The Golden Child

The Real Reason

Only Rory and I were left in the kitchen after mum left to call dad about the debutante ball. A moment of comfortable silence passed between us. 

"What's the real reason you don't want to do this?" Rory quietly asks, our blue eyes staring at each other.

"I thought I already told you." I retorted back to Rory. 

"Grandma and all her friends can't be the only reason."

"Oh really, why not?"

"Because you're not mum."

"I could be, for all you know we could be pulling a 'Freaky Friday.'"

"Of course you are. I'm sorry I didn't recognise you Lindsay Lohan did you get new highlights?"

"You're hysterical."

"And I will keep going on until you tell me why you don't want to go."

"Never."

"I'll make you watch 'The Power of Myth' with me on a loop."

"Who died and made you Robert Mugabe?"

"So should we start tonight?"

"Not on your life."

"And we'll order Indian food from Al's."

"Followed closely by burning down the house just to get the smell out. Do you think that's where 'Talking Heads' got their inspiration for their song 'Burning Down the House'?"

"I don't think so."

"Really because from where I'm standing it seems like it."

"Not from where I'm standing."

"Then move."

"Charlie come on, why won't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Seriously, it must be something important because you won't pull out every pop culture reference in that jungle that you call your mind and you won't play dumb with me. Come on Charlie it's me, your twin."

"So you're my twin, you're not telepathic."

"No but call it intuition or in this case twinuition."

"Wow how long have you been thinking up that one."

"I just had the feeling it would come up."

"Well you must be feeling pretty proud of yourself."

"Fine don't tell me but I'll find out."

"Oh really, how?"

"I'll spy."

"With your little eye. What will you find? A tree? "

"I'll bet you five bucks it's about a guy."

"What a cliché."

"What is?"

"The five bucks, couldn't it be five horses or five pizzas."

"I'm not accountant but I'm pretty sure that five horses and five pizzas cost more than five dollars."

"Like you said you're no accountant so there's no proof."

"Well, well, well." Rory says with a smirk on her face.

"What? Stop smirking it's not natural for you."

"No but it is for someone you and I know."

"Mum?"

"No but James Dean might be a hint."

"Well Dean is your boyfriend I can't take him."

"Don't you dare."

"I wasn't planning to but you bought up James Dean."

"I was talking about Jess."

"What about Jess?"

"Don't act so clueless, you're not Alicia Silverstone."

"I wish, she's so pretty."

"Can we get back to Jess."

"You bought up Alicia Silverstone, why am I getting accused of being sidetracked."

"Because you started saying that she was pretty and then you'll go on a massive rant in God knows what."

"Kind of what you're doing now." I say with a smirk.

"You and Jess are a match made in heaven."

"What do you mean?" I say with a blush.

"You both smirk when you drive someone crazy, which frankly is often." Rory rambled barely notice me blushing.

"Oh that's um cool."

"Yeah it is." She says, eyeing my suspiciously. 

"I think I'm gonna go to Lukes or something, maybe visit Lane."

"And why can't I come to Lane's or Luke's. I like Lane and Luke as much as you."

"I just need to clear my head." 

"OH MY GOD!"

"What!? Did you see Christine Armanpour walk past?!"

"YOU LIKE JESS!?" Rory whisper shouted.

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"Yes it's Jess?"

"Charlie be serious."

"What it's not my fault that yes and Jess rhyme; did I exploit the opportunity of course I did."

"You never denied it in that mini rant." 

"That's because I don't like him."

"Mhm."

"What I-I don't."

"Says the one that is turning pink."

"Molly Ringwald?"

"What does Molly Ringwald have anything to do with this conversation."

"She was in 'Pretty in Pink'."

"I'm trying to connect the dots here."

"Well you said I was turning pink and Molly Ringwald was in 'Pretty in Pink'."

"Did you even understand what that movie was about."

"Yes I did as a matter of fact."

"Well it doesn't look like it."

"Look I don't l want to go because of all the reasons you've listed, if you don't believe me that's fine."

"Okay fine but from what I'm seeing you have a thing for Jess."

"Fine believe what you will but I do not have a thing for Jess, period."

"Fine!"

"Look you can believe whatever you want to believe just don't tell mum."

"What do you mean?"

"She freaked out when you first started dating Dean and Dean's the textbook definition of perfect, imagine what she'll think if I liked Jess."

"So you do like Jess."

"Fine yes I like Jess just don't tell mum, it'll be like bringing home John Bender."

"You know things really did blow up when I didn't tell mum about Dean, I really don't recommend it."

"I didn't say I was dating Jess only that I like him."

"Still the fact that you like a boy."

"Why are you so surprised that I like a boy this isn't Amish country."

"Well I know that."

"Look I like Jess and for I know he could have a girlfriend back in New York."

For the first time for what felt like forever, Rory was speechless, totally and utterly speechless. It was until she embraced me into a tight hug that I heard her whisper gently into my hear, "I've got your back little sis."

"Only by five minutes." I retort back with mock anger, pouting slightly and crossing by arms over my chest.