fandomhigh | The Library is Open (03/02)

"Yup," Rory nodded. "He's eighteen. And I can arrange stuff around these so that Logan doesn't show," Rory said, studying the photos. "Though it might make it tough with, um, me leaning on him." She sighed. "I swear. When he's back, I am sitting him down with a camera and getting pictures of us, damn it. Because this is ridiculous. I have more of me and Jess, and that is pathetic."

"Which one was Jess? The one that took off and left, or the other one?" Parker slid onto a spinny-chair, and bit her lip. "Did you watch much of Lee and I (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomhigh/690105.html?thread=33071289#t33071289) rehearsing last night? I know it was crazy, but...."

"The one who took off and left and then called me and wants to see me tomorrow," Rory said casually. "And yes, yes I did. Talk about UST."

"Whoa, back up, hold the phone. He wants to see you? Tomorrow? Where, when, and most importantly, why?" Parker then made a morose face. "Was it obvious that Lee and I have, I mean... gah." She palmed her face, then said, "I wouldn't care, damnit, except he still hasn't told Kara yet, as far as I know."

"Well, I could tell because I was looking for it," Rory pointed out. "But I don't know about anyone else. But than again, this is me. I'm not the most perceptive person, after all. So it's possible others noticed." She shrugged. "He wants to see me tomorrrow in Alexandria, in the afternoon, and I don't know exactly why. But this is the first I've heard from him in months."

"Ack." Parker decided to give up on thinking about it for now. Maybe they could dial it down in their next rehearsal?

"Are you going to? Or are you going to tell him that jerks who disappear don't deserve date?"

"I'm going," Rory said firmly. "And it's not a date. It's just friends meeting up. I'm not dating anyone."

Parker gave her a look of yeah, right! then just outright said it. "Right. Are you kidding me? You do not meet up with exes for any purpose other than to rip out their hearts, or start things up again. Trust me, it always turns into one or the other."

"No, seriously, I can just be friends with exes. Look at me and Logan," Rory pointed out. "And I'm not interested in starting things up with Jess again. For one thing it's Jess. For another...he's only been gone a week, Parker."

Parker studied her, then sighed. "Rip out his heart, Gilmore. Have fun with it." Her mouth quirked. "Then maybe talk about the friends thing."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Seriously, just meeting for coffee. It's not any big THING."

"He left without warning, and he returned without warning. You haven't had any opportunity before this to yell at him about it. You're with someone who's not here, so you can't even rub that in his face. You really liked the guy, from what you've said, and he blew you off. Yes, Rory, it is a big thing." Parker cocked an eyebrow at her. "And you're kidding yourself if you think it's not."

Rory shrugged. "With Jess? It's safer to have no expectations."

Parker frowned. "Why did you like him, again? You've never told me much about him."

"We're more alike than he'd ever want to admit," Rory said. "We think the same. It's just - where I take responsibility for things? Where I care about what other people think and feel? He's not quite there yet."

Parker frowned and repeated, "Why did you like him?" then grinned. "Okay. I just want all the gory details afterward. We'll see if you proved me wrong. It would be interesting if you did. I'll have to take notes on that friends- with-your-ex thing."

Rory shrugged yet again. "It works for me and Logan and me and Dean - the one from before Jess. And that was a bad breakup."

"With mine, either I moved away or they did," Parker mused, then winced. "Or there was a hideous Say Anything incident which killed the possibility of friends with a mallet." She cocked her head. "How was Dean a worse breakup than Disappearing Dufus?"

"Um. I sort of screwed things up," Rory said, facepalming. "So let me walk you through it. About two years ago, Jess showed up, and there was this kind of...thing with us. A vibe. And like, it was obvious he had a thing for me. But I was with Dean. And then Jess crashed my car, which Dean had built for me, and went away, and then he came back and I sort of kissed him. While I was with Dean. And then Dean finally kind of figured things out and broke up with me in the middle of this very public event and refused to talk to me for awhile."

Parker managed to make it through this convoluted tale, then said, "Right. Can't judge. Kissed a guy with a girlfriend. And it sounds like some of it was beyond your control anyway." She studied Rory. "So, a vibe, hunh? And this won't mess things up with certain Light Saber Boys, the same way it did before?"

Rory gave Parker a Look. "No. Dean and I should've broken up way before then, anyway. This is different."

"I hope so," Parker said blithely. "And if you do manage to do the friend thing, I still think he's a jerk. But if he has a reason for taking off without saying good-bye in person, that might make up for a lot." Parker spun herself of her chair. "And now, we have a some time before the wonder that is Wings' idea of a guest speaker. I can't wait."

"Sometimes people have a good reason for not saying goodbye in person," Rory replied. "And I just hope it's not too lame. I mean, it sounds sort of like a rip-off, you know?"

"Mmm." Parker just cocked a dubious eyebrow, then grinned. "It's got to be a rip-off, Wings didn't pay the guy anything. I anticipate an Angel Fanboy willing to tell us how to 'synergize' our karma and wearing a leisure suit. Possibly a velour one."

The Library is Open (03/02)

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