𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐒 | ʲᵉˢˢ ᵐᵃʳⁱᵃⁿᵒ

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THE FALL BREEZE blew through her hair as she stepped out of her house, her brown backpack slung over her right shoulder. She let out a deep breath, and a smile crept up onto her face. That a fall smell was in the air. She began her walk to Luke's Diner, where she usually meets Rory and Lorelai Gilmore. Most of the leaves had already fallen off the trees and would crunch under her boots as she walked on them.

Luke's soon came into view, Josie grinned at the sight she soon would have her coffee. She crossed the street, passing by some of her fellow towns folk who were too busy gossiping about the newest buzz of the town to notice her.

She pushed the door open, making the bell above it ring. She looked around and spotted Lorelai very quickly. "Hey." She said to the Gilmore woman who was sipping her coffee. "Hey, Josie." Lorelai smiled at her as she dropped her bag by the seat. "I need caffeine, like, right now. I'll be right back." Josie told her, heading over to the counter. "Hey, Boss." She greeted the man. "Josie, what can I get you?" Luke asked, frustration painting his face. "I'm hurt that you even had to ask!" Josie overexaggerated.

"You know if you keep drinking as much coffee as you do, you'll never get any sleep." Luke told her as he poured coffee into a mug. "Because drinking coffee can cause insomnia?" She questioned. "Exactly. You'll end up like Edward Norton in Fight Club." he told her, handing her the mug.

"He played an insomniac. He wasn't one." She corrected, sipping from the mug. "Same difference. You're gonna die either way." he informed her. "Cheeriey." she remarked. "Go one day without caffeine, and I think you'll find you sleep better."

"I don't need sleep, I need coffee." she grinned, spinning on her heels to head back to the table, where Lorelai was previously sat. But the woman now stood by the counter with a mug in hand. "Wow, refill already? That must be a record. You can't have been in here for longer than ten minutes." she grinned, leaning on the counter. "It's not for me. It's for Rory, I swear."

"You're shameless." he shook his head, unimpressed. "Look, Officer Krupke. She's right at that table, right over there." Lorelai described, turning around to see an older guy hitting on Rory. "Oh, ew, gross. Luke kick 'em out." Josie said, sipping her coffee. Luke reluctantly poured the coffee Lorelai had asked for. She thanked him before heading back to the table.

"Well, I got to go." Josie said, finishing her coffee. "Here." she handed Luke the money for her coffee. "Thanks." he smiled before Josie headed back over to Lorelai's table.She awkwardly walked past the man that was stood at the table. "Oh, sorry." He apologised. "No, it's cool. Standing in the middle of a busy diner. Do you expect people to just avoid walking near you. Are you that egotistical?" She asked, folding her arms. The man looked blankly at her. She rolled her eyes and picked her bag up, swinging it onto her shoulder before leaving the diner.

❥︎

JOSIE WAS SAT in Luke's eating her burger when she heard the door open. She looked up to see the Gilmore Girls. They slipped their jackets off and put them on the backs of two chairs at Josie's table.

"Hey." Josie said, looking up at the two. "Hi." Rory replied before continuing her conversation with her mom. "I think it was really brave of you to ask them for money." Rory told her mom. "Oh, I so do not want to talk about it." Lorelai sighed. Rory nodded. "So, how many meals is it gonna take till we're off the hook?" Rory asked. Lorelai sighed. "I think the deli spread at my funeral will be the last one." she answered.
"Probably Rory's, actually." Josie said, eating her burger. The two Gilmores turned their heads to her. "What? I catch on fast." she explained.

A smile appeared on Lorelai's face. "Hey, wait... does that mean....?" Lorelai left her sentence unfinished, knowing Rory understood what she meant. "Can't let a perfectly good plaid skirt go to waste." Rory said. "Aww, honey, you won't be sorry." Lorelai smiled. "Yeah, I'm smart, but I can't figure that out -" Josie began but was cut off by Luke approaching their table. "Wow! You... you like nice, really nice." Lorelai struggled to get the words out. "I had a meeting earlier at the bank. They like collars." Luke said. "You look nice, too." He complemented. "I had a flagellation to go to." Lorelai joked.