In the heart of Harvard, Alessia Gilmore is ready to embrace her second year and the independence it brings. After a summer spent reconnecting with friends and discovering herself, she's determined to step out of her twin sister Rory's shadow and ca...
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As Alessia walked through the front door of her childhood home, the familiar creak of the floorboard under her foot felt both comforting and a bit surreal. It had been a while since she'd been back, and even though she wasn't entirely sure why she'd driven here instead of heading straight back to campus, there was something grounding about the place. She wasn't looking for anything specific, she told herself. Just... home.
But as soon as the door clicked shut behind her, she heard her mother's voice call from the kitchen.
"Rory?" Lorelai's voice was filled with excitement and expectation. "Rory! Is that you?"
Alessia felt a pang that hit her harder than she wanted to admit. She wasn't surprised—this was just how things were, had always been. She took a deep breath, letting that familiar sting settle before brushing it away. By now, it was a reflex. "No, just me," she called back, her tone light, casual.
Lorelai appeared in the doorway, blinking with brief surprise before her expression softened. "Oh, hey, Alessia. Didn't know you were coming by." There was warmth in her eyes, but Alessia noticed the subtle flicker of disappointment that she was used to seeing.
"Yeah, kind of a last-minute thing," Alessia replied, shrugging as if it was no big deal. "Harvard was... a lot, so I thought I'd stop by for some, I don't know, maternal wisdom or whatever you've got lying around."
Lorelai chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, in that case, you're in luck. I've got some freshly brewed coffee and an endless supply of unsolicited advice."
"Perfect," Alessia said, managing a small smile as she dropped her bag by the door and followed her mother into the kitchen. She slipped into one of the kitchen chairs, watching as Lorelai poured her a mug of coffee.
"So," Lorelai said, sliding the mug in front of Alessia. "What's been going on? Aside from Harvard's attempts to kill you with workload, I mean."
Alessia wrapped her hands around the warm mug, staring into the coffee before answering. "Oh, you know. Just the usual. Classes, projects, trying not to have a complete breakdown every other day."
Lorelai laughed, but Alessia could tell she didn't quite catch the seriousness under her tone. "Well, that sounds about right. You're talking to the queen of last-minute essays and questionable study habits, remember?"
"Right," Alessia said, nodding. Lorelai's carefree approach to everything had always been her trademark, but Alessia often found it hard to relate to. As much as she tried to joke about the chaos, the pressure of school and her constant struggle to live up to expectations gnawed at her in a way she knew her mom wouldn't fully understand.
"So, what are you working on? Anything fun?" Lorelai asked, oblivious to the slight tension Alessia felt, even now.
"Just some photography stuff," Alessia replied, taking a sip of her coffee. "I'm trying to put together a project on 'identity,' but it's... complicated. Trying to figure out what parts of yourself to show, I guess." She hadn't planned on getting so personal, but the words tumbled out before she could stop them.
"Hmm. Sounds like you're diving deep," Lorelai said with a smile. "That's a Rory thing, all that introspective stuff."
Alessia's jaw clenched slightly, but she forced herself to laugh it off. "Guess some things run in the family, huh?"
"Guess so," Lorelai replied, oblivious. "Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you need to figure it out. And hey, maybe a few hours of binge-watching movies will give you all the inspiration you need."
Alessia gave a faint smile. "Thanks, Mom. Might just take you up on that."
As she sipped her coffee, she looked around the familiar kitchen, the memories thick around her. But even here, with Lorelai right in front of her, she couldn't shake the feeling of being somewhat invisible. The unspoken comparison lingered, like a shadow that never quite left, but she'd learned to live with it. She knew that, no matter what she did or how hard she tried, she'd never quite be Rory.
But for now, she was just Alessia, sipping coffee in the kitchen, trying her best not to let that shadow drown out who she was becoming.
