; I don't know which is worse."

A moment of comfortable silence passed between us as we gazed out into the front yard; his hand millimetres from mine. Turning to face me, he takes his hand into mine. Teenage hormones racing throughout my body as I face him. 

"Hi." he says softly.

"Hi."

As our faces gradually come closer, the back door flings open and I'm faced with a fuming Lorelai Gilmore. 

"Crap." I whisper.

"Charlie please go inside." Mum says, while trying to remain calm while her hard glare hits me and then Jess. 

Nodding my head I cautiously move towards the back door, avoiding eye-contact with my mother. 

Eternity was passing by and mum was finished grilling Jess and had moved onto Luke ranting to him how Jess was trouble. A raging Luke left our house without another word, slamming the door behind him. 

Avoiding contact with anyone, I sneak out of mine and Rory's room and sneak out of the back door, hoping to see Jess there. The patio was as empty as an abandoned cave. Realising that he must've fled after facing the wrath of Lorelai Gilmore. Hurt and anger quickly filled my numb body. Exasperated by my mum and tonight's dinner, I hopped of the porch and ran towards the town square. 

Annoyed with everyone, I decided to deal with my feelings the only way I knew how: eat them away. Racing into Doose's, I grabbed a tub of ice-cream and slumped on a park bench with the one thing that truly understands me. Looking up from the tub, I notice Jess coming towards me. 

"Hey." he said, hands in his pockets. 

"Hey."

"Nice dinner."

"Yes it was one for the books."

"That was quite a disappearing act you pulled tonight." I say.

"Potlucks and Tupperware parties and big gatherings aren't really my thing."

"Ah, too cool for school."  

Silence passes through us once again. I notice Jess pulling something out of his pockets and fidgeting it in his hands. 

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Oh this," he reveals a coin, "Nothing." 

"Ok little tip, if you pull that out of my ear, you can never speak to me again." I say once the coin disappears. 

"So I'm guessing the nose is off limits."

"Anywhere you wouldn't usually find a coin." 

"Fine then let me leave you with one more trick..." he trails off after pulling out a copy of 'Howl.'

"You bought your own copy," I state shocked, "Rory and I said that you could borrow ours."

"It's your copy."

"You stole our book." 

"Nope, I borrowed it."

"Ok that's not called a magic trick, that's called a felon."

"Well I decided to leave notes in the margins for you."

"What?" I say before looking through the book, "You've read this before."

"About forty times." 

"I thought you said you didn't read much."

"Well what is much?" he asked shrugging his shoulders, "Night Charlie."

"Night Dodger."

"Dodger?"

"Figure it out." I say walking back home.

"Oliver Twist." he says which causes me to turn around, smiling at him.