IDLE TOWN, jess mariano

¹³love, tools, and petty guys

「 chapter 13 」
❝ so what happens now? you kill me because I know too much? „

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"DICKINSON—I LIKE EMILY DICKINSON," said Aries with a small shrug.

"Poetry isn't my favorite," Paris started, "but I can respect that."

"I can't get into poetry," said Jess, walking back to his seat. "It's kind of like, jeez, just say it already, we're dying here."

Paris made a face of understanding and Aries shook her head a little, unimpressed.

"You basically beat yourself off to Bukowski and Ginsberg, yet you don't like poetry?" asked Aries, biting into another fry. "How does that work?"

Paris snickered quietly, trying to bite back any laughter and amusement while Jess just scoffed.

"That was terrible," he said, regarding her terrible, barely-there pun.

Rory walked back into the kitchen, seeming very rushed, and set down the phone before walking over to the table.

"Wow, you know, I just noticed the time," she said, "and it's getting really late."

They glanced up at her, Jess glancing at his watch before responding, "It's seven o'clock."

"I know, but Paris and I still have a lot more studying to do," Rory said. She walked over to the counter to grab his jacket and return it to him. "Jess, please thank Luke for me. It was really nice of him."

"Who was on the phone?" Jess asked, not standing up nor accepting his jacket.

Rory seemed to shrink in stature. "No one."

"No one wouldn't happen to be heading over here now, would he?"

"Jess—"

"What's going on?" Paris asked, interrupting Rory, though it's not like she knew exactly where she was going with that.

"Nothing," Rory said, looking to Aries for help.

"Dean's on his way over and Rory doesn't want him to find me here," said Jess, causing Rory and Aries to exchange another exasperated glance.

"Why?" Paris asked.

"Yeah, why?" Jess asked.

Rory hesitated, looking between Paris, Jess, and Aries before answering, "You know why."

"We're just eating dinner," Jess said.

Rory shot Aries another look for help and Aries nodded with pursed lips, pushing her chair out and standing up.

"Jess," Rory started, "I'm asking you as a friend, just please leave now."

"Damage control?" Aries muttered to Rory under her breath as she walked to exit the kitchen.

"Yes, please," Rory muttered back, before turning to Jess.

"Damage control? What do you need that for?" Aries heard Jess asking tauntingly as she made her way out of the Gilmore residency.

She made her way out into the cool, evening air and didn't have to walk too far before running into Dean.

"Uhh, hey Aries," Dean started, not exactly stopping his strides, "what're you doing here?"