𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍 . . . 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰, 𝘖𝘩, 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰. . . 𝘖𝘩, 𝘉𝘰𝘺
❝ I have a feeling I'm not gonna regret anything with you. ❞

  CHARLIE GILMORE OFFICIALLY hated English class.

  She had never hated it before, reading books she had read hundreds of times, chatting with Emma or Liam. The English classroom had always been her favorite, the windows were large and Mrs. Leighton was always kind, especially considering she allowed Charlie to devour her breakfast like the true teenage heathen she was.

  But, even though Liam was working hard to rebuild what he'd felt like he'd broken, Emma had detached from both Liam and Charlie entirely. And the room didn't feel so warm anymore. Charlie was devoured by guilt when Liam would slide her notes or whisper jokes, and Emma sat silently with her eyes trained to the chalkboard.

  The only saving grace was that Jess now occupied the desk behind her, and even that had its downfalls due to his constant need to play with her hair. Dean happened to share the class with them, and for reasons beyond Charlie, he oftentimes glared when Jess's digits became entangled in chocolate locks.

  "Alright, today I'll be assigning partners for your biggest assignment." Ms. Leighton passed out small journals, as she spoke, returning back to the front of the class, "You will be paired up randomly and you're going to be writing about your partner. I expect it to be at least two pages in length since you will have until after your holiday break to complete this assignment. You can take whatever approach you please, but I recommend putting these journals to use."

  "Now," The woman sighed deeply, "I don't want two pages filled with their favorite food, I want you to really get to know your partner, maybe write things not even they know. This assignment is supposed to strengthen your descriptive writing so if you don't want to write a simple essay,  you may do a short story, a collection of poems, or if you'd like to take a different approach you can create a short video, but it must have some sort of commentary."

  Charlie quickly zoned out, but she could still hear clearly enough to roll her eyes when Emma and Liam were paired up. After what seemed like forever she heard her name be called out. And it seemed no shock, she was partnered with Jess.

  "You gonna do this?" Charlie questioned, leaning her elbow on Jess's desk.

  "Are you kidding?" Jess laughed lightly, "This is gonna be easy. I already know you."

  "No you don't," Charlie denied as the bell rang, her remark sending Jess quickly following her down the hall.

  "What do you mean? I know you, you eat strawberry frosted donuts and coffee with sugar every morning, you sit on the bridge a lot and write songs on the steps in front of the diner."

  "So you know some stuff I like." Charlie smiled faintly up at him, something mischievous in her eyes. "But, you don't know me."

  "I'm going to!" Jess yelled as she walked away.

  "I hope so, Mariano!"

↬

  Rory was in the midst of a freakout, her Romeo and Juliet group, that consisted of not only Paris Geller but Tristan Dugray, was practicing at Ms. Patty's. Of course, Rory hadn't told Dean about when she kissed Tristan so now there was a panic about them being in the same town. Lorelai kind of reassured Rory, but when their mother left she turned to Charlie.

  "You're coming with me."

  "What? No, I am not," Charlie sputtered, "I don't want to be around your rich friends."

  "I need a buffer," Rory whined, "Please? They'll love you— Tristan already likes you a little too much."

  This much was true, as when Tristan heard tales the twin Rory Gilmore had, he delved in to know so much more. What truly caught his eye was the faded photo Rory had shoved as a boomark in her novel, and from then on out Tristan decided to taunt Rory ever so gently with the idea that, maybe, Charlie was his soulmate.

  Without ever actually meeting the girl, of course.

  "If I go. . ." Charlie pointed her finger at her sister whose excitement was already larger than her being, "We have to go to Luke's tonight."

  "Deal!"

  Charlie had decided rather instant if she was sitting through Romeo and Juliet practice with the kids of Chilton, she was going to get snacks.

  "Dean," Charlie grinned as she approached the boy, "Long time no see."

  Dean laughed pulling her into a short hug, "We don't hang out anymore."

  "Well you're the one who went and started dating my sister," Charlie jokingly narrowed her eyes at the boy.

  "Hey, Rory's a great girlfriend."

  "My ears!" Charlie clapped her hands over her ears, causing Dean to roll his eyes as he turned back to stock the shelves.

  "Excuse me, stock boy." The duo turned to see none other than the blond devil himself, Tristan Dugray, stroll towards them, "Could you tell me where I could find the shortening?" Dean stood fully now, glaring easily at the blond. "Now, that is a fine looking apron, I mean really sensational."

  "What are you doing here?"

  "Dean—"

  "Well, to be honest, there's something I wanted to ask you," Tristan pulled two different brands of flour off the shelf, "In your professional opinion which one of these would make my cakes fluffier?"

  "You drove all the way out here just to be a jerk." Dean shook his head, "There aren't enough people that can't stand you in Hartford?"

  "Dean," Charlie repeated quietly, feeling a slight wave of panic wash over her, "Guys knock it off."

  "Oh no, I'm here for Rory," Tristan smirked lightly at Charlie who only glared at him. Dean let out a short, 'what' at this revelation, "Yeah the play, 'Romeo and Juliet'? I'm Romeo, she's Juliet. Come on, she must have told you. She did tell you, didn't she?"

  "I think you better leave."

  Tristan dropped a bag of flour to the ground, it broke open on impact, "Oops! I am so sorry, I am such a klutz!" He followed this by brandishing a bill and dropping it on the mess, "Here, on me, this should cover it."

  "You know what— I hope, for Rory's sake, that you got an understudy." 

  Thankfully, before either boy could do any lasting damage, Rory appeared and dragged Dean out of Doose's, not without glaring at Charlie who stood back in a wave of guilt. Tristan watched as they exited, turning to Charlie who was glaring at him.

  "You're an ass."

  "I know," Tristan smiled cockily at the girl, "Are all you Gilmores this beautiful?"

  Charlie smiled sickly sweet, "I'm not my sister, Tristan. Go find another girl to bother. And leave Rory the hell alone."

↬

  Lorelai and her two daughters sat at their regular table in Luke's Diner, the two teens had their own burgers and since their mother joined late, she was picking fries off their plates. The woman happily went on about being a casual dater, Rory filling her in on the rehearsal afterward.

  When Dean entered, Charlie fell silent. She felt terrible for keeping something from someone who she called a friend, but Rory's kiss with Tristan wasn't her secret to tell. So, the eldest Gilmore twin gave him a small smile before slipping away to the counter Luke was behind.

  "So," Luke cleared his throat, "Your mom went on a date tonight?"

  "Yeah." Charlie greedily accepted the coffee Luke passed her. "She's a casual dater now— or something."

  "Did she like the guy?"

  "Well she said she's not going to date him but—" Charlie absentmindedly spilled to the man before pausing and lifting her gaze to him. "Oh, my God."

  "What?" Luke questioned, "Stop looking at me like that."

  "You like my mom!" Charlie whisper-yelled, leaning across the counter. Luke's eyes widened, shaking his head quickly, "Luke!"

  "Charlotte!" He grumbled back, "I do not like your mother, stop it." The grin didn't leave her face. "Charlie."

  "Okay, okay," She raised her hands in mock surrender, "If you wait too long she'll be taken already!" 

  "Charlotte!"

  "What'd you do this time?" Lorelai questioned as Charlie returned, shoving a fry into her mouth.

  "Nothing new," Charlie shrugged, letting her eyes drift to Luke who was watching the eldest Gilmore with an almost invisible smile.

↬

"Um. . ." Jess watched with a raised brow as Charlie wordlessly entered the apartment, flopping onto the couch and curling up beneath a throw blanket, "Connecticut?" She made a noise of acknowledgment. "What are you doing?"

  "Sleeping to avoid my problems," Charlie's words were muffled by the cushions. Jess let out a huff, tossing his cards to the side and joining the girl on the couch. He'd lifted her legs onto his lap, patiently tapping fingers on her shins as he waited for an explanation.

  "Not that I don't enjoy your company, I do—"

  "Hey, I used to be a regular here," Charlie removed the throw pillow from her face, "You are not the first teenager to basically live here."

  "I don't basically live here, I do live here—"

  "Same difference."

  "But what exactly are you doing here?"

  "I already told you," She grumbled, twisting to burrow deeper into the couch, "Avoiding my problems."

  "Like?"

  "Rory's boyfriend drama, my fight with my grandma, Liam and Emma, and the fact that Luke is being weird about my mom, who suddenly casually dates," Charlie rushed out, Jess raising a brow.

  "Rory's drama isn't yours."

  "She's my twin, I live with her, when she's in drama she pulls me into it and then complains about it," She huffed, pulling herself into a sitting position, leaving her legs on Jess without much thought.

  "I thought you argued with your grandma weeks ago."

  "I still feel bad about it."

  "What's wrong with Liam and Emma?"

  Charlie sighed heavily, "I think Em's mad at me, so I feel really crappy about spending time with Liam."

  "That's stupid," Jess laughed out, "Luke's always weird and I am not touching your mother's dating life."

  "I respect that," Charlie mumbled, brushing the strands of hair from her face.

  "Well," Jess sighed, readjusting so he was leaning further into the couch, his hand lingering on her legs, "You're welcome to avoid your problems here anytime."

  Charlie attempted to keep her smile small, "You're gonna regret that when you find me asleep on your couch in the middle of the day."

  "I have a feeling I'm not gonna regret anything with you."

  "What does that mean?"

  "Nothing, Connecticut. . . nothin'."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
REALLY sorry I haven't been
updating consistently, BUT,
the good news: I've pre-re-written
(that's confusing) a lot of
chapters!! so the updating
should be more consitent
for a while!
Key word, SHOULD.