lovely | jess mariano

chapter fourteen

tori hadn't calmed down. that was one thing she could do. hold a grudge. and she was holding a grudge as long as her mom didn't apologise. she was pissed off. 

and this anger had seeped into her everyday life. she had never played soccer better, or broken more rules while she did. her coach had even pulled her aside, trying to get to the bottom of why she had tackled her friend and gotten herself sent to the nurse's office when she gave herself a nosebleed from said tackle.

and it had seeped into friday night dinner. she barely said a thing and neither did lorelai. rory was trying desperately to hold up the conversation but it wasn't working. emily picked up on the tension relatively quickly when all she got was a hum in response from tori.

emily placed down her fork, "are you in a fight?"

"i'm not," lorelai answered, eyes falling on vee. 

she scoffed, "please."

"please what? you are the one who's been freezing me out all week."

tori muttered under her breath as her phone began to beep. she quickly checked it.

"who is it?" lorelai questioned.

"no one."

"why won't you tell me who?"

"because it's no one," she retorted.

"is it jess?"

tori frowned, "you're kidding right?"

"jess? who's jess?" emily sought.

"i'm not kidding."

vee put her phone away, "why would you automatically assume that it's jess?"

"because why won't you tell me who it is?"

"who's jess?" emily repeated.

tori turned to her, "a friend of mine. luke's nephew." she turned back to lorelai. "it's sadie. you want to read it?"

"all week you've been-"

tori shook her head, "we're not gonna get into this again."

rory watched on helplessly, already caught up on the situation (minus the fact vee was annoyed at the fact their mom trusted rory more than her) and had not been as sympathetic as victoria thought she might have been. she should have realised the second her boyfriend got involved that she wouldn't side with tori. 

"what? get into what? is it about jess- the thing you're not getting into again?" emily continued.

"you know, it's so nice to know you don't trust me," tori hissed at her mom. "i can't- whatever. let's just eat. sorry grandma, i didn't mean to start something over dinner. let's forget it. it's not your fault."

"are you dating jess?" emily asked.

"i'm not dating jess. we're friends," vee bit out. she was getting real tired of the same question over and over. if she was dating him she would tell them. 

"he's trying to weasel his way in."

"he's not trying to weasel his way in!" tori exclaimed.

the conversation continued to escalate until victoria excused herself, locking herself away in her grandpa's study. she sighed, calling sadie.

"it's a friday night," sadie spoke, after tori said a quick hello

"and my mom won't let this whole jess thing go."

sadie sighed, "i'm sorry. want to hear some good news?"

"always."

"jasmine asked me out."

tori gasped, "no way. oh my god! where are you going? when is it? how'd she ask? tell me everything."

sadie recalled the event to her and in sadie fashion barely gave her any details but vee didn't push her. instead, she let her tell her the little details about the actual date before asking her to help her pick an outfit. vee agreed, of course she would, and was going to go to her house before hand so they could have a mini fashion show. 

tori was glad jasmine had finally made a move, she'd been crushing on sadie for ages. at least, tori had noticed her staring at her a lot and figured that's what it must have been. 

"this is so exciting," tori squealed. 

sadie smiled on the other end of the phone, "thanks tori. wanna talk about your thing?"

"no. i'm happy now, no need to ruin it." she sighed loudly. "i'm happy for you."

their conversation came to an end so sadie could get on with her homework. tori elected to read one of the many books in the study to pass the time. there was a knock on the door before lorelai entered. 

"just listen to me for one second okay?" tori sighed. "no sighing. i just wanna talk."

"go ahead."

"i don't wanna lock you up and throw away the key," she informed as she took a seat opposite tori.

"well, good."

"your judgement means something, especially to me. i can't be your eyes and your ears and your brain."

vee frowned, "i'm confused."

"i got spooked. i know it violates the fabulous cool-mom clause we're supposed to have going but i did and i'm sorry. i didn't mean to make you feel like i don't trust you or that i trust rory more than you. i trust you, tori. i do." she paused. "i am concerned about jess. however, you are a smart girl, you're a good judge of character, and the fact that he seems to like you gives him a couple of brownie points. you're not a little kid. i don't actually think you ever were a little kid."

"i was for about a month."

"if you think he's a decent guy i have to respect your judgement."

"thank you."

"but i'm asking you to be careful."

"i will."

"really careful."

"i will."

"boy-in-the-plastic-bubble careful."

"i promise."

"is the fight over?"

"fight over."

the pair stood up, lorelai sighing.

tori frowned, "you still don't look okay."

"oh, well, my mother agreed with me tonight."

"oh my god. i'm so sorry."

"well, thank you. i appreciate that."

---

when lorelai entered the house complaining and saying she had to shave her head to get rid of the memory of her mother agreeing with her, she went straight up to shower. so, tori went to her room to call jess. 

"why'd you call?"

"well i-"

"i'm glad you called."

"really?"

"yeah, so you can explain what this books is even about."

tori smiled, "stick with it. it's amazing. i promise. but remember if you don't love amy march i will kill you."

"i'll hold you to that first part."

"you better. i'm holding myself to the second part," she quipped.