Rory was at work in the bowling alley when Darren came to embarrass her. She rolled her eyes and finished with the customer who was paying for shoes.
"Dad please don't..."
"I just came to wish you a very merry Christmas," he grinned, handing her money for shoes.
"You're bowling by yourself?"
"No, with you. When's your next break?"
~~~
"...and so basically now I'm single."
Rory had just finished telling Darren about the phone conversation she had with Leo a few days ago. She adjusted her fingers in the bowling ball and stepped before launching it down the alley. Strike.
"Yes! How does it feel to get whooped by a seventeen year old?"
Darren chuckled, "Whatever. So, Leo called saying he needed a break."
She sighed, "I'm trying not to ponder over the heartbreak, dad."
"Sorry, it's just...You don't sound too messed up about it."
She raised an eyebrow, "What are you saying..."
"Nothing! I'm not saying you're weak or anything, I'm just worried. I thought I'd have tissues all over the house, soaked shirts and a battering charge when it came to your first break up."
Rory sat at one of the seats when Darren took his turn. "That's because it's not over."
"Oh, don't tell me you're one of those crazy exes," he teased.
"I'm not," she laughed, "I'm gonna get him back."
"How're you gonna do that?"
"Well..."
***
It was the next day when the Rivera family made there way into the Marks home for a Christmas dinner.
Rory, albeit sad, had a confident smirk on her face. Darren wanted her to wear a trench coat and Toni was confused as to why her daughter took three hours in the mall to come back with two scraps of cloth.
She wore a red sweater halter top and low cut jeans. She didn't think it was too revealing but enough to make a statement. Her jeans were tight and hugged her in the right places while her top did the same.
"Dad, stop it."
Darren smacked his lips every chance he got. "You look like you're about to go clubbing."
She scowled at him, "I already told you what was gonna happen. Can you just not comment on it for the next few hours?"
"Whatever," he grumbled and rang the door bell.
Liam answered the door with a small smile, making Toni nearly squeal. "My little marshmallow baby!"
Liam's eyes bugged out of his head when she squeezed his tight.
"Hi Toni."
"Hiiii!" She smiled excitedly.
"I can't breathe."
***
Rory and her little brother Micah made silly faces at each other throughout dinner. He sat across from her and every time she'd go to take a bite of her food he'd stick out his tongue or cross his eyes.
"Elena, get your brother," Rory teased.
Elena shook her head at her sibling before nudging the eldest one. "Immature, am I right?"
Joseph smacked his lips and nudged her back.
Toni and Darren enjoyed the scene while holding conversation with Luna and Jeremy. Liam was quiet as usual but Leo...Leo wasn't himself. Rory saw it and although she was worried she let her pride take over and debilitate her from acting on her concern. It most likely had something to do with their break up, now that she thought of it, and she definitely had no words to say about that.
She checked the watch on her wrist and made eye contact with her dad, letting him know to play along. "Dinner was good Luna," she smiled, wiping her mouth and setting the cloth on her empty plate.
"I'm glad," Luna replied, looking at her strangely, "You look liker you're heading off somewhere."
"Actually, I am." Everyone was looking at her now. They waited for her to give detail. Rory noticed and lightly laughed before adding on, "I have a date."
It was a choir of "What?" around the table given by the adults, Joseph and especially Leo.
"Leo, you didn't tell us you were taking Rory out tonight," Jeremy commented.
Rory raised her brow at the boy in question. He didn't tell his parents we were broken up?
"Leo didn't tell you? He broke up with me yesterday over the phone."
Toni sputtered out her drink along with Luna. "What!"
Joseph narrowed his eyes at Aurora before realization crossed his face and a smirk played on his lips. "And where exactly are you and the lucky guy heading off to?"
"Oh, you know," she smirked back, "that pier down off the boardwalk."
"Hook-Up Peak?" Elena wondered aloud. Darren nearly growled, "And how do you know that?" The young girl held her hands up, "I've heard stories."
Rory glanced over at Leo who just stared at her with his mouth gaped and his eyes glistening. She rolled her eyes. Yep, she was being petty.
Jeremy, Luna and Toni looked uncomfortable while the conversation went on.
"So you're just gonna go to that--kids cover your ears--cum infested pier with a guy you barely know?" Joseph asked.
Rory sighed and stood up, her chair scraping the floor as it slid back. "I barely know a lot of people."
She directed that towards Leo and took a last look at him before leaving out of the dinning room.
"What did you do?" Luna asked Leo.
"Nothing. I..." He felt ashamed and really stupid. He knew he made a mistake but he didn't know any other way to tell her. He was stressed out and just really needed to focus on his schooling. At the same time, he's been through this stress before and Rory understood, she even wished him luck and encouraged him. "I didn't mean it..."
Darren scoffed at the same time Toni practically screeched, "Well go tell her that!"
"Uh...Yeah," he stammered, setting his fork down and getting out of his seat, "Yeah."
Rory was halfway to her car when she heard the house door open behind her and her name being shouted. She sported a small smirk before sighing to cover it up and turning around. "What?" she snapped.
"Are you seriously about to go hook up with some random guy at that pier?" Leo rushed to be close to her, a helpless expression marring his features.
Rory crossed her arms and twisted her mouth, "Don't stand near me."
"What?" he breathily replied.
"I didn't stutter." She held up her key fob and pressed the 'unlock' button.
"Wait," he desperately said, reaching out to grab her wrist.
"For what, Leo? Wait for what?"
"Look. . ." he nervously ran his hands through his hair. "I didn't. . .I didn't mean it."
Rory's pursed her lips as she picked at her fingernails. "Didn't mean to break up with me?"
"No. I mean yeah. I didn't mean to break up with you. I've just had a lot on my mind and I thought that that was the answer but it isn't."
She already knew all that but she just really wanted an explanation. She needed to hear him apologize and mean it. "Did you think about what I said?"
He nodded and casted his eyes to the ground. "Yeah, I did. I'm really sorry, Rors. I wasn't thinking straight but. . . I love you and I can't just separate myself from you like that. I'm not made that way. At the time I didn't think and I feel really stupid right now," he lightly chuckled, trying to find the sliver of humor in the situation.
Rory lightly smiled but quickly hid it, replacing it with a frown. "And who's to say I don't accept that apology or that I don't want to be with you anymore?"
He bit at his lip and finally looked her in the eyes. "Rory. . ."
She shrugged nonchalantly, "But I do so. . .What are you gonna do, am I right?"
"Wait, what?"
"Are you gonna kiss me or what?"
"Huh?"
Rory smirked and stepped toward him, took his face between her hands and placed a sweet kiss on his lips. "I'm still a bit mad at you," she whispered against his juicy bottom lip. "But I love you and we can talk through this, okay? I'll see you inside, sexy."
Rory walked around him and headed towards the door as he just stood there shocked. She couldn't help but laugh when she heard him mumble "Okay." and scratch at his head.
They're so young and in love they don't even know how to handle it.
I think the next Extra should be a trip in time to see how Kelsey and Dominic met (Toni's parents).
Happy Holidays
Appreciate every single one of you