Title: Who?
Author: Meredith
Pairing: Rory/Paris
Inspired by: Just something that was floating around somewhere in the back of my head.
Rating: K+ (I guess, I've never been too good at ratings)
Disclaimer: No matter how hard I can wish, I sadly own NOTHING.
Summary: Just a little fluff between Rory and Paris.
Archiving: Here. Haven't archived anywhere else yet.
Author's Notes: I wrote this during 7th period History, so if there are any errors (grammatically or otherwise) I've decided to blame it on the fact that I was writing merely to pass time and I hadn't really developed the story fully in my mind. Also, I'm having this take place during the last episode of the first season, except Rory and Dean don't get back together when he comes to Chilton and they both make a huge scene arguing outside of the school.

(After school; Paris comes upon a crying Rory after witnessing a nasty fight between her and Dean.)

"Trouble in paradise?" asked Paris as she approached Rory sitting on a bench outside of a nearly deserted school.

"Shut up, Paris"

"What? Did Moondoggie take someone else to clambake instead of you?" she sneered.

"What have I done to make you hate me?" cried Rory rather suddenly. "Huh? Do you even have a reason? I get the whole 'threatening your territory' thing, but I honestly don't understand past that. I want to know why you hate me. And I want to know why you would treat me like this when you can clearly see that I'm upset. Are you really just that mean?"

"I...I don't hate you." replied Paris awkwardly. She was apparently taken aback by the out of character response made by Rory. "I just..."

"You just want to make me feel more miserable than I already am, huh? Is that it?"

"No, that's not it. It's...it's, well, hard to explain."

"Enlighten me."

"You come here, to this school, out of the blue, with basically perfect grades, attendance, etc. And from the second you arrived everyone's loved you. I've been here nine years and I'm still waiting for someone to notice me as other than 'that academic freak'. You were here for nine seconds and the whole school's like 'Who's she? Where's she from? Man, she's pretty.' It's just not fair."

"Talk about not fair, Paris. You've treated me like crap from the minute I walked in those doors." Rory pointed towards the giant entrance to the school. "Why?" she asked earnestly,

"Because, because...because I'm jealous." Paris managed to get out.

"Of what? Of me?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Gilmore, and, yes, you. I am jealous of you. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am jealous of Rory Gilmore. You happy?"

"Well, I can't say that it makes me sad, but why are you jealous of me?"

"Because. You're perfect."

"Come on, Paris. I'm far from perfect."

"Right."

"No, I'm serious." protested Rory.

"No, you're absolutely perfect. Flawless even." said Paris, sitting down next to the previously crying girl.

There was a long, awkward silence.

"You really think that, Paris?"

"Uh, well, you know...Yeah. Yes. Yes I do. You have a problem with it?"

"No. Not at all."

"Good."

"Paris?"

"Yeah?"

"I wasn't crying over Dean, you know. I was crying because I want something, or someone, rather, that I can never have." said Rory, batting her eyelashes.

"Who?" asked Paris with a hint of hope in her voice.

"Well, let's see. They have a perfect attendance, a perfect GPA, perfect grades, and in my opinion, a perfect smile."

"Who?" Paris repeated, silently hoping, no, praying that Rory was talking about the same person she was thinking of. They stared into each other's eyes. Paris was beginning to shake at the thought of Rory feeling the same way she's felt for a very long time. All the little fights and arguments were Paris' way of covering up a secret, burning desire.

"Who?" she asked one last time while she and Rory slowly leaned into each other ever so slightly.

"I think you know who" Rory smiled.