"DID YOU TELL KIRK TO ASK ME OUT?" A baffled Lorelai rushed into Rosie's room. "It's seven in the morning, and Kirk asked me out. You know, I have a time limit with these things. Of course I accept the absurdness, living in Stars Hollow, and all. But I can only take so much at seven in the morning!"
Rosie tied her shoelaces, pursing her lips. "You know, screaming before noon is frowned upon."
"He said you encouraged him!"
"I did not!" She said in her defence. "There's a fine line between encouraging someone and just telling them to go for it."
"It's the same line!"
She bit her lip to keep from laughing at the situation. "As much as I would love to stay here and listen to Kirk's love confession to you, I have to go to school." She grabbed her backpack.
"He had a marching band ask me out!" She exclaimed absurdly. "A marching band!" She said in sheer embarrassment.
This time, Rosie couldn't hold in her laughter, but it did help that she ran to the front porch before Lorelai could hear her chuckles. Her laughter died down as she made her way down the street, walking to her best-friend's front porch.
She stopped by Kayla's house, watching her rush down the front porch and pull her into a hug. "I missed you!"
"I missed you more!"
When she pushed her out of the hug, Kayla gestured to her body. "Do I look fat?"
"No, why?"
"You'd tell me if I did, right?" She asked surely. "All I did was eat Jollof rice and Puff Puffs this summer."
"I'm guessing your summer in Nigeria was good?"
"That, it was, although my week in Wisconsin with my cousins was terrible. More on that later." She promised. "How was Rhode Island?"
They started their path to the high school, slowing their pace to have more time to talk before they reach the school. "Really good."
"So, senior year." Kayla said serenely as they approached the high school.
Rosie sighed. "Senior year."
"Times are changing."
"No, we are."
When they entered their first official day as seniors, Rosie had her schedule handed to her. This year was less condensed than the previous years, seeing as she took an excess amount of extracurricular classes the first three years of high school to catch up on her plan to go to Yale. After all, she had to. It was the deal she had with her parents; stay in Stars Hollow, but get into Yale.
In other words, high school was the four years she could live normally and serenely until she lives dependently in Hartford with her parents in college. She didn't mull over that for too long, thankful they even agreed for this to happen in the first place.
During her break, she met with guidance counsellor. "Everything seems great." Mrs. Winters said as she skimmed over the schedule of this senior year. "Yup, you're on track to get into Yale."
"That's great."
"Applications are going to be sent out next week, don't hesitate to come to my office if you need help." She assured her. "So, have you thought about safety schools?"
Rosie nodded. "I have a list of them here." She handed her a piece of paper. "But, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else."
"Go ahead."
"I want to apply to Columbia, too." She said anxiously. "I figured... well, I love Connecticut but New York, is just..." She marvelled. "I just think it's a good option to have."
Mrs. Winters gave her a sweet smile. "It's a great school, Rosemary." She reassured her. "All of these are." She looked down at the list.
When the school bell dismissed them, Rosie had to make a quick stop to the Blockbuster store."Hello." She greeted the workers as she walked in.
They were planning another movie night today, and since Rosie got her pick the other day, Rory decided on a movie for tonight. Except, since Rory and Lorelai would both be home late as they were in Chilton for Rory's student body elections, Rosie had to get the film.
Roman Holiday, she roamed through the shelves of movies in search of it. Reaching the last row, which it certainly had to be at, she saw Jess and Shane at the far end of the hall. When Jess caught sight of her, he pulled Shane into a kiss.
Rosie rolled her eyes at the sight, the char of bitterness flaming in her. She felt like she couldn't go anywhere without running into the two— it was bad enough she had to see them every time she was at Luke's diner, which was practically every day since coming back from her internship. But now, to have them make out right in front of the Roman Holiday dvd was excruciating.
"Excuse me." She said sharply, pointing to the film behind them. She was almost worried if they kept making out this close in front of her, their saliva would get all over the DVD.
Jess and Shane pulled away from each other. "Chill." Shane groaned slightly, turning to Jess. "I should get back to work, anyway. I'll see you soon."
When Shane left, Rosie was still waiting for Jess to move from his stance so she could grab Roman Holiday. "What?" He said, turning to the shelf he was leaning against. "I never pegged you for an Audrey Hepburn kind of gal."
"Could you at least move?"
Jess was unfazed. "How was Rhode Island?"
She turned to the unoccupied shelf behind her and grabbed the first thing she saw. "Fine, this'll have to do."
He looked down at the DVD she held. "Stuart Little."
"I'm afraid you and Shane's saliva infected Roman Holiday." She said spitefully. "So Stuart Little it is."
"So you do know her name." He said, following her to the cashier. "Leaving so soon?"
She glared at him. "I know what you're doing."
"Enlighten me."
"You don't have to shove her down my throat anytime I see you two together."
"What makes you think I'm making out with Shane at the sheer pleasure of annoying you?" He asked huskily.
"I don't think that." She said pointedly. "You wouldn't go that far because you know your mere presence annoys me enough." She retorted. "If anything, I'm happy for the two of you."
His jaw muscles leap as he looked at her. "That's genuine."
"She's a real catch, I'll tell you that." Rosie smiled tightly, then muttered under her breath; "A catch and release."
Jess smirked despite himself. "Really? Stooping that low, as an adamant Bell Hooks reader, too?"
Rosie rolled her eyes. "What do you want me to say?"
"Why does me being with Shane bother you at all?"
"It doesn't bother me!"
Jess nodded, every bit of amusement that was previously on his expression leaving. He looked at her solemnly this time. "I got with her two weeks ago, you know."
She blinked at him. "Are you expecting an anniversary fruit basket from me, or something?"
"I'm sorry, did you mail me these past two months, at all?" He asked spitefully. "Or page me, or even try to send me a message like you said you would? Even sending a carrier pigeon would've worked with all the time you had."
I tried, she wanted to tell him. "What's your point?" She asked desperately.
"I'm just doing what you asked." He said simply. "Having a fun summer."
That stung. She realised he thought she did it purposefully, as a way to let him down easy or something. "That's not..." She attempted to word her emotions, and failed miserably. "It's not..."
"What?" He asked, more desperate than angry now.
She bit her tongue. What did it matter now? She thought. He was already with her, and she didn't have it in her to plead for him to hear her out. She never wanted this to happen in the first place. Falling in love was never part of her plan, and maybe it wasn't too late for her to mark it off. "I'm glad you had a fun summer." She said sardonically.
"I did."
"Good."
"Great." He said, leaving.