Touch of Hellfire

☕️77☕️

"You're getting dinner at the Stardust?" Andrea asked me. "Yeah, I still have to introduce my mom and Rory to it, since I eat there, I got coupons," I told her, putting on my jacket.

The buzz from the intercom went off. "See ya," I said, heading downstairs. "Hello," I greeted my family. "So you're taking us to dinner?" Mom wondered.

"I'm due for my free meal," I told her, smirking. "Do we get free meals too?" Rory wondered. "If you bat the eyelashes at the easy waiter, if that fails, I'll pay," I offered.

Mom and Rory pulled a look. "We're not eating there...are we?" I mumbled.

"Yale has free food," Rory pointed out. I pouted. "Okay. But Rory, there's something you have to know."

"What?"

"SHOTGUN!"

"EVIL!"

***

"Next Friday, we will use those coupons," Mom promised me as we sat down.

"Here's to our special Friday, void of grandparents," I toasted and we all clinked glasses.

"So Stars Hollow gossip?" Rory asked Mom.

"Patty and Babette are organising Stars Hollow's first botox party," she laughed. "I'm also doing the costumes for Fiddlers on the Roof."

"How are you doing?" I asked Mom, putting emphasis on 'you.'

"I'm getting better, I promise, it's getting easier, slowly, I'm going to Weston's now, you?"

"I'm proofreading my script, Sundance people are coming in May," I told her. "You get to pick someone to go with you?" Mom wondered. "To work on set, yeah, they'll be bringing us to Utah or Colorado," I said. "But this is big."

"Well I know you'll get it, you've been practicing that speech for what now? Fifteen years?" Mom smiled.

"Anyway, Ror," I was chuckling from Mom's joke. "What's new?"

"Just studying really..don't you have exams?" she wondered. "I do but it's more practical based," I told her.

"Did Dad email you?" Rory asked me. "Yeah but I didn't reply," I mumbled. "Oh God, sorry Mom."

"It's okay, what did he say?" Mom asked us. "That it was a misunderstanding," I muttered. Mom rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Ass."

"Did Grandpa know?" Rory asked Mom. "No, it was just my mother," Mom assumed.

"Hey Marty!" Rory called but he walked away.

"I'm gonna go and drive your sister back to New York," Mom said.

Once we were in the car, Mom sighed. "Did Christopher really try to sell you on that line?"

"Yes," I mumbled. "What did he say?"

Mom was silent. "Oh that was out of line," I sighed. "No..he said that we 'belong together' and Luke was arguing that he was never there for you and Rory."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "But Luke was the paternal figure in my life."

Mom smiled at me. "You wanna stay with me and Andrea?"

"Nah, I'll be fine Hezzy, you're a lot less evil nowadays," she pointed out. "College squeezed it out of me but I keep my evilness on tap, when necessary," I smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" Mom said. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"It's okay," I mumbled.

"Do you still miss Jess?"

I sat back and sighed. "All the time, he was always there and I just tossed it all away."

"Oh sweetheart," Mom gripped my arm affectionately. "You still love him."

"I'm going out with Cole to help me get over him, Cole likes me and I like him," I said.

"But you love Jess, he's your Luke," Mom told me. "Damn genes," I shook my head, laughing.

"Oh yeah," Mom started laughing.

***

"What can I get you?" I asked the guy at the bar. "Can you make a Pina Colada?" he asked me. "Sure" I smiled.

I shook the drink and poured it into the glass and added a tiny umbrella.

"Umbrellas are overrated but they make you think you're in Tahiti," I said.

"Preach," he said and Logan walked into the Rainbow Room, with Finn.

"Grab your coat, we're taking you out," Finn said. "Spontaneity is your biggest trait," I smiled and they took me to a Chinese place. "Hezzy!" Rory smiled and hugged me. "Finn insisted that you were here."

"I know he did," I shot a look to Finn. "Still in the friend zone."

"Ooh," Finn feigned hurt and we sat down. "You want a beer?" Finn asked me. "Just a little bit," I said and he poured a bit into my glass.

"Careful Finn, she has a boyfriend," Logan pointed out. "Ah," Finn nodded. "Well she's still one of us. Single or taken."

"She's never going to go out with you," Colin laughed. "I like flirting, that's it, Rory would chop my balls off if I dated her sister," Finn pointed out.

"My threat still stands," Rory told him. "I know your type anyway," I said to Finn. "Love em and leave em."

Marty looked pretty uncomfortable sitting at the table. "True, you are hot but I've been shot down one too many times," Finn agreed.

He held out his hand. "Friends?"

"Friends," I agreed, taking it, helping myself to some fried shrimp. "You don't go to Yale?" Juliet asked me. "No, I go to Columbia," I told her. "Thea, any group outings you are welcome to attend," Logan reassured me. "Thank you," I smiled at him.

"It's seventy five each," Colin said. "Heather, you want me to cover you?"

"No, I have enough," I told him. "It's called tips."

"How much do you get tipped?" Logan asked. "The drunker they are, the richer I get," I smiled.

"You gonna come to Zydeco?" Finn asked me. "I have some work to do, maybe another time," I mumbled. "Thanks for taking me out."

"I'll give you a ride," Logan offered.

***

The car stopped outside to my apartment. "Heather?"

Logan stopped me before I went inside. "I really like your sister," he told me. "And out of all my relationships, all the siblings have hated me, you're the only one that doesn't."

"I don't hate you, I hated her last one but...I think you're a good guy, don't prove me wrong," I said. "And I do hope we can be friends."

"Yeah, totally," he nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded. "I know you're not interested in Finn because he's a cocky son of a bitch and you're with that guy from the wedding but...have you ever had..a proper relationship?"

"Two," I told him. "Cole is the third guy I've dated."

"Right," he mumbled. "I can tell Finn wants to know," I laughed. "He does, I'm sorry," he laughed.

"Tell him, if I'm still single on my graduation day, then he can take me home," I said.

"Heather Gilmore you are full of surprises," Logan laughed.