Jo's POV
When we get there we buy a locker to store out backpacks. We walk out of the station and I watch poor Rory try and ask for directions.
"Excuse me, ma'am? Washington Square park?" she asks.
"End of fifth," she replies, not stopping.
"Thank you," she replies.
Then she realizes she doesn't know where that is."
"Excuse me, where's fifth?"
"Oh my god, come on," I say, grabbing her not fractured wrist and pulling her along.
We make it and spot Jess sitting on a bench reading. I plop next to him, leaning back.
"Wow, this brings back memories," I say.
He looks at me and smiles.
"Yeah, it does," he says.
"Hi," Rory says behind us.
He looks up at her.
"How you doing?" he asks her.
"Good. How about you?" she replies.
"I'm good, and you?" he asks me.
"Same," I reply.
"You hungry?" he asks us.
"Starved," she says.
"Me too," I reply.
"I know a place," he says.
He gets up and we follow him.
--
"I feel very urban today," Rory says.
"Oh, yeah. The plaid just screams urban," Jess replies.
"I think I look like a native," she says.
"How well do you know Manhattan?" I ask her.
"I've been here a few times. We saw the bangles here," Rory replies.
"When was that? 20 years ago?" Jess asks.
"It was a reunion, and they were great," she says.
"I think they're pretty good," I reply.
"Yeah, they're okay," Jess adds.
"And a couple years ago, Mom drove us in to shop, and she couldn't find a good parking place, and all of the parking lots were a total rip-off, so she kept making u-turns and cutting off taxis, and we were being screamed at in so many different languages hat we just turned around and drove home, and bought a hummel in Stars Hollow," she says.
"How very adventurous," Jess replies.
"I'm just saying I'm no stranger to the Big Apple," she says, and I laugh.
"You are if you're calling it the Big Apple," Jess tells her.
"So I don't have to lingo down, but at least I have the attitude," Rory replies.
"You do, huh?" Jess asks.
"Oh, yeah. When we were getting a locker for our backpacks, at the bus stop there was this guy just standing there staring at us," she says.
"I think he was staring at you," I add.
"Instead of ignoring him, I just fixed him with a really withering stare," she says.
"Now, that I got to see," Jess says.
"No," she replies.
"Oh, come on. Let me see your withering stare," Jess says.
"It's dangerous. I could hurt you," she tells him.
"That thing could do some damage," I say.
"I've been hurt before," he replies.
"No."
"I'm disappointed," he says, and then gives her a pout.
"So your arm's okay?" he asks.
"Yeah. It looks worse than it is," she says.
"She lying. They had to reattach it and everything," I joke.
Jess takes her wrist so he can look at her cast.
"I like this Emily chick. A friend of yours?" he asks.
"She's a friend to all of us dispossessed," Rory replies.
"So here's our lunch place," Jess says.
"A hotdog stand?" Rory asks.
"Hey, I eat here everyday. It's nothing fancy, but..." Jess says.
"No, I love it. It's perfect," she replies.
"I always liked stopping here," I told him.
"Good. One with everything on it," Jess asks.
"Make that two, please," Rory says.
"Three, please," I ask.
"So, uh... how's..." Jess starts, but drifts off.
"Luke?" Rory asks.
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"We went fishing," I tell him.
"Fishing?" Jess asks.
"Well, he went fishing. I sat in a tent," I reply.
"Yeah, he didn't catch anything though," Rory says.
"Probably used the wrong bait," Jess replies.
"Yeah. That's a common fishing... blunder," she says.
"So he's good?" Jess asks.
"Yeah, he's good," she replies.
We're as good as we can be, I guess.
"We can tell him hello for you if you want," I say.
"Whatever,"Â he replies.
One day I'm gonna punch all of the whatevers out of him. We all get handed our hotdogs.
"Oh, my god! This is really good," Rory says.
"I'm glad you like it," Jess says.
"We used to come here a lot," I tell her.
"So, how much time you got?" he asks.
"I got a bit."
"Same."
"There's a record store you should check out. It's run by this insane freak who's like a walking encyclopedia for every punk and garageband record ever made. Catalog numbers. It's crazy. The place is right out of High Fidelity," he tells her.
"Let's go," she says.
"Okay."
Jess and I both head for the stairs they lead down to the subway. It seems like he's taking her to all the places we used to hang out.
"Where are you going?" Rory asks.
"Subway," we both reply.
"I thought we were gonna walk," she says.
"It's 15 blocks," I tell her.
"Come on, I think you'll like it," Jess says.
"Do they allow hotdogs in the subway?" she asks.
"She's so cute," I tell him.
"You are so an out-of-towner," he says.
She starts heading down, Jess and I share a smirk.
--
We have an awesome time looking through the record store. Rory even found a graduation gift for her mom. We are now at the bus station about to head back home.
"I think this one is ours," Rory says.
"Yep. the sign says Boonsville," Jess replies.
"Excuse me. I'm so sorry to bother you. Which way is 44th?" a guy asks.
"Oh, um, that way," Rory tells him.
"Great. Thanks," he replies.
I look at Jess and he's trying not to laugh, and she turns back around.
"I got asked directions," she says.
"I saw," he replies.
"He took me for a native. That's so cool," she gushes.
"That's very impressive," Jess tells her.
"44th is the other way," I add.
"Oh, no," she says.
"Sorry," we both say.
"Oh, man. I should go find him," she says.
"He'll figure it out when he sees all the numbers getting smaller instead of bigger," Jess says.
"He still thought I was a native. That's cool," she adds.
"I'm your witness," Jess says.
"We should go," I say.
"Okay."
"I gotta go to my mom's graduation."
"And give her Belinda," Jess adds.
"And give her Belinda," Rory replies.
"I have to get back to the diner and hope Luke doesn't murder my for running off," I says.
"He'll go easy on you. I promise," Jess says.
"Well go on. I'll check on the guy. I'll make sure he's not wandering around looking for 44th," he tells Rory.
Rory gets on the bus. Before I follow I pull Jess in a tight hug.
"You take care. You hear me?" I ask.
"Yeah, I hear," he replies.
I climb the stairs and find Rory. We look out the window as Jess and he says something.
"What?" she asks after opening the window.
"I said, "why did you come here?" you both ditched school and everything. That's so not you. Not either of you. Why'd you do it?" he asks.
"Because you didn't say goodbye," Rory tells him, and I nod.
"Oh. Goodbye, Rory. Goodbye, Jo," he says.
"Bye, Jess," we both say.
We watch him walk off.
"Rory?" I ask quietly.
"Yeah?" she asks.
"I honestly don't think I'll be okay without him," I tell her.
She puts her hand on my knee.
"I've never had to," I say looking at her.
"Well, you have me now," she smiles.
"Thank you," I say, smiling back.
\\ AN // -- All grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections are helpful, encouraged, and greatly appreciated.
Thank you
-- Izzy