A/N- It's Rory's 1st year at Chilton, and she's halfway through it and dating Dean. So basically mid-season 1, and everything has happened the same that is does in the show. She's never met Jess before, and he's living with his mom still in New York. He's still rebellious, he just shows up more to school more in New York. They find out how smart he is and insist that Liz apply him for a top notch academic high school, Chilton. He gets in and is a mid-year transfer when he meets Rory and moves in with Luke.

"Well, if it isn't Gilmore, the amateur," Paris said, walking into class, Madeline and Louise behind her.

"Leave it alone Paris," Rory said, digging through her bag for a pencil.

"I just have to say, a B. It's respectable. Average. But, not an honor. It's for, well, armatures. That English test was so easy."

"A C is an average. Not a B. B is above average."

"Oh, cupcake. I understand. Your ashamed, and trying to cover it up. Don't worry, it happens to all of us sometimes. Wait, no, it doesn't. I've never had a B," Paris said, smirking.

"Never call me cupcake again," Rory said, all of them taking their seats as the teacher walked in.

"Sit down class, sit down. We will discuss the project and then I have some one to introduce to you. He's with the headmaster now. I'm sure you all remember that experience, a little scary," the teacher said, giggling.

The class stared blankly back at her.

"Moving on, you will partner up and do a speech on a founding forefather. The founders of our country are probably something none of you are familiar with. Who was number one on TRL is probably more of your specialty," she continued, smiling again.

And again, blank stares.

"So here are the requirements. You will need to have at least 1 visual aid, 1,000 words, 1 partner," she said, handing out sheets.

"What if two groups have the same founding father?" Paris said.

"All the better. Competition," the teacher responded.

"Is there any way I could claim or copyright a father for myself?" Paris asked.

"No, now pick your partners," the teacher said.

Madaline and Louise ran to each other. Rory got up and approached Paris. "What do you say, Jefferson?"

"I'm not going to be with you, you got a B! Plus that transfer kid had a 4.5 GPA in their other country. I'm with them."

"A 4.5?" Rory asked.

"Exactly," Paris said, running off to them to suck up.

Rory looked around at the people paired off like they were about to get on Noah's Ark. She sighed and walked to the front. "Miss Rayle?"

"Yes Miss Gilmore," she said, setting down what was disturbingly enough a magazine titled 'The Single Lonely Women.'

She shook her head. "Uh, I don't have a partner."

"It does appear that way. It's not a problem."

"I'd really like to not to this project alone."

"You won't have to. You can be with Jess."

"Jess?"

"Our new student. Which reminds me, I better go get him. Sit down class!" She yelled, scurrying out of the room.

Rory stood at the front of the class, unsure of what to do. "What, you think you're the new teacher? Sit down," some girl yelled.

"Like she could be a teacher. She only gets B's," Paris said, sitting down in her seat.

"I'd listen to her any day," Tristan said, setting his head down in his hand and gazing at her.

"Jeez," Rory said to herself, taking her seat as the teacher walked in with the new student.

He had a scowl on his face, and looked around the room, at all the students. She grinned, trying not to laugh. His hair stuck up like he didn't take a shower in the morning and he was here, in a private school, wearing a uniform. His eyes set on her, and she looked down shyly. She looked up and he was still staring. What, did he know she had been laughing at him or something?

"Class, this is Jess Mariano. He's a transfer from a public high school in New York." So that explained the hair. "He will be joining our class and I expect you to welcome him well, especially the girl he seems to have his eyes set on now, Miss Gilmore." Rory looked up embarrassed as the whole class did an "Ohhhh." Everyone except Tristan that is. Jess looked to the ground embarrassed himself but not taking the scowl off his face. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. These two will be partners on our founding fathers project. Sound exiting Jess?"

"Extremely."

"Okay then, get to work everyone. Jess, go have a seat next to Miss Gilmore." People scurried around as the teacher said something to him with a smile that he didn't return, then heading her way. She looked down, butterflies in her stomach. She figured it was because she was embarrassed as he sat down next to her.

Rory sighed and looked up, into his eyes, which caught her off guard. They were not ice cold like she expected, but a chocolate brown that were soft and not at all cold. She observed his features.

"Do I have something on my face. I do tend to eat sloppy," he said.

"Oh, uh, no," Rory said. Could she have been anymore of an idiot?

"I'm Jess Mariano."

"So I've heard. Sounds Italian."

"Excuse me?"

She had done it again. The idiot slipped out. "Mariano, sounds like a good name for a pizza shop."

"Hopefully by coming to this big stupid school I can do more than that someday."

"I was a transfer too, I know how you feel. Wait, you didn't want to be here?"

"Nope."

"So, why are you?"

"My school claimed I was smart and shipped me off. Not that my mom didn't give it a little push."

"Well, gee, that's hear warming."

"Welcome to my life."

"My dad's never been a solid figure in my life. That's as bad as it gets for me."

"And you name is?"

"Rory. Well, technically Lorelai. Rory for short. I'm named after my mom."

"You prefer one or the other?"

"Rory."

"Very good. So, which president?"

"Uh, maybe Washington?"

"Seriously?"

"You thought I was joking about George Washington? I'm funny, but I'm not that good."

"Come on Rory, think outside the box. Washington, so original."

"That's what founding fathers are."

"Adams. A good second that is over looked."

"Fine, Adams. Hey, why not add some spice, skip ahead a few years and do Nixon?"

"Trust me, okay?"

"Why should I?"

"Because, just because."

"Very good reasoning." Rory looked up at the clock. "Great now we've spend the whole period discussing our horrible lives. We should meet tonight."

"Why?"

"Because, this project it due in 3 days."

"3 days? This school is nuts."

"We do have our nuttiness to us."

"So, where you live?"

Rory scribbled down her address as the bell rang. "Here," she said, handing it to him.

He smirked when he saw it. His smirk was cute. What was she thinking? She had a boyfriend. "Stars Hollow huh?"

"Yep."

"Funny, that's where I live."

"Impossible."

"Anything is possible Rory," Jess said, sarcasticly.

"Everyone knows everyone."

"I've noticed."

"Okay, fine. I've got to get to my next class. Walk with me," she said, standing up, him following her out into the hall and to her locker.

"So, prove it. Where do you live," Rory said, opening her locker.

"With my Uncle Luke," Jess said, hands shoved in his pockets.

"No way. No way!" Rory shrilled.

"Uh, it's not that exiting."

"Luke, he's been really good to me and my mother. He's a really good family friend."

"All the better."

"And you are?"

"Nephew."

"Huh. Who knew?"

"So, tonight, 7?"

"Yeah, 7 is fine," Rory said, shutting her locker.

"Goodbye Rory," Jess said, giving her a smirk and walking off. She grinned to herself and headed to her next class.