The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Sixty-Two: The Pro/Con List

Alessia sat cross-legged on Beau's living room floor, a large sheet of paper spread out in front of her, with a black marker in hand. The edges of the paper were already smudged from her doodling, and a hastily written title across the top read: "Alessia's College Dilemma – Pro/Con List."

Beau was lounging on the couch behind her, flipping through channels on the TV but not really paying attention to any of them. The noise was just background static to the real task at hand: helping Alessia make one of the biggest decisions of her life. She had a few college acceptances in hand, and now it was time to decide where to go.

"Okay," Alessia said, tapping the marker against her chin thoughtfully. "Let's start with Yale. It's close to home."

Beau snorted. "Sure, Yale first. Not because it's your favorite or anything."

Alessia shot him a sarcastic look. "Yale is practical. Plus, being close to home means I can visit whenever I want."

"Ah yes, the lure of home-cooked meals and Luke's coffee. I'm sure that's exactly what you'll be thinking about during midterms."

Rolling her eyes, Alessia started writing under the "Pros" column for Yale. "Close to home, great academic programs, especially in English and History," she muttered as she scribbled. "Okay, what's a con for Yale?"

"Proximity to Rory," Beau offered, a smirk playing on his lips.

"That's more of a personal con, isn't it?" Alessia grinned, shaking her head as she wrote it down anyway.

"Do we really have to include her in every list?"

"Think of it as a reminder of what I'm running from."

With a shrug, Beau shifted on the couch and glanced at the clock. "Hey, if we're doing this seriously, we need fuel. How about a trip to Luke's? We can brainstorm on the way."

"Now you're talking." Alessia capped the marker and pushed herself up. "I'm going to need at least one cup of coffee to get through this."

"And maybe we'll find some inspiration in a stack of pancakes," Beau added with a grin as they grabbed their stuff and headed out.

---

The walk to Luke's was short, with the late afternoon sun filtering through the trees lining the streets of Stars Hollow. It was one of those perfectly idyllic days that made Alessia almost forget how small and suffocating the town could feel at times. Almost.

As they approached Luke's Diner, Alessia nudged Beau. "Okay, so what's another pro for Harvard?"

Beau considered this as they stepped inside the diner, the familiar smell of coffee and grease immediately welcoming them. "How about the fact that it's Harvard, with all the prestige that comes with it?"

Alessia nodded, adding it to the list. "World-class professors, endless opportunities. And it's close to Boston."

They slid into their usual booth, and Luke approached with his typical gruff expression. "Coffee?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Two, please," Beau answered, sliding Alessia's pro-con list onto the table. "And maybe some pancakes. We're making life-changing decisions here, Luke."

"Right, because that always goes well with pancakes," Luke muttered, jotting down the order before heading back to the counter.

As they waited, Alessia uncapped the marker and started adding "close to Boston" under Harvard's pros. Beau watched her for a moment, then grinned as he leaned in.

"Here's a con for Harvard—too many overachievers, so prepare to feel average."

Alessia chuckled and wrote it down, adding a small doodle of a stressed-out stick figure next to it. "Definitely a con."

Luke returned with their coffees, placing them on the table with a bit more force than necessary. "You two better be careful with those life-altering decisions," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You don't want to look back and regret not choosing the place with the best coffee."

"Spoken like a true diner owner," Alessia quipped as she took a sip.

Luke smirked. "And don't you forget it."

---

Later, after pancakes and a second round of coffee, they found themselves wandering the aisles of Doose's Market, ostensibly to pick up some snacks but really just to kill time. As they strolled through the candy aisle, Beau paused, holding up a bag of gummy bears.

"Here's a pro for Princeton," he joked, tossing the bag into the cart. "Maybe they have better vending machines."

Alessia laughed as she added it to the list. "Right, because access to quality gummy bears is a deciding factor."

"Absolutely," Beau replied, straight-faced. "And don't forget the charming campus. You'll have plenty of scenic places to eat those gummy bears."

"True, Princeton is beautiful," Alessia mused, adding "gorgeous campus" to the pros. "But what about a con?"

"New Jersey," Beau said simply, earning a laugh from Alessia.

She added it under cons with a shrug. "Location might be a downside, but I guess it's all about what I'm willing to compromise on."

As they headed toward the checkout, Beau nudged Alessia again. "You know, one more con for Yale: It might feel too much like an extension of high school with so many familiar faces around."

Alessia paused, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, I could see that being an issue. But maybe it's also a pro—at least at first. It might make the transition easier."

"Or it could just keep you tied to Stars Hollow forever," Beau teased.

"Thanks for the optimism," Alessia shot back with a smile, adding the point to both columns. "But seriously, I think I'm getting closer to figuring this out."

As they walked back to Beau's house, the list now folded in Alessia's pocket, she felt a little more at ease. The decision was still daunting, but at least now she had a clearer picture of what each school offered—and what she might be giving up.

"You know, I think I'm starting to figure it out," Alessia said as they reached Beau's front steps.

"Yeah?" Beau asked, looking at her curiously.

"Yeah," she replied with a smile. "I think I'm going to choose Harvard."

"Really?" Beau's eyebrows shot up. "Harvard?"

"Yep," Alessia said with a growing sense of certainty. "It has the academics, the opportunities, and it's close enough to Boston that I won't feel completely isolated. Plus, it's far enough from Stars Hollow that I can actually start fresh."

"Sounds like a good choice," Beau said, grinning. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," Alessia replied, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "Now I just have to break the news to my family."

"Good luck with that," Beau teased, opening the door for her. "But hey, whatever you decide, just know I'll still be around to annoy you."

Alessia laughed as she stepped inside. "That's the best pro yet."