Touch of Hellfire (Original Version)

☕️1☕️

***

"You got the cards?" Andrea asked me as we were walking down the halls. "Swarbrick, who do you think I am?" I asked her. "Sorry, Gilmore," she rolled her eyes. "So, how was your summer?"

"Eventful, in some aspects," I told her. "How about you?"

"I went to London, it rained for the better part of two months," she pouted. "Ooh, London! Tell me everything!" I demanded. "Well, they opened up this huge Ferris wheel right by the Thames called the London Eye, last year," she told me. "I went on it and it was amazing!"

"That sounds cool," I beamed. "Still doing Dartmouth?"

"Most likely, you still doing Columbia?" Andrea asked me as we walked into the classroom. "Juggling between Columbia and Dartmouth, they're both far but one is more expensive," I pouted.

We grabbed the forms, pink, yellow and blue, from the desk. "Yikes, Rory and Paris part two," Andrea whispered to me. "Tell me about it," I sat down beside her near the back. "You doing the Franklin?" Andrea asked me. "Nope, you?"

"Definitely not," she muttered. Paris nodded at me as she walked by. I nodded back and gave Rory a piteous look. "Start planning the funeral," Andrea mumbled. "More like the five year anniversary," I replied.

"Did you hear they're making the Harry Potter books into movies?" Andrea asked me. "The first one is out in November," I cheered.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. "You know you'll be home before me right?" Rory asked me. "Franklin?" I assumed. She nodded. "So what flowers would you like on your casket?" I joked. "Shush," Rory rolled her eyes.

***

I got the bus back home, angry at my teachers. I suddenly collided with someone and I dropped a few of my books. "Oh God, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," I rambled. "It's okay," the poor guy I collided into told me.

He was pretty cute, he had dark hair and he was only a tiny bit taller than me. He had a book sticking out of his back pocket. "I wasn't really paying attention either."

"You new here?" I asked him. "That obvious huh?" he asked me. "Just never seen you before," I pointed out. "Where you headed?" he asked me. "Uh, Luke's, need to drown my rage in caffeine," I explained. "Might as well walk with you then," he told me and he bent down to pick up my books. "Thank you," I muttered. "I'm Jess by the way," he introduced himself. "Heather," I told him.

We walked into Luke's and I sat down at a stool. "Can I have a coffee please?" I asked Luke. "You're worse than your mother," Luke grumbled. "I see you met my nephew."

"Jess is your nephew?" I asked him. "Yup," Luke sighed. "I bashed into him on the street, he picked up my books for me," I explained. "Is this the same Jess we're talking about?" Luke asked me as I sipped my coffee.

The door opened and Mom came in. "Hey hon, first day back okay?"

"My teachers are horrible people," I moaned. Mom gave me a piteous look, just like the one I gave Rory earlier. "I mean, who gives out that much homework on the first day?!" I exclaimed.

"Did you meet Luke's nephew?" Mom asked me. "Yeah, I literally collided with him, not my proudest moment," I admitted. Jess emerged from upstairs. "Hey, Jess, I'd like you to meet someone, this is Lorelai," Luke piped up. "Hi," Jess muttered before going back upstairs. "He's very chatty," Mom noted. "He'll adjust," Luke told her. "Are you guys doing anything tomorrow?" Mom asked him. "You and Jess can come over, Rory will be there and Sookie will cook."

"Aw Mom, I've got.."

"Oh yeah, when does that end?" Mom asked me. I usually take guitar lessons in Hartford every Tuesday. "I should be home at seven, seven thirty latest," I muttered. "I'll save some for you, I promise," Mom reassured me. "Thanks, we'll be there," Luke told her.