"This town meeting will come to order." Miss Patty announced as she banged the gavel against the podium, trying to get everyone's attention. However, no one seemed to care all that much and continued with the small talk they were engaged in.
"Oh, Taylor. Calm down." Miss Patty told Taylor at the front of the stage. "I can't calm down. I'm being persecuted." He complained as he looked over the townspeople.
"I promise that we hear you." Miss Patty urged as she tried to get that through Taylor's head.
"We've been hearing you for 20 minutes!" Andrew stood up, speaking on everyone's behalf that Taylor is being a little over-sensitive.
"Well, excuse me Andrew, but some of us have businesses to run that don't involve peddling drug paraphernalia to kids." Taylor argued.
"It was a lava lamp, Taylor." Andrew defended with an attitude.
Oh cool! I've been wanting to get one of those.
"There is no use for a lava lamp unless you're on drugs." Taylor stated.
Ouch and I am very much not on drugs.
"Oh for crying out loud." Andrew mumbled as he took a seat back down just as mom walked in with our dinner.
"What'd I miss?" She asked as she handed Rory and I our drinks and hotdogs. "Taylor Doose wants the no-parking zone in front of his store removed," Rory filled mom in as I took a sip of my sprite and continued to listen to Miss Patty at the front. "He says his customers are being unfairly ticketed."
"No, it's just because he wants to park there all day." Mom pointed out the real reason of Taylors actions. "Genius." I added before the Mayor came up to talk.
"I have been Mayor of this fine town for a long time." He began, "I tend to think of all of you as my children. Unfortunately, sometimes, children have to be disciplined." He continued as mom nudged me while shaking her head.
I couldn't hold back a smile at mine and mom's immaturity. "Dirty." I whispered as I nudged mom back.
"Now, I'm gonna say something and I'm only gonna say it once." He started as he took a pause, "We have leash laws, people." He stated.
"Daddy's getting angry." Mom commented and I couldn't help but let out a giggle before covering my mouth.
"Rover will not leash himself." The mayor kept going. "Good point." Rory added as she took a bite of her hotdog.
"I would like to now move on to something of even greater importance." He started a new topic, one that we all knew was going to be fun.
I felt a smirk appear on my face as the mayor continued to talk. "As you all know, this coming Friday is the anniversary of the legendary battle of Stars Hollow." He concluded and everyone started to applaud.
"Where's Luke?" Mom asked, knowing what was coming. "There." I pointed out, as Luke was the first thing I sought out when we got here.
"Patty will be circulating a sign-up sheet for those of you who would like to participate in the reenactment of foresaid battle." The mayor instructed.
"He's turning red." Rory smiled. "He's shaking his head!" I quietly exclaimed as we continued to watch Luke.
"All right, 'It was a frigid November night some 224 years ago." The Mayor started to read the story of the battle.
"He's shifting in his seat." Mom narrated.
"He's adjusting the cap." Rory said as she grabbed onto my shoulder in anticipation.
At this point we knew it was close so we blocked out the story focusing on the good part that was bound to happen.
"He's fighting the urge. He's fighting the urge." Mom stated as I took another bite of the hotdog.
"OH FOR GOD'S SAKE!" Luke yelled as he stood up from his chair.
"There he goes." I squealed in excitement.
"Do we have to go through this every damn year!" Luke complained.
"Yes." Mom cheered. "And the urge wins by a long shot." Rory joined in as we watched Luke.
"I thought we were here to discuss town issues." Luke snapped as he voiced his opinions. Just like any other year.
"This is a town issue." Taylor defended as he gestured to the townspeople in front of him.
He's such a suck up
"Excuse me. Who's talking?" The Mayor asked as he took off his classes to try and see.
"It's me, Harry. Luke. You've known me since I was 5 years old." Luke reminded the Mayor as he continued to stand his ground.
"Oh, Luke. Yes." Harry acknowledged, "Sit down." He ordered Luke, clearly knowing where this was going.
"Now as I was saying." He started back up as he put on his glasses and brought the book back up to his face.
Mom, Rory and I all looked at each other, clearly amused as we sipped our drinks. Luke sat back down, even though you could tell he was against this.
"12 heroic men assembled with guns drawn, ready to meet their maker." Harry started to read again, but as always Luke stood right back up and interrupted.
"What are you talking about?" Luke exclaimed. He really hated this particular conversation, "12 guys stood in a row all night."
"Waiting for the redcoats-" The Mayor started to argue before Like cut in, "Who never showed!" He yelled.
"Now just a-" Harry raised his voice back at Luke. "12 guys stood in a row all night waiting for an enemy that never showed! They got stood up. They should have been wearing prom dresses." Luke ranted, that last sentence making everyone laugh.
"I've had just about enough of this-" Taylor stood up from his chair.
"Sit down Taylor!" Luke demanded without hesitation. "Menace." Taylor named-called. "Suck up." Luke said right back.
You go Luke!
"Five bucks that somebody ends up in a headlock." Mom offered. "You're on." Rory replied before taking a bit of her food.
"Have any of you considered the fact that you're glorifying a war we fought so we could keep land that we stole?" Luke asked, almost as if he was actually concerned about people's mentality.
"If you don't like it here in America, why don't you go stand in line for toilet paper in the U.S.S.R.?" Harry shouted, as Luke may have pushed a button.
"There is no more U.S.S.R., Harry." Luke stated. "A sense of community is so important, isn't it?" Mom asked slightly joking.
"It is what made our country great." I added as the Mayor and Luke continued to fight over the silly topic of the Reenactment.
~~~
I deeply breathed in the sweet, fresh air and slowly awoke. Though I knew that there was something different in the air tonight. I smiled as I looked out my bedroom window, it was going to snow.
I got up out of bed, even though it was late and headed downstairs, where I knew that I would find mom.
"Hey mom." I cheerfully greeted as I hopped down each step, giving off that peppy feeling.
"Hey. You smell it too?" She replied back from her place on the couch. She had opened the window and brought over the answering machine to the couch so she could listen to Max's message for the billionth time.
"Of course." I exclaimed as if there was no other answer as I took a seat right next to her. She handed me the other half of the blanket that she was using as she hit play on the machine once again.
"Okay, it's becoming a little obessive." I commented as mom looked in a daze while listening to him.
"Mom?" Rory called out as she walked into the living room in her robe. "Sorry." Mom apologized.
Normally when this happens we don't wake her up, but with Max chattering it must have woke her.
"What are you two doing up?" She questioned as she turned on the lamp next to mom. "Couldn't sleep." "Snow." Mom and I both answered at the same time. Rory gave us a questioning glare.
"It's freezing in here." She complained as she went to the open window to try and close it.
"Wait!" I called out, "Close your eyes and breathe." I narrated before she could close the window.
Rory followed my directions and took in a sharp inhale. "I smell snow." I smiled.
"Ah." Rory started as she now understood, "It's that time of year." "Can't you smell it?" Mom asked her in disbelief.
"You know, it's like dogs and high-pitched noises," She started as she grabbed an extra blanket, "I think it's something only you two can smell." She finished as she sat down next to me, pulling the cover over her.
I sighed before taking another deep breath in, "I love snow." "Really? I had no idea." Rory said sarcastically.
Mom squealed from the other side of the couch, "Everything's magical when it snows. Everything looks pretty."
"The clothes are great! Coats, scarves, gloves, hats." I excitedly added to the list. "Thermal underwear, wool socks, earflaps." Rory made her own comment as I rolled my eyes.
"Do you know the best things in my life have happened when it snowed?" Mom asked the both of us.
"Why, yes, we do." Rory replied as we have this same conversation every year.
"My best birthday." Mom started. "Your first kiss." I joined in. "Your first steps, they all happened when it snowed." Mom said as she looked at Rory.
"Hmm, feet!" Rory noted as she and I both had our feet sticking out of the blanket, but she quickly corrected this.
"I feel good, tingly." Mom spoke aloud with a gigantic smile etched across her face. "That's called frostbite." Rory mused.
Mom fake gasped, "You are mocking your mother, the woman who birthed you."
"I'm sorry." Rory murmured. "During a snowstorm might I add." Mom continued. Rory shook off mom's nonsense and turned to me, "So, how soon is it supposed to hit?"
"Mmm," I thought for a second, taking one more inhale, "Tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow." I answered, nodding my head. "Okay. Then tomorrow it is." Rory said.
"What?" Mom questioned Rory. "You, me, Eva, donuts, coffee standing out in a snowstorm." She instructed as if it were obvious. "At midnight!" Mom exclaimed. "At midnight." Rory confirmed.
"So, how many times are you gonna listen to that?" I asked mom, raising my eyebrows up and down in a teasing manner as I gestured at the answering machine.
"Till it stops being sexy." Mom replied a little too seriously.
"Ew!" I cringed. "Stop! That's my teacher you're talking about. I have to respect him." Rory shuddered at mom as soon as she said the word sexy.
"Okay, well, if it makes you feel any better while he is being sexy, he's also being grammatically correct." Mom trailed off, unsure if that would actually work.
I just let out a chuckle, while Rory replied, "Better. Thank you" with crossed arms. "Sorry we woke you up." Mom said as she patted Rory's leg.
"It's okay. It's all fodder for the tell-all." Rory accepted, "Goodnight." She said as she got up from the couch "Goodnight!" Mom and I replied as we watched her walk back to her room.
"Before you hit play again." I interrupted,
as I saw mom reach out for the machine, "I'm gonna head to bed too." I finished as I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, goodnight." Mom nodded. "Night." I replied as I got up off the couch and turned the light back off, before I made my way back to my room.
I closed the bedroom door behind me then opened the window to let the chilling air of the night in. I took a step over the window seal and onto the roof before planting both feet onto the slanted floor.
I slowly sat down on the roof and pulled my legs up to my chest. I stayed on the rooftop for a couple of minutes glancing at the night sky before I got a little too cold for my liking.
I smiled one last time to myself before heading back inside where I grabbed an extra blanket and curled back into bed.
~~~
It was Friday morning and Belle, Katie and I were walking through town before I had to hop on the bus. It was a casual, little catch up between us, something that was starting to become normal again.
Katie had been gushing about Josh for the past ten minutes because he finally got her the earrings she has been begging for. "So as you can probably tell from my rambling, I was very pleased." She laughed as she rounded up her story.
"Well, I'm glad you finally got Josh to pay attention to you. I, however, am pretty sure that Darren is just been straight up ignoring me." Belle complained as she let out a huff.
"Have you talked to him about it?" I asked, showing a tad bit of sympathy. "No, cause every time I try to talk to him, he has somewhere else to be." Belle answered annoyingly.
"I'm sorry to hear that Bell, but if you start to feel really bad about it you should set a time and place to talk it through, or it's never gonna get resolved." Katie gave her advice as she held Belle's hand in a comforting manner.
"I know, you're right." She groaned and rolled her eyes, "Anyway, let's get the topic off me, how are you and Justin doing?" She asked, raising her eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner.
I chuckled longingly, "We're good, really good." I answered as blush crept onto my checks.
"It must be! Look at you." Katie teased as she knocked into my shoulder. "Yeah," I started, "I just feel comfortable around him, ya know. And everything has just been amazing so far. I can't ask for much better."
"Awe, I'm so happy for you." Katie smiled at me. "Me too." Belle added as she locked arms with Katie, "It's about damn time you finally found someone." She commented which made us all giggle.
"And" I started in a suggestive tone, "Since we are on the topic of Justin and I," I took another breath, "He and I have gotten pretty close to, you know."
"No!" Belle exclaimed, surprised. "Yeah." I blushed as I looked between the two shocked faces. "Really!" Katie squealed in excitement.
"Really," I confirmed, "He and I have been talking about it more and more recently and every now and then, it seems like we might actually go there."
"Oh my god! When it finally happens we need all the details!" Belle gushed. "I promise you guys will be the first to know." I promised.
"I can't believe your close to having sex, I mean what did Lorelai say?" Katie questioned.
"Well that's been the only thing stopping us. I want to talk to mom before it happens, I just don't know how." I admitted as I shrugged my shoulders.
"I'm sure Lorelai will be cool with it. I mean, she'll probably be hesitant and give the whole 'mom speech,' but really there's no harm in that." Belle explained, easing my nerves only slightly.
"I agree, plus, I remember having that conversation with my mom. It went pretty smoothly, except for the initial shock." Katie assured as she nodded her head, remembering that day.
"How did you go about it? I mean I have no clue how to even start that conversation?" I asked, chuckling at myself.
"It's definitely a weird one, but I would say just ask for you two to talk, without Rory. Sit her down, and because it's Lorelai, let her know that this is serious and you want her opinion and approval, that way she knows that you value her opinion." Katie advised as we walked and started to reach Lukes.
"Then just tell her?" I questioned, trying to picture how that conversation would go. "Yep, just tell her. In these situations you can't really get around the weird or uncomfortable factor." Katie instructed. "Okay, then that's what I'll do." I agreed with a smile, "Thank you."
"No problem. If you need advice on anything, just let me know." Katie smiled back.
"Actually with all that being said, there is something I've been wanting to tell you guys." I murmured and because of the uneasy face I have, I got two worried looks directed at me. "It's nothing bad." I confirmed quickly, "I don't think."
"What is it?" Belle asks, still concerned. "So, okay," I said, hyping myself up to tell them, "There's this guy at school." I started, but before I could finish I was interrupted. "Do I need to kick his ass?" Katie threatened.
"No, no, no, no." I shook my head, "He's actually nice once you get to know him." I smiled slightly thinking about his little smirk that makes my stomach do flips. When I regained my focus I was met with two surprised looks.
"Do you like this guy?" Belle asked hesitantly. "No, he's just a friend." I quickly answered, probably a little too quick. "If he's just a friend, then why bring him up now?" Katie nagged as she held a confused look on her face.
I was about to reply, when all of a sudden I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist and I felt my feet leave the ground. I squealed out of surprise, but I knew who it was.
I hope they haven't been following us for too long
When I looked to my left I saw Katie also in the arms of Josh and Belle stood there with her arms crossed with her hand hung as she looked at her feet.
"How are the girls doing?" Justin asked from behind me as he set me back down. "We're good, just chatting." I replied as I looked over my shoulder to give him a quick smile.
"That's good," Josh commented, "Sorry Belle, we tried to get Darren to come but he had to run an errand real quick." Josh informed her as he gave her a sympathetic smile.
Belle exhaled before looking up with a sad smile, "It's alright. I'll catch him before class."
"Speaking of class, I should probably head to the bus stop now." I muttered as I relaxed against Justin's chest. "Alright, just promise us we'll talk soon." Katie demanded as she gave me a serious look probably about the conversation we were having before we got interrupted.
"Promise." I nodded my head and gave her a hug. I walked over to Belle and gave her a hug. "He'll come around." I whispered before I let go. She nodded and gave me a smile.
"Alright, I will see you later." I reported as I leaned up to give Justin a quick kiss. He smiled, "See you later." He agreed.
I walked over to Josh to give him his goodbye, but he stopped me before I could hug him. "You aren't gonna give me a kiss, right?" Josh teased. I shook my head and laughed, before he gave in and gave me a hug.
"Bye!" I exclaimed to everyone as I turned and started walking towards the bus stop.
~~~
School had just ended, but there was a huge snowstorm outside, just as I predicted, but because of that snowstorm. Rory and I are now in the back of Grandma's car, being chauffeured to their house. As we walked through the door we handed our coats off to the maid and walked into the living room to find Grandma on the phone.
"Hey Grandma." Rory greeted as we made our presence known. "The girls are here." She spoke to who I presume is mom on the phone. "Girls, it's your mother." She says as she hands the phone off to me. I held it up between Rory and I as we pressed our ears to each side of the phone, that way we could both hear.
"Hey." I said into the phone for Rory and I. "Hi. That bad out there, huh?" Mom asked. "It's crazy. There's snow coming down everywhere, and let me just tell you, saddle shoes are not the best all-weather footwear." Rory complained as she held a grumpy look on her face.
"Aw, you fell." Mom sympathized whereas, I laughed getting a flashback of the first time she fell. It was great. "Twice." Rory continued with bambi face. "Yikes. I'm sorry." Mom apologized.
"So what's the deal? Are you coming over tonight?" I asked, changing the topic. "No, I guess I'm pretty much stuck in the Hollow tonight." Mom answered. "Bummer." Rory replied, then saw my pout. "We can take our snow walk tomorrow night."
"Absolutely." Lorelai agreed, no hesitation, "All right, now, ladies, tell Grandma that you arrived there not a member of the junior league. I'd like you to leave the same way."
"Call if you get lonely." I smiled. "I will. Bye." She ended, hanging up the phone. I put the phone down on the table near the couch, then looked at Rory.
"So," I started, "Wanna knock out some homework?" I huffed. She nodded with a smile, linking our arms and walked us over to the dining room table.
(A/N)
If you liked please VOTE and comment!
It means a lot to me and I love seeing your comments. I will also respond as quickly as possible if there are any questions.
Love you lots xxx
Bella
March 17, 2022
Word Count 3611