"I prefer lacrosse players."
--☆--☆--☆--
The sun was too bright. The grass was too green. The smiles were too happy. The sparkles were too sparkly. There was too much love. And Lorelai hated all of it.
Stars Hollow's annual Firelight festival was right around the corner and everyone was in love. Even her own daughter's had butterflies in their stomachs. It was sickening. All Lorelai wanted was for this stupid festival to be over.
Now the Gilmore mom was sitting in the kitchen with a box of hamburger helper in her hand. Cassie was on the floor in the kitchen, attempting to finish her math homework. For some reason the youngest Gilmore could only focus when she was in bizarre places. Rory walked in from her room glancing down at her sister before looking over at her mom.
"No. Put that away," She said, putting her hands on the table.
Lorelai lowered the box, a frown on her face. "I want to cook."
"You can make soup," Rory reminded her.
"And you're really good at toasting our poptarts," Cassie added.
"No. I want to really cook like on the food channel," Lorelai whined. "I want to saute things and chop things. I want to arrange things on a plate. I wanna be the iron chef."
"Fine," Rory groaned, giving in to her mother.
"Really?" Lorelai asked, her eyes lighting up.
"Really?" Cassie asked, except her eyes were filled with concern.
"Yeah, I'll help," Rory answered her mom before glaring back at her sister.
"Okay, I need a pan," Lorelai read from the box.
"And a fire extinguisher," Rory muttered as Cassie closed her book and stood up.
She moved over to her sister, turning her head so when she spoke her mom wouldn't hear her. "Should I order pizza now or in twenty minutes?"
"Now, if I'd only bought some hamburger..."
"That answers my question," Cassie went to walk towards the phone as Rory turned around with pure shock on her face.
"You didn't buy hamburger?"
"Yes, I bought hamburger. I just like saying things like that so you look at me like crazy," Lorelai responded as she stood up to go to the fridge.
"So tell me, why the sudden need to be domestic?" Rory asked her mom.
"I don't know. I'm in a funky mood," Lorelai told her, which was code for 'I miss my ex-boyfriend'.
"Why?"
"Too many stars. Too much love. It makes me cranky," Lorelai answered.
"So no word from Mr. Medina, huh?" Cassie asked her mom.
"No word," Lorelai confirmed.
"Maybe that's why you're cranky," Rory guessed.
Lorelai sighed, putting on a smile as she turned to look at her daughters. "Okay, new subject please."
"You have a phone too," Rory reminded her.
"How's it coming with that pan?" Lorelai asked, still avoiding the subject.
"Cleopatra," Cassie said in a sing-songy voice.
"Queen of Denial," Rory added, the twins sharing a quick high five that made Lorelai's eye's roll.
"The pan. Please."
"Fine," Rory stood up, still with no pan. "New topic. I have this huge favor to ask you," Rory announced as she moved to sit in front of Lorelai.
A mischievous look appeared on Lorelai's face as she turned to give Rory her full attention. "Mhm. Something I can hold over your head. Let's hear it."
"Friday night is Dean's and my three month anniversary," Rory told them.
"Woah really?"
"Three months? Wow."
"And Dean apparently has some big fancy evening planned," Rory continued.
"Very classy of him."
"Yes, it is," Rory nodded. "But for me to actually partake of the aforesaid fancy evening, I have to get out of Friday night dinner."
"Ah. Good luck with that."
"Do you know how much Emily Gilmore will not care about your three month anniversary?" Lorelai asked her daughter.
"I was hoping you could talk to her."
"If there was a runoff between what Emily Gilmore would care about less, a two-for-one toilet paper sale at Costco or your three month anniversary, your anniversary would win, hands down."
"So you're not even gonna try to help me?" Rory asked with a disappointed look.
"Oh no, I'm gonna try to help you, because I care," Lorelai told her.
"If Rory doesn't have to go, I don't want to either," Cassie announced.
"It's not your three month anniversary," Rory reminded her.
"Well it's the firelight festival and I... want to... uh," She paused, trying to come up with a good excuse, "want to show it to Josh. Boom."
Rory rolled her eyes, "Phone please."
"Okay," Lorelai walked over to the phone, laughing quietly to herself.
"What?"
"Nothing," She answered as she picked up the phone, dialing her mother's phone number. "It's just, 'Oh, hey Mom, uh, Rory and Dean are having their three month anniversary on Friday.' 'Really Lorelai? Why that's wonderful. I'm thrilled.'" Lorelai said, using a high pitched voice to pretend to be Emily and bringing her phone to her ear.
"Stop."
"'Three months. Well, woohoo. Hold on, I'm going to cartwheel.'" She continued.
"Forget it."
"Oh, no wait. She's telling my dad now. Why, I think they're cabbage patching," Lorelai laughed.
"That's it," Rory threw her hands up. "Find your own pan."
"Mom?" Lorelai's eyes went wide when Emily actually answered the phone. The twins watched and waited in anticipation, wondering what Emily was saying on the other side of the line.
"Uh, yes hi," A pause. "Hi. How are you doing?" Lorelai asked as she walked into the living room, her two daughters following her. "That's good."
"We need a speakerphone," Cassie whispered and Rory nodded.
"How's dad?" Another pause. "Um, I was just calling to say hello."
"She's really dragging this out," Rory whispered.
"Well, as a matter of fact there is," Lorelai said into the phone. "Um, you know Rory," Lorelai said, earning two headshakes. "She wanted to say hello too. And Cassie, she's saying a big hello."
"This is torture," Cassie whispered.
"Mom, just hear me out, okay, and don't say anything. Um, see Friday night is Rory and Dean's three-month anniversary, and while that might not seem like a very big deal to you, it is to them. And I'm gonna ask you to do something you are so not gonna wanna do. But I am begging you to look at it from her point of view and maybe, just maybe let her, just this once, not come to dinner on Friday," Lorelai asked of her mother, only then noticing her youngest daughter frantically pointing to herself as well. "And Cassie too, she also has something planned for Friday night. So if you can also let her not come to Friday night dinner."
There was a long pause as the twins waited to hear what the answer was.
"What? It would?"
"Mom?" Rory questioned.
"No arguments?" Lorelai asked, still talking to Emily. "Well, they won't be there. At all. All night long." Another pause. "Okay. Uh you know, they're gonna need some help getting ready for the big night Mom, so I should probably– Yeah okay. Bye."
"So?" Rory asked when Lorelai hung up the phone.
"The world is officially coming to an end."
"Yes," Cassie clapped her hands together in excitement. "Give me the phone," She said, taking the phone from her Mom's hand and dialing a phone number.
"She knows his number by heart," Lorelai teased.
"He is my boyfriend," Cassie reminded her, then a bright smile appeared on her face. "Hi."
"Oh let's get out here before the 'no you hang up first' starts," Lorelai groaned, pulling Rory up from her seat on the couch.
--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆--
Cassie was busy putting her books back in her locker after class. She was examining each book, making sure she put the right ones away. She always seemed to put the wrong ones back, leaving her with her history textbook in science.
"Hey," Josh appeared behind her, smiling when he saw her examining her books. "Took the wrong one to history again, huh?"
"Chemistry, this time," She answered, putting the last book away. "Okay," Cassie closed her locker and turned around. "Hi."
"Hey," Josh put his hands on Cassie's waist.
"We're in school," Cassie reminded him.
"So?" Josh shrugged, "We wouldn't be the first couple to kiss in these hallways," He told her, his lips right next to her ear sending shivers down her spine. "Just one kiss." Cassie let out a soft breath, really trying to remember her original train of thought. "Cassie."
"What?" She asked, her eyes opening and she suddenly remembered where she was. "No," She pulled away from him, wishing she didn't see the cocky smirk on Josh's face. "Later."
"Later?"
"Only if you're lucky," She told him before walking away.
"God," Josh looked up at the roof, "please let me be lucky," he prayed before going to follow her.
"Ew," Cassie stopped in her tracks causing Josh to bump into her. He looked up and a look of disgust appeared on his face when he saw Tristan and Summer making out against the lockers. "See. Making out in school is weird."
Rory came around the corner giving her sister and Josh a quick smile while Paris yelled at the new couple. "Hey! Spawn in front of somebody else's locker, please."
"I'm assuming your locker's in there somewhere also," Rory guessed.
"Yep. Right behind Belle Watling," Paris answered.
"Have you tried to get their attention?" Rory asked, since despite all the eyes of them neither Tristan or Summer tried to move away from the other.
"Sure have."
"No luck?"
"Nope."
"See this is why you don't make out at school," Cassie commented, glancing up at her boyfriend.
"Oh gross," Sophie faked a gag when she saw her cousin making out with someone and quickly turned around heading in the opposite direction.
"See!"
"God, look at that. It's like he's eating her face," Rory realized.
Cassie tilted her head to the side and Josh took a step back. "Yeah, I'm not watching this anymore," He let out a pained cough. "I'll see you at the festival?"
"Huh?" Cassie turned, realizing she had no idea what he said.
"I'll see you tonight?" He repeated.
"Yeah," Cassie smiled but when he went in to kiss her goodbye she pulled back. She pointed over to where Tristan and Summer stood and Josh rolled his eyes at his best friend.
"Remind me to murder him for making you not want to kiss me at school," Josh said then walked away.
"Man, how are they still going," Cassie realized when she turned back around. "They must be running out of air."
"Okay, that's it I'm getting the fire hose."
"Wait," Rory stopped her, "let me try first," She announced before stepping towards them and tapping Tristan on the shoulder. "Hey, could you two just move this whole down to the left a little?"
"What?" Tristan asked.
"You're standing in front of the lockers," Rory told him.
"Our lockers," Paris added.
"Oh sorry. Just got a little carried away," He told the two girls, a cocky smirk on his face when he spoke.
"Right," Rory nodded, now able to get into her locker.
"Hey Paris, Cassidy."
"Nice shade of lipgloss Tristan it really goes with your complexion," Cassie told him and his smile dropped as he quickly wiped the excess lipgloss off his lip.
"You should get bangs," Summer told Paris as she reapplied her lip gloss.
"Thanks for the tip."
"You have a long forehead. Bangs would hide that," Summer told her. Paris slammed her locker shut but before she could say anything Madeline stepped in between them.
"Hey, party at my house Saturday," She announced, handing the girls a flier.
"Dress to impress please."
"Come?" Madeline asked as she handed each of the twins a flier.
"Oh, I don't know," Rory answered nervously.
"You can bring your boyfriend," Madeline told her, not noticing when Tristan rolled his eyes. But Cassie noticed.
"I'll see."
"So, meet me after biology?" Summer asked Tristan.
"And if I don't?"
"You will," She told him before walking away.
"Oh, yes I will. Ah. To be young and in love," He told the girls.
"More like young and horny," Cassie shook her head at him.
"What a shame Elizabeth Barret Browning wasn't here to witness this. She'd put her head through a wall," Paris rolled her eyes then walked away.
--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆–
"'Oh, we got new coffee makers.' Ugh! What was I thinking?" Lorelai groaned as she continued to run a brush through Rory's hair.
"Well, you spent a lot of time picking out those coffee makers," Rory reminded her.
The three Gilmores were sitting inside of Rory's room, helping her prepare for the big three month anniversary dinner. And the entire time they helped Rory prep, Lorelai was telling the twins about how she embarrassed herself in front of Luke's ex-girlfriend Rachel.
"Oh yeah, I'm Mrs. Coffee," Lorelai said angrily, pulling down harshly on the brush.
"Ow! Okay, I'm still attached to the head."
"Okay, sorry. I'm a little worked up."
"Mom it's just Luke's ex-girlfriend," Rory reminded her.
"I know. I just hate that I made myself look so stupid in front of-"
"Luke," Cassie finished in a somewhat hopeful tone.
"No, Rachel," Lorelai told her but Cassie didn't believe her. "She was standing there, fresh off a plane, and she had no plane hair at all, might I add."
"And what exactly is plane hair?" Rory asked.
"You know, it's big and all bah," Lorelai answered, in the least helpful manner.
"Got it."
"Maybe it's a wig," Cassie suggested.
"No, he was staring at her like she's Miss September and she's looking at him like he's Johnny Depp-"
"I can't really picture Luke as Johnny Depp," Cassie muttered to no one in particular.
"-and I was just babbling like a moron, what is wrong with me?!"
"Ow! Ow!" Rory stood up, taking the hairbrush from her mom. "Okay, you are now officially off hair duty," She said, holding her head.
"Aw, I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay. I just think it's a little early for Dean to see me completely bald," Rory shrugged.
"Right, that's more a six-month thing," Lorelai nodded.
"Hey, Rachel might know a good wig place," Cassie said, laughing at her own joke.
"Ignoring that," Rory said, then turned to look at Lorelai. "So what's going on with you?"
"I don't know," Lorelai sighed as she sat down on Rory's bed. 'It's just all this love in their air, you know. I miss Max. There's just been so much going on with your Dad coming home and family stuff and your constant existence," She said gesturing towards her daughter.
"Jee Mom."
"Thanks for the love," Rory added.
"Any time. So I haven't had a lot of time to focus on it and I miss Max."
"I know."
"I had a dream about him the other night," She told the twins.
"Really?" Rory asked.
"Was it dirty?" Cassie asked then Rory lightly hit her arm.
"No, absolutely not. And when you're 21, I'll tell you the real answer," Lorelai answered, making the twins smile. "Anyway, it's put me in a funk since then."
"I'm sorry."
"Me too. We could talk about me for years, and believe me, we will. But let's focus on you, the lady of the evening," Lorelai said, noticing the way Cassie perked up for a second and just as she was about to speak Lorelai added. "No hooker reference intended."
"Ah it was too easy anyway," Cassie waved her hand.
"Now, what are you gonna wear with that?" Lorelai asked her oldest daughter.
"Um, you tell me," Rory answered as she picked up two sweaters.
"Uh, where is he taking you?"
"Why?"
"You don't want to clash with the decor. A lady plans ahead," Lorelai told her, giving her motherly wisdom to her daughters.
"Well, if you must know, he's taking me to Andoloro's," Rory answered.
"One point Dean," Cassie admitted.
"Well isn't that romantic?"
"I know!" Rory said excitedly then there was a knock on the door.
"That's probably Josh," Cassie stood up to open the door.
"No making out in my living room!" Lorleai yelled as Cassie walked out to the front door.
Cassie opened her front door only to have a bouquet of pink tulips shoved in her face. "Surprise!"
The youngest Gilmore laughed as she took the flowers in her hand. "You got me flowers?" She asked Josh, looking between him and the flowers.
"Your favorite kind of flower," He added.
"How did you..."
"I asked Rory," He answered proudly as he put one arm around her body, pulling her towards him. "Can I have my kiss now? Please?"
"Yeah," Cassie smiled as she leaned in to kiss him. Completely ignoring Lorelai's request for no kissing in the living room, although technically they were still by the front door.
"Now my day is perfect," Josh told her as he pulled away. He walked further into the Gilmore house, taking it all in. He hasn't really gotten a good look at it before, and he liked that it somehow perfectly fit Cassie and her family. "So are you going to give me the grand tour?"
"Well this is the living room, obviously," Cassie answered then took a few steps to where the kitchen was. "Kitchen and Rory's room."
"Hi" Josh waved at the two Gilmore women, both of them smiling as they waved back.
"Rory!" A voice called out from the front door just as Josh and Cassie walked back over there.
"This is Lane, she didn't come with the house," Cassie laughed but Lane didn't say anything. "Uh, Lane this is Josh," Cassie introduced the two, trying her best not to laugh when Lane's jaw practically fell on the floor.
"Hey."
"Uh, Hi," Lane answered, partly speechless. "Is Rory here?"
"In her room," Cassie answered, as Josh wandered over to where the stairs were.
"You forgot to mention he's gorgeous," Lane whispered under her breath.
Cassie laughed softly before following Josh and taking him up the stairs. "Over there is the good bathroom. My mom's room," she said pointing to each door, "and here's my room."
"Your room?" Josh asked, looking at the partly closed door. "Can I..."
"Yeah, uh, sure," Cassie nodded, coming to the very sudden realization that she's never had a boy in her room before. Sure she has guy friends and previous boyfriends but none of them had ever been in her room.
Cassie watched from the doorway as Josh walked into her room. He took in every square inch, trying to learn as much about girlfriend as he could. He noticed that her bed was in the corner of the room and faced the windows, giving her the perfect view of everything going on in the front yard. He saw all the posters of movies and places covering the walls. He even took note of the map on her closet door that had a bunch of blue dots in different places.
He saw the polaroid pictures that lined her window of different people, some he knew, most he didn't. There was a bunch of Yankees merchandise scattered across the room and one small Harvard flag above her desk, but she didn't have that much for schools otherwise. Her bed wasn't made and her closet definitely wasn't color coded but her desk was neat. There was a pile of books and cds in the corner next to a pile of pillows, something he planned on asking her about.
When Josh turned around he saw a slightly worried look on Cassie's face. It was because she realized she hadn't cleaned up. There was a pile of her laundry by her closet, next to her laundry hamper. Her bed was a mess, there were old cups on her bedside table that she still hasn't taken down. But all those things went unnoticed by Josh.
"Harvard?" He asked her.
"It's Rory's dream school," She explained.
"Not yours?" He asked, a curious look on his face.
"Not sure, haven't figured it out yet," Cassie answered honestly. "More questions?" She asked when she saw the look on his face.
"So many more."
"Fire away," She told him, a smile on her face when she spoke.
"The blue dots?"
"Ah," Cassie walked over to the closet, looking at the dots. "Places I want to go. So far I've gone to... none of them."
"You will," He told her, speaking with such confidence that it made her believe she really would reach every place on her list. "Pillows in the corner," He continued his list, pointing to the corner of the room.
"That's my... corner," She answered with a shrug. "I do everything there. Listen to music, read, procrastinate on homework, write..."
"Write?"
"Nothing you're allowed to read," She told him as she sat down in the corner that held a bunch of pillows and stuffed animals.
"I see you're a Yankees fan," Josh noted as he pointed to all of the merchandise Cassie had acquired over the years.
"Why is that a question?" She asked him. "Of course I'm a Yankees fan."
"Hm..." Josh hummed, nodding his head. "So would you date a baseball player?" He asked her.
Cassie knew where he was going with this. She stood up, walking towards him, stopping when she was standing right in front of him. "No, I prefer lacrosse players."
"Really?"
"Yeah, one's that are 6'2, and have blue eyes," She told him, watching as the smile on his face only grew. She tilted her head up, bringing her hand to the back of his neck to get him to lean down.
Josh had a swarm of butterflies in his stomach as he waited for her to finally kiss him. The feeling of her fingers grazing the back of his neck sparked fires in his heart and he couldn't take it anymore. Cassie finally leaned up, kissing him.
The Dawson boy let her lead the kiss, starting off slow, like they were meeting each other for the first time. Josh never wanted this moment to end. He wanted to stay here, with Cassie, forever. It was at this moment, right here, when Josh came to the realization that he had fallen in love with Cassidy Gilmore.
There was honk outside that snapped the two out of the trance they were in. Their foreheads were pressed against each other but Josh hadn't opened his eyes. He couldn't, he was still processing that kiss.
"Dean," Cassie whispered the explanation, worried that if she spoke too loud the air around them would break.
"Bye guys!" Rory yelled from downstairs and Cassie cringed because she knew she had to respond or her mom would know what was happening in her room.
She reluctantly pulled away from Josh, and moved towards her door. "Bye!" She called down, officially ending the moment.
Josh let out a long breath, finally able to gather himself again. "What is he afraid of coming inside?" He joked as moved towards the window, seeing Rory walk over to Dean's car.
"Honey!" Lorelai called out.
"Yeah?"
"Downstairs please," Lorelai told her, a little worried that her daughter was alone with a boy in her room. Of course she had no clue what just happened.
"Be right there!" Cassie yelled back. "Come on, we can get food and by the time we're done they should be ready to light the fire."
"The fire? I thought it was founder's day."
"Oh you have so much to learn," She smiled and the two of them walked downstairs.
--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆--
The entire town of Stars Hollow was gathered around the fire. All of them smiling, holding onto their significant others, a new sense of joy filling everyone. Hell, even Luke had Rachel. Of course that didn't stop him from keeping an eye on the youngest Gilmore.
Cassie and Josh were having the night of their lives. They had dinner at Luke's, stalked Rory and Dean when they came by to watch the fire be lit, and laughed when Taylor and Harry got into a fight. It was the perfect evening.
They were standing by the fire, Cassie's head was leaning against Josh and he was looking down at her like she was the only person there. When Rachel saw the young couple she managed to take a few perfect shots of them. Even Lorelai smiled when she walked past them to get to Luke.
"Hey. Where the hell's the fire department when you need them?" She asked as she sat down on the bench beside Luke.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Hartford?"
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
"Climbed out the window," Lorelai informed him.
"Okay," Luke nodded, like it was the most normal answer anyone had given him.
"That's it? You're not curious why?"
"No."
"That's what I love about you," Lorelai announced.
"Hey, how long have you been here?" Luke asked her.
"A little while."
"Did you see Harry and Taylor get into a fist fight?"
"No! Aw! How did I miss that?" Lorelai asked, genuinely upset that she had missed out on such a sight. "I'm so bummed."
"And did you see that?" Luke asked, gesturing over to Cassie and Josh who were sharing the millionth kiss that night.
"Yeah," Lorelai smiled, "that I saw."
"Kid's a punk. He doesn't deserve her," Luke announced and Lorleai laughed softly.
"You don't even know him."
"Doesn't matter. No one's good enough for her, or Rory," He told Lorelai, meaning every word he said.
"That I know," Lorelai agreed, still watching her daughter and her boyfriend. "So where's Rachel?" She asked, switching the topic.
Josh and Cassie decided to walk around a little, take in the sights. "This town is kind of crazy."
"Yeah," Cassie laughed, "It is."
"I love it here," Josh admitted.
"I'm glad," Cassie leaned into Josh more, the two of them were walking with Josh's arm around Cassie's shoulder. So everytime he moved his arm, he pulled her a little closer.
"We should do this more," He told her.
"I hate to break it to you but Founder's day is once a year," She reminded him. "If we celebrated it more then everyone would be drunk all the time from the Founder's day punch."
"No, I mean just being in Stars Hollow," Josh explained. "I could picture myself living in a place like this."
"Really?"
"Yeah," He nodded. "Have a couple kids, a nice house with a yard and a dog. Sorry," Josh shook his head, realizing that might not have been the right thing to say since they were only sixteen.
"No, it's nice," She told him. "It's a nice dream. Am I there?"
Josh chuckled lightly, "Yeah, you're there."
"You better not be imagining me in an apron though, 'cause I have no idea how to cook," She admitted.
"I'll cook for you, every night," He told her.
"Now that sounds nice," Cassie laughed.
The two of them slowly began walking back towards the Gilmore house where Josh's car was parked. They shared one last kiss before Josh got in his car, heading back to Hartford. Cassie walked into her house with her heart feeling warm and a smile on her face.
When she got inside Lorelai was setting the phone down, a slight frown on her face which quickly disappeared when she saw her youngest daughter.
"Did you have a good night?" Lorelai asked her and all Cassie could do was nod. She walked into the living room but before she could sit on the couch the front door opened again. "Rory?"
Rory stood frozen for a minute, allowing concern to fill both Cassie and Lorelai. She slowly turned to look at them and said, "We just broke up."
author's note:
did I make a playlist for Cassie and Josh? Yes. Is it linked on my profile? Yes, it is. Should you go listen to it? I think so.
Also, I've been thinking ahead for future chapters so I have some questions I want all of your input on. I'll type them down below and if you have an opinion leave me a little comment, I love knowing that you guys are helping me write this story.
Thoughts on Cassie and Jess?
Where should Cassie go to college when the time comes?
Do you think Cassie and Josh are endgame? Or should there be another love interest?
There will be more questions to come but these are main two I've been thinking of. And as always thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed.