One too many times I've seen you in a frown/Hold your head down in despair/
Oh, but, time after time you wear that frown/But you never seemed to care.

No one was more thankful that it was summer than Lola, for that meant that the cold wouldn’t force her back inside. For inside was most definitely where she did not want to be. Not that it had anything at all to do with her fight with Dallie; it was just that she liked the outdoors a lot.

Yeah, right.

She would’ve snorted at the thought, but a glass of champagne entered into her line of vision, she took it as Aurora sat next to her on the bench.

“You looked like you needed it,” her friend told her.

Lola took a sip before answering it, “Thank you.”

“Oh Goddess, you do need it, don’t you?” Aurora asked, looking over at Lola concerned. “I mean, not only did you thank me, you sounded all submissive.”

“It’s been a long night.”

Aurora sighed, “I saw you fighting with Dallie.”

“I always fight with Mariano,” Lola took another sip.

“It was different, Lo. Like, intense.”

“According to you, our fights are always tense.”

“Stop being evasive,” Aurora scolded. “It’s very annoying.”

“Because it doesn’t tell you what you want to know?” Lola asked, wishing that the bench had a back so she could slump down. It was definitely a slumping moment.

Aurora smiled slightly, “No, quite the opposite. I think it tells me exactly everything I do need to know.”

“Then stop complaining, and change the subject for me, Aura.”

Aurora only hesitated for a moment before complying with Lola’s wishes. “Very well. What are your plans for summer?”

“What the hell do I know?” Lola replied, setting the empty glass down on the floor. “I no longer have to attend Grace Angel’s Finishing School. So probably lounge around Stars Hollow, unfortunately. Or go wherever Rory does.”

“Is that Irish chick going to be with you?”

Lola’s eyes widened. “Damn. I hadn’t thought about that. I suppose she will. Goddess, not only do I have to spend the summer with my mother but the mini-Rory too.”

“Poor girl. If it makes you feel better, I have to spend not only the summer with my parents, but the entire year until I get shipped off to college.”

She thought about it for a moment. “Yes, yes it does.”

“There is a reason you’re my best friend Lo,” Aurora commented. “Though at moment like these, I’m not quite sure why.”

She shrugged. “‘What are friends but one soul in two bodies?’ Or something like that. Never said you got to choose the other body the soul dwells in.”

“Probably because I’m the only one that understands that when you quote, or misquote, Aristotle, I know that it doesn’t mean that you’re far above the intelligence of the average blonde, but rather you are just quoting A Walk To Remember.”

Lola nodded, “Alright. I’m fine with that reasoning.”

“Good,” Aurora announced, standing up. “Now lets go find trouble elsewhere.”

Lola lifted herself up. “Lovely idea.”

He wasn’t looking outside, oh no. It just happened that he could see Aurora and Lola on the bench through the corner of his eye. It wasn’t intentional in the slightest.

“Alright my lovesick little brother, come with me,” Augusta ordered before she even reached his side.

“Mistaking me with Devon, Aggie?”

“No, he’s my foolishly romantic brother,” Augusta answered. “You use to be the sane brother, but lately I doubt it.”

Dallie turned to give her his full intention. “How long have you been home? And what ever did I do deserve such a demotion?”

“Oh, clue time. Marvelous. It starts with an L and ends with an A. Need another hint?”

“My eyes are wide open,” He stated.

“More like your eyes are wide shut.”

"Don’t quote movie titles while trying to act like a psychiatrist,” Dallie warned her. “It sounds very unprofessional.”

Augusta eyed him oddly before realization dawned. “Shit. I didn’t mean to.”

“It was an easily forgotten film, I don’t blame you.”

“That appeases me little, Dallas.”

Dallie shrugged, “I tried. Did you want me for something?”

“Oh yes, of course. Have you seen Dad?”

“About ten-fifteen minutes ago,” he answered. “Other side of the room.”

“And Mother?”

“Oh,” Dallie searched his memory. “Strangely enough I’ve only seen Momma when her and Dad first came in.”

"You mean she hasn’t been hovering and coddling you all night?” Augusta question. “That is very odd, indeed.”

“Odd, is definitely the word,” Dallie agreed. “Can’t say I’m disappointed by it.”

“I still believe it’s because you’re the only one of us that promised to apply to Harvard when we were younger. Me and Devon are disgraces, not even going to Ivy Leagues.”

Dallie smirked, “I’m not even out of high school yet, so I don’t think that’s the source of Momma’s alleged favoritism.”

“Oh yes, but Dev and I didn’t even apply. There’s still a chance that you will.”

“Apparently I’m just like mother so I probably will.”

Augusta smiled, “That is true.”

“You gonna stay in New York for the summer?” Dallie asked, abruptly changing the subject.

She shook her head, “I think I’ll stay here and bug my two brothers.”

“Devon and I are camp counseling again,” he reminded her. “So it won’t be that much of an opportunity to do it more than usual.”

“Oh. Foiled again by you and Dev being too nice.”

"You sound like Lola.”

“I don’t think Lo would ever admit to her plans being foiled,” Augusta mused aloud, “But I can see her complaining about you and Devon being too nice.”

“This conversation has no point,” Dallie commented on as he watched Aurora and Lola disappear from his line of visage. There was very little question of what they were probably going off to.

“Ours rarely do.”

He just nodded; it appeared as though the summer would fail to reach its potential excitement level. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

All the times that we've lied/And kept our lives the same/
And made believe/When we talk to each other/
I feel that things have changed/And I know that we both need to leave.

End of Book I