Iris and the List

Iris and The Dinner

Rory stood up and offered me a hand. I took it. "Well, break a leg, both of you, and I hope the next time I see you, you guys are Troy and Gabriella!" I said.

We left the school, and went back to Rory's house. Ginger was there, sitting on the front steps. She was sitting with her chin in her hand, staring off into the distance.

"Guys! Why didn't you invite me to go wherever you went?" She demanded.

"Because we were up early. Not all of us sleep until noon." Rory said.

"Rory," she whined, "it's only ten thirty. I have to get my beauty sleep."

Rory sat down next to her. "I think you'd be beautiful even without beauty sleep."

"Aww, you're the sweetest."

I gagged. "Let's calm down on the love fest. We're hanging out as friends right now. I don't want to be the third wheel, and if you guys are going to do that, I'm leaving."

Ginger raised her eyebrows at me. "Calm yourself. Nobody's going to yell at you and Colton when you're being all lovey dovey."

"Rory and I were going to have a Gilmore Girls marathon." I said, dismissing the subject.

"Seriously? You'll watch Gilmore Girls with her, but you won't watch Gossip Girl with me?" Ginger asked, with a slight frown on her face.

"I share a name with a main character." Rory defended.

"A girl character!"

"Still, she is worthy of my name."

Wait, hold up. Was Ginger jealous? Of me and Rory?

Ha. That's one I wasn't expecting. Rory and I were practically siblings. She knew we hung out all the time, and just because they're dating now, it's not going to change.

"Now come on. I have cookie dough, we could bake. Or you two could." Rory said, clearly noticing the tension.

Ginger grabbed Rory's arm. "Of course. Iris could be our chef."

"Go to hell, Ginger." I muttered.

"Is something wrong?" Rory wondered.

We walked into his house. His front door opened into his living room, which was warm and cozy, practically a second home to me.

"Okay, well, I'm going to go put the cookie dough in the oven, and let you two work this out." Rory said.

He almost sprinted to the kitchen door, and I heard a noise that sounded suspiciously like a lock.

"Ginger, don't be all weird and jealous. I don't like Rory, Rory doesn't like me, it's never gonna happen. We're going to hang out without you around, and you have to accept it. I hate to use this, but we had a relationship, friends only, before you were ever in the picture." I stated.

She looked sullen. "Fine. I get that you don't like him, and I get that he doesn't like you. I just don't like being left out."

I sighed. "Rory! You can come out now."

He opened the kitchen door and walked back in. Then he grabbed the remote and put Netflix on.

We spent the rest of the afternoon eating cookies and watching TV.

All in all, a perfect afternoon.

But now, it was evening, the night of my dinner with Bill.

I didn't want to go, but I knew Mom would be very disappointed if I skipped.