realist ━━ jess mariano

21| driving miss daisy

ROSIE HAD A LOT OF FIXING TO DO.

To start off, she had to explain the situation to Rory. She skirted around telling her own sister, heavily aware of her distaste to Jess, but had to explain to Rory first. Rory pieced the story together halfway through her explanation and lacked the anger Rosie expected.

    There was one more thing she had to take care of, one she wasn't initially planning on, but Rory's advice pushed her to it.  Make amends with Jake. A ridiculous idea, at first, but after a brief phone call with him earlier, she learned that his father was sending him off to boarding school. He apologised vaguely for how everything turned out, and informed her of the going away party his friends were throwing him tonight. She wouldn't have agreed to go if it wasn't for the melancholy voice of his and feeling like she owed herself closure. Show up, say goodbye, and leave.

    She fiddled with the car keys in her hands, stopping by Doose's for some gum and ice tea. They can't offer me a drink if I'm already holding one, she thought, not trusting herself enough to decline a drink. She grabbed the items, heading to the cashier. "Rosie, hi." Dean greeted her awkwardly.

    "Hey." She smiled, sensing his discomfort. "Everything okay?"

Dean narrowed her eyes at her before tilting his head back, realising something vital. "Rory didn't tell you?"

Rosie's brow pinches. "Tell me what?"

"We broke up."

"You broke up?" She echoed, attempting to sound more surprised than she actually was. "Sorry to hear that." She said, grabbing the grocery bag.

"It's alright, it was a mutual decision, really."

She nodded, not sure whether or not she should believe him. She looked at him sympathetically, muttering a goodbye and leaving. For as much as she felt bad for Dean, she couldn't help but feel relieved. Rory had been looking for ways to break up with him for a while, and postponing it any further only would've been unfair to Dean.

Walking out of the store, Rosie began walking to her car, muttering a curse word to herself for deciding to park it so far away. Lifting her gaze up from the floor, she turned around the corner, seeing Jess in the distance. She froze for a moment, observing him, feeling the grey line between butterflies and nausea hit her. He was standing outside of Luke's, a book in his hands, biting a pen down. What are you doing? She asked herself. Move, Rosie, move.

By the time she took a step forward, continuing her path to her car, he lifted his head to see her. She tried to avoid eye contact, figuring running into him before visiting her ex-boyfriend's party wasn't the best timing, but she could hear his footsteps approaching her.

"Hey." Jess said, sliding his book and pen into his jean jacket's pocket.

Rosie faked a look of surprise as she glanced to her side, not stopping her path to her car. "Hi." She replied timidly, pursing her lips.

"Have time to talk?"

"Oh, not really."

"Where are you going?"

"Parked my car a little far." She answered shortly, skirting her way around the question.

Jess nodded. "Where's your car taking you tonight?"

And there it is. "A party." She answered quickly, hoping he won't ask her for details.

He kept his gaze firm on her, analysing her as she kept walking to her car, staring firmly at the parking lot to avoid looking him in the eye. "Great, i'll be there."