"Decent effort by most, good effort by some, exceptional effort by two — Miss Geller... Miss Grant... Mr Graham... Miss St. James... Miss Gilmore, take these home. Learn from your mistakes," Mr. Medina said, handing out papers. "Look at the large, red circles around various parts of your paper as friendly reminders that to err is human and that here at Chilton we try to beat that humanity out of you. Okay. Next up, the test — the dreaded test. Shakespeare — the man we've been droning on about for the last three weeks — finally comes back to haunt us on Friday. This is a big one, my friends — multiple choice with an essay section that will count for 20% of your grade this semester. Don't be fooled by my kind face and charming personality. This test will be hard, and there will be no makeups. Refer to the study materials that I gave you at the beginning of the month and those extensive notes I know you've been taking."

"Hard paper," Paris said to Louise.

"Killer," Louise replied.

"How'd you do?"

"A."

"Me too!"

"Small world."

"Isn't it? Madeline, what'd you get?" Paris asked.

"You know I got a 'B,'" Madeline replied.

"A 'B's' not bad. Respectable even. A 'D,' however, would be cause for concern." Paris turned towards Rory. "A job application at Mcdonald's."

"Would you like fries with that?" Louise asked.

"Leave her alone," Ava said, standing up for Rory. "It's one bad grade, not the end of her life."

"Hey, you know, not everybody can be smart. As my mother always says, somebody has to answer the phones," Paris said, ignoring Ava.

"Okay, I have no idea what you two are talking about," Madeline admitted.

"No, but Rory does."

"What did you get?" Rory sighed, looking towards Ava after the three had walked off.

"I don't wanna say," Ava told her.

"That bad?"

"No, I just don't wanna make you feel any worse." Rory groaned and stomped off, Ava quick behind her.

***

Ava sat in the corner of the Independence Inn kitchen. Ava was reading while enjoying the slice of cheesecake her mother had gifted her with.

"Sookie! Sookie!" Lorelai exclaimed, walking into the kitchen. "I've got it."

"The review?" Sookie asked, jogging over to Lorelai.

"It's here!"

"Ooh! Where is it?"

Ava jumped up and looked over Lorelais shoulder at the magazine.

"Behold -- in theaters now, the thing that reads alot," Lorelai said as Rory walked into the kitchen, practically drowning in bags.

"Chocolate?" Rory asked, dropping her bags on the ground.

"Measuring cup," Ava told her. "It's really good."

"Jeez, who's naked?" Rory asked.

"Uh, Lucien Mills -- food critic," Lorelai told her.

"Yeah? How's his butt?"

"He was supposed to review the restaurant -- oh! Here it is!"

"Is it-- Is it good?" Sookie asked. "Is he mean? Should I cry?"

"'The words 'Divine,' 'Delectable,' and 'Delirious' don't begin to describe the delicious expirience of the dining at the Independence Inn.'" Lorelai read. "I'm smelling a rave."

"Really?"

"'Only chef Sookie St. James could make a simple salad of hothouse tomatoes and assorted fresh herbs seem like a religious expirience. Her lobster bisque is worth every sinful, cream filled sip.'"

"See, I don't use that much cream. I just use a very concentrated lobster stock, and it really makes--" Sookie started to explain.

"Sookie, he's not here," Lorelai told her. "'The entrees are as heavenly as the starters. Though the much-lauded risotto was perfectly fine, it was the simple handkerchief pasta with brown sage in a butter sauce that sent me through the roof.'" When Ava heard the word 'fine' she knew it would mess her mother up. Sookie wanted her food to be perfect and hearing that word made her want to stop at nothing to make it perfect. "This is unbelieveable! I'm gonna have this framed in the dining room!"

"Oh, yeah. That'd be swell," Sookie said, her voice distant. "Can I see that again?"

"So we should celebrate tonight, huh -- girls on the town?" Lorelai asked her daughter. "You too, Ava."

"I can't. I have to study," Rory said.

"I have to help Rory study," Ava shrugged. "Lorelai, will you buy me alcohol to get through this?"

"No," Sookie answered for Lorelai. "Anyways, I should really get started on this shopping list."

"What is going on here?" Lorelai asked. "We are young and fiery women. Studying? Shopping lists? Where's 'to hell with it all'? Where's 'throwing caution to the wind'? Where -- oh, shoot -- the linen delivery."

"You go, girl," Rory said as her mother walked away.

***

"News is on!" Lorelai announced that night. Rory and Ava were still sat at the kitchen table, studying.

"One sec," Rory called back.

"Hey, lets get ice cream," Lorelai suggested, throwing the tv remote to the side and walking over to the girls.

"Yes, please," Ava gasped. "I'm bored, Rory."

"Mom, I'm studying," Rory said.

"I'm talking ice cream. Can't you take a break?" Lorelai asked.

"I can't right now."

"When?" Ava asked, tossing her pencil to the side.

"Are you both 4?" Rory asked.

"No! I'm hungry," Lorelai told her.

"Have some more pizza."

"It's cold."

"Heat it up."

"It's not the same."

"Lorelai, go to your room," Rory said. Ava snorted out a laugh.

"Wow! Smart girls are mean!" Lorelai gasped.

"If you let me study now, I'll play with you this weekend."

"Promise?"

"Yes. We can do anything you want."

"Will you go to the shoe sale with me?" Lorelai asked. "Will you let me try on anything I want? Will you help me push people out of the way?"

"I'll even run interference for you," Rory told her.

"Alright. You've got a deal," Lorelai said, walking away. She stopped in her tracks and turned around. "So -- I'm sorry -- where did we land on the ice cream issue?" Rory responded by packing her stuff up and moving to her room, calling Ava to come with her.

***

Ava walked into Kim's Antiques with Rory right behind her, looking for Lane.

"Lane?!" Rory called. It was hard to find anybody in the maze of the store.

"Rory?!" Lane called back.

"Ava, too!" Ava added. "Right or left?"

"Left!"

The two walked around the left, running straight into a customer so they turned and headed forward a bit.

"I thought you said left!" Rory shouted.

"Sorry -- my left, your right!" Lane said. Still, they failed to find her.

"Marco!" Rory called.

"Polo!"

"Marco!"

"Polo!" Lane said with a smile when they had finally found her at the kitchen table.

"Hey, Marco," Ava smiled.

"Hey, Polos. You guys are late."

"Sorry. What is that?"

"12 calories," Lane sighed, putting the rice cake on her plate.

"Here." Rory slapped a Snickers down on Lane's book.

"Oh, my god. Bless you."

"Man, what's that?" Lane asked as Rory pulled out a giant binder.

"My notes," Rory sighed.

"Really?"

"I don't think Shakespeare knew himself this well."

"Ooh, I like. How much?" A customer asked Mrs. Kim, placing a hand on the table they were sat around.

"$500," Mrs. Kim told her.

"Is that the best you can do."

"$450."

"I'm not so sure."

"$375 and you take it right now."

"Sold," The customer said, accepting the deal.

"We appreciate your business," Mrs. Kim told her before turning to Lane. "Move."

"I miss Stars Hallow High," Ava admitted.

"You're kidding, right?" Lane scoffed.

"No. Chiltons just...hard, I guess."

"What do you care? You both used to call everything easy. This should be a snap for you guys."

Rory turned and started to place her binder down. She stopped when Mrs. Kim rushed up and said, "Nope. This is sold. Move." She looks at the Snickers. "What's that?"

"Oh, that's mine," Rory said.

"That is chocolate covered death."

"With a creamy caramel surprise."

"Um, so... this guy asked about you today," Lane told Rory.

"What guy?" Rory asked.

"The new kid -- tall, perfect."

"What did he want to know?"

"Where you were."

"What did you say?" Rory asked, an eagerness in her tone.

"I told him you were too smart for us and you had to go to genius school," Lane said. "He really liked that. I guess he's into brainy chicks."

"Well, I'll keep my eyes open for one for him."

"No -- sold. Move," Mrs. Kim told them.

"Well, where do you want us to go?!" Lane asked.

"Library."

"I hate sales!'

this was going to be the full episode in one chapter like the last two but i don't want it to be too long. i know some people like that, but i have a fear of boring people lol