The Other Gilmore

Dance Marathon

The 24-Hour Dance Marathon. An annual charity event that takes place in Stars Hollow. Frankie had participated every year since middle school. Coffee and energy drinks were her sustenance for the marathon, but she had never won. She didn't mind, but it always bothered her that she would end up falling asleep, no matter how hard she tried not to. This is my year, she thought as she walked over to Luke's.

"Need something, Frankie?" Luke asked with a slight smirk as she sat down on a stool.

"Coffee, please!"

"You know coffee stunts your growth, right?" He leaned against the counter, a twinkle in his eye.

"Good thing I'm not growing anymore," she responded, the same mischievous grin etched across her face.

He chuckled and turned, grabbing a mug and filling it with coffee just as Jess appeared behind the girl.

"Can we talk?"

"Jesus!" she yelped, placing a hand over her pounding heart. "Jess, you scared the crap out of me!" Frankie lightly smacked his arm, receiving a hearty laugh from the boy.

"Sorry, sorry." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then sat on the stool next to her. "So?"

"So, what?" Frankie asked, taking a sip from her cup and looking over the rim at Jess.

"Can we talk?"

"That depends. Are you breaking up with me?"

"What?" Jess exclaimed, confused. "No! Why would you even ask me that?"

Frankie shrugged. "When people say 'can we talk' to their significant other, it usually means they're breaking up with them."

Jess rolled his eyes playfully. "You're ridiculous. No, I'm not breaking up with you. I just wanted to tell you why I've been distant."

"Oh, then yes." Frankie turned her body so she was fully facing her boyfriend.

Jess mumbled under his breath, and she had to strain to hear anything that he said. "Huh?"

"I work at Wal-Mart."

The girl furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "You work at Wal-Mart?"

"Yes."

She cocked her head to the side, trying to comprehend his statement. "You work at Wal-Mart."

"Yes."

"That's why you've been distant?"

"Yes."

"Because you work at Wal-Mart?"

"You don't have to keep saying it," Jess huffed, folding his arms across his chest.

"I'm just confused. You've been distant because you work at Wal-Mart?"

"I've been distant because I didn't want you to know."

Frankie's expression softened and she leaned forward, pecking his lips. "Awe, baby, why?"

Jess shrugged, a slight pout on his lips. Frankie giggled at the sight, grabbing his face and kissing him again. "Thank you for telling me."

The boy nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We good?"

"We're good." As she slung her arms around his neck, an idea popped into her head. "Maybe not so good after you hear my idea."