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NEW YORK CITY WAS EXACTLY HOW JESS REMEMBERED. A place like New York City doesn't change. There are too many people, too much happening for it to change -- or to notice change. Jess liked New York. He loved it actually. New York was the best place to blend in. It was a place where looking out of place was exactly how you blended in. Since coming back, he went to bookstores, record stores and video stores where things weren't censored or restricted because Taylor thought that the word dick in Moby Dick was inappropriate. He was free. This was better. Of course, though, he was alone, and he felt it more than ever.
Loneliness in New York is different to Stars Hollow. In Stars Hollow it was less obvious. Maybe because you constantly had some breathing down your coffee, asking how your day was or if you could help them carry a box six blocks down the street. People were constantly in your face in Stars Hollow. Even if you weren't liked, people were still talking to you or about you. In New York everyone was lonely. It showed in the people and the places that nothing was truly yours. You had to defend yourself. There was no such thing as leaning on people in New York unless it was the weird guy on the subway. Jess didn't miss Stars Hollow in the slightest, but maybe there were a few people that made him less lonely.
Annie also felt lonely in Stars Hollow. She felt guilty for feeling lonely. She had a family and three close friends and a plethora of neighbours that adored her, and yet she felt more alone than ever. It was difficult to appreciate the love she received when it was all fake, forced, orchestrated. People didn't love her she just forced them into it by making them feel sorry for her. No one chose to love her, and it hurt.
Nevertheless, she persevered. In the morning before school, she made blondies because they always made her feel better. Today was like any other day. Another day of denial at her fingertips.
She took her blondies out of the oven as her dad ran out of the house, late for work again.
Kate left her bedroom, reaching immediately for the coffee.
"Morning!" Annie greeted her sister. Kate stared at her sister with blank eyes. You'd think by now, Annie would've gotten used to the cold shoulder. Every day she still tried. "Blondie?"
To her surprise, Kate took a blondie from the plate and took a large bite. Annie stared in anticipation for the feedback. "They're bland."
Annie's face faltered. Kate swallowed the rest of her blondie and through the rest in the bin. Annie's heart cracked as the blondie landed with a loud thump.
Kate went to school first. For no particular reason other than to get away from her sister. Annie wasn't blind to her efforts, but she chose to ignore them. As the house was vacant, she almost let the tears spill. She would've had a full on, at home, sob fest if the doorbell didn't ring. Annie pulled a face of confusion. No one should be here this early.
