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pre–2.10 : the bracebridge dinner
❝ pumpinks scream in the dead of night ❞
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✨☕️✨
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
Pumpkins, spooky decorations and ornaments covering the neighbourhood.
Not to mention the part of being able to scare all the children with haunted stories and terrifying costumes... Now that was exciting. It was time for Halloween and it was approaching fast. Everleigh couldn't describe her excitement.
Halloween was that one part of the season she loved the most but sadly school work right now was her priority. Good grades equaled good school enrolments.
Everleigh was seated at the far back of Luke's diner when all of the sudden a seat opposite hers moved;
"Say yes."
The girl looks up to see Lydia beaming, she looks back down, "No."
"Just say yes," Lydia tries again.
"Not the way I was expecting my proposal to go but okay," Everleigh mumbles.
"I'm not proposing." The other girl pulls a face.
"Then why am I saying yes?"
"Oh, you know, you're one of my favourite people and I love you very much."
Everleigh stops writing, putting down her pen, "What have you done now."
"So I lied to my mom," Lydia scratches the back of her neck.
"About..." Lydia stays silent, adjusting in her seat, "Spill it."
"I'm throwing a Halloween party at mine and said you're in charge." The words spilled out so fast from her friend's mouth she almost missed out everything that was said.
"You what?" Everleigh blinks slowly, grasping what she just heard.
"Okay before you say anything," Lydia starts, "You don't have to do anything besides showing up in a beautiful costume."
"Then why did you lie to your mom?"
"Because she doesn't think I'm responsible enough to look after the house when my parents are gone but somehow think you're a child of God — which is very questionable." Lydia explains.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Everleigh whines, offended.
"Anyways," The other girl dismisses Everleigh's question, "If my mom asks anything, you just have to play along and say you'll look after my house."
"Lydia!"
"What?" She asks dumbfounded, "All you have to do is lie. That's it."
"You could've just not said anything and thrown a party anyways and got rid of any evidence that there was a party." Everleigh points out.
Lydia opens and closes her mouth like a fish out of water, "That... that could've worked as well." Before Everleigh could've said anything, she puts a finger up and leans in closer, "What if my mom has secret cameras around?"
Everleigh copies Lydia and leans in, whispering back, "Then you know your mom has watched Spy Kids."
Lydia rolls her eyes and stands up, "You're not helping."
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Things have been going great in Everleigh's life, it seemed if universe was treating her a little bit. Nice things happened all the time: her friendships getting stronger, her relationships with everyone on that matter in Stars Hollow was blossoming. People seemed to actually be really fond of the teen — She wasn't used to it.
It was strange, even Jess appeared to actually be fond of her and willingly would spend time with the girl. People noticed that, of course they would. Nothing goes unnoticed in Stars Hollow. Lydia found it amusing, Dean found it odd, even Luke wasn't used to it, her boyfriend... her boyfriend was getting really bothered.
Her dad didn't notice any of it, which she wasn't surprised about. He was in his honeymoon phase: Lorelai this, Lorelai that, Lorelai blah blah blah. But she didn't mind it. She was fond of Lorelai and her dad actually seemed happy and stress free. So she let him be.
Like she said: things have been going great in every department.
Blaze and Everleigh were better than ever. Since the whole fiasco in Chilton and Rory, he would not apologise enough. To the point where she would get annoyed but she would reassure him that they were okay. She still loved him and wanted to be with him. He even went as far as give her a small surprise like every week. She appreciated his effort. Even before he went away with his family for a few days he surprised her with a romantic picnic date.
It would also explain as of why, she marched into Luke's apartment like it was her own place and searched for the all too familiar face. Only to find him resting in Luke's bed, watching TV.
"Jess." She says as she sits on the bed crisscrossed, next to him.
"That's my name." His eyes don't leave the screen.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did," he retorts back. She groans, grabbing the remote from his hands and switching the TV off. "Hey! I was watching that."
Ignoring the comment, she carries on, "I'll ask another one then."
"No." He sits up straight, trying to grab the remote back, "Now give me the remote back."
She pulls her arm away from him so he can't reach. "You haven't even heard the question yet."
"Robin," He starts, leaning back against the bed frame, "Knowing you, it will include something that I don't like and you will try to guilt trip me anyways."
"Okay — no... I wouldn't guilt trip you," He gives her a look, "Maybe just a tiny bit but I won't force you this time."
Jess sighs, "What is it?"
"Lydia is throwing a halloween party while her parents are away, and —"
"Not a chance." he stops her.
Everleigh pouts, offended, "I haven't even got to the asking part."
"You don't have to," Jess admits, " I know where this is going."
"Pretty please?"
"Pass."
"I will be there." She carries on trying and hoping, "You'll have a friend there and it's me."
"I don't want to."
"But why?!" She whines.
"Because I don't do parties. It's not my thing."
"Fine." She gives him back his remote, standing up from the bed. "Whatever, have your remote back. I just wanted to include you in stuff and wanted you there. Party or not."
She turns around to walk away as Jess says, "And there it is."
The girl tries to hide the smile creeping up on her face but fails. She faces him again, "Is it working?"
Everleigh notices a small smile on his face as he replies, "No."
Happy with the outcome, she starts walking backwards, her focus on Jess, "Sweet, meet me at Lydia's at eight."
"I'm still not going!" He shouts back as she closes the door behind her.
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Okay, maybe Jess wasn't coming.
It was past eight now, people were arriving, Lydia was stressing and shouting. For someone who loves taking risks and be stress free — she was a whole mess. As the teen tried to offer to help her friend, she refused and carried on being in charge.
Even Dean and Rory came to support Lydia's first party. She was glad people actually made the effort with Lydia. The girl needed it. They did, however, make sure people were not breaking stuff or spilling things on a carpet.
She was also looking and trying to find the person, she invited but he was no where to be seen: He wasn't coming.
Everleigh would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed. She really wanted him there at the party with her. The two have grown closer the past few weeks and she was finally starting to see a different side of Jess. He was nice to her and he paid attention to everything she did or said. She felt noticed by him.
The girl was happy their friendship was actually becoming a friendship and it was not just one sided, like it first started.
So yes, she was disappointed he wasn't there. To pass the time, she carried on talking to a few people here and there but not without searching for Jess's face. But as the conversations with people from school were dying out, she made her way outside at the back yard. Just as she did so, she found his familiar features and suddenly her mood changed.
The girl approaches the swings, to which he was sitting on and smoking. She sits on the empty chair next to him and he looks up. "You actually showed up." She says before he could even utter a sound.
"Yeah, well," He shrugs, "I didn't have any other plans."
"But you showed up," She couldn't help but grin wildly, "Even though parties are not your thing."
He arches a brow, glancing at her, "You're enjoying this too much."
"Oh, my pride is going through the roof, right about now." Everleigh admits and nods, "But I'm really happy you're here."
That perks his interest, "You are?"
"Of course. Believe it or not, Mariano, but spending time with you is always fun." The teen says with confidence and maybe it was too dark but she could've sworn he smiled at her words.
"What about your boyfriend? Isn't he worried you're out here talking to me while he's inside?"
"He's not here," She shakes her head, "He went away for a few days with his family."
His emotions change and the smile on his face fades, "Ah, so that's why I'm here."
"No, it's not like that. Even if he was here and came to this party. I still would've wanted you here." Everleigh argues back. "And who knows, maybe you would have to look after a drunk me like in that one Patrick and Kat scene."
He rolls his eyes, "Calm down, Robin, I don't need a love sonnet from you."
"I'm trying to be nice, okay!?"
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Few days have passed by, after the Halloween party and everyone carried on with their lives. Lydia's parents were clueless to everything, not even a slightest rumour flying around. Which she was very surprised about.
( When the party was coming to the end, Dean, Rory, Everleigh and Jess stayed over and helped Lydia to clean, getting rid of any evidence that there was a party thrown in the first place. Not even a single stain left behind. If anything, the place looked cleaner than ever. )
It was kinda ironic, how there was a town meeting not long ago about Jess and him causing trouble and her having to defend him to Taylor and everyone else. Yet the same parents that attended the meeting and were against the guy, their own kids were seen at Lydia's place. And boy, they had fun. If any of them had a clue, the whole town would flip.
The only time there was a mention about her friend's party was at school and even then that was hushed. Even now as she was leaving the school, walking down the steps, she overheard someone talk about it and how hangover they was the next day.
"Eve," Someone calls out her name from behind and she turns her head slightly to see who it was. Only to find Dean walking behind and catching up with her.
"Hey," She greets him, "I thought you already left."
"Oh, I was held back by some of my friends. Sorry." He apologises and carries on walking with her, "You still up for later?"
"Yeah, my dad is expecting you to come over, he is going all out and cooking loads. He even is watching Consuming Passions reruns. I don't event want to know how he managed that. It's scary how nervous he is."
"Is Rory and Lorelai still coming over?" He wonders.
She nods, "As far as I'm aware, yes."
"Blaze?" Dean looks down at her but she stays silent, "You did ask him?"
"I may or may not have forgotten to ask." She admits with guilt washing over her.
He steps in front of her, making the girl stop with him, "Things are still going okay with you two? Blaze hasn't mentioned anything."
That confuses her, "Yes, we are good, we're in a really good place right now. Why wouldn't we be?"
"No, I'm just wondering." He defends himself but pushes further, "Did Jess know about the dinner?"
Now, she was taking it personally and it's written all over her, "Yes. I did mention it to him — Why is he brought into this? I didn't invite him, Dean."
"It's just..." Dean trails off.
She raises a brow, "It's just what?"
"Rory and I saw the two of you at the party."
"So?"
"So, you two are closer now."
"And?"
"And it's weird." Dean says, shrugging his shoulders, "Does Blaze even know he was at Lydia's party?"
"No and I want it to stay like that. — It doesn't matter if he knows or not, I wanted my friend to be there. Blaze and I are happy right now, I don't want things to cause issues so I leave mentioning Jess as much as possible cause I know it's a touchy subject." Everleigh fires back.
"But Jess knows about me, Rory and Lorelai coming for dinner at your place but Blaze doesn't?" Dean pushes further.
She had no energy for this, it felt like a recycled subject that kept on reappearing and she just finished her last lesson of the day, she was tired. The girl just moves past her best friend, not without rolling her eyes, "Dean, I'll see you at the dinner, tonight. Bye."
Dean said nothing.
She didn't care.
✁- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFERENCES:
☕️ title: "pumpinks scream in the dead of night"
song: this is halloween from the nightmare before christmas soundtrack
—
☕️ everleigh: "then you know your mom has watched spy kids."
movie ━ spy kids ( 2001 )
—
☕️ everleigh: "and who knows, maybe you would have to look after a drunk me like in that one Patrick and Kat scene"
movie ━ 10 things i hate about you ( 1991 )
( yes i know, i already referenced the movie in this book but it was all i could think about while writing that scene )
—
☕️ everleigh: "he even is watching consuming passions reruns."
cooking show ━ consuming passions ( 1992- 2001 )
—
uhm, hi.
so it's been a while. my life has been like a rollercoaster, once again. fun fact, after i posted the last chapter i met someone who was exactly like jess mariano. i met my jess. :') like we talking exactly the same traits and everything. i was loving life but then my jess broke my heart, funnily enough in the same way jess broke rory's heart. and then my jess came back and then i was let down again.
so ya know, not im ready to hurt everyone else through everleigh :))) you welcome. :)
also im excited for the next chapter cause everleigh interacts with paris and it's the bracebridge dinner episode. i cant wait to write it.
hope you enjoyed this filler chapter xxx