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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The lights in the living room dimmed as the opening credits of the third movie flickered across the screen. Alessia curled up on one end of the couch, tucking her knees up to her chest, her heart cautiously settling into the rare warmth of sharing a night like this with her mom.
Then, a familiar voice called out from the doorway, casual yet unmistakable.
"Hey, I'm back!" Rory's voice was bright, floating in from the entryway.
Instantly, Lorelai's face lit up as she glanced over at the door. "Rory! Finally! I thought you'd never get here," she laughed, springing off the couch as if the entire evening had been building up to this. In seconds, Rory joined them, and Lorelai's attention shifted fully to her as though Alessia had vanished entirely.
Alessia felt her chest tighten as Lorelai quickly made space for Rory on the couch, passing her a blanket and fussing over snacks. Within minutes, they were back to their old rhythm-talking in half sentences only they understood, laughing at jokes that felt like foreign language to anyone outside their two-person world. They fell into an ease that Alessia hadn't been able to touch, and even though she'd been sitting right there, it felt like she'd already been pushed out.
She watched them, the clink of popcorn bowls and Lorelai's cheerful banter forming a backdrop she could barely hear. That old ache-the one she'd thought she'd left behind-settled heavily in her chest, the weight of all the times she'd been the second choice, the afterthought. She'd been here before, so many nights of watching her mother look right past her to the daughter who'd always come first.
Forcing a smile that no one noticed, Alessia quietly set down her half-eaten popcorn, her movements careful as if trying not to disturb the scene in front of her. Then, she rose to her feet.
"I'm going for a walk," she murmured to no one in particular. Not that it mattered; her mom and Rory were too deep in conversation to notice. Taking her coat, she slipped out the door and into the cool evening air, letting it press against her skin, grounding her as she tried to shake off the bitterness.
Stars Hollow was quiet at this hour, the kind of stillness that carried memories of laughter and old friendships. Alessia kept her pace slow, letting her mind wander as she walked. She didn't know exactly where she was going, just that anywhere was better than back there, where she didn't belong.
Rounding the corner near the bridge, she came face-to-face with a figure leaning casually against the railing, cigarette glowing faintly in the dim light.
Jess Mariano.
She hadn't seen him in ages, but he looked exactly the same-still dressed in his familiar leather jacket, hands shoved deep into his pockets, that same expression that held a mix of defiance and indifference. He glanced up as she approached, surprise flashing across his face before it settled back into his usual unreadable look.
"Alessia," he said, the hint of a smirk tugging at his mouth. "Didn't expect to see you out here. Thought you'd escaped Stars Hollow for good."
Alessia forced a small smile, shrugging. "Guess some things pull you back, even when you don't want them to."
He nodded, his gaze flicking over her, picking up more than she intended to show. "Still got that look about you," he said quietly, "like you're carrying way too much on those shoulders of yours."
She laughed, but it was hollow. "Maybe I am."
They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared history and unspoken words filling the space between them. Eventually, Jess gestured toward the railing beside him. "Want to sit?"
After a moment's hesitation, she nodded, leaning against the cool metal, the faint sound of the water beneath them lulling her thoughts into something quieter. For once, she let herself just be there, no defenses, no forced smiles-just her and Jess and the quiet night.
