𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 . . . 𝘒𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘢𝘤, 𝘝𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘵, 𝘎𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘨
❝ Who doesn't like Metallica? ❞

  CHARLIE GILMORE LEANED on the locker beside Liam's, watching him collect his books as the final bell rang. He worked quicker after the sound, making Charlie chuckle.

  "Don't laugh at me," He defended, pulling a half-zipped backpack over his shoulder, "Your locker looks like Emma decorated it."

  "That was cold," Emma noted, joining her friends with a sigh, "So, Dean said Taylor's busy today so we can smoke behind Doose's—"

  "Connecticut!"

  Emma's eye twitched in annoyance as Jess Mariano jogged up to the trio, no backpack in sight as he flashed Charlie a half-smirk.

  "C'mon, I wanna show you something."

  "We're, kind of busy," Emma said, crossing her arms tightly.

  "Yeah, you sure look like it," Jess noted with a lazy grin, his eyes traveling until they landed on Charlie. "You comin'?"

  "No," Charlie said in slight discomfort, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Jess pursed his lips, nodded, then walked away.

  She watched him nearly shoulder-check and unsuspecting freshman, and before Liam could make a comment about Jess' sunny disposition, Charlie was rushing after him.

  "Charls!"

  "I'll meet you guys in a little!" She yelled back, not stopping as she weaved between kids, "I don't wanna be a hypocrite!"

  Charlie came tumbling out of the double doors with her backpack clinging onto the crook of her elbow, sighing in relief when she saw Jess sitting with a cigarette between his lips.

  "Hey," She greeted breathlessly, making Jess raise an eyebrow, "What did you want to show me?"

  "Nothin'."

  "Oh, c'mon," The girl frowned, "I'm sorry, Taylor never leaves Doose's so when he does, Em, Liam, and I all smoke bud out back since it's just about the only concealed place in the entire town—"

  "You don't owe me anything, Connecticut," Jess said, standing, "Not even an explanation."

  "I know," Charlie said, defensively, "I'm just being a nice person— something I'm sure you aren't familiar with."

  "And, she's back," He smiled, eyeing the crowd around them, "Let's go so we can get you to your organized crime at a reasonable hour."

  Charlie rolled her eyes but followed Jess, and in a matter of minutes he was making fun of her choice of literature— turns out the New York boy wasn't too fond of modern young adult books— and their argument was only interrupted when Luke Danes began walking with them.

  "Hey!" Luke greeted, his pace quickening to match that of the teens, "How was school?"

  "Great," Jess sighed out, not looking at his uncle.

  "You learn anything good?" Luke attempted to make small talk, glancing at Jess every now and then.

  "Oh yeah, tons of things," Jess answered sarcastically. "Got gold stars plastered all over my forehead."

  Charlie let out a poorly masked laugh, only to receive a glare from Luke. "No, you're right, not funny."

  "I had an interesting call today," Luke sighed, "Want to know who it was from?"

  "Not really."

  "From Taylor Doose, you know— he owns the market."

  "If you say so."

  "He said you came in today." The three paused to allow a car to pass before walking across the street. "And he said you took some money out of a little donation cup to help repair the bridge."

  Charlie found herself zoning out slowly, a defense mechanism to being in the center of a familial fight that didn't involve her. Until, of course, Jess had enough.

  "Look, what exactly do you want from me?" The boy snapped, taking Luke and Charlie by surprise. "You bring me here to this place, you put me in a school that says the pledge of allegiance in six different languages— two of which I've never heard of! You take me away from my home, my friends, and now you want what from me?!"

  "I'm trying to help you,"

  "Well stop trying! Stop talking to me, stop following me, stop asking me questions! Just stop!"

  "That's what you want?"

  "Yes!"

  "That's really what you want?"

  "Yes!"

  "Fine, that's what you got."

  "Thank you!"

  "You're welcome!"

  The two began walking, Charlie too shocked to move. But Luke shoving Jess into the water brought her back to reality, laughter bubbling from her lips. The boy's eyes were drawn to her, glaring as she walked towards him— still laughing.

  "You kinda deserved it," Charlie said, snickering as she looked down at the boy with a wet mop for hair.

  "I did?"

  Charlie nodded, but sighed and offered a hand out. Though, Jess had other ideas, as in one movement the world was upside down before Charlie was plunged into the icy water beside him. Charlie surfaced almost instantly, shoving heavy hair from her face.

  "You're dead, Mariano!"

  Time dissipated as the teens fought with lake water as weapons, Charlie had attempted to shove Jess' head beneath the surface of the water but only resulted in the girl being thrown out further.

  After what felt like forever, the two were sitting side by side in the gazebo in the center of town, towels carefully draped around their shoulders. Charlie had since thrown her drenched hair into a bun, Jess' hair was sticking to his forehead, much to his chagrin.

  "I can't believe he shoved you in a lake." Charlie stared at the sidewalk in front of her, Jess doing the same. "God, sometimes I wish I could just leave this town."

  The reasoning was everything, in reality. The mentality, how suffocating it felt, the general idea of everyone knowing everyone. But, what had pulled the confession from within Charlie at that moment, was Miss Patty's peacock feather hat taking flight from her head, earing a yelp from the woman— and a small parade joined her in chasing it.

  "Hey, as long as I'm stuck here, you are too."

  "So if you ever leave. . ."

  "Not if you're here, Connecticut," Jess sighed, making Charlie sit up in attention. He was still watching the heated hat chase, letting out a short chuckle when Taylor tackled it, "I have never seen someone so dedicated to catching a freakin' hat."

  "That's probably the most interesting thing that'll happen this week," Charlie mumbled, hugging her legs closer to her chest. "It's freezing."

  "Wimp."

  "Oh, thanks," Charlie said sarcastically but found herself quiet when Jess shed his towel and placed it over her shoulders. "Thanks."

  "No problem," Jess said, stretching as he stood, "See you tomorrow— don't get in too much trouble."

  "Take your own advice, Mariano!"

  "With you around, I think that'll be difficult!"

↬

  The morning following their lake excursion, Charlie was lending a helping hand in Luke's due to Jess' tardiness. When the teen finally did make his appearance, it was immediately met with Luke's berating.

  "Jess, you were supposed to be down here— what the hell is that?"

  "What?"

  "That." Luke pointed to his chest.

  "That is a shirt." Charlie informed in amusement, setting down a rag, "Of a legendary band, might I add."

  "You like Metallica?"

  "Who doesn't like Metallica?"

  "Change," Luke interrupted the teens harshly.

  "What?"

  "Go upstairs and change your shirt."

  "I like this shirt," Jess defended.

  "I like that shirt too," Charlie added as she passed them, replacing the coffee pot.

  "How can you like that shirt?" Luke questioned the teens.

  "It brings out my eyes," Jess remarked dryly, sneaking a glance at Charlie as she stacked coffee mugs quickly.

  "Charls," Emma announced herself, waltzing into the diner and sparing a distasteful look to Jess, "Ready?"

  "Yeah, two seconds," Charlie sighed, turning to her mother and sister who'd been enjoying a nice, lazy breakfast, "Are you guys—"

  "We can help ourselves," Lorelai waved, "Get to school."

  "Okay," The teen smiled, waving at her family before snatching her backpack dangling from Jess' fingers, "You comin', Mariano?"

  "Whatever," Jess shrugged nonchalantly, hiking a backpack onto his own back and lazily following Emma and Charlie— who were already chatting animatedly. Luke cocked a brow at this behavior, going to school with no argument and in a timely manner, only to receive a glare from Jess.

  "Mariano, please tell Emma that Kerouac is not the 'Slaughter House Five guy'."

  Jess raised his brows, quickening his pace to match with Charlie's, "You're not serious?"

  "Yes, because he is," Emma stressed, making Charlie hit her forehead with her palm, "Don't do that!"

  "It's justified when you don't know the difference between Kerouac and Vonnegut."

  "You're making up names now."

  Charlie shoved Emma, making the girl gape offendedly, and pull a chuckle from deep within Jess Mariano.

  "Did you—"

  "Yeah," Luke cut the woman off, both of them in a daze of sorts.

  The trio had watched the interaction until the teens were completley out of sight, Jess' smile never seeming to fade as Charlie and Emma took turns ranting at one another— it was bizarre and foreign, but not horrible.

  "Welcome to The Twilight Zone," Rory mumbled with raised brows, sipping her own coffee quietly.

  "Where Charlie's making friends and Jess is smiling."

  "Knock it off, you two," Luke berated half-heartedly.

  "Never!"

↬

  Charlie found herself at the kitchen table, across from her mother, following a boring school day. She was producing homework supplies when her hands felt an unfamiliarly small book. The teen pulled it out in confusion, eyeing the cover. 

  It was a pocket poetry book; Howl. She'd heard about it, but never got the chance to actually read it, until now, apparently.

  And then, Charlie found herself amazed. On the title page, in small penciled handwriting it read;

  "You may know the difference between Kerouac and Vonnegut, but have you met Ginsberg yet? You're welcome in advance, Connecticut."

  She shook her head with a small smile, fingering through the book lightly. He'd written on every page, not missing a chance to comment or explain. Charlie had a million questions; how had he slipped it in her bag, why had he slipped it in her bag, why Howl out of every book in the world— but in the end, Charlie succumbed to the mystery and began reading— from the beginning.

  Until, of course, Rory Gilmore marched into the dining room and announced her presence with a shocking sentence.

  "I'm coming out."

  "Congratulations," Charlie mumbled boredly, receiving a small glare from Rory.

  "Out of what?"

  "Out to society," Rory explained to Lorelai, taking a seat between her and Charlie.

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I went to grandma's house after school,"

  "Okay, right away, bad." 

  Charlie watched Rory explain the situation dramatically, that Emily and her D.A.R. friends convinced her to be in the debutante ball. This, of course, ignited a small argument between mother and daughter; Lorelai felt as though Rory didn't actually want to do it, and Rory surprised her by genuinely having an urge to.

  All while the eldest daughter sat silently, re-focusing on the words of Allen Ginsberg. She had no interest in dizzy, floral-scented world of her grandmother— and now, apparently, her sister. Charlie liked Stars Hollow and smoking and sneakers and everything opposite of what her grandparents were.

  "Oh, Charlie, I almost forgot," Rory smiled at her sister, making the girl look up, "Grandma told me to tell you that you'll be getting presented to society as well."

  Charlie gently set the book down, closing the cover and resting her interlinked hands atop it.

  "Grandma said what?"

  "She said it would improve your class and etiquette."

  "I have fine class and etiquette!"

  "You two don't have to do this," Lorelai tried reasoning, "Do you know what a coming-out party says?"

  "It says I'm a woman." Rory scrunched her brows, making Charlie drop her head into her hands.

  "No, it says "Hi, we're Rory and Charlie, we're of good breeding and marriageable age, and we will now parade around in front of young men who are also of good breeding and marriageable age."

  "Rory's doing the debutante ball," Charlie groaned, both Gilmore's facing her with wide eyes. "This is not my thing and we both know nothing is going to stop her."

  "No, if you want to do it I'll help, it's just weird. This is all the stuff I ran away from, I just assumed you two would be running with me."

  "Well I would but I heard debutantes don't run, something about the heels." 

  It didn't take long for the tension to dissipate, for Charlie to pick at the corner of the book and feel the strong urge to leave the family bonding moment, but before she got a chance Rory's face twisted into discomfort from whatever words on a pamphlet she was holding.

  "Rory? What's wrong?" The teen faltered, looking up at her mom.

  "Oh, uh, it just says your father is supposed to present you at the ceremony," The girl awkwardly scratched the back of her neck, shrugging.

  Lorelai wasted no time in calling Chris, who didn't take too much convincing. But, while their mother was chatting with their father, Rory worked up the courage to prod Charlie.

  "Is that why you don't want to do this?" Rory asked, making her sister look up, "'Cause Dad's supposed to escort us?"

  "No," Charlie said defensively.

  "He's going to, you know. He won't say no."

  "I know he won't say no, Rory."

  "So why don't you want to do it?"

  "Because I don't want to!"

  "Charlie—"

  "Oh, my God, fine," Charlie cut the girl off loudly, shoving Howl back into her backpack and standing abruptly, "I'll do the stupid debutante ball, just stop bugging me about it!"

  Lorelai's eyebrows raised as Charlie stomped through the house, before slamming the front door behind her. She poked her head around the corner, giving Rory a slightly confused look.

  "Charlie's going to be a debutante, too."

  "Ahh."

↬

  Charlie and Emma had a total disregard for whatever awaited them within the Crap Shack, as they entered loudly, in laughter, chatting about Liam's latest football triumph. 

  "He's such a meathead and he doesn't even know it."

  "Yeah, have you seen him— how did he even get on the team—"

  "Let alone get QB?"

  "Exactly!"

  "Your sister is trying to force me to wear gloves!" Dean jumped up at the sight of Charlie, making her laugh heartily.

  Charlie had been the very first one Dean met in Stars Hollow, and through her, he found his girlfriend. Despite that all his time was consumed by the youngest Gilmore, Dean often reminded everyone that Charlie Gilmore was still one of his favorite people in the town.

  "You got yourself into this," Charlie informed unapologetically, sitting down on the arm of the couch only to see they were watching the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

  "Is this supposed to make you feel better about having to wear a penguin suit?" Emma asked Dean dryly, but before he could respond, the sound of a car arriving interrupted everything.

  Rory Gilmore was out of her seat and in the front yard before Lane Kim could blink, but Charlie took a bit more persuading.

  "You should go see him," Emma spoke as she watched the screen, "You know, he's not here that much."

  "Whatever," Charlie grumbled, her feet dragging as she made her way to the front porch.

  The teen remained there as Chris passed Rory an Oxford Dictionary, and the girl hugged him tightly for it. She was elated as she ran into the home, showing it off to her sister with a mega-watt smile before returning to her friend, and boyfriend.

  This did, however, bring Chris' attention to Charlie.

  "Hey, stranger," Chris called out with humor, his smile building at the sight of his oldest daughter, "Got something for you too,"

  Charlie unsurely made her way to her parents, accepting a smaller box from the man.

  "Well, go on," Chris encouraged as she held it silently, "Open it up!"

  Charlie wiggled the top off and let it cup the bottom of the box, attempting to hide her dissapointment at what sat inside.

  "A watch. Thanks, Dad."

  "Yeah, you know, 'cause you're always late," Chris teased light-heartedly, "Do you like it? I wasn't sure if it was too flashy—"

  It was. The gold band and the sparkling rocks surrounding the clock face, the shimmering hands that spun round and round, it was all far too flashy for Charlie. But, poor Chris couldn't see that she was crestfallen at how fitting Rory's present had been, and how wrong hers was.

  "It's great," She cut him off, tightening his lips into a smile.

  "Hey, you need to get to Luke's, right?" Lorelai asked in the awkward lull, "Aren't you working today?"

  "Yeah, I would've totally forgotten," Charlie looked down at the box, "Um, I'm gonna put this away, then I'll be gone."

  "Okay, Hon," Lorelai said as the girl already rushed back to the house— far, far away from the oblivious man standing beside her mother.

↬

  "So, let me get this straight," Luke said, shooing Charlie off the counter with hand motions, "Rory wants to go to this. . . debutante ball, and you don't, but you are."

  "Correct."

  "Why?"

  "Because she kept pushing," Charlie defended, "That the only reason I wasn't going to is that my dad's supposed to escort me, something stupid like that."

  Luke slowed his movement of wiping down the counter, sparing a glance at the visibly angry girl.

  "And is there any truth to that?"

  "Of course not," She scoffed, "I don't care— I have to find an escort still, though, which sucks. God, my grandma's right, I am so not cut out for this."

  "Well, um, I could present you," Luke offered mildly, returning to work, "If you wanted."

  "You'd have to wear a tux."

  "I can wear a tux."

  "I mean a tuxedo, Lucas, like penguin suit—"

  "I'll wear the damn tuxedo," Luke grumbled, "And you can ask what's-his-name to be your escort." 

  "Liam?" Charlie offered, making Luke nod, "As much as I want to, it's probably not a good idea for him to be around my grandparents."

  "Well, you have to find someone."

  "I know," She mumbled, sighing, "But I don't know who would really want to take me to some pompous, bullshit event."

  Just then the curtain covering Luke's stairs was flung back, revealing Jess Mariano. Luke Danes raised his eyebrows at Charlie, confusing Jess slightly.

  "No