Chapter 11

"Wow,"Melanie whispered.

"I know."

"I mean…it just…"

"Doesn't seem real?"

Melanie shook her head as she curled up on the couch, blowing on her coffee. They had the day off for the election, when Haverport High's cafeteria was transformed with voting booths and an absurd number of red, white, and blue flags. Rory could already picture Mr. Clark and his gleaming nightmare-ish smile standing outside of the school, greeting the townies as they exercised their right.

Voting apparently made people hungry though, which meant Haverport Diner was packed and Rory was left with an empty house. Melanie came over as soon as she poured her first cup of coffee, and she'd listened to every little detail about Jay.

"I'm not going to lie…I'm in a bit of shock," Melanie admitted. "I mean, this feels like it came out of nowhere."

She shrugged. "He told me he didn't realize what he was missing until he left."

"Yeah, but still, that feels like such a huge jump," Melanie responded. "So are you guys, like, officially dating now?"

Her heart twisted. It was a huge jump, and they didn't have any kind of conversation defining what they meant to each other before Jay drove back to campus. But when he called her later that night, she couldn't find the courage to ask.

"No, we're just…seeing each other, I guess."

Melanie's eyebrows furrowed. "And you're okay with that?"

"For right now, yes," Rory lied. Well, it felt like a half-lie. While she wanted Jay to claim her in that way, she was nervous about what that would mean. "I still don't know what's going on with me next year, and I probably shouldn't hop into some kind of long-distance relationship."

Melanie's eyes went wide like a doe. "Long-distance? Are you planning on moving far?"

"I—" Rory thought about it for a moment. The idea of moving away made her nauseous. Could she actually stomach going away to college?

"Because if you are, we need to discuss. How far do I need to force Calvin to drive so I can see you?"

"Maybe I just won't move then," Rory blurted. "Maybe I'll stay here."

Melanie leaned in, eyes sparkling. "Don't tease me like that."

"Says the girl thinking about going to Yale," she pointed out.

"Yeah, we'll see," Melanie mumbled, taking a sip of her coffee.

Rory's phone dinged. She grabbed it, wondering if it was Jay—who, she found out, tended to sleep in late each morning—but realized it was Gabi.

Looks like they double booked at Wilson's tonight, so I'm off the hook! Takeout and Disney?

She sighed. It was an enticing bribe. But she hadn't spoken to Gabi since the weekend, and she wasn't in the mood to do so now. Not when her mind was preoccupied with Jay. Her skin tingled as she thought about his hands on her.

She closed her phone, looking up at her friend. "Wanna go to the movies tonight?"

"Haverport Cinemas? You know, I actually haven't been there yet."

She frowned. "Calvin seriously hasn't taken you to the movies? I told you he's slacking."

"Let's just say we've been busy," Melanie said with a smirk, taking another convenient sip of her coffee.

"Gross."

"Even more gross than you sucking face with JAY?!"

She hit her with a pillow, causing some of the coffee in her mug to splash onto the rug as they fell into a fit of giggles.

"Consider a night out at the movies your extended education of Haverport," she said when they settled into the couch. "Tickets on me."

* * *

They stoodin line at the cinema, purses stuffed with the snacks and candy they were sneaking in, waiting to buy tickets for Happy As a Clam. It was a new animation film that Rory was dying to see, and thankfully, Melanie didn't make fun of her when she suggested it.

"So, are you going to be alone for Thanksgiving?" Melanie asked her.

She smiled at the thought of the holiday season around the corner. "No, believe it or not. Gabi always takes the day off."

Even if she was pissed at her mother, Thanksgiving was the one day a year she knew she could look forward to. They never made a traditional meal—just rotisserie chicken, mac and cheese, and ready-to-eat biscuits from Post Road Market that they ate on the couch while binge-watching an entire show. Last year was the entire The Summer I Turned Pretty series. They hadn't discussed this year's show yet.

"Do your grandparents fly up?"

"Only for Christmas," she answered. "Gabi really leans into the whole single-parent, have-to-do-this-on-my-own thing."

"Sounds familiar," Melanie quipped.

Rory groaned, thinking about how much their lives mirrored fiction, no matter how much she tried avoiding it. "It's 'cause she's embarrassed, I think. About whatever went down between them."

About how Fred Barry broke her heart.

Or…she assumed so. She wondered what Fred Barry was doing for the holidays. Was he still living in Florida? Probably not, given how Gabi's letter had bounced back. Did he have a new family, kids that he actually wanted? Or was he alone, just like them?

"Okay, don't mean to startle you, but the king and queen are here," Melanie whispered.

She whipped her head around right as Tyler and Zoe entered the cinema and approached the line. Tyler's eyes fixed on her, and he frowned.

Good to see you too, bestie.

Zoe greeted them, putting on her best smile. But she could tell it was forced.

"What, um, what movie are you guys seeing?" Zoe asked.

"Happy As a Clam," Melanie answered. "Rory loves her animation."

Rory's face flushed. "I mean, come on, think about the art that's used in these films," she blabbered. "It takes so much thought and patience and creativity to make something like that. How could you not love it?"

She only rambled like that when she was nervous, and right now, between the intense way Tyler was looking at her and Zoe's anxious energy, her heart rate was spiking.

"I think that's what we—" Tyler started.

"No, silly, we're seeing J'adore," Zoe interrupted him. "That new French rom-com?"

Tyler looked like it was news to him. But Zoe didn't back down, staring straight at him, looking flustered.

"Two tickets to Happy As a Clam," said the cashier. Melanie reached for the tickets, thanking him politely.

Instead of reacting, Rory shined her most dazzling smile in their direction, then took her ticket from Melanie's hand. "Enjoy your rom-com."

They walked away from the couple. She could feel Tyler's eyes on her as they stopped at the concession stand to get sodas, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of looking back.

* * *

"I need to use the bathroom,"Melanie whispered, moving to get up from her seat.

"Don't miss," she teased.

Melanie rolled her eyes. "I'll be right back."

Rory smiled, wiggling into her seat to get comfortable. They were halfway through the film, and she was loving it. The happy little clam was currently not happy, because nothing was going his way. The story was cute, but the artwork was even better. She couldn't help but marvel at every shot. She wished she could have a remote and pause each motion, take in every detail.

Lost in a world of lines, colors, and singing clams, she didn't glance over when Melanie sat back down.

"Do you think they had real people dancing to try to capture these movements, or do you think they drew it all?" Rory asked.

"Are you dating him?" said a deep, not-Melanie-at-all voice.

She spun around to face Tyler, who was now sitting next to her, his bulky frame taking up the entire seat.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed.

"I went to the bathroom and passed by Melanie, so I knew you'd be alone," he said. "Answer me."

She crossed her arms, feeling a bit smug at the way he was looking at her. Oh, he was angry. She could practically feel the steam coming out of his ears. "Why do you care?"

"Because he treats you like scum," he said, the volume of his voice causing a few moviegoers around them to turn.

"Be quiet or we're going to get kicked out," she whispered.

"Honestly, Ry, I knew you liked him. I picked up on that. But I really didn't think you would stoop as low as dating him."

"We're not dating."

Tyler laughed, but it was a sarcastic I can't believe I'm hearing this kind of laugh. "That makes it so much worse."

"Again, why do you care?" she hissed. "Don't you have a queen to attend to?"

Tyler shook his head. "It's not like that."

"What the hell does that mean? Because from what I saw, it is like that. Holding hands, taking her to the movies, introducing her to your friends, bringing her over to meet the parents, then up to your room and closing the curtains."

"It's not like that," he repeated.

"Whatever, Tyler," she said, using his full name. Letting him know that she wasn't messing around, that she was furious with him, too. "I told you I wanted things to go back to what they were, but now you're busy with your girlfriend and you don't give a shit about me anymore."

His face fell. "Is that really what you think?"

"Yes, it is. And you know who has been there for me?"

"Don't say that asshole's name."

"HEY," said a very angry-looking cinema employee who'd appeared out of nowhere. "If you two don't quiet down I'm going to have to kick you out. Final warning."

Melanie returned then, sidestepping to make room for the employee stomping back up the stairs. She noticed who was occupying her seat, and her doe-eyes widened again.

"Get out of her seat," Rory spat.

Tyler shook his head. "You're making a huge mistake."

"Says the guy who's dating the Homecoming Queen to gain popularity."

She knew she would regret those words later. But right now, a sick, twisted part of her wanted him to know how she felt, wanted him to hurt.

He jumped up and shot toward the Exit doors. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

Melanie sat down and squeezed her shoulder. "You okay?"

"No," she croaked. "Want to get out of here?"

She nodded, and they swiftly packed up their empty wrappers and watered-down sodas and left.

* * *

Rory came hometo the sight of Gabi on the couch in her sweats, watching the local news with a pepperoni pizza from Penny's in front of her.

Gabi turned down the volume. "That was a short movie."

She huffed, shrugging off her jacket and tossing it over a kitchen chair. "Yep, it was."

"Hungry?"

She shuffled over hesitantly as Gabi handed her a slice and made room for her to sit. She folded it in half, the grease from the pizza sliding down her hand as she took a big bite.

The screen was flashing with images from today's election results. Mr. Clark won by a landslide, shots of his campaign party flashing on the screen.

"No shock there," Gabi said. "It would have been nice to have someone blue running the town hall for a change, but I guess people still really like him."

"How many years has he been the first selectman?" she asked, watching images of Mr. Clark waving to the cameras, an arm casually wrapped around Mrs. Clark's waist. She noticed the absence of Zoe in that perfect little family shot. It appeared going to the movies with Tyler was more important.

"Almost as long as I've been here, so too long," Gabi answered. "Would love to see some fresh faces up there someday."

"Maybe you?" she said with a smirk.

Gabi snorted. "Yeah right. My expertise in slinging shots and balancing plates will go far with that job."

She shook her head, wondering why Gabi didn't try to do something more with her life. But she'd never been brave enough to ask, and she wasn't in the mood to change that. Her eyes drifted out to the swing set in the backyard, shrouded in darkness.

Gabi clicked the TV off. "We need to talk."

"No, we don't."

"I feel awful, sweetie, and…" She watched as Gabi wavered, not finishing her thought. "Rory, is something wrong?"

Rory frowned. "No, why?"

"Because I'm your mother, and I know what that look means."

She looked down at her mismatched pair of socks, not sure how to respond. So, she didn't.

"Any chance it has to do with whoever is making you giggle on the phone until two, sometimes three in the morning lately?"

She blinked, shifting her gaze up. "You can hear me?"

"Whoever he is, he sure makes you laugh hard," Gabi answered. "You even woke me up one time."

"Crap, I'm sorry."

Gabi smiled. "All good. So…who is he?"

She sighed, studying her chipped rainbow nail polish. Another reminder of how preoccupied she'd been these days.

"Jay," she whispered.

Gabi tapped a finger on her chin. "Isn't that the guy you work with?"

She nodded. "He's off at college now."

"Yet he calls you every night?"

"He's a little lonely and homesick."

"Makes sense," Gabi said. "Are you seeing him then?"

She thought back to their kiss on the beach, his hands on her skin, the feel of his lips branded on her neck. "You could say that."

"And you're being safe?"

She felt her cheeks flush. "We—we haven't—"

Gabi waved her off. "You can tell me when you're ready. As long as you promise me you'll make smart choices."

She softened at that. It was a command, and in any other circumstance, Rory might have come back with a retort to brush her mother off. But, for some odd reason, she liked having Gabi boss her around. It meant she cared, that what was going on in Rory's life right now mattered to her.

"I promise," she answered.

Gabi nodded, staring back at her daughter, her face shifting from concerned parent to guilt in a matter of seconds. A look she knew all too well.

"What?" she asked. "Just spit it out."

"How'd you know something was up?"

"Because I'm your daughter, and I always know when you're about to drop a bomb on me."

Gabi visibly winced. "I—okay. You're not going to like it."

"Tell me."

"I have to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas."

She knew it wasn't biologically possible, but at that moment, she felt her heart fall from her chest and land in her belly, like a shriveled-up, lifeless rock.

Apparently, her facial expression was telling enough, because a millisecond later, Gabi was scooting over and reaching out to grab her hands. Rory yanked them away, standing up from the couch.

Tears were already falling down Gabi's cheeks. "They're paying me triple, sweetie. Between that and the tips, I'll walk home with almost a grand both nights. Maybe more."

She took a long, deep breath to calm herself down, just like Vanessa taught her. "What about Grandma and Grandpa?"

"They booked a cruise," Gabi answered softly. "So I thought—"

"You thought you might as well take advantage of it," she interrupted, finishing the sentence for her. "Unbelievable. First the game, now this."

"Please, sweetie, talk to me."

She threw up her hands. "What's there to say, huh? Actually, how about this. This is what I get for believing for one second that you would choose me over money."

"Rory, it is not about the money," Gabi said, standing up. "You know it's not."

"Sorry—my future," she said, on a rampage. She knew she should bite her tongue, but she'd never been good at that, anyway. So, she just let it all out. "Don't you think I'm going to hate being in college knowing that it ruined any chance of a relationship we might've had? Do you really think I'm going to like it when all is said and done?"

That shut her up. Gabi stood there, mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.

"You know what, enjoy your two grand, do what you want with it," she said. "I'm going to bed, and I'll make sure to keep it down tonight."

She stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door before curling into herself, holding a hand to her mouth to muffle the sound of the sobs that ricocheted out of her.