NICK & NORA/ SID & NANCY
WHILE there were few things Hayden loved more than Luke's cooking, the Gilmore girl couldn't bring herself to so much as take a bite of her breakfast not with it being her first day back at Chilton, her first day seeing him. Rory had scoffed her breakfast down, anxious to take too long in fear of being late to school, but their mother didn't share in those feelings as she took her time, enjoying her food as she read through the morning headlines.
Rory's knee bounced impatiently as she stared across the table "How are the eggs?"
Their mother didn't raise her head "Good."
"I'm glad." She bit out, trying to simmer the frustration.
Lorelai raised an eyebrow as she glanced up and spotted her stare "They're still good.
Rory smiled tightly "I'm still glad."
"Look freak, we will not be late." Their mother sighed.
"It's the first day of school." She blurted "I wanna get there early."
"I wanna get there never." Hayden mumbled, pushing her own eggs around.
Lorelai met Rory's stare "We will be there early, I promise."
"I have different classes this year, my routes aren't the same. I haven't found the quickest path around. And my locker, they moved it, so I don't even know if it'll work properly and then I'll have to get a new one and God knows how long that'll take or where it'll be and that could send the whole day into chaos." Rory rambled before sighing "I'm just excited."
Hayden slumped in her chair, voice quiet "Makes one of us."
The bell jingling above the door had the three Gilmore girls look up to see Lane rushing towards them "Oh, thank God, you haven't left yet."
"Nope, what's up?" Rory questioned as Lane slipped into the free seat.
"Well, I found the greatest record store in the world." She gushed "It's ten minutes from your school and I'm wondering how much you love me."
Rory rolled her eyes at Lane's pleading stare but smiled as she pulled a pen and notebook from her book bag "Address?"
Lane beamed, leaning forward "Record Breaker Incorporated, 2453 Berlin Turnpike."
"Got it." Rory chirped "Place your order now."
Lane glanced to her list "Okay, Charles Mingus— 'The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady'."
"Mm." Lorelai hummed in approval as she finished her eggs.
"Right." Rory nodded.
Lane moved onto the next "The Sonics— 'Here are the Sonics'."
Hayden perked up "Ooh. Burn me a copy.
"You got it." Lane assured with a wide smile.
"Next." Rory requested.
"MC5– 'Kick Out the Jams'. Fairport Convention— 'Leige and Lief'. BeeGees— 'Odessa'."
Rory sent her best friend a look "BeeGees, really?"
Lane shrugged "Well, Mojo says."
"So it must be true." Rory snickered but dutifully noted down the list.
"Okay, that's it." Lane sighed in relief "Now if I could just find a copy of Whistler, Chaucer, Detroit and Greenhill, I will finally be done with the sixties."
"I can get there today, tomorrow at the latest."
Lane beamed "I love it when you go back to school."
"Me too." Rory agreed before watching her mother stand and head for the counter "Hey!"
"I am getting donuts for later." She defended "As soon as I do, I will take you to school and the nice men in the white coats will pick you up."
Hayden raised a hopeful eyebrow "Can they take me now?"
"No, you I'd miss too much." Lorelai joked before leaning against the counter and smiling at Luke "Hey, donuts please. Chocolate, cinnamon and sprinkles."
Luke went to grab them when the phone rang making Lorelai groan as he answered it "Hello?... Yeah, I'm working. What do you think I'm doing? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh man, what did you do? Excuse me, are you serious? Just like that, huh?" Lorelai spared him a glance before making her way behind the counter, ducking under the phone cord before she grabbed their donuts "This is unbelievable! You won't ever change, will you?... Okay, fine. Do what you want, make the arrangements. Now I'm working, we'll finish this later."
Lorelai licked the icing that smeared on her finger off before raising an eyebrow at Luke as he slammed down the receiver "Is everything okay?"
Luke inhaled sharply and turned to her "Do you have a sister?"
"Um, no."
Hayden raised a hand "I do."
He turned to her "You have my sympathies."
"Thank you." Hayden beamed.
"Hey!" Rory scoffed, swatting her arm before turning to their mother as she approached "Can we go now?"
Lorelai nodded "Yes, school awaits."
Hayden reluctantly got to her feet, grabbing her bookbag as she began to follow her mother and sister to the door only to be stopped by Luke calling her name "Yeah?"
He held out a polystyrene takeout box "Here."
"What's this?"
"Lunch." He looked to her sternly "Don't think I didn't notice you didn't even touch your breakfast. So eat that, please. I never want to see you end up in the hospital again, got it?"
Hayden's heart warmed as she took the container with a soft smile "Got it."
☕️
THE hallways were abuzz with students new and old mingling before class, catching up on summer adventures and sharing nerves about the influx of intimidating coursework headed their way for the semester ahead. But Hayden only had one thing on her mind, the dreaded first sighting of Tristan Dugray. Would he look different? Did he miss her? Was he as torn up about their breakup as she was? Did he spend the summer thinking of her?
Hayden was snapped out of her all-consuming thoughts by manicured fingers grasping her chin and she watched as Louise meticulously applied a layer of gloss across her lips as Madeline fixed her hair into place, tongue poking out in concentration. When they were both finished, the pair took a step back and admired their handiwork before the blonde nodded "Perfect. If I was Tristan I'd fall to my knees at the sight of you and beg for forgiveness."
"Like a dog." Madeline agreed before her head titled "If I was dog, what dog would I be?"
"Black poodle." Hayden and Louise answered in sync.
Madeleine beamed "Cute! I'd totally rock a pink collar, too."
"Totally." Louise rolled her eyes before turning back to Hayden who still didn't look at ease and she placed her hands on the girls shoulders "You've got nothing to worry about. Tristan is the loser here, not you. So keep your head high and let him see just what he lost, okay?"
"Okay." Hayden breathed out, nodding to herself "I'm ready."
"Good because he's coming this way." Madeline rushed out and Louise was quick to spin the girl around.
Hayden's breathed hitched as she spotted the blond making his way down the hall, sharing fist bumps in passing to teammates and nodding a girls who weighed their fingers until he spotted her. Tristan's footsteps faltered, arm gripping around the file-block in his hand as the world stopped. Hayden was too wrapped up in her own aching heart at the sight of him to try and determine how he felt, but just as she began to even think about it, their connection was severed by a smiling Kimber Slately throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his.
The vision of the pair kissing right there in the hallway, in front of her, like she wasn't heartbroken, like she never meant a thing had her heart plummet into her stomach, eyes blurring over with tears. But before they could fall, Madeline and Louise shared a look before linking their arms through hers and turned her away, leading her to their first period class.
"You're okay." Louise murmured, grip tightening as if she was to let go, Hayden would drop.
"We've got you." Madeline added as they made it through the classroom door.
Hayden swallowed the lump clogging her throat, sniffling back her tears as the image of Tristan and Kimber replayed over and over in her mind, at least until she spotted an unusual and unsettling sight. Rory and Paris, talking.
The three shared a look before approaching the pair at their desks and Louise raised an eyebrow "Everything okay?"
Rory rolled her eyes "Yeah, Riff, everything's fine."
"We were just talking." Paris sighed.
"Talking?" Hayden was dubious as she grabbed a desk for herself "You two? Without bloodshed?"
Paris rolled her eyes this time "About The Franklin."
"Oh." Madeline nodded before shaking her head "Nope, still seems weird."
"Hey, look, we're all on the paper together." Paris began as they began to sit down 'There's gonna be a lot of long afternoons and weekends."
Louise's head shot up from where she'd been admiring her nails "Weekends?"
"We need to coexist, right?" Paris questioned, glancing to Rory.
She nodded "Right."
"I'm sorry." Louise sat forward, palm spread across the desk in disbelief "Back up to the weekends."
"So that's what we'll do." Paris ignored her "Now the first meeting of The Franklin is today."
Rory smiled "Yes it is."
"Four o'clock."
"Sounds good."
Louise let out a noise of protest "Weekends were never mentioned. I need my weekends." She gestured to herself "All of this gets done on weekends."
"And now you'll be the hottest girl on the paper." Hayden assured, glancing back at her with an amused smile.
"Very true." She agreed before frowning "Wait, that's means you're not working The Franklin?"
Hayden sighed shaking her head "Not my thing."
"What is your thing?" Paris questioned, unsure how someone couldn't want to be on the school newspaper.
"I—" Hayden opened her mouth to answer when he stepped through the door.
Tristan's eyes locked with hers once more, eyebrows drawn into a frown. For a moment it was just them until the bell suddenly rang breaking them out of their stare and Hayden's breath hitched before she turned away just as their teacher mad her way inside "Okay, everyone take a seat and let's get this show on the road."
☕️
WITH Rory staying behind for her first meeting of The Franklin, Hayden was left to catch the bus back to Stars Hollow alone. She had just grabbed the books she'd need for her homework (silently cursing every single teacher who'd assigned such a heavy load on the first day) and turned to make her way to the main exit when a familiar face stepped in front of her "Hayden."
Her heart stilled at the sight of her mother's ex-fiancé "Mr. Medina..."
An awkward tension filled the air between them before he sighed "You can still call me Max, you know?"
"Right," she swallowed thickly, clutching her books to her chest "um, I have to go."
He frowned as he watched her walk around him "Hayden, wait—"
But she ignored him as she sped up, feet pushing her further and further away until she around the corner and out of sight. Slumping against the wall she sighed in relief, eyes clenched shut as she took a deep breath until she felt more at ease, more steady. However, as she opened her eyes and met Tristan's stare from across the hall, the anxiety returned. The humiliation, the fear. Pushing off from the wall, Hayden kept her head down as she made a break for the door, slipping into the passing crowd before Tristan could approach her. Her first day back at school and everything felt like it was falling apart, like she was falling apart.
Biting back the fresh tears stinging her eyes Hayden groaned silently and stepped through the double doors. She never should've left Stars Hollow.
☕️
WITH her feet dangling from the dock, Hayden stared at the lake as she skimmed the pile of rocks she'd collected across the water. After her tumultuous first day back at Chilton, she just needed some time to think before her shift, but those moments were her eyes locked with Tristan soon turned to he and Kimber locked in a kiss. With a huff of anger, she picked up a rock and thrust it harshly into the water with smack.
"What'd the fish ever do to you?"
Hayden's head snapped over to see an unfamiliar boy around her age, his hair as dark as his clothes, grungy and unflattering. And so not Stars Hollow "You're not from around here."
"Wow, keen observation." He snarked, putting a cigarette between his lips before lighting it "Who knew you townies had it in you?"
Hayden rolled her eyes "Well it's just so hard to miss that welcoming city boy attitude." She let out a sigh "I come out here to be alone, you know?"
"Ah, just a small town girl living in a lonely world, huh?" He quirked an eyebrow as he took a seat a few spaces away, one leg propped up as the other dangled over the water "Bad day?"
"And getting worse." She groaned as she looked to the time on her watch "I'm late for work."
"Let me guess," He glanced to her Chilton skirt mockingly as she got to her feet "Empire Records?"
Hayden rolled her eyes as she grabbed her back and blazer from the dock and began heading towards Luke's, not bothering to glance back as she broke out into a run "Welcome to Stars Hollow, City Boy!"
☕️
FOOTSTEPS pounding down the sidewalk, Hayden rushed past the diner window, shooting Luke a sheepish grin as she did so before skidding around the corner and through the door "I'm so sorry, Luke-- oof!"
Hayden grunted as she collided with a lithe figure, her apology cut off by the squelch of tomato sauce covering her crisp white school shirt all thanks to Kirks spaghetti. The man looked down to her chest eyes wide "My dinner."
"My life." She grabbed dramatically as her shoulders slumped "Whoever's playing with my voodoo doll just stick a pin in my heart and put me out of my misery."
"There'll be none of that." Luke was stern as he approached "Kirk, sit down, I'll get you a new plate. Hayden, go upstairs, take a breath and change. Pick out whatever you want."
Mumbling a thanks, Hayden sighed before trudging her way upstairs "What a bad, bad day."
Cleaning up the spilled spaghetti on the floor, Luke carried it to the kitchen and asked Ceasar to fix up another plate before heading out to the counter just as Lorelai made her way over "Hey."
"Hey." She took a seat before peering top at him curiously "So?"
"So what?"
Lorelai rolled her eyes "Is he here?"
Luke let out a sigh "He's here."
"Yeah?" She smiled slightly "How is he?"
"He's fine."
Lorelai raised a dubious eyebrow "Did he see the bed?"
Luke rolled his eyes "He saw the bed."
"Well, where is he?" Lorelai glanced around "I wanna meet him."
"Oh, he's out." Luke waved her off before taking the plate from Ceasar.
Lorelai frowned as she watched him deliver Kirks spaghetti "Out where?"
"I don't know." he shrugged on his way back behind the counter.
"You don't?"
"No, he just went out."
Lorelai blinked in disbelief "You didn't ask him where he was going?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Luke scoffed "Because he's not two."
"Yeah, but Luke, he's new in town." She argued "He doesn't know his way around yet."
"Way around what?" He shot back "This is Stars Hollow. You take three left turns and you're back in the center of town"
She sighed "Luke, when a kid goes out, you have to at least ask where he's going."
"Why?"
"Because you're responsible for him now." she pointed out "If he goes and knocks over a liquor store, it's gonna be your fault."
Luke rolled his eyes once again "If I had asked him where he was going and he actually intended to knock off a liquor store, do you really think he would've told me that?"
She shrugged "If he's dumb."
"He's fine. New topic." He sighed before looking up at the sound of the bell jingling over the door just as his nephew waltzed in "Jess, hey, good. I'd like you to meet someone."
"Hey. Hi, I'm Lorelai. I just wanted to meet you before Luke had a chance to fill your head with all kinds of little lies about me."
Jess sighed silently as he paused at the bottom of the stairs "Hi."
"You know, you should meet my daughter's. They're about your age. Twins. They can show you where all the good wilding goes on." When he didn't do anything but blink she cleared her throat awkwardly "Okay, well, it's nice to meet you. I hope you like it here... so, class dismissed."
Luke turned to hum "Uh, are you hungry 'cause I can--"Lorelai pursed her lips as the boy ignored Luke and stormed upstairs "So that's Jess?"
Luke sighed heavily "Yup."
"Very chatty." She mocked.
"He's adjusting." Luke defended "He just got here. He probably just went out and realized there are twelve stores in this town devoted entirely to peddling porcelain unicorns. I've lived in this town my entire life, I still can't believe it."
Lorelai sighed silently "I'm sure that's it."
Luke nodded in assurance, mostly for himself "He'll be fine in a few days."
Meanwhile upstairs, Hayden was carefully hanging her spaghetti stained shirt over the back of Luke's dining chair before making her way to his closet, rifling through the sparse collection of ratty t-shirts and plaid shirts. She had just picked out a blue one when a now all too familiar voice spoke out from behind her "You're a savant for blue plaid, huh?"
Letting out a shriek, Hayden held the shirt to her chest and turned to the boy from the dock with wide eyes "Jesus!"
"Actually, it's Jess but close enough." He shot back, hands stuffed into his pockets as he watched her lazily "Doesn't that clash with your skirt?"
She scoffed but switched it out for a faded yellow t-shirt when he turned his back to her "What, are you stalking me?"
"I don't think it can be stalking if it's your apartment." He pointed out, making his way over to a blow up mattress at the end of Luke's bed she hadn't noticed before.
"What--?" She shook her head, t-shirt still clutched to her chest "You're Luke's—?"
He lofted an eyebrow as he crossed his ankles and lit up another cigarette "Nephew."
"Oh." She mumbled. She didn't even know he had one.
"And you're his what?" Jess questioned.
Hayden blinked "Employee."
"So he puts on dinner and a show, huh?" He mocked with a smirk "I'll be sure to leave you a solid review."
With a sharp glare his way, Hayden pulled on the t-shirt before storming out if the apartment, door slamming closed behind her as she stomped downstairs. Lorelai smiled sympathetically as her daughter came into view, taking note of her expression "You met Jess, huh?"
Hayden's only response was a groan as she moved to stand across from her mother at the counter and lay her head down. Lorelai smiled in amusement but raked her fingers through her dark hair just as Rory stormed in through the door with the same expression Hayden had "Two for two, huh?"
"Oh my God, I hate her." Rory ranted as she tossed her book-bag on the floor before taking a seat on the stool beside her mother.
"Ah, me too." Lorelai scowled.
Rory sent her a look "You have no idea who I'm talking about."
Her mother shrugged "Solidarity sister."
Hayden lifted her head, resting her chin in her palms and looked to her sister knowingly "Paris?"
When Rory nodded in conformation, Lorelai grunted "Ugh. Well, that I should've guessed."
"She thinks she can torture me off the paper and she can't." Rory ranted.
"No, she can't."
Rory sighed in frustration "I have never met anyone like her before. Her insistence on holding onto this stupid grudge that is based on nothing and will never ever end shows an amount of commitment that I would've never thought possible. I'm beginning to admire her."
"First day sucked?" Their mother questioned.
Rory sighed "Just the paper stuff sucked, the rest of the stuff was good."
"Glad one of us is having fun." Hayden grumbled.
Lorelai looked to her "Bad day kiddo?"
Hayden pouted sadly "Tristan has a new girlfriend."
"Aw hun, I'm sorry." Her mother cooed, cupping her cheek "It's his loss. Hey, did you guys happen to run into Max?"
The twins froze before speaking simultaneously "Actually, no."
"Nope."
Lorelai frowned dubiously "Really?"
"Yeah, our paths just didn't cross." Rory shrugged.
Hayden nodded "Big school."
Their mother raised an eyebrow "Isn't he your Lit teacher?"
"Yeah, but I do have really tall people sitting in front of me." Rory reasoned with a sheepish smile.
"I focus on the pages." Hayden nodded emphatically "I'm a good student like that."
Lorrelai sighed knowingly "Girls."
"I bumped into him and ran off." Hayden mumbled in defeat.
Rory sighed "I saw him in the hallway and I walked the other way."
Lorelai frowned as she glanced between them "Why?"
"I don't know." Rory admitted "I thought that's what you'd want me to do."
"It was... awkward." Hayden sighed "I just panicked."
Lorelai shook her head "Just because Max isn't apart of my life anymore doesn't mean he can't be apart of yours. He has to be apart of yours. You have to see him and talk to him, and that's okay. That's good. I know everything seems screwed up right now, but I don't want you to avoid him, especially not on my account. Okay?"
"All right." Rory relented.
Hayden nodded, voice soft "Okay."
Their mother sighed "I am sorry that I put you guys in this position."
"That's okay." Rory told her "It's going on the list."
"My God, that list is getting long." Lorelai groaned.
Hayden snickered "You have no idea."
☕️
WHILST Jackson and Sookie prepared a welcome feast in her kitchen and her mother and Rory tidied up the living room, Hayden was attempting to finish the assignment her sister had done hours ago. But she couldn't concentrate, not as images of Tristan and Kimber replayed in her mind. With a groan she tossed her pencil aside before running her hands down her face.
"Hayden, they're here!" her mother's voice carried.
"Coming!" She called back before sighing and dropping her hands. Getting to her feet she turned to see Jess in her doorway "Oh. Hey."
"Hey." he muttered, stepping inside as he looked around the room.
Hayden rocked on her heels for a moment before blowing out a breath "So you've seen me half naked but you don't know my name."
"Eh, you're not the first." he waved her off with a slight smirk.
She scoffed but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips "I'm Hayden."
"Yeah, I figured." His eyes drifted to the full bookshelf "Wow, aren't we hooked on phonics?"
"Oh those are Rory's books." Hayden admitted "She ran out of room upstairs and these are the ones I like her to read to me. Do you read?"
"Not much." He responded before lifting Howl by Allen Ginsberg off the shelf.
Hayden's head tilted as she watched him flick through it "I'm sure Rory would let you borrow that if you want. It's one of her favourites."
"No thanks." He denied, setting it back before making her way around the room, peering at everything in sight before landing on the copious medals, ribbons and trophies lining the wall and covering her dresser "Dancer, huh?"
Her lips tilted up into a smirk of her own "Best in the county."
He raised an eyebrow before looking to the Julliard pamphlet that had been pinned on her wall ever since she could remember "You wanna be a New Yorker?"
"Where else is better to dance than the city that never sleeps?" She shrugged "You ever been?"
"Born and raised." He admitted.
She nodded slowly "Ah, I should've used my keen sense of observation."
Jess smirked before Lorelai popped her head through the doorway "Okay, we really need to get Jackson away from the lemons now, so we're moving the feast in the living room."
"Be right there." Hayden told her.
When Lorelai headed back out, Jess moved towards the bay window "So do these open?"
"Oh yeah, you just have to unlatch them and then push."
"Great." He did so "Shall we?"
Her eyebrows furrowed "Shall we what?"
"Bail."
"No."
Jess scoffed "Why?"
"Because it's Tuesday night in Stars Hollow. There's nowhere to bail to." She deadpanned "The 24-hour mini-mart just closed twenty minutes ago."
Jess shrugged "So we'll walk around or sit on a bench and stare at our shoes."
"Wow, have I been missing out on city life?" Hayden mocked before sighing "Look, Sookie just made a ton of really great food, and I'm starving and though it may not seem like it right at this moment, it's gonna be fun. Trust me."
He shook his head "I don't even know you."
"Well, don't I look trustworthy?" she questioned, widening her eyes and tilting her head with a little smile.
He looked her over for a moment before answering "Maybe."
"Okay, good. Let's eat." She lead him into the kitchen "You want a soda?"
"Oh, I'll get it."
Hayden sighed knowingly as she closed the fridge "My mom will notice the missing beer and Luke will notice his missing nephew. But, the back leads to the dock. You can find your way home from there, right?"
His lips twitched up "I'm sure I can make it through this podunk town."
"Goodnight, City Boy." Rolling her eyes, Hayden headed into the living-room where she found everyone loading up their plates.
"You know ham was originally made out of rice?" Sookie began.
Jackson looked to her "What?"
Luke took notice of the Gilmore girl "Hey Hayden, where's Jess?"
"Oh, he's uh, he's getting a soda."
"Here." Lorelai handed him a loaded plate overfilled with every item on the menu.
Luke scoffed "I'm sorry, you must've mistaken me for you."
"Ooh, too much?" Lorelai questioned, grabbing a scoopful of mash and adding it to the plate with an innocent smile.
Sookie perked up in remembrance "Oh, I forgot the garlic bread."
Hayden's eyes widened as she stepped in front of the St. James woman "I'll get it."
"I'm already on my way." Her mother called back and Hayden watched in horror as she headed towards the kitchen but it was too late to stop her.
Hayden sat at the table, waiting anxiously for her mother to come back and report their missing guest but when Luke got to his feet her eyes widened "Uh, where are you going?"
"To make sure your mom hasn't burned her hand or something getting the garlic bread out of there oven."
Hayden whimpered silently, slipping down in her chair. This was bad. She was soon proved right as the pairs raised voices floating from the kitchen.
"Luke, I'm sorry. That kid is way more screwed up than you think he is."
"What are you talking about?"
"I catch him outside with a beer, I don't even bust him on it, I just
I try talking to him--"
"What do you mean, talk to him?" Luke cut her off "What did you say?"
"I said he's got a good thing going here with you and he shouldn't blow it, and then, well then he just got charming."
"What are you doing talking to him about stuff like that?"
"I'm trying to help you!
"I don't need your help!"
Hayden shared a look with Rory while Jackson and Sookie sat in an awkward silence.
"Uh, yeah you do."
"Oh, here we go again with this 'I'm not prepared for this' crap."
"This is not crap, this is the truth. Luke, you should've heard him talking."
"I don't need to hear him talking, he's my nephew and I know what I'm doing. And I'm getting a little tired of your condescending--"
"I am not being condescending."
"Oh, you have kids, so you know everything, right?"
"I have kids, so yeah, I know a little more than you do."
"You know, you ever think maybe you just got lucky with Hayden and Rory? I mean, you did get pregnant at sixteen. That doesn't show the greatest decision making skills, now does it?"
Hayden frowned at Luke's words while her mother scoffed "Wow, two pies."
"What the hell you talking about?"
"Nothing. I'm talking about nothing. And you won't have to hear my opinion on anything ever again, okay?"
"Oh, don't tease."
"Go find Jess!"
"Don't tell me what to do!"
Hayden flinched at the sound of the back door slamming before her mother came into the room, arms stretched out with her eyes wide "What the hell just happened?"
☕️
STANDING outside the diner, Hayden and Rory looked to their mother who hid behind the wall before the latter sighed "You're being completely childish."
"Am not." She shot back.
"So what, we're never gonna go into Luke's again?" Hayden questioned "How's that gonna go considering I work there? Can't you just go in, kiss and make up?"
"Kid, this was a bad one, okay?" Lorelai sighed "This was not Nick and Nora, this was Sid and Nancy, and I'm not going in there."
Rory frowned "But the coffee is in there. And it's Danish Day. Are you seriously telling me that you're gonna let a stupid fight get in the way of Danish Day?"
"No, I'm not."
She sighed in relief "Good."
"Hayden's going to go in there and order three coffees and three Danishes to go."
Hayden scoffed "You're kidding, right?"
"You said it yourself, you work there. He can't refuse his best employee." Lorelai smiled"And don't forget the napkins."
Rory sighed "Mom, he's gonna know what's going on. He's not stupid."
"He cannot prove that she's not ordering all that for herself, can he?" Lorelai pushed Hayden towards the door "No, so go on. Scoot, scoot. Mommy's right here."
Hayden sighed in defeat but made her way inside and headed towards the counter "Hey Luke."
"Hayden."
"Um, I'll have three coffees and three cherry Danishes to go, please." She smiled innocently.
He raised an eyebrow "Three coffees and three cherry Danishes."
"Oh, and some napkins."
"One of these is for her isn't it?"
Hayden blinked awkwardly "Who? Oh, no no no. They're for me, a-and Rory who's waiting at the bus stop. You know her, always anxious its gonna live without us."
He raised an eyebrow "Tell you what, I'll give you one Danish and one cup of coffee, you can sit over there and eat, and when you're finished them right over there where I can see you, then I'll bring you another one for Rory.
Hayden slumped in defeat "You're really just gonna stand there and watch me eat a Danish?"
"Cable's out." he mocked "I'm starved for entertainment."
She groaned "Okay, this is insane. So you guys had a fight, big deal. You know you're gonna make up anyway, and what better day to make up than Danish Day, the happiest of all days. The day when we all say, 'hey, let's forgive and forget over a nice Danish and a cup coffee.'"
"One Danish, one cup of coffee, take it or leave it."
"I'll take it." She sighed in defeat "I still think you're being silly."
He grab her order and handed it over "Thank you for sharing. Come back soon."
Hayden went to leave but paused "Hey, Luke?"
"I'm not giving you another one--"
"Did you mean it?" She questioned hesitantly "About my mom having us being a bad decision?"
His face fell "Hayden, t-that's not what I meant. I was angry and it was a low blow, but I never meant that you and Rory were something to regret. I swear. You're a great kid, you and Rory. And probably the best damn thing to happen to this town."
She smiled softly, heart lighter "For what it's worth, I think Jess could be another one if given the chance."
"Me too." Luke mumbled but smiled and nodded for the door "You better go, Rory and the bus are waiting."
Hayden chuckled but did as told and headed out onto the street to meet her mother and sister who looked to her hopefully "Well?"
"He would only sell me one." she shrugged and started to head towards the bus stop
"One?" Rory questioned in horror "But there's two of us. Twins. We're a package deal like terms and conditions."
Hayden merely shrugged once again as she continued on, calling over her shoulder "Not today. Today I'm having a coffee and danish and you are not."
Rory turned to her mother in disbelief "This is you. You did this. Are you happy now?"
"With no coffee or danish on Danish Day?" Lorelai scoffed sarcastically "Yeah, I'm ecstatic."
Rory groaned before stomping off after Hayden and joining her on the bus that had just pulled up. She plopped down in the seat beside her, glancing towards the cup in her sisters hand "Please--"
Before she could finish her sentence, Hayden had handed her the coffee and paper bag "I already split the danish and we'll just have to share the cup."
Rory smiled as she accepted them "Have I told you lately how glad I am to be your twin?"
"Yeah, yeah." Hayden waved her off with a smile of her own "You're the terms to my conditions."
☕️
IF there was one thing Luke Danes hated more than fighting with Lorelai Gilmore, it was her being right. So when Taylor had called him about Jess, he'd stormed out of the diner in search of his nephew, finding him reading by the lake. Taking a deep breath, Luke stopped behind him "Hey. How was school?"
He didn't look up from his book "Great."
"You learn anything good?"
"Oh yeah, tons of things." Jess mocked "I've got gold stars plastered all over my forehead."
Luke nodded along "I had an interesting call today. Wanna know who it was from?"
"Not really."
"It was from Taylor Doose, you know he owns the market."
jess sighed silently "If you say so."
"He said you came in today."
"He did?"
Luke placed his hands on his hips "And he said you took some money out of a little donation cup to help repair the bridge. I told him he was crazy, you wouldn't do that, you weren't a thief, that he was just trying to start trouble, then I hung up on him. But don't get me wrong, I enjoy hanging up on Taylor, and he is crazy, but I was just wondering if maybe any of the other things he said were true."
Jess finally looked away to raise an eyebrow up at his uncle "What do you think?"
"I think that if you tell me that what he's saying is not true, then I'm gonna believe it's not true."
"Okay, it's not true." Jess shrugged and turned back to his book.
Luke frowned "That doesn't sound very convincing."
Jess scoffed and set the book aside before standing up "Look, what exactly do you want from me? You bring me here to this place, you put me in a school that says the Pledge of Allegiance in six different languages, two of which I've never heard of before. You take me away from my home, my friends, and now you want what from me?"
"I'm trying to help you."
"Well, stop trying." Jess snapped "Stop talking to me, stop following me, and stop asking me questions. Just stop."
Luke pursed his lips "That's what you want?"
"Yes."
"That's really what you want?"
Jess nodded "Yes."
"Fine, you got it." Luke held his hands up in surrender.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." and with that, Luke shoved his nephew into the lake.
As her boss stormed off, Hayden finally alerted Jess to her presence as she laughed, watching as he spluttered, coming back to the surface with wide eyes. Once she'd calmed down, Hayden raised an eyebrow down at the boy "So, that was quite a disappearing act you pulled the other night."
"Potlucks and Tupperware parties aren't really my thing." he grumbled, pulling himself to the dock and resting his arms on the edge.
"But stealing is?"
Jess scoffed "Didn't you hear when you were eavesdropping? I didn't take the stupid donation money."
"I'm talking about the book." She gestured to the copy of Howl on the dock "It's Rory's and it's missing from my shelf."
"I was just giving her some notes." he shrugged "I'll give it back when I'm done."
Hayden nodded "Thought you didn't read much?"
"What is much?" He smirked before holding up a hand "Now are you gonna show some of that small town hospitality and help me out or not?"
Hayden rolled her eyes but took his hand, attempting to pull him up only for Jess to smirk and tug her into the water right behind him. Hayden spluttered as she resurfaced, pushing away her now sopping wet hair from her eyes as she looked to Jess in disbelief "Seriously?"
Jess merely smirked and splashed water in her face making her gasp before returning fire. Soon laughter peeled from her lips as they soaked one another back and forth until Jess was grabbing her by the waist "Okay, stop! Ceasefire! I surrender."
Hayden chuckled before realising just how close they were, bodies pressed against one another as Jess's hands remained on her waist. His eyes darted from hers to her lips before slowly tugging her closer and sealing them with a kiss.
Hayden's eyes fluttered shut as she melted into the kiss before pulling away with a shake of her head "No, stop. I can't do this."
"What?" he questioned with furrowed eyebrows as he watched her pull herself up onto the dock "It's no big deal, it's just a kiss."
Hayden sighed as she took a seat, legs dangling over the water "Look, I don't need another boy messing with my head... but I could do with a friend." She raised a hopeful eyebrow "We can walk around or sit on a bench and stare at our shoes." She mocked his suggestion teasingly and watched as his lips twitched up in the corners "What do you say?"
Jess appraised her for a moment before pulling himself up to sit beside her with a sigh "I guess having at least one friend in this podunk town will make it slightly less unbearable."
Hayden grinned over at him "Just you wait, City Boy, I'm going to make you fall in love with Stars Hollow."
💭
Super long chapter but Jess is here! I can't wait to write Hayden and his relationship.
Don't forget to let me know what you think! :)