𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 ✰ 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲

fifteen ✰ "he is a lovesick puppy who is terrified of rejection."

no one had seen loreali peters in two days.

not parker. not scarlett. hell, not even charlie. she was excused from class and didn't come out to eat any meals.

the young girl stayed buried under her green covers, locked behind the wooden door. tissues littered her bed and the ground around her.

parker and scarlett tried to get rory to open the door, but rory would never let them in.

charlie was a concerned wreck. it hurt him knowing that the once vibrant brunette was now broken and had closed herself off from everyone around her. he would walk past her door, listening closely to the noise inside. he could hear her hushed sobs, the sound ripping charlie's heart into two.

on the morning of the third day, charlie had enough. he couldn't stand the fact that the girl he adored was locked up in sadness.

while everyone was at breakfast, charlie stayed behind, working on picking the locked door. picking locks was his specialty. he would constantly break into his father's liquor cabinet back at home.

with a bobby pin in hand (which he borrowed from parker), he began to fiddle with the lock. at first, the door wouldn't budge, but after the second try, charlie managed to get it open. he quickly pushed open the door and scurried in, closing it behind him to make sure he didn't get caught.

charlie's eyes glanced around the room before falling onto rory's tear-stained face. his stomach twisted in knots as he looked at the hurt girl. his heart broke as he watched a tear fall down her cheek.

"what are you doing her, charlie?" rory's sniffed as she sat up in her bed.

"i was worried about you. i needed to know if you were alright." charlie's eyes softened as he made his way across the room, sitting on the edge of rory's bed.

rory cleared her throat as a fake smile shined on her face. "i am fine. just a little sick."

charlie hummed as he nodded his head. "you're a terrible liar, peters."

rory bit her lip. she looked up at charlie, tears brimmed her eyes.

"oh, rory. what's wrong?" charlie cooed as he raised his hand to wipe a stray tear off of rory's cheek.

"my grandfather died." rory sobbed. "it was so sudden. he was perfectly fine on my birthday. healthy as a horse."

charlie sighed as he pulled rory into a tight hug. "i am so sorry, rory."

rory sobbed as she buried her head into charlie's neck. "he was my best friend, charlie."

charlie nodded as he brushed his hand through rory's hair.

rory had talked a lot about her grandfather when the two bonded at the coffee shop. it was obvious rory adored her grandfather. her eyes would light up as she would recall a memory of him from her childhood. he was the one who helped her discover her love of reading. he supported her dream of being a journalist and a world traveler. he would calm her down when her parents pressured her about college and her future.

"yale. columbia. any college would be lucky to have the amazing lorelai." her grandfather would say. he always knew how to make her smile, even on the baddest of days. he made everything better.

rory lost her one of her favorite people in the world, just as she was adding another person to the list.

rory leaned back as she wiped her cheeks. "he would've liked you, you know."

charlie grinned. "oh would he now?"

rory nodded as she smiled weakly. "yeah, he would've loved your tough puppy persona."

"just as much as you do?" charlie smirked as rory shoved his shoulder.

"don't flatter yourself."

charlie laughed as rory leaned into him.

"i am really going to miss him."

"i know, but his memory will never die. he will always be with you." charlie rambled. "maybe not physically, but he will always be in your heart."

rory smiled as she leaned up and kissed charlie gently on the cheek. "thanks for breaking into my room, charlie."

"thank you for not killing me for picking your lock."

"that is a dangerous skill for you to have."

"yet so helpful." charlie grinned. "now, what do you say to going to the dining hall with me and eating breakfast with our friends? they've missed you. especially parker and scarlett."

rory bit the inside of her cheek as she thought for a moment. she nodded her head as she slowly got out of bed. "i guess food would be good."

"great! you can witness knox get all flustered around parker."

"he should just ask her out." rory said as she pulled some clothes out of her closet. "she likes him. he likes her. what could go wrong?"

"it's knox. he is a lovesick puppy who is terrified of rejection." charlie joked. "i'll wait in the hall for you. oh and rory?"

rory furrowed her eyebrows as she turned to look at him, but was met with charlie placing his lips on hers.

(listen i know that is jared padalecki but work with me. use your imagination.)

the quick peck left rory stunned.

"okay i'll be out there." charlie pointed at the door as he made his way out of rory's room.

as he shut the door, rory let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

it was official.

the feelings were undeniable.

rory peters was in love with rebellious lock-picker and charlie dalton was in love with the hurt angel.

✰

author's note:

umm hi! it has been a hot second and i am so sorry!

thank you so much for 1k reads!!! i cannot believe that my monstrosity reached that number like WHAT how the fuck i am beyond shook. i am so grateful for every one of you! you all are amazing.

i am going to try and throw together a little something that will be published sunday (hopefully).

thank you for sticking with me it means so much! :)

anyways, feel free to vote or comment so i know that this isn't a complete shit show!!