Lost Time ▸ Jess Mariano

04. hello, connecticut!

    "Well, well, well," Everleigh starts, changing the subject as she crosses arms over her chest, "Look what cat dragged out of the bag."

    "What are you two doing here?" He asks, his tone uneasy. Everleigh picks it up quickly.

    Rory, not allowing the girl to answer, says, "We were just planning to spend more time together, so we can get to know one another. Right, Everleigh?"

   She has the urge to glare at Rory. She really has the urge to glare but stops herself for her best friend's sake. Instead, she simply forced a smile to stay on her face. Far too forced to look genuine, "Right. Rory has some great plans for both of us."

   The tension grew more between both of them but Rory actually seems to enjoy the moment. Rory's smile was no longer forced, it was genuine, "Exactly."

    "We'd make Buffy and Faith proud," Everleigh comments but turns her head to Dean. He didn't seem to buy the act, "Where were you? I tried calling."

    Dean looks away and rubs the back of his neck, "I was with ... uh,"

    The hesitation made her realize and her shoulders fall in defeat."...Oh," The girl tries to wave it off, "No, it's fine. He is your friend. It's fine."

   "I know how weird this must be for you," Dean cringes.

    "Meh, I'll live." Everleigh waves a hand, "We all knew this was going to happen one way or another."

    Dean glances down to Rory whom seems to avoid the conversation between him and Everleigh as she keeps looking away. Dean looks back at his best friend, "Still doesn't make it less weird."

    Everleigh rolls her eyes as she walks past Rory and Dean, making her way to a place she spotted a second ago, "Well, sucks to be you."

    Rory creases her eyebrows, "Where are you going?"

    The Morgan girl turns around and slowly starts walking backwards. A wide smile spreads across her face, "To Luke's."

    Glancing between both girls, Dean nods, "We'll come with you."

    His best friend chuckles, "Yeah, no." She gestures a finger at the couple, "You two go and do your coupley thing while you can. I will annoy others, I'm bored."

    She spins back around, facing the direction of dinner and carries on walking without waiting for a reply. The teen was aware Rory's mom had her bachelorette party a few days ago, meaning the wedding was happening in the next couple of days and Dean wanted to spend more time with Rory.

   To be completely honest there was nothing she could talk about with Dean. Besides maybe deciding his suit for the big day — That or make fun of him for wearing one in the first place.

    But meantime, she wanted to get one other's nerves and she knew exactly who was her target. Allowing the small bell to chime as she enters the diner, her eyes wonder across the space. Finding him standing behind the counter;

    "You haven't changed it."

    "Changed what?" Luke glances at her in confusion

    Pointing outside, she replies, "William's hardware, it still exists. Not Luke's."

    "What —?" His eyebrows knit together for a second but all of the sudden his expression drops, "Oh, it's you."

    "So enthusiastic to see me, top notch performance," She exaggerates as she squints her eyes, "Did you go to Juilliard for a skill like that?"