𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄. . .
❝ Gorgeous, stunning, honestly Dali has nothing on you.❞
CHARLIE AND JESS stood off to the side as Loui Danes' coffin was lowered into the ground. It had been that way for about a week now, where Charlie wasn't found without Jess and it was a rarity for the girl to even give her two cents.
"That ain't me, is it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What Taylor said about me being like Louie. A loner, never being married and stuff. I mean, I am getting crankier as I get older."
"You're not a loner," Charlie sighed, sidling up to the man. Luke hid his surprise as she leaned her head on his shoulder, "You have that whole other life, remember?"
Luke gave a sarcastic laugh.
"I know it doesn't mean much," Charlie spoke softly, under her mother's curious gaze, "But we're two peas in a pod. That's not something that goes away very easily."
"No," Luke smiled, "It's not."
Charlie glanced at Jess, who'd actually put effort into his outfit. Or, Charlie had put effort into making sure Jess wore a button-up and actually tucked it in. The boy tapped his watch, making her roll her eyes lightly.
"We have to go."
"What happened to two peas in a pod?"
"You aren't dead yet!" Charlie and Jess were already hurrying away from the graveyard, "I can still be mean until then!"
⌁
Luke's Diner was bustling with dark-clothed people who'd brought homemade food. Everyone was chatting happily, it was one of the rare moments that the townspeople felt more like family than anything else.
Charlie and Jess were happily piling food onto their plates, the latter questioning how she managed to balance so much on such a small plate.
"It's one of my many talents."
"Like a Picasso of mac 'n' cheese?"
"I appreciate you using a well-known artist."
"I mean, if you're going to do it you've gotta go big."
"Nice spread." Charlie didn't even turn at the sound of Rory's voice, all too concerned with balancing a roll on the side of her plate. "You did a good thing."
Jess looked between the twins, for a moment not knowing what to do. But when Rory didn't budge and neither did Charlie, he decided to hurry the interaction on.
"What do you mean?"
"Thought my mom set this up. Turns out he didn't."
"So? Wasn't me."
"It wasn't?"
"No, no way."
Charlie finally turned, having finished her masterpiece of a plate. Rory met her sister's eyes, though whilst the younger's were full of hope, Charlie's were full of annoyance.
"It was Patty's idea. We helped because normal people do nice things for others they care about." Charlie gave a sarcastic smile before walking over to where Luke was standing, leaving Jess in Rory's company.
"She's really mad at me, huh?"
"Mad doesn't even begin to describe it," Jess mumbled, inspecting Rory from the corner of his eye, "Just 'cause I don't show it the same doesn't mean I'm happy with you."
"I know."
"It didn't just affect Charlie."
"I know."
"You have to let her be happy." Jess sighed, grabbing his plate and following after his girl.
Rory watched Charlie's face light up as Jess bumped her elbow with his, her posture seemed to relax and it almost looked like the girl had just gotten home.
"I know."
⌁
"Would you like to come up here and do it yourself?"
"No, I like bossing you around from the ground."
Luke had given Jess the task of writing the new special on the chalkboard in the diner. Of course, Jess climbing onto a chair had distracted Charlie from her normal opening rituals and now the girl was watching him focus on the lines.
"That's—"
"Angel, as much as I love hearing your voice—"
"Got it," Charlie laughed, turning to start the coffee. It was silent, relatively early and Luke had gone upstairs to find another flannel after Charlie managed to knock into him just as he was setting down a coffee pot.
She simply told him the stain was barely noticeable, and the scent built character. It was an occupational hazard, getting stains, but Luke claimed he liked to start the day with no character.
Charlie had also assumed it'd take him no longer than five minutes, she swore all he owned was flannels.
They were going on 15 minutes.
"Alright, how does that look?"
"Gorgeous, stunning, honestly Dali has nothing on you."
"You're very sarcastic in the morning."
"I'm also half-asleep this morning," Charlie sighed, turning around just as Jess stepped down from the chair.
"I could help with that."
"Gonna make me a cup of coffee?"
"In a minute."
Charlie grinned as Jess brought his lips to hers. As foolish as it sounded, kissing Jess Mariano got better every single time it happened. His lips always tasted of mint and for those moments, she was engulfed in a cloud of his cologne one could only smell when this close.
It had been nearly a month since their first kiss and Charlie couldn't help when her mind wandered. What exactly was this? More than friendship, that much was obvious, but no title. No relationship, holding hands, they were still best friends.
Nothing could change that.
But now there were stolen kisses and flirty meanings behind every joke, and while Charlie loved it, she hated not knowing. Not that she needed the title, she'd had odd relationships before and not once had she been referred to as someone's girlfriend, but the girl was just tired of being in the dark.
"I go upstairs for five minutes—!"
Charlie's lips left Jess' in record time. She had hardly paid attention, they were entangled in each other in a matter of seconds and it was their pure luck that Luke would find them like that.
"It was more like twenty."
"Jess—"
"Sorry," Charlie spoke up meekly, her cheeks hot as Luke turned to her, "We're getting back to work, no need to tell us twice."
"I. . . just. . ." Luke struggled for words, his hands bending his baseball cap bill before speaking, despite the teens having already found interest in other things. "Just don't do anything stupid."
"Luke!"
"I had to say it!"
"You really didn't."
"I don't like it any more than you do."
"I think it's pretty amusing," Charlie rocked on her heels, her hands shoved in her back pockets. Both Jess and Luke gave her small glares, "I take it back."
"Just get to work."
"Aye aye captain."
"You can never win with her, can you?" Jess questioned, watching Charlie melt into a flurry.
"She is a Gilmore." Luke huffed.
"So I've noticed."
"Okay, I think I did this wrong!" Charlie sheepishly called, poking her head from the small kitchen. She saw Luke's eyes flare up in a panic, "Hey, it's only the sink!"
"How did you manage—"
"Do you really want to ask that?" Charlie questioned, Luke thought it over and shook his head, passing her into the kitchen.
"What'd you do?"
"Something he'll figure out in five minutes." Charlie shrugged with a small smile, realization washed over Jess' face. The boy didn't hesitate to walk over to her, hands resting on her waist. "You're a bad influence."
"And you're a good one."
"So this works out?"
"Completely."
"Four minutes."
"Say no more."
( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
New act for a new vibe!