"What the heck is a Huckleberry Finn again?" A girl with bright green hair joked while putting cash into the registrar.

"I could tell you if I bothered to read it." A boy around the same age said as he munched on a doughnut.

"Are you kidding? Mrs Traister is going to kill you."

"If she hasn't killed me at this point she'll never get me."

"By the way, are we meeting at your place or mine after my shift tonight?"

"My moms are having friends over tonight. So your place?"

"Riana, could you get back to work please." A voice interrupted them.

"Sorry, Luke." The girl said, and she moved to clean some of the tables.

As she did so, she noticed her mother walking in.

"Morning, Mom."

"Morning Light of my Life." She said as she held up a large coffee cup to her daughter's face.

"Not sure if I'm allowed to." The younger Gilmore said as Luke made his way over to them.

"How many cups have you had this morning?" He asked.

"None."

"Plus..."

"Five, but yours is better."

"You have a problem."

"Yes, I do."

"Junkie."

"Angel. You've got wings, baby."

Riana rolled her eyes at the banter. It's not that it was annoying. It was just so cheesy.

Riana quickly got back to work. About half an hour later, she was approached by her sister.

"Riana, we should go." Riana looked down at her watch realising that school would be starting soon

"Umm sure, Joey." Riana called to the boy she was talking to earlier as she took off her apron.

The three of them rushed out of the diner. When they met up with Rory's friend, Lane, the twins split apart and continued heading to school at their own separate paces.

"Are you gonna be able to keep working at Luke's if you get into Chilton?" Joey asked.

"I'm not going to get into Chilton," Riana replied.

"But what if you do?" Joey said, and Riana made a face at him. "I'm serious, you could get in."

"I don't think so. Rory will get in, but not me."

"Why not, you're smart!"

"I'm not college smart."

"Come on, just humour me."

Riana couldn't help but smile at Joey.

"Fine, if I get into Chilton I'll keep working in the afternoon and weekends."

"Will you still have time for the rest of us?" Joey asked, referring to their group of friends at Stars Hollow High.

"I'll always have time for you lot of dumbasses."

Victoria Audrey Gilmore (locally known as Riana) has never been a high achiever like her sister. No one would ever admit out loud that her application to Chilton was made out of pure pity. She didn't really care. She knew that she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Riana was happy to stay at Stars Hollow High. It was close to home and work, and even better it had all her friends and people who made her feel safe.

"For those of you who have not finished the final chapters of Huckleberry Finn you may use this time to do so. For those of you who have, you can start on your essay now. Whichever task you choose, do it silently."

Riana pulled out her notepad and started doodling. She still hadn't finished the book, but she could never focus on reading during school. Riana found that she did her best work at ten o'clock at night.

Her doodling continued until the end of the lesson. It didn't really look like anything. Mostly because most of it had been scratched out in frustration.

After school let out for the day, Riana headed over to Luke's for her shift.

"Table 3 wants a breakfast burger."

"It's five o'clock in the afternoon," Luke said with a pissed off look on his face.

"I know Luke. Get started."

"Fine."

Riana kept working for another hour until Luke practically pushed her out of the place. Apparently Luke didn't like for Riana to work later than six. Something about letting her enjoy her youth or something. Riana didn't see what the big deal was. She didn't have any clubs or sports to go to, and she liked working. But Luke was adamant. Six o'clock and she was out the door.

When she got back home, she saw Joey awkwardly sitting on the pouch with her mother and Sookie seated near the window.

"Hello, Strangers." She called out to everyone.

"Hey hey hey guess what?" Lorelai called out to her.

"Do I have to?" Riana asked. Rory then came outside in a blue plaid skirt, which was too big on her.

"Oh neat, you got into Chilton."

"Yep! So what do you think?"

"Very professional."

"Wow, it makes you look smart!" Sookie said excitingly.

"Okay, no more wine for you. Mom?"

"You look like you were swallowed by a kilt." Weird, why did she say it like that.

"Sorry that you didn't get in Sweetie!" Sookie said to Riana, a bit too loudly.

"It's all good Sookie."

"Are you sure?" Sookie asked. "If you're upset I can make you something."

"Sure Sookie," Riana said with a bright smile on her face.

Lorelai and Rory started discussing plans to hem Rory's skirt as Riana and Joey made their way upstairs to Riana's room.

"Congratulates on not getting into the school you weren't interested in going too."

"Why thank you."

Riana and Joey didn't do anything particularly interesting. They mostly just talked about what happened at school or played video games together. Eventually, the two of them got tired for the night, and Joey started heading back to his place. Riana would always offer to go with him, but that night Joey stated that he was happy to go on his own.

"How you doing, Kid?" Lorelai asked when Riana walked back inside.

"Pretty average."

"You're not upset about Rory going to a different school."

"I'm happy for her. She's gonna do great."

Lorelai smiled down at her youngest.

"It's a shame that you didn't get in. You and Rory could have been like Cagney and Lacey."

It took all of Riana's strength to not tell her mother that she had no idea what that was. Riana loved her mother, but sometimes all her weird references got on Riana's nerves.

"Yep...... well I'm gonna head to bed."

Riana hated how awkward she could be with her mother. It seemed to come easy to Rory, but Riana didn't know how to respond to her mom half the time.

The next day felt like it was going to be pretty average. That was until Riana met Lorelai and Rory at the diner for dinner.

It was weirdly quiet for some reason. That was until Lorelai spoke up.

"So Rory, you were late getting home tonight."

"Yeah, I went to the library."

"Oh. Oh, I forgot to tell you the two of you, we're having dinner with your grandparents tomorrow night."

"We are?"

"Don't we usually just visit them on holidays?"

"So what holidays are in September?" Rory asked Riana, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Look, it's not a holiday thing. It's just dinner, okay?" Lorelai suddenly snapped.

"Fine, sorry," Rory said.

"Jeez, sorry," Riana said at the same time.

It went quiet again. After a while, Luke brought over their dinner and made a crack about how red meat can kill you.

"Why do you serve it then?" Riana thought to herself.

"So, I finished hemming your skirt today."

No answer.

"A grunt of acknowledgment might be nice."

"I don't understand why we're going to dinner tomorrow night. I mean, what if I had plans? You didn't even ask me."

"Yeah Mom, I'm fine with going, but it is a bit sudden, even for you."

"Well, if the two of you had plans I would have known."

"How?"

"Well, you would have told me."

"I don't tell you everything. I have my own things." Rory said in a defensive tone.

"Fine, you have things."

"That's right. I have things."

"Hey, I had dibs on being the bitch tonight."

"Just tonight?" Rory muttered.

"Woah," Riana said. Rory barely ever sasses their mother like that.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lorelai said. Getting angrier by the second.

"I'm not sure I want to go to Chilton."

"What?!" Lorelai and Riana said at the same time.

"The timing is just really bad."

"The timing is bad?"

"And the bus ride to and from Hartford, it's like thirty minutes each way."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing."

"But Rory, you were so happy last night," Riana said, and Rory just glared at her.

"Well I don't wanna leave you Riana, and AND I know Chilton's got to be costing you a lot Mom." Rory said. Riana did know why, but didn't like the way Rory just tried to use her as an excuse.

"Oh, you have no idea," Lorelai said in the same tone she used when she saw the skirt the night before.

"All of your money should be going toward buying an inn with Sookie."

"You didn't think to mention any of this before you got accepted?" Riana asked. Rory just glared at her again.

"What about college? What about Harvard?"

"We don't know that I can't get into Harvard if I stay where I am."

"Okay, enough. Enough of the crazy talk, okay? I appreciate your concern, but I have this covered."

"I still don't want to go."

"Why?"

"Because I don't."

"Not really a good enough reason," Riana said quietly. She didn't know how much Rory's new school was going to cost, but she knew it was a private school.

And Private = Expensive

"I have to get out of here," Lorelai said while standing up from her chair.

"We have to pay first."

Lorelai slammed some money on the table, and Rory chased her outside.

"But the food?" Riana said. She looked between the food and the door. It had basically been left untouched. She panicked and just grabbed her own burger while rushing outside. By the time she caught up with her mother and sister, she already missed half the conversation.

"What male friend?"

"There's a man friend?" Riana asked while trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, he's very cute. Rory has good taste." Miss Patty said.

Rory started walking quickly down the street, and Lorelai followed her.

"Oh, you're gonna have to walk faster than that. You're gonna have to turn into friggin' Flo Jo to get away from me."

"What?" Riana thought.

"I feel like I missed something important," Riana said while chasing them all the way home while eating away at the burger.

Rory and Lorelai keep arguing even when they got home. Rory eventually stormed off to her room. Riana followed her. Wanting to try and understand what was going through her sister's head.

"Hey?"

"Thanks for the knock."

"S-sorry." Riana was always bad at this kind of thing.

"Soo, Ummm, do you wanna talk about it?" Riana asked.

"I'm going to sleep."

"Well if you wanna talk, I-"

Riana was interrupted by Lorelai storming into the room.

"Rory. You've always been the sensible one in this house, huh? I need you to remember that feeling now. You will kick your own butt later if you blow this."

"Well, it's my butt."

"Good comeback."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Rory, come on."

God even when they were fighting they were joking with each other.

"I don't want to talk about this. Could you please, please just leave me alone?"

"Okay, fine. We always had a democracy in this house. We never did anything unless we both agreed. But now I guess I'm going to have to play the mom card. You are going to Chilton whether you want to or not. Monday morning, you will be there, end of story."

"We'll see."

"Yeah, we will."

Lorelai storms out of the room for the second time that night. Riana was left standing in the doorway of Rory's bedroom. Before Riana could say anything, Rory started blasting a Macy Gray song that Riana had forgotten the name of.

"I'll just go..."

Riana started making her way upstairs but grabbed the phone before going up.

"I don't know what to do. They're both acting so weird." Riana said while looking for one of her textbooks.

"Isn't your family already weird?" Joey's voice rang through the phone.

"Well yeah, but within reason."

"Give them a little while. Hopefully, they'll sort things out."

Things didn't seem to get much better the next day. Riana knew how her mother felt about the older Gilmore. That combined with the current situation with Rory made Riana feel like things were going to go very badly.

"Hi, Grandma." Rory and Riana said in unison.

When Emily Gilmore first opened the door, a look of shock appeared on her face. Riana could tell it was because of the hair. Her grandmother wasn't looking at her face, but right above it.

"Yeah, yeah, no traffic at all," Lorelai said as they walked in.

"I can't tell you what a treat it is to have you girls here."

"Oh, well, we're excited, too."

"So Rory, I want to hear all about Chilton.

"Well, I haven't actually started yet."

Emily started dragging Rory towards the living room. Riana stopped for a second to fix her shoe that had slipped off.

"Richard, look who's here."

"Rory. You're tall."

"I guess."

"Well, what's your height?"

5'7"

"That's tall. She's tall."

Richard then looked over to Riana.

"Good God, what happened to your hair young lady."

"Richard!" Emily reprimanded.

"I'm glad someone finally noticed." Riana joked. "I was worried you were all going colourblind."

Emily rolled her eyes at Riana's comment. Richard just let out a huff and when back to his newspaper. This caused Riana to let out an uncomfortable laugh, and start nervously fiddling with her hair.

"Champagne, anyone?"

"Oh, that's fancy."

"Well, it's not every day that I have my girls here for dinner on a day the banks are open. A toast - to Rory and Riana for entering an exciting new phase in their lives."

"Here, here."

"Mmm. Well, let's sit everyone. Chilton is just so wonderful. An education is the most important thing in the world, next to family."

"And pie... joke, joke." At least Riana wasn't the only one making a fool of herself that night.

"So Riana, what are you up to these days?" Emily asked.

"Oh not much. Mostly just working and trying to survive highschool."

"You have a job?"

"Yeah, I work as a waitress at this local place."

"Oh, I see." Emily said. Her lips turned into a thin line.

"And if you don't mind me asking, why aren't you going to Chilton?"

"Because I have no future prospects." Riana said impulsively. She didn't mean to, but she had been asked that kind of question so many times, that self deprecation had become an impulse.

There was a long silence. After a while Richard handed Rory and Riana a section of the newspaper. Rory started reading, and Riana tossed the paper to the side and pulled a GameBoy out of her pocket.

The night continued on like that for a while. Riana was kinda hoping that it would stay that way. No drama. They all just sat there, making small talk until they were allowed to go home. That plan went to hell when Richard brought up her father.

"He's doing very well in California. His Internet start-up goes public next month. This could mean big things for him: a very talented man, your father."

"They know." Lorelai said with gritted teeth.

"He always was a smart one, that boy. You must take after him." Richard said, turning to Rory.

"Speaking of which, I'm gonna get a Coke. Or a knife." Lorelai said, before stomping out of the room and into the kitchen.

Rory starts to get up.

"I think I'm gonna go talk to her -"

"No, I'll go. You two stay and keep your grandfather company."

The twins sat there in silence. They were able to hear bits and pieces of the yelling coming from the kitchen.

"Yes, and think of where you would have been if you'd accepted a little help, hmm? And where Rory and Riana would have been. But no, you were always too proud to accept anything from anyone." Emily yelled.

"Well, I wasn't too proud to come here to you two begging for money for my kid's school, was I?!" Lorelai screamed back. "And another thing, I told you not to bring up the fact that Riana wasn't going to Chilton, but you did it anyway!"

Riana and looked at each other for a second but weren't really sure what to say.

"You should say something when we get outside," Riana said, then went back to her dinner.

"I know, I know." Rory replied.

"I'm serious. She's doing a really good thing for you. Don't do something you'll regret.

Once the three of them were outside, Rory spoke up.

"Mom?"

"I'm okay. I just... .do I look shorter? Cause I feel shorter."

"Hey, how 'bout we buy you a cup of coffee?"

"Yeah, Mom, it's on me."

"Oh, okay. You drive, though, 'cause I don't think my feet will reach the pedals."

Once they got back to Stars Hollow the three Gilmores started looking for something to eat.

"I think it was really brave of you to ask them for money."

"Oh, I so do not want to talk about it."

"I think you did the right thing," Riana said. Addressing the both of them.

"How many meals is it gonna take 'til we're off the hook?"

"I think the deli spread at my funeral will be the last one. Hey, wait, does that mean..."

"Can't let a perfectly good plaid skirt go to waste."

"Oh, honey, you won't be sorry."

Luke suddenly appeared out of nowhere, wearing a button shirt.

"Wow, you look nice. Really nice." Lorelai said with a faint blush on her cheeks.

"I had a meeting earlier at the bank. They like collars. You look nice, too."

"I had a flagellation to go to."

"So, what'll you have?"

"Coffee, in a vat."

"I'll have Coffee also. And chilli fries."

"Just tea and regular fries for me, Luke."

"That's quite a refined palate the lot of you got there."

Lorelai and Rory joked about her new crush for a little while until Luke came back with the food.

"Coffee. . .fries. I can't stand it. This is so unhealthy. Rory, please, put down that cup of Coffee. You do not want to grow up to be like your mom. Be more like your sister!" Luke motioned to Riana, who was drinking her tea."

"Sorry, too late," Rory said.

Riana finally felt at ease for the first time in twenty four hours. She knew it wouldn't last, but she would still try to enjoy it until everything went weird again.

When Riana went to bed that night she couldn't get the annoyed thoughts out of her head.

Did Rory really want to throw away such a great opportunity for a boy?

It seemed so silly. Maybe the guy was like... she just didn't know. She was having a hard time wrapping her head around it.

Would I do something like that if I had gotten into Clinton?

She said to Joey that she would make time for him and their friends if she went, but it's easier to say things like that than actually do them.

I should have done more.

She couldn't stop thinking about what she should have done. She should've tried harder to talk to Rory. Maybe they could have come to understanding.

Riana decided to do what she always does. Take it one day at a time. Hopefully, she'll work out how to not be such a shameful example of a human being tomorrow.

Ya'll ready for some self indulgent bullshit!

Follow me @darth-caillic on tumblr if you want more Riana content. Or even if you want to see my other ocs.

Fair Warning; If I continue this story Lorelai and Rory probably won't be painted in a good light during the later seasons.