𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 | 𝘎𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴

20 :: 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦

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!! Warning !!
This chapter contains fighting and blood.
Read at your own risk.

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❝ I'm not used to caring about anyone as much as I care about you. ❞

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MELISSA DIDN'T GO into school the next day. Neither did Rory. Lorelai didn't go to work either.

Instead, the two girls stayed with Melissa all day. They stayed in the living room, devouring buckets of ice cream until they physically couldn't anymore. They watched scary movies, even though Melissa didn't like them. It kept her distracted. She much preferred rom-coms, but Lorelai had decided silently to herself that allowing her daughter watch one in her current state would do more harm than good.

She knew that when she was going through a break-up, she didn't want to be reminded of the possibility of what they could've had. She just liked a clean break. It was easier that way.

Gracie called over after school was finished. She stayed for a few hours till her parents rang and asked for her to come home. She didn't want to go, but Melissa insisted that she was fine and that she'd see her tomorrow. Gracie wasn't stupid though. She could see the redness in her friends eyes, she knew her best friend wasn't okay and Gracie wanted to help her more than anything.

But she didn't want the help. That was something else that Gracie knew.

When Gracie left, Luke arrived with a box of food. None of the three Gilmore Girls knew how knew they were at home, but Melissa figured Gracie had let it slip to him. Or maybe he'd figured it out all on his own. Melissa wouldn't be surprised. He's a smart guy, especially when it comes to her.

He brought enough food and drinks to last the three of them a week. Melissa asked him to stay, and he really wanted to. But he had to get back to work and make sure that Jess was doing the work that Luke had instructed him to do. Luke couldn't beat Jess up for hurting Melissa, because he could get in serious trouble for that. But he could make him work around the diner for free, considering he was family after all. So that's what he was doing.

Luke was going to work the poor kid till he dropped dead. That's what he gets for hurting Luke's Lissa.

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COUNTLESS SLEEPLESS NIGHTS passed and the sun arose each morning then set again each evening, the days growing shorter while the nights alone grew longer. The days rolled into weeks and Melissa still hadn't gotten past the fear of seeing Jess in Luke's and she remained stubborn and refused to go inside. Even in the cold winter air, she refused to go in to the warmth. People called her crazy, they told her to get over whatever it was that had gone down. But she stood firmly by this action.

Jess had called her a burden, and she really wanted to respect the unspoken words between them. That she should leave him alone. And yes, she had been here first. Stars Hollow was her home, not his. And even though the diner had been hers since the day it opened, she would give it up if it meant no more heart ache.

She'd give up lots of things if it meant the pain in her chest would ease even in the slightest.

Now, three weeks later, things were starting to look up for Melissa. Her heart still ached for Jess, but somehow, Gracie had managed to set her up with a family friend of theirs from New Haven. Melissa had gone on a few dates with this new guy, and she had to admit he was extremely refreshing. It was her first proper time dating someone in a long time, since summer possibly.