"I think I'll wait for the clog dancing."
--☆--☆--☆--
It was finally time. The night of the Bracebridge dinner has officially begun. Sookie was in the kitchen freaking out her cooks, Michel was being rude, and Rune was trying to fit into his costume. Everything was right in the world.
Cassie and Sophie were in their room, finishing the getting ready process before they went downstairs to help. Sophie was standing by the mirror looking proudly at her own reflection while Cassie was attempting to zip up her dress.
"I'm actually really excited for tonight," Cassie admitted, causing Sophie to smile at her. "I get to hang with my best friend, in this crazy town, with weird ass food. It's gonna be great."
Cassie was still very eager to forget about everything going on in her life. She didn't want to be the girl that let the world pass her by because she broke up with her boyfriend. Some might even suggest she and Rory were similar in this aspect. Except Cassie didn't have a to do list going at 6 in the morning.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sophie asked her, since Sophie was the first one to hear about the breakup.
Sophie was the only one to hear both sides of the story, given that she was friends with both Cassie and Josh. She was sad too, she wanted Cassie and Josh to stand the test of time. She wanted their relationship to be the one everyone talked about, saying things like: "Remember Cassie and Josh, they've been in love since they were 16." Now she had to watch as both of them recovered from a broken heart.
"I am fine," Cassie told her for the hundredth time, except this time she picked up the bottle that Sophie snuck past Lorelai. "I just want to have fun tonight and not think about it," Cassie added, as she picked up the flask Sophie snuck in.
"You're gonna have to think about it at some point," Sophie reminded her, watching as Cassie lowered the bottle from her lips. Cassie shook her head, a frown on her face.
"But not tonight," She replied, handing the bottle to Sophie. "So let's not talk about it."
Sophie shook her head because the only thing she really wanted to do was talk about Cassie and Josh. She saw how heartbroken they both are and how each of them are avoiding the topic in their own way. And she saw how badly Josh was doing without her.
"Cass-"
"Nope, Not tonight," Cassie replied and Sophie let out a sigh of disappointment.
She looked over at Cassie, who was smiling and laughing. It didn't make sense to her. But Sophie knew that Cassie needed her to be happy tonight. "Well there's no way you'll be thinking about Josh when I look this great," Sophie smiled as she posed in the mirror.
Cassie was still reaching behind her back, trying to do the last zip at the top of her dress. She was failing, miserably. "Okay, I need help."
"Finally," Sophie shook her head at her best friend, "You've been messing with that zipper for like 8 minutes."
Sophie walked behind Cassie, putting her hair to the side so she could easily zip up the dress. "Thank you," Cassie smiled at her as she put her hair back behind her.
The girls smiled as they looked at their dresses. Sophie was in a red dress that fit perfectly to her body. Her hair down and looking way too good. While Cassie was in a gorgeous short white dress that Sophie brought from her house. The two of them were slightly overdressed but neither of them cared in the slightest because damn they looked good.
"Damn."
"I think I just fell in love with us."
Cassie stepped forward grabbing the bottle off the table, "One more," she said before taking another drink.
"Jesus save some for me," Sophie laughed.
The girls were laughing as they walked out of their shared room in the inn. They headed downstairs, saying a quick hello to Babette and Morey who had just arrived. And of course they didn't make it ten seconds into the hello before Babette was telling them about the time she dressed up as a teenager.
They carried on towards the lobby, and for the first time since Cassie put her dress on she felt self conscious but that partly had to do with the extremely judgy look she got from Mrs. Kim.
"Hey Mrs. Kim," Cassie said nervously when she saw the woman.
Mrs. Kim looked at Cassie then Sophie, judging them both. "Dress too short," she told them before walking away. Sophie laughed while Lane gave them both a thumbs up before joining her mom.
"Don't you girls look fantastic," Lorelai gasped when she saw her daughter and her best friend.
"Thanks Mom," Cassie laughed, feeling a little embarrassed from the compliment.
"This is all of my best genetics, right here," Lorelai said proudly as Jess and Luke walked into the inn. "Oh hey!"
"I didn't know he was coming," Sophie whispered as she linked her arm with Cassie's.
"This is for the town, Jess lives in the town," Cassie whispered back.
"Right, right," Sophie nodded.
"What is Paris doing here?" Cassie asked when she realized Paris was walking around with an excited look on her face.
"Who knows?" Sophie asked, still watching Jess who was now waving in Dean and Rory's direction. "I sense a competition."
"Between who?"
"Dean and Jess," Sophie answered.
"Huh," Cassie sighed as she looked between the two boys. "That'll be entertaining."
"Oh, he's headed this way," Sophie's eyes widened when she realized Jess was walking towards them.
"Hey."
"Hi," Cassie smiled politely at him.
"I think I'll go say hey to Paris," Sophie told them before walking away from the two. Cassie watched her go, confused by her sudden need to say hey to Paris.
Jess looked down at Cassie's dress, his eyebrows raised. "You look like you're about to get married."
"Well I've been expecting your proposal," She smiled at him and Jess actually laughed. Cassie gasped, shaking her head at him. "I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before."
"Yeah well don't get used to it," Jess replied, his smile leaving his face.
"So tell me what's going on with you and Dean?" Cassie asked him, realizing that her sister's boyfriend was watching them.
Jess smiled again, turning his head to look at Dean. He turned back around to face Cassie, the smile still on his face. "He's mad because I almost hit him yesterday."
"You had the chance to hit Dean and you didn't land the punch?" Cassie asked him and Jess looked confused by her response.
"I take it the two of you aren't exactly friends," Jess realized.
"Not exactly," Cassie answered honestly but then remembered her sister. "But if Rory asks, I told you he's my bestest friend," she told him.
"Good to know," Jess nodded his head. "Well I guess I'll see you in there."
"Yeah, I guess you will," Cassie replied just as Jess walked away from her.
--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆--
Cassie was standing beside her sister, helping her welcome everyone and direct them to their rooms. The Gilmore twins had been doing this job as long as Lorelai has, they learned from the best. They could say a polite hello and engage in typical small talk that you'd expect from a host.
They were doing a great job too, until Lorelai walked up to them, forcing them to turn where she was looking. "They're here."
"Who?"
"The joyless luck club," Lorelai said and the girls smiled realizing their grandparents had just walked into the inn.
"Hello girls," Richard smiled at the three of them. "You look particularly lovely tonight."
The twins and Lorelai looked confused. Richard has been in a mood for weeks, every Friday night dinner he'd make terrible small talk then leave to go finish up some work. He hasn't been this cheerful in weeks.
"Thanks Grandpa," Rory said, her confusion coming out.
"Yeah, thanks dad."
"You guys look great too," Cassie told them, earning a smile from both Richard and Emily.
"Seems like the occasion called for it," Emily nodded.
"The air seems crisper here than in Hartford. It's wonderful," Richard noted and the confusion on the Gilmores' faces only grew.
"Hey, dad, you didn't grab the wrong prescription bottle earlier today did you?" Lorelai asked him.
"What?"
"Nothing," the twins said at the same time.
"I think she's making one of her jokes," Emily said with a smile, which was equally confusing.
"Oh," Richard laughed, "Went straight over my head."
"Let me get someone to help you with your bags," Lorelai offered.
"Oh no, no. I've got them, just point me to the room," Richard told her.
The twins looked at the book, checking to see which room they were in while Cassie grabbed the key. "You're in room 31," Cassie told him as she handed him the key.
"Best room in the place," Rory added.
"Oh, anything's fine," Richard said with a small nod. "I'll see you in a bit," he said before heading towards the stairs.
Everyone watched him walk away, a shocked expression on all of their faces. "What got into him?"
"He's totally different."
"He's totally happy," Cassie added.
"I know. He's been that way for two days," Emily answered excitedly. "I have no idea why, but I'm taking the credit," She told them before walking off to follow Richard. The girls laughed quietly then Lorelai groaned as more people walked in.
"Ugh. A hostess's job is never done. Hi!" She walked over to them leaving the twins alone.
"Uh oh," Cassie's eyes widened. "Paris found Michel," she said then walked over to them leaving Rory. She made eye contact with Sophie gesturing for her to join her. "Paris hey!"
"Oh hi," Paris said, also sounding weirdly happy.
"It's so great to see you, on a day we don't even have school," Cassie laughed.
"I was just planning on dropping some paper stuff off for you and Rory," Paris told her. "Things you can edit before the next issue."
"Well we'll get right on that," Cassie assured her as Sophie walked up to them. "Uh, I should probably go finish saying hi to everyone."
"Right, she needs to do that," Sophie nodded.
Cassie quickly walked away, going over to where Luke and Jess were sitting. "Hey Luke," She said softly.
"Hey kid," He smiled up at her.
Lorelai moved to the stairs, Sookie by her side. "Hey, everybody, gather around. Everyone, hey." Everyone turned their attention to Lorelai, smiles on all of their faces. "First of all, I want to welcome you to the first-annual and probably-never-to-be-held-again -because-Sookie's- on- the- verge- of- a- nervous- breakdown Bracebridge dinner," Lorelai said all in one breath.
"I'm fine. Everything's fine," Sookie announced to everyone.
"I also want to thank mother nature for snowing in the trelling paper company in Chicago so I could throw this great party for all my friends instead," Lorelai continued. "It's a very special night, and so, since I don't get to eat unbelievably strange food with my friends every day, I've arranged a little surprise," She told them all. "Outside as we speak is a line of horse- drawn sleighs, and everyone gets a ride."
Everyone began clapping their hands and excited for this new addition to an already great evening.
"So line up. Keep in order. There's two per sleigh," Lorelai said, causing Cassie and Sophie to immediately find each other in the crowd and claim each other as partners. "And no cutting in front of each other, that goes for everyone, except me. 'Cause I'll be damned if I'm gonna miss a ride in a horse drawn sleigh," She said and everyone laughed.
"You gonna go?" Luke asked Jess.
"I think I'll wait for the clog dancing." Jess responded and Luke nodded before standing up to go outside.
"We're gonna miss all the good horses," Dean's little sister Clara complained as she pulled on Dean's arm.
"Who is this brazen woman competing for your attention?" Rory laughed.
"Come on!" Clara yelled.
"I guess I'm spoken for," Dean shrugged as he let Clara pull his arm. "I'll see you back here."
"Yeah," Rory nodded.
Cassie turned her head, seeing a smile on Jess' face. She gasped, taking the spot where Luke had just been. "What's that look?" She asked him.
"What look?" Jess asked as he inched away from her.
"That smirk when Dean said he'd be riding with Clara and Rory wouldn't have a partner," Cassie said and the smirk reappeared on his face. "That look!"
"There's no look," Jess said as he stood up.
"There was totally a look," Cassie told him. "Oh my god, that's why you hate Dean. You like Ror-"
"You're insane," Jess told her before walking away and Sophie appearing by Cassie's side.
"What was all that?" Sophie asked her.
"Nothing. Come on," Cassie took Sophie's hand and the two of them walked to grab their jackets.
The girls walked outside into the brisk air, both of them holding their jackets close to their body as they stood in line for a horse ride. Sophie was looking at Cassie with a smile that was a little too bright, causing Cassie to grow suspicious.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing," Sophie immediately shook her head. "God, we did not dress for this weather."
"No we did not," Cassie agreed as a carriage pulled in front of them. Cassie climbed in first, immediately going under the blanket that was provided for them. Sophie climbed in beside her, putting the remaining blanket over her legs.
Cassie smiled as the horses began walking. She looked around the town that was beautifully lit, snow on the ground everywhere. For the first time in a week Cassie felt completely at peace.
--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆--
The table in the dining room was long, fitting everyone who had been invited for the dinner. They all sat together, multiple conversations going on at the same time. Sophie and Cassie were together, obviously. Jess and Luke sat on the side next to Cassie while Babette and Morey were next to Sophie. Mrs. Kim and Lane were on the other side of the table, with Paris and Miss Patty.
"Welcome Lords and Ladies," Rune said, grabbing everyone's attention. "I call upon these sprightly horns to commence our proceedings," He held his arms up and two men began playing a royal tune.
"Oh jeez," Jess rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry it only gets better from here," Cassie laughed and he looked even more annoyed.
"And now, fair people, I present my Lord and Master, the honorable Squire Bracebridge," Rune announced and then Jackson walked in wearing the Squire costume. Cassie and Sophie leaned towards each other, trying their best to keep their outburst of laughter quiet.
"Lo! Now has come our joyfullest feast. Let every man be jolly," He said using old English which only made the girls laugh more.
"We should've eaten before we came," Jess whispered to Luke.
"Shh! And yeah," Luke agreed.
"Humble servant, bring us the first course to dine with pleasure," Jackson lifted his arm and the staff at the inn all began doing their assigned jobs. "Mmm, me thinks it be a butternut squash soup."
"Butternut squash?" Cassie looked confused as someone poured soup into Jacksons bowl.
"Ah, methinks you're right Scquire Bracebridge, thus and verily."
"And verily thus."
Everyone watched as Jackson took the first sip, nodding his head. "'Tis perfection, but extremely hot."
"My Lord, do you need aid? Wouldst thou have thee ice thy tongue?"
"Ah nay, Rune, nay. To the guests thou shall serve the soup!"
"Thank you," Cassie said politely as soup was poured into her bowl. She joined Luke in Jess as they all leaned forward examining the soup.
"What's the white stuff?" Jess asked.
"I think it's cheese... or maybe cream," Luke answered, equally confused.
"And the green stuff?" Cassie asked as she leaned forward to look at Luke.
"I think it's best picked off," Luke responded and the three of them picked the green stuff off their soup.
Cassie looked over at Jess before laughing quietly. Jess turned his head, once again confused by her actions. "Something funny?"
"Nothing, just that you have a little crush on-"
"Shut up."
"Aw, isn't that sweet," Cassie laughed again even though secretly she loved the fact that Jess liked Rory. "Maybe after dinner you can ask her to hold hands."
"Why did I end up sitting to next you?" Jess shook his head in annoyance.
"Good fortune," Cassie answered.
Sophie, who hadn't been paying attention to Cassie and Jess, was busy chatting with Babette and Morey, the three of them growing silent as Mrs. Kim spoke up. "No one says grace?"
"I think they all do Mama, uh, silently."
Mrs. Kim looked at the three people sitting across the table from her, "Did you say silent grace?"
Babette laughed immediately, "Ha! Good one."
Mrs. Kim stared at her, making Babette nervous. She lowered her head, nudging Morey and Sophie causing them to lower their heads as well.
Cassie turned her head, looking at her best friend in confusion. "Are you praying?" She whispered.
"Saying silent grace," Sophie whispered and Cassie looked across the table at Mrs. Kim, who was now looking at her. Cassie quickly lowered her head, knowing she was already in trouble with Mrs. Kim for wearing a dress that was too short.
"The things we do for Mrs. Kim," Cassie shook her head as she kept her head bowed.
a/n: part 2 to the this chapter should be published soon!