Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: The usually stuff. I don't own anything except for my Buffy DVDs but they don't count. So kudos to Amy and the WB for this show! Now if only they could get Tristan back....

Author's Note: I don't want to get any sympathy for saying that this is my first fanfic but I just want to warn you now. That if you suffer from any mental disabilities or any other pains it is probably coz this is really bad! But please read anyway! :) Oh yeah, you can review...if you want. *wink wink*

There's Always Tomorrow

Chapter One: "Betrayal"

By Caruialiel

"Thank you Rory, Everything seems hunky-dory, so I guess I'll see you in six months." Dr. Merricks opened the door while looking at Rory's file. Rory began to walk to the door when she suddenly remembered about her absence card that she needed to get signed.

"Um...Dr Merricks, could you please sign this card for me to say that I had a dentist appointment. Chilton's really obsessed about these things."

"Uh?" the doctor looked up looking confused, Rory held out her hand with the card, "Yes, yes, of course Rory." He took the card and scribbled some kind of writing that only doctors could read.

"Uh, thanks, I'll see ya!" Rory ran out of the doctor's office and came straight back in, collected her bag, which was still on the chair and ran out of the office.

*Argh the bus will be here any time now. Damn, if I miss this one, there won't be a bus for another 30 minutes* Why her mother couldn't have driven her to the dentist and then to Chilton, she didn't know. But she did. Lorelai hated the dentist's, something about drills and having some 4' dwarf looking down your throat, yelling at you for not brushing your teeth regularly. Rory ran down the main street in Stars Hollow and reached the bus stop with 2 minutes to spare. *What I really need now is a mug of coffee. Argh, that's it, next town meeting, I'm asking for Starbucks to open up here!* Just as she pulled out her latest book, the bus appeared from around the corner. She said hi to the bus driver and sat in her usual spot preparing herself for the long journey to Chilton Hell.

Though it wasn't really hell-like anymore. Things surprisingly had gotten better after Tristan left for Military School. Life was alot quieter, not having to worry about what kind of sexual innuendo Tristan would come up with next and the other girls didn't bother her anymore for being Tristan's centre of attention. Even Paris and her had signed some kind of truce. Paris had finally forgiven her for the Tristan date thing and they both realized that they would get better marks if they worked together. They weren't buddy-buddy or anything, just friends, and Rory was happy with that. Being on good terms with Paris also meant that Louise and Madeline were friends with her too, especially Madeline. Sometimes they would ask her to sit with them at lunch and she was grateful for that. But even so she would still be seen, sitting alone at her favourite table, reading some book and listening to her Walkman. Though despite all the good things, she had to admit that she did miss Tristan's unwanted presence at her locker and even the many pick up lines that Tristan LOVED so much.

While life at Chilton had gotten alot better, her relationship with Dean didn't. Rory knew, deep down, she didn't really love Dean. Like him, yes, but love? How can you expect to love someone when you're only 16!? Over the summer, their relationship slowly deteriorated. It felt like they had been married for 50 years or something. They had this routine and would follow it. No change, nothing spontaneous, just Plain Old Boring. Even fighting with Paris or reading that 9000 word Russian Revolution book! It just wasn't exciting anymore and even being together seemed like a chore to Rory. Plus Chilton was getting in the way. Dean didn't like her mixing with anyone from Chilton, even Darian and that got Rory mad. What? She couldn't have any friends? Just be at Dean's every beck and call?

Rory slammed her book shut. She didn't feel like reading anymore. All this thinking about Dean made her feel so angry nowadays. Rory's life at Chilton had finally calmed down and Dean wouldn't be happy for her. They just weren't on the same wavelength anymore. She would have to talk to him again.

The bus made its stops and wove down streets and suddenly stopped at a traffic light. Rory looked up from her thinking to glance out the window when she suddenly caught sight of a tall, brown-haired boy kissing a strawberry blonde girl outside some milk bar. "What? Is....is that DEAN?!" Rory squinted her eyes. Maybe she saw wrong, but she didn't. Without thinking, Rory leapt of her seat, grabbed her stuff, and got off the bus in less then 10 seconds.

"Dean?! What...what are you doing?" Dean's "girlfriend" looked up looking between Rory, standing a few feet away with her hands on her hips to Dean, who looked as guilty as hell.

"Rory? Hey! Ah, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Yes, I had a dentist's appointment. But that's not the point! Who…who is that?! Rory felt really stupid. She had all these things to say to Dean, about how she was glad that he had done something stupid like this, and had created a perfect reason to end their relationship but nothing was coming out. Her mouth was as dry as sandpaper and there was this big lump in her throat. She felt like throwing up.

"Um...this is Stacey," Dean stood up and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "But its not what you think, we were just talking..."

"Oh just stop! Do you think I am stupid? I know what you were doing!" Rory sounded a lot stronger then she felt. Something inside her was calm, "But you know what? I don't care anymore. Our relationship ended along time ago. I just couldn't think of a good reason to end it but it looks like you done it yourself. Goodbye Dean."

With that, Rory turned away before the tears would really start to fall. Despite realizing that she didn't love or even like Dean anymore, it still hurt like hell to find that Dean would do something so low. It hurt now, but she'll get over it.

Unfortunately Dean wasn't going to give up that easily. "Rory! Wait! Shouldn't we talk about this!? Rory!?" He ran up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. Rory flinched instantly and slapped the hand away.

"Don't. Touch. Me." She spun around and continued to walk purposely up the street. Dean watched her retreating back slowly descend down the sidewalk and disappear round the corner. He shrugged and walked back to Stacey.

Rory just continued to walk. She didn't know where she was going. Her mind was a jumble. The bus hadn't waited for her. *Oh God, I'm going to be late. Damn him for ruining my day like this! Maybe if I run to the next bus stop I'll make the bus. Maybe I shouldn't go to school at all. I've already missed half the day.* Rory groaned. She remembered that she has a Bio test today and has to give these notes back to Darian. Things certainly didn't seem to be looking up. Slowly tears started to fall freely from her eyes. She didn't want to cry over something like this, but it still hurt. She cut across the street to the bus stop. Rory wiped the tears from her eyes and put her book back into her bag. Slowly in the distance, another bus came trundling up the road. She numbly got up and went and sat in her usual spot. Looking at her watch she saw that period before lunch was nearly over. At least the Bio test was after lunch. Rory slumped back into the seat, leaned her elbow on the windowpane. *I'll be fine. Just talking to Darian will make me feel better* After what seemed like an eternity, the bus finally pulled up a block out from Chilton.

*A/N: Just to say sorry again for making you go through another Rory and Dean break-up scene, but it had to be done, so why not get it over and done with? I bet you are asking yourself who the hell is Darian! hehe...only time will tell ::evil laugh:: and don't worry I won't forget about Tristan! *