#the one where everyone is queer and luke is a lil confused but he got the spirit

[humansofstarshollow]

for ur consideration, a fun scenario: bi!jess bonding w gay!april over being queer n living w luke who is supportive but also easily confused

"Hey, Uncle Luke."

"Jess, hi. How was class?"

"Uninspiring." The youg man shrugs, grabbing a soda from the fridge.

"The usual, then." Luke acknowledges, distractedly, while he keeps cutting the vegetables for dinner.

"Pretty much," Jess says, taking a sip, "next semester, though, my schedule will be exceedingly more intriguing."

"You sure have picked the right major, Mr Big Words," the other one teases, with a shake of his head.

A few minutes later, Jess finally notices the quiet filling the small house.

"Where's April? She's generally home by the time I get back, on Wednesdays."

"Oh, uh," Luke pauses for a moment, thinking, "I think she said something about getting coffee with Cameron."

"Cameron? Who's Cameron?"

"A friend from school, I presume."

"You don't know?" Jess questions, serious and concerned. "Uncle Luke, she is only sixteen!"

"She's a teenager," Luke replies, unfazed, "and this is Stars Hollow, Jess. I most likely know this guy's parents, aunt and great-grandma."

"God, this is ridiculous."

"Oh, come on. You were much worse at sixteen, if you remember well."

"Not the point." Jess replies, sternly, as he pulls on the jacket he had just taken off.

"Where do you think you're going, now?"

Crossing the threshold, he replies with a simple nowhere before closing the door behind his back.

"Glad to see we've improved, through the years." Luke calls after him.

---

Westons is crowded and loud, when Jess steps in. Patrons are occupying every table and some are even simply standing around, chatting.

Gazing around the room, trying to (unsuccessfully) spot his cousin, he’s about to leave the coffee shop. "Coffee, Jess?" Daniel's voice is what effectively jolts him.

Well, shit.

"I- uh," scratching his neck, lowkey freaking out, "sure."

"Tall, black as your soul. Correct?" The dark skinned young man chuckles, holding a cup.

"Always."

---

"You never come in the afternoon," Daniel states, fixing the drink.

"Yeah," Jess replies, pulling some bills from his wallet, "I have a thing."

"Hot date?" The other man asks and, wishful thinking or not, Jess swears his shoulders drop, and so does his easygoing smirk.

Good thing Jess hasn't taken a sip yet or the just brewed coffee would be all over the floor. "Oh, no. Definitely not a hot date."

"Uhm-"

"I'm looking for April." He rushes out, hoping to save the situation.

"Ah, April. I see." Daniel acknowledges and his smile is now full and amused and just as entrancing as ever. "She was here with Cammie, not long ago. They come in every other day or so."

"She left? And you know this Cameron?"

"Well, yeah," the barista replies, confused, "she's Anthony's sister."

"Sister?"

"She's the soccer team's goalie," Daniel provides. "You must have seen her, somewhere. She's an extremely nice girl."

"Indeed, I must have. This town has hardly a thousand citizens."

Chuckling, the other young man decides it's time to finally step-up his game. "And yet, here you are, still."

"There are a few good reasons to stay." Jess teases back.

"Wanna tell me all about them, uhm, Friday night? At John's pub?"

"I- yes. Yes."

"I'll see you then." Daniel says, stepping back to the cashier to serve the next customer. "Coffee is on the house," he adds, offering his most charming grin.

---

Later that night, once Luke has gone out to meet Lorelai, April and Jess are comfortably settled on the couch while The Office plays on tv.

"So, Cameron?"

"Wh- What?"

"When am I meeting her?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn't think sporty would be your type, being fully honest."

"What would you know about my type?"

"Hey, easy."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying, I'd simply like to meet whoever my cousin's dating."

"Cameron and I are not dating."

"Yes, that blush is certainly supporting your statement."

"I'm serious. We are not a thing."

---

"Would you want to?"

"Would I want, what?"

"To be a thing?"

"God, yes."

"Have you told her that?"

"She doesn't really see me like that."

"I'm sure that is not true."

"She did love my new haircut and she often grabs my hand when we're hanging out..."

"See?"

"...but maybe I'm just projecting."

"April, give yourself some credit. You're a wonderful girl and i bet Cameron would very much enjoy being a thing with you."

"I don't know.."

"Think about it, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Jess."

---

"Daniel thinks she's a very nice girl."

"Daniel, uh?"

"And if she's only half as smart as Anthony is, you picked a real good one."

"She's hoping to get a soccer scholarship to Cornell."

"That's a great one, April."

"She is pretty awesome."

---

"So, Daniel?"

"What?"

"Daniel thinks she's nice?"

"I was simply getting a coffee and he mentioned he often sees you two."

"I'm sure that's all you guys talked about."

"Well."

"So, have you finally grown a pair?"

"I- did not."

"Hopeless."

"He did. I'll have you know, we're actually going out on Friday."

"Jesus, freaking finally."

"We'll revisit this when you finally ask your crush out."

"I guess I'll just have to."

"I guess you do."

"Fine. I'm texting her."

---

Sunday morning the house is bursting with energy and excitement.

"Dad, would it be okay if I went out to dinner with Cameron?"

"Cameron, uh?"

"I've done all of my homework and I'll be home by ten."

"And where would you go?"

"John's." Jess interjects, from his spot on the couch.

"Yes, John's."

"I'm meeting Daniel there, Uncle Luke. I'll drive the girls."

"I guess that'd be fine. Curfew is- wait, girls?"

"Yeah. Cameron and April?" Jess replies, puzzled.

"Is Cameron a girl?"

"Well, yes."

"And you are having dinner? Together."

"I- yes."

"Like. As in, a date?"

"That's the goal."

"Oh my god!" Jess groans, hanging his head in defeat. "Uncle Luke."

"Uh?"

"Stop interrogating the poor girl; she's already nervous to the brim."

"I'm just trying to put the pieces together."

"I am going on a date with Cameron Walters. She the soccer team's goalie; tall, shoulders length red hair. You've met her before at games."

"Oh, yes! I do remember her. She's a great player."

"Yes, yes."

"And I," Jess adds, "I am meeting Daniel in a very much official date."

Slightly taken aback but happy nonetheless, Luke decides to simply enjoy his kids' excitement and save the extra questions and teasing for another time.

"Curfew is eleven. For you both." The man says, patting their backs while ignoring the loud complaints.

#the one where everyone is queer and luke is a lil confused but he got the spirit #jess is a mess when pretty boys are involved #humansofstarshollow #jess x april #jess mariano #april nardini #Luke Danes #humansofstarshollow personal #Gilmore Girls #gg #humansofstarshollow headcanons #humansofstarshollow asks #humansofstarshollow anon

[2soliddudes]

When Everything Feels Like the Movies

2014, 176 pages

The synopsis: “School is just like a film set: there's The Crew, who make things happen, The Extras who fill the empty desks, and The Movie Stars, whom everyone wants tagged in their Facebook photos. But Jude doesn't fit in. He's not part of The Crew because he isn't about to do anything unless it's court-appointed; he's not an Extra because nothing about him is anonymous; and he's not a Movie Star because even though everyone know his name like an A-lister, he isn't invited to the cool parties. As the director calls action, Jude is the flamer that lights the set on fire.

Before everything turns to ashes from the resulting inferno, Jude drags his best friend Angela off the casting couch and into enough melodrama to incite the paparazzi, all while trying to fend off the haters and win the heart of his favourite co-star Luke Morris. It's a total train wreck!

But train wrecks always make the front page.”

THOUGHTS:

Róisín: This book reminded me of the short novels I loved as a young teenager. Short, funny, edgy and it takes its (assumed) teen readers seriously. Talking frankly of teen queer sexuality, the confusions of teen friendships in small town (where you might not even like your closest friends but they are the only ones in school you can ally yourself with based on interests or opposition to classmates you hate or who hate you). It hits all the tones of a dark teen indie movie and I devoured this book in about the same time it would take me to watch one.

 However, I can’t say I loved it. It was a little too glossy for me while yelling “Hello! Teens have sex and won’t conform to your gender norms! Did you hear that, Mom? Did you!”  But ugghhh I don’t want to write this book off, because like I said about Lullabies for Little Criminals, if I read this in high school it would absolutely blow my mind and I would have been that hypothetical teen yelling “This is real life, Mom!” (I was that teen)

Kathleen: I was pretty conflicted by the use of the R-word throughout the book - I agree that it is a common part of teen vocabulary, but this book was written in 2014! There was a lot of backlash against this novel from lots of gross old homophobic people, and I certainly don’t think this book should be condemned - but there is a lot of unnecessary ableist language.

Having said that, I think this book takes an important look at queer teen life from the point of view of a gender non-conforming character, without glamourizing anything (as much as the main character, Jude, tries to).

 I did laughed out loud when a character described someone’s penis as “prodigious,” filing that away for future use!

Róisín: Well pals, I definitely had mixed feelings on this one but I’m sooo glad it was on this list because it’s one I see recommended a lot and never got to, so this one was a nice lil bonus of something that's been on my “to read” list anyways popping up on the list.

Kathleen: I had never heard of this until I saw it on our list! I’m certainly glad I read it, and I think it also would have blown my mind if I had read it in my teens.

VERDICT: Should it be on the 30 before 30?

Róisín: I’ve definitely had a parallel list in my mind of books to read before 20 that I’ve been sorting some of these books into as we go through this list so I think that’s where I’m putting this one too. So yeah, read it before 30 (but if you can kids, read it before 20).

 Kathleen: Same same!

 NEXT WEEK’S BOOK: Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

#2soliddudes #book club #book blog #Book list #CBC Books #30 before 30 #When Everything Feels Like the Movies