the town and the city (j. mariano)

CHAPTER 3

Mandy didn't speak to Jess unless forced to for days after the "Gilmore bash," and it was driving Luke crazy that his two employees refused to get along. But to them, it was simple. Mandy hated Jess because she felt as if he had no respect for the people she loved most. Jess hated Mandy because she judged people too quickly without actually getting to know them. 

Both were valid arguments.

One morning, Rory walked into the diner with a homework assignment that Lorelai promised her was good. But, no matter what her mother said to reassure her, Rory refused to take any compliments, claiming it was not the way to raise a child and that she was so sure it would be the worst work in the class. It didn't take long for Luke to notice the distressed girl and exasperated mother, so he made a quick solution.

"Mandy," he called as she walked over from serving Kirk. "Go read over Rory's homework. I'm sure you've heard the ruckus."

"Of course, Luke," Mandy said with a smile. "As long as I still get paid." Her boss smiled jokingly at her and pushed her towards the girls who were practically Mandy's family. 

"I was sent to check homework," the waitress said with a flourish of her hand. "Hand it over." Rory did so and the Forester girl took a seat at their table, ignoring the bickering mother-daughter duo beside her. She finished in a matter of minutes- always being a fast and avid reader- and immediately took the pen she used for orders from her pocket. 

"Look, Mandy thinks there's something wrong. She has her pen out! Oh, this is terrible, Mom," Rory cried, her face in her hands. However, what she couldn't see was that Mandy had merely added a title to the essay, labeling it "THE BEST WORK RORY GILMORE HAS EVER DONE" as Lorelai chuckled to herself. Peeking through her fingers, Rory gasped as she saw Mandy's handiwork and immediately tore the paper from her grasp. "Mands, I have to turn this in!"
"Shouldn't have given it to me, then," Mandy giggled, standing as Jess walked down the stairs. They awkwardly made eye contact until the annoyed girl looked down to his shirt and burst out into laughter, already knowing Luke's response. 

"What the hell is that?"

"What?" Jess replied with a smirk, eyes flicking between Rory and Mandy. In all the time he had been in Stars Hollow, he couldn't recall seeing the former ever truly smile. It's a shame, he thought to himself, because her smile is absolutely beautiful. As soon as the thought entered his head, he pulled it from his mind, reminding himself that he hated the girl and that he was interested in Rory. And only Rory. 

"That."

"That is a shirt."

"Change."

"What?" 

"Go upstairs and change your shirt." Luke was about to blow a fuse, and Mandy loved it. As much as she respected the man, she had to have her fun every once in a while. 

"I like this shirt," Jess said, noticing the mischievous look that had entered the girl's eyes.
"How can you like that shirt?"

"It brings out his eyes," Mandy quipped, cracking up in her head as Luke's head spun to her, his face betraying the horror he felt at her words. The waitress took the coffee pot and shoved it into Jess' hands, pointing to the table that needed to be served, trying to push Luke's buttons even more by making him think that his nephew was actually going to start serving customers.