Dark Secret

Rory has a secret. And after a long day, she divulges it to the least likely of people.

Set during season 2, right before Tristan leaves. Hmm, could this be a Trory? I think it just might be. ?

Lorelai's POV-

Ever since Rory came back from her date with Dean a couple of weeks ago, she has barely said two words to me.

"Rory, honey? Wanna go to Luke's?" I called, sweetly into her bedroom.

"No. I'm not hungry." she called back.

I couldn't stand it anymore. So, I went into her room and it was a mess. I had never seen it this messy before.

"Sweetie, you gotta eat."

"God- do you knock anymore?" she asked, looking at me for a minute and then back at the ceiling. She was lying on her back, starring at the ceiling as if it were a coffee god.

"This is enough. I wanna know what's wrong." I demanded.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm perfect. Perfect life, perfect town, perfect stupid boyfriend. Is that all you wanted?"

"Is that what this is about? Dean? What happened?" I asked. I sat in a chair beside her bed.

I saw the tears well up in her eyes. "No. Dean isn't the problem." sniffle "We broke up, so you don't have to worry about anything, ever again. No more guys." she sniffled again.

"No, hun. There will be more guys. I promise." I smiled.

"No. No more guys. Ever. I don't want them. They want me but I don't want them." she sniffled once more.

"Okay. You have to a little more descriptive. I don't know what you mean." I was thoroughly confused.

"Nothing, mom. It's nothing." she sighed and grabbed a jacket. "Let's go get that food you're waiting for." she smiled. But it wasn't a 'Rory' smile. It was fake and hollow and I could see right through it. But I wasn't going to say anything. She would snap out of it eventually. I hope. I missed my Rory.

Rory's POV-

I had been trying to convince myself that this hadn't happened. That this doesn't happen to people. Especially me. I was the good girl in town. I did my homework and got good grades. I am going to Harvard. Well, at least I thought I would.

"What can I getcha?" Luke asked when we sat at our table. God- I hadn't been to Luke's in weeks. Ever since…

"I'll have a burger with onion rings and a chocolate milkshake. Rory?" mom looked over at me and was smiling.

I missed my mom too. I hadn't said anything to her in a long time. This morning was the first time I had at least almost opened up to her. She was Lorelai, the cool mom. I could tell her anything. But not this.

"Rory? We're waiting for an answer. You okay?" mom asked.

"Oh, yeah. I'm not really hungry. Just some fries." I said.

"Uh okay. That's all you want? You sure?" Luke asked. He looked down at me and was worried.

I figured I would just get a burger too. Just to make him happy. "Okay. Burger, too." I smiled weakly and he beamed down at me.

"Good. I'll be right back." he scampered off to put in our orders.

"So, how's life? We haven't talked in a while." mom said.

"Life's fine. School's fine. Everything's peachy." I said.

"Okay, Rory. We need to talk about this. Whatever happened to make you act this way. I want my Rory back."

"I really can't talk about it. Really."

"Come on. You know you can tell me anything."

"Mom, I don't wanna talk about this. Please, don't make me." I said desperately.

"Fine." she sighed and Luke appeared minutes later with our food. I ate half the burger and some fries and had Luke put the rest in a box to take home.

"I am gonna go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." I said when we got home. I started to walk into my room.

"It's like 9o'clock. You can't possibly be that tired." mom said.

This was getting annoying. "I said I was tired. Do you have to argue with everything I have to say?" I asked, rhetorically and walked into my room. I changed into my pajamas and lay there, starring at the ceiling, but not really seeing it. I just kept re-playing the events of a couple weeks ago. I don't know why I why I was torturing myself like that. It'd not like I could undo it. I should just ignore it. That's right, forget about it. Denial works wonders my friends. I then fell into a fitful sleep.

The next morning-

I woke up, still tired and more irritated than last night. I put on my Chilton uniform and ran a brush through my hair. It looked horrible, so I put it in a ponytail and went to grab a pop tart.

'I hope mom left already.' I thought as I walked into the kitchen. But, there she was, sitting at the table. Wearing a pretty blue suit and a 'we need to talk' smile.

"I don't wanna talk about it." I said and reached into a pop tart box, only to find it empty.

"Rory, you're gonna have to tell me sooner or later."

"Do you not understand what I am saying? Was English your second language? Fine then, I'll spell it out for you; I don't wanna have this conversation. Not now. Not ever. I am late for school. I am leaving." I said and left the house.

I passed Luke's and sat at my bus stop. I didn't feel like reading, but I pulled out a book and flipped aimlessly through the pages.

"Reading? Well, maybe she's still Rory." I knew the voice. I didn't look up and I didn't have to. It was the same voice that made me want to kill myself every night.

'Rory, don't deny it. You love me. Come on." Dean's voice replayed in my mind. It sent shivers up my spine and made me wanna throw up at the same time.

"Don't think you can ignore me." I didn't look up yet and wasn't going to. Tears started to form in my eyes. This had been happening a lot lately. Crying. "Fine. But, can't ignore me forever." he said. I know he smirked, I just know it. And then he walked away. I tried to wipe away the tears before my bus came, but it didn't quite work. I boarded the bus and read the entire way to Hartford. By read, I mean that I starred at the pages, not really caring what they said, occasionally flipping a page. I sat there, just going over, repeatedly what had happened. What was happening now and what might happen in the future. The bus finally stopped, thank god, and I hurriedly walked to class. I ran into a guy and was about to apologize until I realized who it was. Tristan.

"My, my Mary. Forget your manners? Not going to apologize?" he asked.

I looked up at him and sighed. I didn't even feel up to dignifying his existence with an answer. I pushed passed him and walked to my locker.

"Mary?" he called after me. "Mary?" he called again.

He jogged up to my locker. I started to unpack my book bag and take out what I needed for the next class.

"Rory." he said softly.

I shook my head, not wanting him to see me cry. And, again, as if on cue, the tears were coming. I sniffled and he put his hand on my back.

"What happened?" he asked, as soft as before. I didn't say anything. I just turned around, dropping my book bag and hugged him. I hadn't hugged, much less touched anyone since…

"Rory? As much as I love you hugging me and this new found closeness, you can tell me what's wrong." he said.

I pulled away. "That's the problem. I can't. I'm sorry. Your shirt's wet." I said and headed to my first period class.

The day passed in a blur. And when the school day was over, I didn't wanna go home. I didn't wanna deal with anything there. My mom, Dean. Any of it. I couldn't go to my grandparent's house. They had been in England, visiting my great grandmother and I had no where but Stars Hollow to go. As much as I hated it, I sat at the bus stop and waited for the bus to take me to my own personal hell. I saw Tristan get in his car and I sighed. I could go to Tristan's house.

"Tristan!" I tried to yell but it didn't come out as I had planned. So, I walked over to his car and tapped on the window. He smiled and rolled down the window.

"Yes, my Mary." he said.

I sighed. "I completely understand if you have something that you would rather be doing or have plans that you can't get out of but… can I come over?" I held my breath, waiting for an answer.

"Of course. But what's going on?" he asked and got out of the car.

"I can't answer that. I know that I shouldn't expect you to drop everything and take care of me but I just, I can't answer you just yet. Okay?" I looked up at him with hopeful eyes. I COULDN'T go home. It wasn't an option.

"No problem. But, answer me one thing. Are you okay?" he asked.

"No." I said simply.

He sighed and smiled. He walked around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. I got in and he closed the door.

*END OF CHAPTER*

Okay- this is the 1st chapter of the story. All feedback is appreciated. Let me know if it sux. If it does I wont post it anymore. but yeah- let me know pretty please.

Love-

Skittles