✧✧✧
KYLE GIBSON HAD a very, very, very large crush on Marley Acosta and everybody but Jacob Acosta seemed to know it. This was good news for Kyle, as having a thing for his friend's sister wasn't exactly the most idealistic for him or his wellbeing. Kyle vaguely remembered one of Jacob's teammates making a joke about the possibility of screwing his sister. The kid had been tackled so hard during practice that he had to sit out for the rest of it.
However, this meant that Marley was well aware of her brother's friend's thing for her. While she thought Kyle was sweet, there was absolutely nothing about him that compelled her to pursue him. It made Marley feel guilty in the worst way. That guilt followed her wherever Kyle was.
Kyle just so happened to be in the diner with Jacob. Marley felt guilty. Jess thought that Christmas had come early.
"Loverboy asked for a refill," Jess said to her, rounding the counter as Marley checked out a customer for takeout.
"You do it," she replied.
Jess sucked his teeth. "No can do. He asked specifically for you."
Marley handed the money to the woman in front of her, smiling warmly. The smile immediately disappeared as she turned to Jess. "No, he didn't. Stop being a dick."
"You think he writes about you in his diary?"
"Oh, stop."
"Twenty bucks that whenever he writes your name, he puts a heart next to it."
"Does it ever get exhausting being the worst person alive?" Marley asked Jess as she filled a cup with what Kyle had been drinking.
The smile on Jess' face never left. "You really hate this, don't you?"
Marley glared at him. "What exactly gave it away?"
"I can't tell you how good it feels to not be on the receiving end of this."
"Your ass will be on the receiving end of my foot if you don't get out of my way."
Jess' expression didn't change, but he moved to the side. Marley scowled at him as she passed. She didn't know why this made her so uncomfortable. She couldn't describe it. Kyle was a nice boy. He wasn't a threat, or anything. He just liked her.
She placed the drink on the table, sending a smile to her brother and Kyle. "You guys need anything else?"
"I need you to convince Mom to let me go to Kyle's party on Saturday," Jacob said through a mouthful of hamburger.
Marley looked at Kyle with raised brows. "You're throwing a party?"
Kyle gave her a shy sort of smile. "Y-yeah. My parents are going to Marriage Encounter this weekend. Thought I'd throw at least one rager before I graduate."
"Sounds fun," Marley told him, nodding. She looked at Jacob. "Why do you need me to convince Mom?"
"Because you would argue with the wall and win. That and I'm grounded for staying out past my curfew last week," he said.
Kyle jumped in. "You should come too." Marley looked at him, surprised. He shrugged. "If you were going, it might be easier to convince her."
Jacob seemed to consider this. He looked at his sister. "That's not a bad idea. You never go out. I can tell Mom that it'd be better for your safety if I were there."
"Because it's a known fact that all of Stars Hollow's gangs are run out of Kyle's house," Marley deadpanned.
"Marley, please," Jacob said. "Just try it."
Marley sighed, glancing at Kyle. "Can I bring Courtney?"
"Definitely," Kyle said.
She threw up her hands and glanced at her brother. "Fine. You owe me."
Jacob stood up from his chair cheering, wrapping his arms around Marley, rocking her back and forth. Marley groaned as he messed up her hair, pushing him away from her. Jacob chuckled and released her, pecking her forehead. "I'll let you have the car whenever you want next week."
"I'm holding you to that," she said, pointing at him. Jacob grinned at her one last time before Marley turned around. She grabbed the dirty dishes on the table behind her, ignoring Jess' inquisitive look as she brought them to the back.
Jess followed her to the sink. "Did he propose?"
Marley wiped her hands on her rag, an turning to him with an unamused expression. "He did, actually. Our wedding's at the end of June," she said. "We're sending out invitations tomorrow."
"Am I getting one?"
"You've been making fun of my fiancé for an hour straight and you expect me to invite you to my wedding?"
"Damn. I have a salad spinner I need to get rid of."
Marley snorted, glancing over at Kyle and Jacob through the order window. "Jacob's grounded and is forcing me to go to Kyle's party. He thinks my mom will let him go if I'm there."
"I think you'll be seeing me there," he said.
"You're going to Kyle's party? You do realize Dean's definitely going to be there, right?"
Jess sighed. "Wasn't my idea. Lane's band is playing and Rory wants to go."
"Look at you, being a good boyfriend and stuff," Marley cooed, grinning at Jess as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Each day you get a step closer to that Nicholas Sparks guy we all want you to be."
"Shut up."
"You still taking her to prom?"
Jess paused and sighed once more. "Yes."
"Two steps forward, Mariano."
"Will I go two steps back if I end this conversation right here and go confess your undying love to your fiancé?"
Marley shook her head. "Absolutely not. He's my fiancé and he knows how much I love him." Jess chuckled as she left the kitchen (a little too quickly to be casual, he decided), following a moment after when Caesar placed an order on the window.
For a moment, things were normal. Everything seemed to be going the way it was supposed to. It seemed they were resting in the eye of the hurricane, a calm that appeared to be final after everything that had happened over this past year and a half. Perhaps they'd stayed in the eye for too long and had forgotten what that there had been a storm at all.
Because that's the thing about a hurricane. There's always more storm after the eye.
✧
JACOB ACOSTA HAD last seen his sister an hour ago. Though he knew Marley could take care of herself and he trusted her to do it, he still felt the need to keep an eye on her. He didn't let his intoxicated state affect his slightly too overprotective nature.
The party was loud, even without Lane Kim's band playing in the living room. The band was going on in thirty minutes and Jacob had stepped away from his friend's game of beer pong. Ignoring the complaints from his friends, he was now maneuvering through his classmates and friends in search of Marley. Or Courtney. He knew she couldn't be far if she had found just Courtney.
However, when he found Courtney sitting on the couch with Todd Behnken with Marley nowhere to be found, he started to get a little worried. Courtney looked at Jacob in confusion when she saw him standing before her. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Have you seen Marley?"
Courtney shook her head, eyes scanning the party. "She was looking for Jess the last time I saw her. That was like a half an hour ago," she replied. "He's with Rory. Best bet is that she's with him."
Jacob nodded, sighing heavily. "Okay. Thanks, Courtney."
"Jacob," she called out as he went to leave. Jacob turned to face her. "Ryan's here."
He swallowed and felt his entire body tense up. "Does she know?"
"She had to hold me back from him when we walked in."
"Great," Jacob muttered. He sent one more 'thank you' her way and left Courtney to do whenever she was doing with Todd.
Find Marley. Or Jess. Don't start a fight with Ryan Moreau.
He was able to cross one name off the mental checklist he'd created as he found Jess and Rory standing by the band. Rory was the first to see him, sending a smile in his direction. Though she did look a bit confused and hesitant (probably because he was Dean's friend and hadn't spoken to her since the two had broken up), it didn't compare to the look on Jess' face as Jacob approached them.
He said 'hey' to Rory quickly, then turned to Jess. "Do you know where Marley is?" he asked.
Jess' brow drew further downward. "She was here a little while ago," Jess said. "She left to go get a drink. Haven't seen her since."
"Is everything okay?" Rory asked.
Jacob nodded absentmindedly, cursing under his breath. He kept looking around the room, panicking a little bit more now. Jess narrowed his eyes. He knew this look. It was scary how much the Acostas looked like when they were worried. "What's wrong?"
Jacob looked at him. "Moreau's here."
Jess had a similar reaction to Jacob's when Courtney had told him. He removed his hand from Rory's, his jaw set. "You don't think—"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "But, I don't trust him when he's drunk."
Jess glanced at Rory, giving her a small smile. "I'll be right back," he told her, leaving before she had any time to question it. Jacob nodded to Rory in assurance, seeing how worried she'd gotten.
Jacob caught up to Jess and the two of them began to push their way through the crowded halls. "When was the last time you saw her?" Jess asked.
"About an hour ago."
"You ask Courtney?"
Jacob nodded, beginning to go upstairs. "She said she saw her just before you did." He opened the first door, seeing an empty bedroom. "I'm sure everything's okay, I just—"
"You don't trust Moreau," Jess finished for him, closing the door diagonal from Jacob. "You shouldn't. He's a piece of shit."
"Something we both can agree on," Jacob said. As Jess exited the last room upstairs, Jacob observed the look on his face. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that he was buzzed or if it was his genuine curiosity talking, but Jacob squinted at him and asked, "Were you the one that punched him?"
Jess scoffed but didn't deny the claim either. "We should look outside," he replied instead. Jacob huffed a laugh, following Jess down the stairs. When Jess heard it, he turned to him. "What?"
"Nothing," he said. Jacob moved past him to get to the door that led outside. He opened it, walking down the outside stairs and glancing over to Jess once he had finally fallen into step with him. "You actually care about her, don't you?"
Jess was quiet for a long while. At first, Jacob didn't think he was going to answer. But as Jess thought about it, about who he was talking to, about the situation, about the truth, he sighed, long and heavy.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I do."
Jacob didn't say anything. Jess didn't want him to. They both seemed okay with how natural the acceptance felt and their (now confirmed) concern for Marley.
After about five minutes of silent searching, they found Marley sitting on the floor of Kyle's back porch. Both Jess and Jacob breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Ryan nowhere in sight. However, upon closer inspection, they saw that Marley was drunker than Jacob had ever seen her. Marley didn't get drunk. That wasn't her thing.
When she saw her brother and Jess walk up the stairs, she gasped. "Are you guys actually hanging out?" she asked, looking at them with wide eyes. "How drunk am I?"
"We were looking for you," Jacob said. "We just wanted to make sure you were alright."
Marley grinned. "Oh, I'm fantastic," she slurred. "Why didn't you guys push me to drink like this sooner?"
"Because you can't hold your alcohol," Jacob replied. He neared his sister, ignoring her arguments that she, in fact, could, crouching down to her level. "God, kid, how much did you drink?"
She took a second to think. When she couldn't come up with a number, she shrugged."Lots. It was for a good reason, though."
"What was that?"
She pointed lazily through the glass sliding door and into the party. "Ryan's in there. He's been bothering me all night." She chuckled, bringing her cup to her lips. "It's easier like this."
Jacob sighed, turning his head to look at Jess. Jess uncrossed his arms from his chest. "Do you want me to go in there?" he asked.
Jacob looked returned his gaze to Marley. He shut his eyes as he looked at his sister, unable to keep from feeling like this was his fault. "No," he told Jess. Marley's eyes were glassy but the smile on her face remained. She wouldn't be feeling like this in the morning. "I've got to get her home."
"No!" Marley whined, putting her cup down. "I'm fine. I swear." She looked at Jess, sloppily saluting to him. "Scout's Honor."
"That means nothing to me and you know it," Jess said.
Jacob stood up, holding his hand out to his sister. Marley grabbed it and wobbled slightly as she got to her feet. "If you can walk in a straight line to Jess, I'll let you stay."
Marley scoffed and waved him off. "Easy." This proved to less simple as Marley had said, as she found herself stumbling out of line and falling into Jess. He held his arms out to steady her, the stern look he was wearing contrasting Marley's giggles. She put her hand over her mouth and turned to Jacob. "Okay, maybe I do need to go home."
"God, mom's going to kill us," Jacob said under his breath.
"You," she replied. "She's going to kill you. She wouldn't kill me. She likes me better."
Jess bit the inside of his cheek. He glanced at Jacob, then Marley. "What time is your mom off her shift?"
Jacob looked at his watch. "An hour, maybe? I think I'll be able to run her back in time. I told Kyle I'd help set up the band's audio stuff."
"If Jacob could be in a band he would," Marley whispered to Jess. "He's a roadie. Knows way too much about that shit. I didn't tell you that though."
Jess disregarded her comment, turning to Jacob. "Go," he said to him, "help set up. I can take her back."
Jacob didn't try to hide the shock in his expression. "Seriously?" he asked. "I can't ask you to do that. She's my responsibility right now."
"I can make her my responsibility for a half-an-hour, it's not that big of a deal."
Jacob glanced inside. "Do you even know where we live?"
"Through the woods, by the lake, right?" Jacob's brows rose to his forehead. "I remember things," Jess explained. He nodded toward the door. "I got her. Go."
A sigh left Jacob's lips. He stayed stationary for a moment, hesitance washing over him. He looked at Jess, then looked at his sister, who was very close to leaning completely on Jess.
He'd admitted to caring about Marley. It was a true and honest confession. Jacob didn't particularly like Jess, but after seeing how he began to search for Marley without a question or any delay, and how he'd looked at her when they found her, there was something that told him he could trust Jess.
He could trust him.
"Fine," Jacob said, nodding. "We're sixteen Longwood Drive. Small white house with a red door." He sent one last look to Marley, going to walk inside. Before he disappeared, glanced back at Jess. "Make sure she's okay."
Jess gave him a tight-lipped smile but said nothing. He simply nodded, taking Marley by the arm and guiding her down the porch stairs.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
Jess let go of her arm once they were on the grass, making sure to keep a watchful eye as she walked. "You're going home."
"And you're not?" She turned to him with a pout. "That's not fair."
He shook his head. "Trust me, Acosta. I would kill to be home right now."
It was the truth. After receiving the news about his inability to graduate this morning, Jess wanted nothing less than to be at a party with a whole bunch of people he didn't like. And any chance he could postpone telling Rory that he wouldn't be able to take her to prom he would take.
"Yeah, but you're already a killjoy to begin with. I like parties."
"Is arguing with drunk you going to be as exhausting as arguing with sober you?"
Marley gave him a wide smile. "Probably. But it'll be as exciting as arguing with sober me," she replied. Jess caught her by her arm as she tipped to the side. "See? Exciting."
Jess didn't respond. He led her around the corner and down the hill where he saw the lake he had gotten to know pretty well. After Marley insisted on trying to swim in the water, he moved behind Marley to hold her arms to her sides and push her forward, ignoring her protests as they crossed the bridge.
The woods behind Marley's house proved to be a challenge. It wasn't easy for Jess to maneuver Marley over bushes and sticks and the fact that she was drunk didn't help at all. When he'd tried to be assertive to her and tell her to 'cut it out', Marley only laughed.
Jess felt the urge to go to Ryan Moreau's again, simply seeing Marley in this state.
This urge only grew as he attempted to get Marley to bed. He brought her into the room she said was hers, full of pictures, academic awards, CD cases, and books. Jess chuckled as he watched her flop onto her bed, the smile growing slightly fonder as he glanced down at her desk that had the notebook she'd shared with him on it.
"Why does Ryan hate me?" she suddenly asked, her voice slightly muffled by the pillow in her face. Jess looked at her as she picked her head up and moved to her side. "He was so mean to me tonight. I know he was drunk, but I don't really feel like that's an okay excuse."
"It's not," Jess said. "He's not a good guy. He has no reason to hate you. No valid one, at least."
"That doesn't make it suck any less," she mumbled, snuggling up to the pillow beneath her head.
Jess chuckled softly, a smile coming to his lips. "Do you want me to go talk to him about it?"
Marley shook her head, blinking lazily at him. Her smile matched his. "You don't have to," she said. "My friend Jess already punched him once. I think that's enough."
Jess would have been lying if he said his stomach didn't drop once he heard Marley's words. "Your friend Jess?"
"Yeah, my friend Jess," she repeated. "He came to town, like, two years ago. He's kind of an asshole at first, but he's a pretty good guy once you get to know him. He a good writer. He's really smart too. I don't know where he's going to go after he graduates, but I know I'll miss him." Jess was so floored by what she'd said that he almost missed her looking at him with wide eyes. "Don't tell him I told you that, though. He'd tease me about it forever."
Jess was silent. He didn't know what to say. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour. Marley hadn't ever called him her friend. Jess couldn't remember the last time that anybody had called him their friend. Of course, their friendship had been implied, but neither of them had actually said it out loud.
Then again, Jess had told Jacob he cared about Marley less than an hour ago. Maybe tonight was a night for confessions.
Before Jess could say anything in response to that, he heard Marley's heavy breathing and knew she was asleep. He sighed, standing up and moving her on her side, tilting her head up, bringing one arm out to her side and the other hand locked on top of her arm.
He turned her desk lamp on, the dim light illuminating her room. He walked out of her room slowly and closed the door halfway behind him. He sent her one last glance before walking down the hall and into the kitchen to get to the door.
"You're Jess, aren't you?"
Jess froze in his spot, turning the direction the voice had come from. He saw a woman standing in scrubs, unpacking her bag. This was Marley's mom. He cursed himself for not hearing her come in.
"Uh, yeah," he said, wiping his hands on his jeans.
"Can I ask what you're doing in my house, Jess?" she asked. Jess was taken back by how much she spoke and sounded like Marley.
"I, uh—" He looked down the hall. There was no lying about this. He couldn't lie in front of her mom. There was something inside of him that just couldn't seem to let himself do that. Jess rubbed at his arm. "I was at the party with Marley. She drank a little too much."
Her brows shot up. "So you took her home?"
"I volunteered."
"You volunteered?"
"Jacob said he was going to, but he had to help the band set up their audio. So... I volunteered." Jess couldn't put into words how awkward he felt at this moment. He wasn't usually very good with parents.
She gave him a nod. "You put her on her side?"
"What?" Jess asked, taken back by the question.
"If she's asleep, she should be on her side."
Jess nodded. "Yeah, I did. Recovery position, right?"
She seemed surprised by this. A small smile came to her face. "How do you know about that?"
Jess rocked back on his heels, not completely comfortable sharing the reason he knew with a stranger. "I've had some experience," he said simply.
Marley's mom nodded again, crossing her arms over her chest. She was quiet for a minute, then laughed. "I heard you were the one who knocked the daylights out of Ryan Moreau."
Jess swallowed, but let a smile slip onto his face at the way she was looking at him. She wasn't mad about it. Jess couldn't say he was either. "Just like I told Marley, I don't know what you're talking about, ma'am."
"Oh, wow. Don't call me ma'am," she said, shaking her head. "Maria's fine. Miss Reyes if you want to be formal." She rounded the counter in the kitchen, going to look down the hall. "Was Ryan there tonight?"
"Unfortunately."
"Shame he wasn't punched again."
Jess chuckled. "I think Jacob might do it by the end of the night."
"I might just unground him if he does that," she said. Jess laughed again, looking down the hall once more. Maria glanced up at the boy beside her, a small smile growing on her lips. "I'm not going to torture you anymore, Jess. Go back to the party and have fun."
Jess raised his brows, moving backward. "I'll try," he told her. "Can you tell her to call me in the morning?"
"Sure thing," Maria replied, her smile becoming more knowing. "Stay out of trouble," she told him, earning a nod in reply.
It would be evident in the morning that Jess did not listen to Marley's mother's advice, as the final part of the storm washed over Stars Hollow, each person left to deal with the rubble.
✧✧✧
author's note: it's been a hot second but i'm happy to be back and i loved writing this chapter
we (and jess) finally met marley's mom and i'm excited about it
also i got a message saying that they were missing the notes between jess and marley and there's a reason for the lack of them ! them and their symbolism with be coming back soon i swear
alright i hope you guys thought this was decent i love u all tons thank you so much for reading y'all are the best byeeeee
-mags