Mariano Twins

Funerals & Proposals

Jo's POV 

After Luke gets back from talking to Kyle's parents he tells Jess and I that we have to pay them back for all the damage. I guess that means extra shifts at the Dragonfly.

--

Luke and I went to Fran's funeral and afterwards Rory and I are caught by Dean.

"Hey! Rory, Jo," he says.

"Oh, Dean," Rory replies.

She had walked down the steps of the church on my left, so she shifted herself as if she was trying to block me from his view.

If you can't see it, you can't continue to hurt it.

"I got here late, so I kind of just hung in the back," he says.

"It is nice of you to come," Rory tells him.

"Well, she was a nice lady," Dean replies.

"Yeah, she was," she replies.

He looks around her, at me.

"Listen, can I talk to you for a sec? We'll catch up, I promise," he says.

Rory looks back at me, and I give her a look that tells her I'll be fine.

"Sure," I reply.

Once she's gone he looks around nervously before pulling me to the side.

"What's up?" I ask, as we stand in front of a tree.

"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. I did the same thing to you as I did to Rory, and it was wrong. I was wrong" he says.

"I shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion again. Just because you couldn't say it, doesn't mean you don't feel it," he steps forward, and takes both my hands in his.

"And the thing about Rory. Yes, I started this in hopes of getting her back. Because of the way Jess swooped in I thought if I could get her back and hurt him as well then that was just a plus," he says.

"I thought I'd go out with you, and I'd see nothing but Jess and I'd hate you, and it'd make it easier to hurt you, but on our first date I got to see Jo. Not that quiet girl from before, I got to really see you,"  he continues. 

"So yes. It started with the intention of getting Rory back, but then I fell in love with a girl that is even better. I love you, Josephine," he says.

He pulls me a bit closer.

"Am I forgiven?" he asks.

I think for a second, look up at him, and smile.

"I guess. It's hard to stay mad at that face," I reply.

He grins and gives me a kiss.

"I have one more thing to ask," he says.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Will you marry me?" he asks, resting his hands on my shoulders.

My eyes get big, and my entire body stiffens.

"No," I say flatly.

"What?" he asks, confused.

"No," I repeat.

"What? Why!?" he asks, letting me go.

"Because we're 18. Because we're about to graduate. Because we're going to college."

"And?" he asks.

"We're too young, we'll be too busy, and out of the handful of marriages my mother has had, none of them lasted because she jumped into them too fast to realize they wouldn't work out. It's too soon, Dean," I tell him.

"You know what. I'm sorry if your brother is an ass, and your mother has nothing but crappy relationships," he says.

"Hey! That's not-" he cuts me off.

"I'm sorry that you're so used to being treated like dirt that you don't know how to react when someone actually cares," he continues.

"You have no right-" I'm cut off again by him waving me off.

"Whatever. I'm done here. Have a nice life" he says.

He walks off and I'm left by myself, standing outside of the church. I slowly walk back to the diner. A numb feeling has washed over me.

I walk in and see Jess clearing a table by the door.

"Luke," I croak out.

"Not here," he says, not looking up.

"Come," I say, loosely grabbing him by the hand, and start pulling him with me.

"What hell are you doing?" he questions.

I pull him up the stairs and he doesn't fight me.

"What's going on?" Jess asks.

I collapse in a chair and he sits next to me. After a minute I finally looked up.

"Dean caught me outside of the church," I state.

"What the hell did he want?" Jess asks.

"He explained everything and apologized. I forgave him," I reply.

"And?" he asks, knowing that wasn't it.

"And then he... proposed... to me," I say looking at him, stating it more as a question.

"He proposed?" Jess repeats.

"I said no," I reply.

"Good. He's a jerk," Jess states.

"He got mad, and said some uncalled for things, and then he left," I say, emotionless.

Jess stands up.

"I'm gonna kick his ass," he says.

"No, Jess. That's not going to help anybody," I reply.

"I don't know. I think punching him in the face again would feel really great," he says.

"You know what? I don't want to talk about this anymore," I state.

I change and we both go back downstairs, and get back to work.

\\ AN // -- All grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections are helpful, encouraged, and greatly appreciated.

Thank you

-- Izzy