𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 | 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬

13| Cardigan.

13 | Cardigan.

| Sage's POV |

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"Hey," mom tapped mine and Rory's shoulders, "I need burger."

"Me too!" Rory smiled.

"I need coffee," I said.

"Dean?" My sister looked back, glancing at her boyfriend as we all stopped walking. "Honestly, the only thing I can think of is taking off this tux."

"Heyyyy," mom dragged out. "Watch it. You're taking to a lady now."

"Yeah, Dean, you really must improve on the maturity of your statements. You're setting a very poor example, and threatening to ruin my sisters innocence. Do better." I scolded, crossimg my arms.

"You are scary good at that." He mumbled.

"Thank you," I smiled.

"Thanks again for going with me." Rory laughed at me, before looking back at Dean. "Tomorrow, you start paying."

"Hey! Innocence. Fix yourself, buddy."

Rory snorted beside me, while Dean rolled his eyes. After he kissed her, I felt gag reflex kick in. "Ew."

"Agreed," dad smiled.

I still wasn't sure how I felt with him. I think it won't be determined till he leaves. Or more so, how he leaves. And when. That is also a very key matter.

"And then there were four." Mom wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Actually, I have to get back to Boston first thing in the morning, so I'm gonna call it a night, too."

And there it is.

"Already? You're leaving already?" I turned to him, begging myself not to snap. Not in front of Rory.

He sighed, silently pleading with me not to start this again. "Sorry kid, I have work."

I resisted the urge to scoff. Yeah, work. Sure.

"I'll be at Luke's," I told Rory, smiling for her, before looking at mom. She gave me a knowing look, smiling. "Okay."

I'm not sure if Rory could feel the tension, but I know I could. I didn't bother even looking in Christopher's direction, instead turning to cross the street.

He always did this. He always did this, and I hated it.

He'd show up, hang around for a few days, sometimes not even that, then suddenly say he has to go. No warning, no schedule. Just gone.

Sometimes, he wouldn't even tell us. Simply deciding to leave a note for us to find, or a voice message. It was so frustrating. Just when I start to think he's ready to be a dad again, he leaves.

I just feel like if he's gonna do that, why come at all? Why get us attached again? Why make it hurt all over again?

I walked up to the counter, beginning to fiddle with my hair. It was giving me a freaking headache.

"Well, someone's dressed up?" I looked up, seeing Jess.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I had to go to a thing for my sister." I felt through my hair, trying to find the stupid bobby pins.

Oh my god, I'm going to kill someone.

I groaned, laying my head on the counter. "I hate being a girl."

"Need some help?"

I lifted up my head, "really?" He shrugged, walking around the counter seperating us. "I can try."

"That is the best I could ask for," I sighed. "So, there should be seven pins, around here, here, and," I paused, trying to find the last one with a single finger. "Here."

I felt his fingers replace mine, feeling the pins. "Just pull them out, please. I'd do it myself but I can't see what I'm doing."

"Tell me if I hurt you," he mumbled, placing one hand on my hair, holding the hair there to stop it from pulling.

After getting five out, I heard the bell ring, and Rory and my mom walk in.

"What the—"

"What are you doing?" Rory asked, walking over to me.

"Solving all my life problems," I said.

He finally got the last few out, making me nearly squeal in happiness. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." I repeated, using my hands to brush though my hair, as it fell on my shoulders. "Yeah, yeah."

He went back behind the counter, grabbing something before coming back out and beginning to clean a table.

"What are you wearing?" At my mom's words, I looked up at him.

Oh? Oh.

That's funny.

Jess was wearing a flannel, nearly touching his knees, as he calmly wiped down one table, then another.

Luke slowly made his way over to him, as I leaned back and watched, nearly laughing. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Working." He replied, simply.

"So you really think this is funny, huh?" Luke said, looking down in sheer disappointment.

"I'm sorry, I thought this was the uniform."

This time, I really did laugh.

Jess glanced at me, a smile playing on his lips.

Frankly, this was nearly iconic.

"Okay, you know what? That's fine. Have your little joke, you know. Doesn't bother me at all. You just go over there and clean off that table, okay?." Luke said. "I'm ignoring you. You do not exist."

"Okay," Jess nodded, doing as he said.

Everyone was silent. I pressed a hand to my mouth, stifling my laugh as Jess precariously picked up each item, cleaning under it.

I glanced between Luke and Jess, my eyes darted to my mom and Rory, who simply watched.

I met Jess's eyes for a moment, both of us smiling the tiniest bit.

"That's it. Get upstairs and change." Luke snapped.

"Whatever you say, uncle Luke."

"It's Luke. Just Luke. Mr Luke—" he rambled, following behind Jess as he passed me.

I held out my hand, "nice one."

He grinned, giving me a quick high five, "thank you."

"Hey!" Luke exclaimed, grabbing my coffee from me as he kept on Jess's tail.

"Woah there! Taking my coffee is a boundary. There is no way you just crossed—" I jumped up, following behind Luke as he practically chased Jess up the stairs.

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