"God, I feel like everyone is staring at me."
CJ's eyes frantically scanned Luke's Diner, his leg shaking wildly beneath the table. Customers chatted away at their tables, but CJ could swear he could feel their eyes on him when he looked away. His mom sat across from him, sending him a sympathetic look with a small frown.
"You're fine, Ceej, no one is staring," his mom promised him earnestly.
He sent her a blank, disapproving look. "Have you seen my face today?" A sharp throb pained his nose at the reminder. "I think I'm single-handedly keeping the ice pack industry in business."
Lorelai smiled. "Well, at least purple is a good color on you."
He let out a chuckle, ignoring another flare of sharp pain shooting through his nose. "It goes well with my eyes," he agreed.
"Definitely."
There was a beat of silence as Lorelai pursed her lips, deep in thought, glancing out the window behind her son. CJ watched as she opened her mouth as if to say something but stopped herself, leaving it open awkwardly before snapping it shut with furrowed brows.
His eyes narrowed at her in suspicion. "What's wrong?" he asked abruptly, quirking an eyebrow at her. He took a deep gulp of his coffee, the steaming liquid warming his hands as he cupped his mug.
"There's nothing wrong. . ." Mom insisted, clearly choosing her words carefully. "I was just wondering if you've talked to your sister recently. . ."
"Why?"
Lorelai shrugged, taking a casual sip of her mug. "No reason, just curious."
"We haven't exactly made up yet, if that's what you're wondering." He actually wasn't sure where he stood with his twin. He hadn't seen her much last night, and she'd left to volunteer early this morning. He glanced out the window behind him, watching as Rory talked animatedly with Lane about something at their table across the street. The pair were dressed as pilgrims, funny-looking bonnets tied around their heads and all, and CJ would've teased her relentlessly about the outfit on a normal day. As the girls dissolved into a fit of giggles, CJ watched on with tightened lips.
"Oh, uh, good to know. But, actually, I was wondering if your sister has mentioned Dean. . ." Lorelai trailed off, eyeing CJ expectantly.
"Like, ever?" CJ shot back, his lips quirking into an amused smile.
Lorelai chuckled nervously, her eyes darting around the diner as if searching for an escape route. "Well, yeah, you know, in passing or something," she replied vaguely, avoiding CJ's probing gaze.
CJ raised an eyebrow, his amusement growing. "Mom, what's going on? What's with the terrible interrogation?"
Lorelai sighed. "Okay, fine, you caught me," she admitted, leaning in closer over the table. "Rory and Dean kissed in Doose's," she revealed, dramatically.
CJ stared at her. "Okay. . .?"
Her face fell. "You're not surprised by this?"
He blinked, processing his mom's revelation. "Surprised? Why would I be surprised?" he asked, genuine confusion coloring his tone.
Lorelai's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Uh, because it's Rory? And kissing? And a boy?" she exclaimed, as if stating the obvious.
CJ chuckled, shaking his head. "Mom, Rory's not a nun. Besides, you knew she and Dean were . . . hanging out."
"Yes, but I didn't expect her to have her first kiss and then not tell me about it," She huffed, shaking her head.
"Oohh, so that's what this is about," CJ realized with a wise nod.
"What what is about?"
"You being all weird about Rory. Why, because she didn't tell you?"
"I am not being weird about Rory," his mom denied with a shake of her head.
"Maybe she's just not ready to tell you yet. You know how weird you got when I first started dating Heather," CJ pointed out.
"I was not weird! I liked Heather, and I was totally cool about the two of you. I was as cool as a cucumber in a snowstorm," Lorelai defended with a pout, crossing her arms.
"Sure you were." CJ nodded. "That's why you interrogated her with twenty questions every time you saw her," he shot with a roll of his eyes. "You went all Carrie's mom on me."
She gasped dramatically, jaw dropped. "You take that back! How dare you compare me to Carrie's mom! When did I ever lock you in a closet?"
"Fine, you weren't that bad, but you were closing in on it."
"Maybe I was a tad overbearing and protective," Lorelai admitted, pointedly ignoring her son's disbelieving snort, "but you and Rory are everything to me."
"I know, Mom, we don't need to get all sappy."
Lorelai rolled her eyes playfully. "Alright, no sappiness. But seriously, Ceej, if Rory kissed Dean - in the market, no less - shouldn't you be, I don't know, at least a little curious or concerned? Where's that brotherly protectiveness?"
CJ shrugged, taking a gulp of his coffee. "I don't know. Rory's a big girl; she can handle herself."
"Huh." She pursed her lips and shrugged. "I guess I just expected you to have a bigger reaction."
"Dean seems like a good guy, Mom. If he seemed like a jerk, then I'd be legally obligated to either fight him or, I dunno, pay someone to fight him."
"Considering your fight record, I'd go with the paying option," his mom teased.
CJ winced at the reminder of his recent brawl. "Ouch, Mom. Low blow."
Lorelai grinned unapologetically. "Sorry, sorry. Too soon?"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "It's fine. I walked into that one."
Her grin widened. "Like you walked into Ezra's fist?" she asked with a laugh.
"Ha, ha," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "Could we not make my nose the punchline to every joke?"
His mom's grin was so big CJ was sure it had to be painful. "Oh, come on," she laughed, "punchline? Kid, the jokes just write themselves at this point."
CJ groaned dramatically. "Okay, okay, you win."
The bell over the door rang, and CJ and Lorelai turned to see Rory entering the diner, standing out amongst the other customers in her black and white pilgrim dress with the matching bonnet tied beneath her chin.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Rory said as she slid into her chair with a sheepish smile at their mother.
"Oh, hey," Mom greeted. "Save your apologies for the Indians, missy."
"People are really in a giving mood today; the Horn of Plenty is packed," Rory said brightly.
CJ had to bite his tongue in order to not make fun of her outfit. "That's awesome," he said instead, trying to catch his sister's eye. She just nodded at him, and he couldn't help the frown that followed.
"Do you want some coffee?" Mom asked her with a bright smile.
"Uh, no, I'll just have a sip of yours." Rory was already reaching over and grabbing their mom's mug. "I have to get back." She brought it to her lips and sipped from it carefully.
"Oh," Lorelai and CJ spoke in unison, matching frowns on their faces.
"I thought we were all having lunch today?" Mom added, causing Rory to shake her head.
"I can't," she said, simply. "We're one pilgrim short. I only have a couple minutes."
"Oh," Mom said again with a small frown. "You've been really busy lately."
"Yeah," Rory agreed with a nod. "I guess it's that end-of-the-year rush."
"We haven't even really talked in a couple of days."
"Tell me about it," CJ grumbled to himself before taking a deep drink of his coffee.
"What do you wanna talk about?" Rory asked.
"I don't know," Mom said coyly, an enticing smile on her face, "anything."
"How about the elephant in the room?" CJ piped in, bitterly, sending his sister a look.
"Hmm, did you hear something?" Rory asked their mom sarcastically.
"Come on, Rory, how long are you gonna give me the icy treatment? I'm freezing here!" CJ pleaded with her. "And I have a boo-boo nose, so you can't be mad at me anymore," he added with a playful pout.
Rory sighed, a deep frown on her face, as she toyed with the cuff of her pilgrim sleeve. "Just please don't lie to me again," she said lowly, sending CJ a pleading look.
CJ nodded quickly. "Never - I promise."
"Pinky promise," his sister ordered, and he nodded seriously. The twins stuck their pinkies out, hooking them together and bouncing their hands up and down in a legally binding pact.
"Oh, good, I was a day or so away from locking the two of you in a room to get you to make up," Lorelai said with relief, sending the twins a smile. "Now, back to what we were talking about," she added pointedly.
"Subtle," CJ retorted with a smirk.
She sent him a look before turning back to Rory. "So, I was watching General Hospital the other day -" Lorelai began, animatedly. CJ furrowed his eyebrows, exchanging a bewildered look with his twin. Where exactly was she going with this? "And, you know, they have the new Lucky 'cause the old Lucky went to go play something where he could have a real name, so, the old Lucky had this girlfriend Liz who thought that he died in a fire," she continue to ramble.
CJ and Rory exchanged exasperated looks, but continued to listen.
"Then they bring this new Lucky, and you're all like, 'Okay, I know that's not the old Lucky because the new Lucky has way more hair gel issues, but still, Liz was so upset about his supposed death that you could not wait to see them kiss, you know?" She finally finished, flashing a grin at Rory.
Rory tapped her arm, sending their mom a quizzical look, "When do you have time to watch General Hospital?"
"And why?" CJ added with a crinkled nose.
'"Not the point," she shot, sending CJ another look. "What do you think about the whole Liz-Lucky kissing thing?" Lorelai asked Rory, emphasizing the word kiss very pointedly again.
"I think you're a terrible interrogator," CJ muttered beneath his breath with a shake of his head.
"I think they're actors being paid to play a part, so it's nice that they're living up to their obligations," Rory replied with a smile, despite their mom's odd behavior.
"Hm," Mom said, sending Rory a more-serious look. "Rory. . ."
"Look, can we finish this very meaningful conversation later?" she interrupted. "I promised Lane I'd get right back."
"Okay," Mom agreed, though the tension in her voice was obvious to CJ. "I'll see you later."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye, Rory," CJ chimed in, sending her a quick wave as she left, the diner's bell ringing behind her.
CJ couldn't help the smirk that grew on his face once she was gone, turning to their mother with a small chuckle, "Well, that went well," he said sarcastically. "I really think you could get a job with the FBI."
Lorelai sent him a blank look.
He checked his watch. "I gotta go. Matt's expecting me."
"Tell him I said hi," Lorelai said warmly, despite her failed conversation with Rory.
"I will!" He quickly kissed his mom on the cheek before grabbing his skateboard from its spot against the neighboring wall. He jogged out of the diner, the doorbell ringing loudly above his head.
Skateboard hit pavement and CJ was on it instantly, his leg kicking out to push himself along. Gaining speed, the wind picked up and the sharp Autumn breeze began blowing through his hair.
Weaving in and out of Stars Hollow residents, CJ expertly made his way through the small town with ease.
A familiar voice calling out his name suddenly caught his attention.
"Oh, CJ, darling, look at you!" Miss Patty's boisterous tone greeted him as he stopped in front of her dance studio. "What happened to your face?" she asked with concern, her eyebrows furrowed as she took a drag of her cigarette, small puffs of smoke billowing into the air.
CJ sighed, his shoulders slumping as he chewed on his bottom lip. Miss Patty was the town gossip; once he told her what happened, it would be all around town within the hour. It was inevitable, however, and he figured he wanted the actual story out there rather than the crazy rumors he was sure were already circulating.
"I was just in a little hockey fight last night," he admitted with a shrug. "No big deal."
"A fight? That's unlike you, CJ, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, Patty, everything's fine, I promise," he assured her. "It was really no big deal."
"Well, make sure you ice that nose, darling, it looks terrible," she cooed. "And be careful on that board - those things can be death traps, you know."
"Got it, Patty, thanks," he smiled at her before pointing at his watch. "I should go - I'm running late, but I'll see ya around!" He quickly hopped back on his skateboard, eager to escape the conversation. Now everyone in town would know about his fight. His heart raced at the thought of everyone gossiping about him, of everyone knowing about his mistake.
He sighed heavily as he reached Matt's house on the edge of town, kicking his skateboard up into his hand as he crossed the lawn to Matt's window. He rapped twice on the glass, his and Matt's greeting, and waited.
CJ frowned as he picked up the muffled sounds of shouting and loud slams, before he heard Matt's bedroom door open and shut gently. CJ knocked again softly, chewing on his bottom lip.
Matt slid his window open carefully, wincing at the movement, and CJ's frown deepened as he took in Matt's appearance and demeanor. His clothes were wrinkled - an old t-shirt of CJ's and a pair of jeans - and his brown eyes had bags beneath them deep enough to rival CJ's.
"Hey, man," Matt greeted quietly, a small smile on his face as he met CJ's eyes.
"Hey. . ."
Matt sighed. He must've sensed something in CJ's tone, or saw the concern in his eyes. "Ceej, don't."
"I didn't even say anything!"
"You're thinking it!" Matt shot back. "I'm fine."
"But -"
"Stop it." He sighed heavily. "Let's just go play some hockey," he said, pointedly changing the subject.
CJ hesitated, his stomach churning with guilt. "Matt," he tried again.
"Do you have the sticks and the ball?" Matt asked. He began climbing out the window, and CJ side-stepped out of the way to let him through. His frown deepened as he watched Matt's shaky form, the way he winced as he maneuvered through the small space.
"Uh, they're at my house," CJ replied, distractedly.
"Cool, let's go," Matt said quickly, and CJ nodded reluctantly as he followed him.
"How's your nose?" Matt asked as he walked beside CJ's board.
CJ skated slowly beside him, chewing on his bottom lip harshly. "Uh, a bit better," he said, slowly. He pointedly changed the subject. "Hey, do you wanna see a movie tonight?"
Matt hesitated. "Uh, I can't," he said, quickly.
CJ frowned at him, landing a foot on the ground and halting his board to a stop. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I have plans," replied Matt, shuffling his feet awkwardly.
CJ's face contorted in confusion. "Plans?" he echoed, brows furrowed. "With who?" Matt's only other friends were the guys on the hockey team, and they would've (hopefully) invited CJ along.
Hesitating again, Matt fiddled with the sleeve of his shirt. "It doesn't matter. It's just a school thing." He shrugged.
"Then it's not a big deal to tell me," CJ countered, his grip tightening on his skateboard in annoyance.
Matt let out a deep huff. "Look, Ceej, it's nothing, alright? Leave it alone."
CJ rolled his eyes. "Okay," he spat, eyes narrowed at the ground darkly. He hated how Matt didn't trust him, not to talk about his home troubles, not to talk about his supposed plans. . .
That night called for another few pitiful hours of tossing and turning between his sheets, mind reeling about Matt, about the fight with Ezra, about his growing feelings for Marnie, before CJ finally gave up on sleep. He clambered out his window onto the roof, laying out to watch the sunrise. Streaks of pinks, yellows, and oranges filled the sky as it lightened, bringing on a new day. He chewed on his bottom lip as he took in the view, trying to push his ruminating thoughts away.
CJ practically slumped into his bowl of cereal afterwards, eyes lilting shut every few moments.
Lorelai stared at him as she sipped her coffee, eyeing his tired eyes and slumped shoulders with concern. It was only when CJ's head drooped and almost landed in his cereal did she say something.
"Uh, Ceej, you okay there, buddy?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed. "Did you sleep last night?"
CJ tried to shake the drowsiness away. "I'm fine, Mom. Just stayed up late. It's the weekend - sue me."
"I just don't want you drowning in your cereal bowl 's all," his mom shot back with a smile.
CJ chuckled weakly. "Funny," he said sarcastically. "You're a real comedic genius, Mom." He sobered as he attempted to wipe the exhaustion from his eyes. He'd already covered his eye bags with the usual concealer. "How'd the whole kiss thing go yesterday?" he asked, a twinge of amusement in his tone.
"Well, Rory and I had a very mature conversation about it, and yeah, I'm totally fine with it," Mom replied in a very convincing tone.
CJ snorted, but winced as his nose ached. It was still a mirage of purples and blues, but the swelling had thankfully begun to go down. "Sure you are."
Rory's door suddenly swung open as she entered the kitchen, but she froze in her tracks as she spotted her brother. "God, CJ, you look like crap."
"I just love hearing that every day," he snarked with mock enthusiasm. "You all really know how to boost a guy's confidence."
"Sorry, your nose is just so jarring," she admitted. "Does it still hurt?"
He shrugged. "Not much." He shoved a large spoonful of Cheerios into his mouth, milk dripping down his chin.
"It should start to look and feel better in a few days," Mom chimed in.
He swallowed harshly and wiped at his face with his shirt sleeve. "Thank God," sighed CJ, dramatically. "I can't stand all the stares and whispers much longer, and I am not looking forward to school." His heart beat faster at the thought of it, and he sucked in a sharp breath to steady himself.
"You can't blame them," Rory pointed out with a small smirk. "You look like you just got hit by Peter Brady's football."
CJ couldn't help the laugh he barked out. "I knew I was a total Marcia."
Lorelai smiled brightly at the twins before she sat up straighter, a lightbulb lighting up over her head. "Hey, how about a movie night tonight?" she suggested eagerly.
The twins grinned at each other before turning back to their mom. "Yeah, sounds good," they said in unison.
She let out a dramatic shudder. "But we're not renting The Shining. I see that enough as it is."
The twins rolled their eyes at the same time, and Lorelai chuckled at their synchronized reactions.
As CJ finished his cereal, his mind wandered to the upcoming movie night. It would give him a nice distraction from all the recent drama. Plus he'd finally able to spend some time with his mom and twin again, and any night that required excessive snacks was one CJ was ecstatic for.
That night the trio walked the cozy, lamplit streets of Stars Hollow to the market. As they approached the door, Rory fell back and stopped in her tracks. CJ and Lorelai glanced at one another before they stepped back with Rory, sending her curious looks.
"You know they're open, right?" CJ asked, jutting his thumb over his shoulder at the open sign in the window.
Rory sent him a blank look. "Yes, I know they're open," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Dean might be in there. He works some weekends."
"Okay, and?" CJ asked, raising a brow at his twin. "Are you avoiding him or something?" He let out a dramatic gasp. "Was your kiss so bad that he never wants to see you again?"
Their mom jumped in with a grin. "Or maybe it was so good that he's in there building a creepy shrine for her," she suggested.
"Ohh, interesting theory -"
"No!" Rory protested with a frown and a glare at her brother and mom. "It was a fine kiss! I mean, it was good, a - a good kiss!" she continued, fumbling over her words, a light pink blush growing on her cheeks.
CJ nodded, his lips quirking up with amusement. "So, why are you avoiding him?"
"I'm not avoiding him," she denied flatly. "It's you two I'm worried about."
"Aww, are you embarrassed by us?" Lorelai practically cooed.
"We could definitely be more embarrassing, I think," CJ suggested with a casual shrug.
Rory groaned. "Look, maybe we don't need anything from here," she tried, her eyebrows furrowed with worry. "I mean, we're ordering pizza."
Lorelai shook her head. "We can't watch Willy Wonka without candy," she insisted.
"Or chocolate milk. I'm pretty sure we can go to jail for that," added CJ with a serious nod. "Besides, if we don't get snacks I am prepared to complain about it all night."
Rory let out a defeated huff, crossing her arms over her chest, still rooted in the same spot on the sidewalk.
Their mom sighed, smiling encouragingly at her. "Rory, it's fine," she promised.
"It's too weird," Rory said softly, frowning deeply.
"I'm gonna have to meet him eventually," Lorelai pointed out.
"Okay, how about next year?" tried Rory.
"I am going to be so cool in there you will mistake me for Shaft."
"There will be no interrogations." Rory sent them both a stern look.
"Hey, I've already met him," said CJ, "and it went totally fine, so don't lump me in with her." He jutted his thumb toward their mom, widening his eyes. "I'm not the embarrassing one."
Their mom looked appalled, jaw dropped. "Says the kid who got his head stuck in a stair railing - twice."
"I was seven!"
"Could we focus, please?" Rory snapped with a frown. CJ sighed, knowing Rory could get tense like this when stressed.
"Rory, it'll be fine," he insisted. "We can totally be cool."
"No kissing noises, no calling him 'Dean-o', no stories from my childhood, no referring to Chicago as 'Chi town', no James Dean jokes, no Star Wars references -"
CJ interrupted, incredulous, "What? No Star Wars references? Are you trying to kill me?"
Ignoring his protest, Rory continued, "-no father with a shotgun stares, no Nancy Walker impressions-"
"Oh, come on," Lorelai interjected with a playful pout.
Rory turned to her with a pleading look. "Promise me," she urged, her tone serious.
"I really and truly promise," Mom said sincerely. "Now can we please go to the market?"
"I promise, too. Anything to get me my Hohos," CJ added.
Rory took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay," she agreed.
"Awesome, let's go," CJ hurried them along, his stomach practically growling as he thought of all the sugary snacks he was about to buy.
CJ snagged his own basket as they walked inside, being welcomed by a wave of warmth as they stepped through the door. The trio's eyes all strained for the tall teenaged bagger, but he was nowhere in sight.
"I don't see him."
"Alright, well, maybe he's on a break," suggested Lorelai as she grabbed her own basket off the rack.
"Yeah, yeah, maybe he's on a break," Rory agreed quickly as they walked toward the first aisle.
"Oooh, I see the Hohos," CJ exclaimed, distractedly. "I'll see you at the checkout," he said quickly before he ran off, Lorelai and Rory shaking their heads at him.
He quickly dropped a box of Hohos into his basket before taking in the rest of the shelves. Twizzlers were a must, M&Ms too, Oreos, Peanut Butter, Ice Cream (cookie dough, of course), chocolate milk, and KitKats to seal the deal.
KitKats teetering out of the basket, CJ walked carefully through the aisles back to the registers, meeting up with Rory and their mom in line. He dumped his basket out onto the conveyer belt, his gigantic pile of snacks combining with Lorelai and Rory's to fill the entire belt. CJ's mouth watered as he took in the colorful assortment of goodies, and he couldn't wait to get it all home so he could dig in.
He barely even noticed Dean was standing right beside them.
"Nice apron," their mom was saying to him, awkwardly.
"Thanks. . ."
"Oh, hey, man," CJ said finally, nodding at Dean.
"Hey, CJ, how are you?" He asked as he tossed their cookies into a paper bag.
"Good, uh, hungry obviously." He let out an awkward chuckle.
"Your total is $65.79," the cashier said after pressing a few buttons on the register.
"Oh, wow, it's expensive to slowly rot your insides," Lorelai remarked with a shake of her head as she pulled her wallet from her back pocket. The cashier nodded in agreement as Lorelai passed her the cash.
As Rory accepted the bags from Dean, smiling awkwardly at him, CJ tore open a package of KitKats. He quickly unwrapped a chocolate bar and shoved the entire thing in his mouth. Rory sent him a fierce glare as Dean turned around for a moment.
"So, Dean, nice meeting you," Mom said to him as she and CJ approached, CJ's mouth still full as he chewed.
"Yeah," Dean nodded before one of his coworkers tapped him on the shoulder and gestured for him to follow.
He sent them an apologetic look before he walked away.
"See, that wasn't so bad," Lorelai said to Rory with a smile.
"You're right," Rory agreed.
"I said nothing embarrassing, nothing stupid -"
"And I was totally cool - like usual," CJ butt in before digging into a second KitKat.
Rory crinkled her nose at him before sharing a glance with their mom. "Yeah, totally cool. . ." she replied, blankly.
CJ just shot her a glare, his mouth once again too full of chocolate to speak properly.
"Let's get out of here," Mom said, gesturing for Rory to lead the way. "Supermarket Slut."
CJ snorted, instantly regretting it as pain flared in his still-injured nose. "Walmart Whore," he added with a smirk after he recovered.
"Even a little information is dangerous in your hands," Rory said as they laughed at their own jokes.
They swung the door open and headed outside, the temperature drop causing a shiver to run down CJ's spine.
"I need coffee," Mom declared with a smile as they stood in front of the market.
"Mom, the video store closes in ten minutes," Rory reminded her with a stern look.
"As much as I love coffee, there's no movie night without the movie," CJ pointed out with a shrug.
"You two run to the video store, I'll go get coffee," Lorelai suggested, grabbing the grocery bags from Rory's hands. "Go, go, go; I'll meet you guys at Luke's."
Rory and CJ hurried off to the video store, renting Willy Wonka with only three minutes to spare. CJ hated that they were those customers, the kind who walked in five minutes before close, but they quickly secured the movie and left, the bell jingling over their heads. The cashier flipped the open sign to close as the door shut behind them.
"All right, let's get to Luke's before Mom sends a search party out," Rory said, clutching their plastic bag and shoving their receipt inside.
"Rory, wait," CJ said, tugging on his sister's arm.
She sent him a curious look, but stopped in her tracks. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to make sure we were good. Not, like, you say we're good, but secretly you're still upset with me, but really good," CJ rambled with furrowed brows.
His sister smiled warmly at him, "We're good, Ceej," she promised. "Really, really good."
"Really really really good?"
"Really really really really good."
"Really really really really really real -"
"Okay, we're about to be back in a fight if you don't stop."
"Noted."
The twins rounded the corner by Luke's a few moments later, spotting their mom standing further down the sidewalk.
"So?" Lorelai called out.
"Got it," replied Rory, holding the bag up in the air for her to see.
"Score," Mom cheered as she began walking beside them. "On the one hand, I'm glad it was in, but on the other, what kind of world do we live in where no one has rented Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?"
"A sad, sad world," said CJ somberly.
"Well, we rented it," Rory pointed out.
"Thank God for us," Mom said with a smile. She perked up suddenly, looking over at Rory with excitement. "Ooh, I invited your friend over to watch it with us," she added.
"What friend?" the twins asked curiously. Lane, Rory's best friend, popped to mind, but wouldn't their mom just say that?
"Dean," she said, casually.
Rory and CJ stopped in their tracks, and Rory's voice rose, "What?!"
"Ha, ha, that's a funny joke, Mom," CJ tried, shaking his head at her.
"It's not a joke," their mom confirmed, "I told him what we were doing tonight, and he was totally into it. So . . .why are you guys looking at me like that?" she trailed off. The twins wore matching expressions of disbelief.
"You invited Dean. . . ? to our house?" Rory asked dryly, still trying to process their mother's words.
"Yes . . .?"
"Are you crazy?!" shot Rory, narrowing her eyes at her.
"Why are you mad?" Mom asked.
CJ shook his head in disbelief as Rory turned to him. "You get it, right?"
He nodded quickly. "Mom, what were you thinking?" he asked. "That was a terrible idea."
"Thank you!" Rory shouted angrily, nodding at CJ. She turned back to their mom. "We haven't even been out on a date by ourselves yet. My first date with Dean is gonna be with my mother and my brother?" she asked, sounding more and more miserable as the reality set in.
Mom was cringing as Rory ranted. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I thought you would be happy."
"In what universe would I be happy?" Rory shot back, narrowing her eyes again.
"Bizzaro World," suggested CJ with a shrug. Rory sent him a glare, so he took a side step back from her.
"This isn't Amish country," Rory continued, sarcastically. "Boys and girls usually date alone."
"I didn't think of it as a date," Mom defended herself, shaking her head, "I thought of it more as a hanging-out session."
CJ snorted. "A hanging out session between three teenagers and a 30-something-year-old woman?"
Lorelai narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Are you calling me old?"
"I never said those words," he defended, putting up his hands in mock surrender. Then he shrugged casually, "but I definitely thought them."
"Meanie." Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him.
"I can't believe our first hanging-out session is gonna be with my mother," Rory complained with a deep frown. "It's bad enough my brother is gonna be there, but my mother?"
"Stop saying mother like that."
"Like what?"
"Like there's supposed to be another word after it," quipped Lorelai.
"I can't believe you did this," grumbled Rory in defeat, beginning to walk down the sidewalk again.
"Are you picking Dean up in your horse and buggy?" CJ asked with an amused smirk at his twin.
A slap hit his arm harshly, but CJ just let out a chuckle as he rubbed at the aching pain.
"Stop enjoying this," Rory warned her brother with a frown. "This is horrible!"
"Rory, you are totally overreacting!" Mom exclaimed in exasperation. "I invited him to a movie and pizza, not to Niagara Falls."
"He's the boy that I like!" Rory exclaimed with furrowed brows.
"I know! I tried to look for one that you hated, but it was really short notice."
"Now he's forced to come and sit with me and my brother and mother and eat crap and watch a movie?" she huffed harshly. "And have you ever seen CJ eat? Dean has no idea what he's in for."
"Hey," CJ complaint with a mock pout.
"Well, I just invited a friend of yours to hang out," Mom insisted. "What's the big deal? What if Lane had done it? Or Ceej?"
"You're not Lane or CJ, you're my mother," snapped Rory. "You inviting him over is like Grandma inviting a guy you liked over."
Their mom frowned. "You're comparing me to my mother?"
"No, I just - "
"I'm Emily Gilmore now? My, how the mighty have fallen."
"I mean, this wasn't your best parenting moment, Mom," CJ butt in, casually, with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I didn't mean that," Rory backpedaled.
"I wasn't trying to humiliate you," Mom added.
"I know."
"If I was Emily Gilmore, I'd be trying to humiliate you."
"I just -"
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Lorelai interrupted. "I screwed up."
"Majorly," CJ piped in.
Their mom sent him a look. "Really not helping here, kid."
"Wasn't trying to help," he shrugged. He dug through one of their grocery bags for another KitKat.
"Look, I'll go; I'll un-invite him," Lorelai suggested, moving to walk back to the market. "I'll tell him it's canceled on account of I just found out that I'm my mother, and I have to go into intensive therapy right now."
"No, you can't un-invite him," Rory said with an aggravated shake of her head. "He'll think I wigged out or something."
"So this isn't you wigging out?" asked CJ with a raised brow.
"I don't want him to know I'm wigging out," she snapped back at him.
"Well then, me and CJ'll just disappear and you guys can be alone," Mom suggested.
"Oh, and have it look like my mom arranged a date for me?" Rory asked with fake enthusiasm. "No!"
"What do we do?"
Rory pouted. "He has to come."
A heavy and tense silence followed as Lorelai and Rory frowned. A loud crunch suddenly broke the moment, and the girls turned to see CJ chewing another whole KitKat, licking a smear of chocolate off his thumb.
"If we run out of KitKats, you're grounded," Lorelai threatened, snatching the package of chocolate from him and stuffing it into one of her bags.
CJ narrowed his eyes at her playfully. "Hey, you didn't even pick KitKats out, so you have no right to them, and, furthermore -"
"Oh, stop it, we have bigger problems here!" Rory groaned, throwing her head back in annoyance. "Mom's trying to ruin my life."
"Yeah, she wasn't great with me and Heather either."
"That's right. She totally wigged out -" began Rory.
"- and went all Carrie's mom on me," CJ finished.
"Guys, come on, I did not wig out," Mom rolled her eyes. "Look, Rory, it won't be so bad, okay?" Mom promised with an encouraging smile. "Just pizza and a movie and hanging out. I promise you won't feel like your mother is there."
Rory pouted some more, shaking her head at the sidewalk before turning back to their mom. "Okay," she said unconvincingly, a forced smile on her face.
"Okay. . ." Mom replied, downtrodden.
"Well, happy movie night," CJ said blankly. A beat of silence encompassed them as the girls sent him matching unimpressed looks. In a flash, CJ snagged the plastic bag from his Mom and began running down the sidewalk. "See you at home!" he called back to them, ignoring his Mom's shouts.
"CJ, don't you dare eat all the KitKats!"
He'd already eaten 2 more by the time his mom and Rory walked inside. Lorelai snatched the bag from him, sticking her hand inside to rummage for the KitKats. CJ watched with an amused smirk as she let out a dramatic gasp. "There's only two left, you monster," she shot at him with a playful pout.
"I've gotta pregame before the movie." He shrugged.
"Go get dressed," Lorelai said with a roll of her eyes, swatting at his head lightly.
CJ ducked her hand with a chuckle before he clambered upstairs. He toed open his door and flicked the light on, his (mostly) tidied bedroom greeted him. Textbooks, paper, and pens scattered across his desk from where he'd been doing homework earlier, one of his Chilton uniforms was haphazardly thrown on the floor beside his hamper, but his bed was made with minimal wrinkles. He counted that as a win.
He crossed the room quickly, kicking the door shut as he went, and began pulling out his comfiest hoodie and sweatpants, a large green hoodie and baggy grey sweatpants that would leave room for all the food they'd bought. He was sure Rory was tearing through her entire wardrobe for something suitable to wear, and he couldn't help but be grateful he had no one to impress tonight.
The doorbell rang as CJ tugged on his Chewbacca slippers, but he figured one of the girls would grab it. He continued pulling them on, smiling as Chewie's fluffy face stared back at him.
"Uh, Ceej!" his mother's voice called upstairs uncertainly. "It's for you!"
His eyebrows furrowed, his mind reeling as he thought of who could be here to see him. If it was Matt, his mom would've said so. Maybe another guy from the Stars Hollow hockey team? He quickly flew down the stairs, meeting his Mom's smirking expression at the bottom.
"It's Marnie," she whispered to him as they crossed paths, and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
"What?" He whispered back, eyes widened comically.
"It's Marnie!" his mom repeated in a whisper shout.
"But - what? Why?"
Mom shrugged. "She didn't say, but when a pretty girl shows up at your doorstep you don't ask questions. Now go," she ordered, pushing him toward the front door.
He froze, heart racing in his chest as panic surged through him. Why was Marnie here? What did she want to talk about? Was she pissed with him for the fight? His thoughts continued to steamroll as his breathing picked up. He sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes to try and compose himself.
"You alright, Ceej?" his mom asked softly.
He opened his eyes quickly, trying to act normal. Lorelai wore a deep frown as she eyed him carefully.
"What's she doing here? Is this about the fight?" CJ worried.
"I don't know, kid, maybe. Why don't you go talk to her and find out before she freezes to death. . .?" She pointed out.
He nodded distractedly. "Right, right, you're right."
"I usually am."