In The Forgotten Gilmore, Alessia Gilmore grapples with adolescence in Stars Hollow, a town where gossip flows as freely as coffee at Luke's Diner. Overshadowed by her mother Lorelai's bond with twin sister Rory, Alessia finds solace in her irrevere...
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The morning sun peeked through the blinds of Alessia's room, casting a warm glow that pulled her from a restless sleep. The tension from the previous night lingered, but today, she was determined to find some semblance of peace.
After a quick breakfast and a brief, indifferent exchange with Lorelai, Alessia decided to head to Luke's Diner. As she pushed open the door, the familiar bell chimed, and the comforting aroma of coffee filled the air.
"Morning, Alessia," Luke greeted from behind the counter, his gruff voice tinged with a hint of a smile.
"Morning, Luke," Alessia replied, sliding onto a stool. "I'll take my usual."
Luke frowned slightly but poured a steaming cup and set it in front of her. "You know, all that coffee is gonna turn your insides to sludge," he remarked with a raised eyebrow.
Alessia smirked. "Thanks for the concern, Luke, but I think my insides can handle it. Besides, tea just doesn't have the same kick."
Luke shook his head, a small grin playing on his lips as he turned to tend to another customer.
Alessia took a sip of her coffee, savoring the warmth and the way it chased away the lingering remnants of last night's loneliness. Just as she was beginning to relax, the bell above the door rang again, and Jess sauntered in, his usual air of casual indifference firmly in place.
He spotted Alessia and made his way over, dropping into the stool beside her. "Hey, Gilmore," he greeted, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Hey, Dodger," Alessia shot back, the nickname slipping out before she could stop it. She bit her lip, but Jess just chuckled, clearly not offended.
Luke glanced over, raising an eyebrow at Jess. "You're up early. Trouble sleeping?"
Jess shrugged. "Something like that. Can I get a coffee, Uncle Luke?"
Luke rolled his eyes but poured a cup, setting it in front of Jess with a bit more force than necessary. "Don't cause any trouble," he muttered before moving off to serve another customer.
"Trouble seems to follow you around, doesn't it?" Alessia remarked, eyeing Jess over the rim of her cup.
"Only when it's looking for a good time," Jess replied with a lazy grin. "What about you? What brings you to Luke's this early?"
"Needed a break from the chaos at home," Alessia admitted. "Figured I'd find some peace here."
Jess nodded, his expression turning thoughtful. "Yeah, I get that. Sometimes it's nice to just be somewhere quiet."
They fell into an easy conversation, trading sarcastic comments and witty banter. Despite their differences, Alessia found herself enjoying Jess's company more than she expected. There was an underlying current of chemistry between them, an unspoken connection that neither of them acknowledged outright but both felt.
As the morning wore on, the diner began to fill up with the usual rush of Stars Hollow residents. Luke moved around the diner with practiced efficiency, keeping an eye on Jess and Alessia from time to time.
"Want to get out of here?" Jess suggested suddenly. "Take a walk or something?"
Alessia hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Sure, why not. Let's get out of here before Luke tries to switch my coffee to decaf."
They left the diner and started walking through the town, the early morning air crisp and refreshing. They meandered through the streets, talking about everything and nothing, finding common ground in their shared sense of being outsiders.
"So, you really don't like tea?" Jess asked, breaking the comfortable silence as they walked past the gazebo in the town square.
Alessia shook her head. "Nope, not my thing. Coffee's my lifeline. Plus, I like annoying Luke with it."
Jess chuckled. "I can see that. You do have a talent for getting under people's skin."
"Thanks, I take that as a compliment," Alessia replied with a grin.
Jess nodded, his expression turning more serious. "You know, you're not as bad as I thought."
Alessia raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment?"
"Don't let it go to your head," Jess teased. "But yeah, I guess it is."
Jess leaned a little closer, his eyes meeting hers with a mischievous glint. "You're not too bad yourself, Gilmore."
For a moment, the air between them seemed to crackle with tension. Alessia felt her heart beat a little faster, and she wondered if Jess felt it too. But before she could dwell on it, Jess straightened and suggested they keep walking.
As they continued their walk, Alessia realized that maybe, just maybe, Jess was someone she could trust. Someone who understood her in a way that few others did.
They wandered back towards the diner, the morning slipping away as they talked and joked. When they finally parted ways, Alessia felt lighter, the weight of her loneliness lifting just a bit.
As she walked home, she couldn't help but smile. Maybe things were starting to look up after all.
