you can't help who you fall for

19

I tried to avoid going home for as long as possible, but eventually Luke had to close the diner and I had to leave. I would have gone somewhere else, but everything closed at 10pm.

"Hey, Mom." I hung up my coat and went to walk into my bedroom before my mom's voice stopped me.

"Sierra, we need to talk."

"OK. So talk."

"What are you doing?" She blurted out.

"I'm sitting here and talking to you."

"No, what are you doing with your life? I worked so hard to get you and Rory away from them and you just went crawling back. I took you away from society! You didn't have any duties or obligations! You were free to live your life. Why would you throw that all away?"

I scoffed. "Mom, you're so naive. You sent Rory to Chilton, the most prestigious school in Connecticut, where the kids of many higher ups in society attend. How could you expect us to just stay ignorant? Rory did, sure, but I'm smarter than that. I'm not as naive as she is. I pay attention to what's going on, and I want to attend social gatherings. I'm going to Yale, I came out, what did you expect? I would just come out to society and nothing else would happen?"

"That's what I hoped!"

"Unbelievable." I shook my head. "You can't just shove me into this world and expect me not to adapt. I'm not Rory. I'm not your mini-me you can manipulate just with your disapproval. I like society, I like parties and luncheons and I like dressing up. I like being fussed over and I like spending time with my grandparents. I like people respecting me and I like Colin and Finn and I love Logan! This is my life and I'm living it how I want to."

"God, can't you see it? They're manipulating you, you always wanted to go to Harvard and since you met Richard and Emily you want to go to Yale?"

"This is the problem! You never listen to anything I say! I've always wanted to go to Yale. You want us to go to Harvard and get away from their world, well I'm sorry but it's not gonna happen. Rory's gonna go to Harvard and I'm going to Yale or Julliard or Stanford or even NYU. I'm not going to Harvard and I will love my life the way I want to."

"I can't deal with you right now. Talk to me when you've got some sense knocked into you."

"Ugh!"

She stormed up the stairs and went to her room - and I thought I was meant to be the moody teenager.

I picked up my phone and called a number I hadn't dialled in a while.

"Hey."

"Sierra?"

"Yeah."

"What's up?"

"It's my mom. She's not respecting or caring about my decisions and she thinks I'm so naive that I'm being manipulated by my grandparents!"

"Whoa, calm down, you want me to come over there?"

"No. Meet me at our place."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. As long as you're not busy."

"No."

"Great."

I grabbed my purse and coat and walked over to the bridge by the lakem, where a dark, shadowed figure was already sat. I looked at him. "Hey."

"Hey, you wanna come sit and talk?"

I nodded and took a seat next to him, dangling my feet off the edge.

"It's just, it's too much, Jess. Mom hates my boyfriend and I want her to like him, but she doesn't out of principle and it's so annoying because I love him."

"Why doesn't she like him?"

"I met him at Yale. Jess, it's Logan Huntzberger."

"You're dating Logan Huntzberger?! The son of the Newspaper Mogul your sister has been obsessed with for forever?"

"That's the one."

"Ah jeez. You love him?"

"With all my heart."

"Good. That's good."

"Do you love Rory?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Why don't you tell her?"

"Well I don't want her to feel like she has to say it back. You were there when it happened with Dean, God I swear everyone just compares me to him."

"Jess, he was her first boyfriend, the first guy she ever loved. And he was a pretty good one. I mean, I caught my first boyfriend kissing my best friend on the football field. But, Jess, they broke up because she loves you. It's why we broke up. I couldn't do that to her, and you were being delusional."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Just don't leave her. She's fragile Jess, and she's my little sister, so if you hurt her I will hunt you down wherever you go. Be it New York, Florida, Mexico or China. Don't hurt her. She's special."

"Yeah, well I guess that's why I love her."

"Hey, remember when Luke pushed you in the lake? That was funny."

"Maybe for you."

"Goodnight Jess." I stood up and gave him a hug. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

I walked away and he stayed sitting on the bridge, looking out at the water.

I climbed through the window in my bedroom and called Logan.

"Hey Queenie, how's it going?"

"Logan, I, I don't know if I can do this anymore."