Chapter 1.

Chilton. A prep school. Just one more stepping stone on the road of life.

Rory Gilmore had been sitting in the auditorium for orientation for a little over 30 minutes. She sits there in a hard wooden seat with black flip flops on showing off her red nail polish. (Everybody knows that private school girls are bad, and bad girls always wear red nail polish.) She glances around and thinks it's so easy to see how the school is divided. The rich and the poor. The people who got into Chilton on 'donations' and family names. Then, the ones who got in on brains and scholarships. She takes another sip of her coffee, relishing in the bitter taste of the beverage, before turning her eyes to the stage where The Headmaster had finally began to talk.

"Chilton has one of the highest academic standards of any school in America. The pressures are great, the rules are strict, and the expectations are high. If you make it through, you will have received one of the finest educations one can get, and there should be no reason why you should not achieve all your goals. However, since many of you are just starting and are not used to this highly competitive atmosphere, there is a good chance you will fail. That is fine. Failure is a part of life, but not a part of Chilton. Understand?"

It's the type of speech she expected. It's directed at her and all the people like her. Students just coming in. The ones who are use to straight A's in a public High School, the ones who come from small towns who have parents with low playing jobs. Rory isn't sure if she wants to go here. To this place with such high standards, but she knows the deal, knows if she wants to go to Harvard she has to go here. Here with uniforms and G.T. classes and some of the best teachers in the state.

"If you have any questions during the year, you can make an appointment to see the tenth grade guidance counselor, Mr. Winters. He handles everything but bulimia and pregnancy. For that, you'll have to go to the nurse or Coach Rubens. Welcome to Chilton."

People start to get out of their seats and file out the door. Rory however just stays sitting, twirling a ribbon of brown hair, waiting for the hustle and bustle of the crowd to die down. She starts to read one of the sheets she picked up at the beginning of the assembly.

"The Rules of Chilton Preparatory Academy."

SAFETY
1. The following items are prohibited and are grounds for suspension/expulsion: knives, weapons, dangerous objects, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, gang emblems, drug paraphernalia and lewd or obscene behavior.
2. Fighting, provoking fights or intimidation may result in suspension or transfer to another school.

ATTENDANCE
3. Chilton Preparatory Academy is a CLOSED campus. Students leaving campus need a parent or guardian to sign them out through the attendance office or get administrative approval in advance.
4. Truancy is subject to disciplinary consequences (Absences must be cleared within 72 hours). Students are expected to be in every class on time each day to maximize learning.
5. Students who are habitually tardy and/or out of class are subject to detention, mandatory parent conferences and suspension.

DRESS CODE
6. Uniforms will be worn at all times.
7. Students who dress inappropriately will be subject to disciplinary action. Parents will be contacted to bring students proper attire.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
8. Electronic devices (CD players, MP3's, pagers, radios, laser pens, ect.) are not permitted on campus.
9. Cell Phones are to be turned off during regular school hours. Students are allowed to use cell phones before and after school only.
10. These items will be confiscated and returned to parents/guardians only.

GENERAL SCHOOL RULES
11. Food and drinks are not allowed in the classrooms, main hall, home economics hall, library or offices.
12. Students are not allowed in the parking lot during school hours.
13. DO NOT use someone else s book or gym locker, or allow them to use yours. If your locker isn't working, notify the campus supervisor.
14. P.E. non-suits will result in a referral to the Dean and After School Program (APS).
15. Display of affection is NOT permitted.
16. Hats must be removed when entering classrooms and offices.
17. Internet use is a privilege. Misuse of the Internet will be subject to disciplinary action.
18. At anytime that your G.P.A. drops below 2.5 you will be dismissed from the school.

It's stuff Rory's already read and memorized. She knows most of these papers backwards and forwards, has read all these papers over and over again, ever since she received her acceptance letter back at the beginning of the summer. The rules are stricter than what shes use to, but it's a new school, a better school. So, Rory already knows that she can't skip gym class with Lane or miss school days to hang out with her mom for no other reason than because she can. She doesn't like it, but she doesn't want to disappoint her mom ether (Her mom who gave Rory the best life she could of hoped for. The type of life Rory herself wants. It's just -- there so much more out there, so much more her mother wants Rory to have and Rory isn't really sure she wants it. After all she's a small town girl with small town dreams.)

Rory stands, glances around at the almost empty room before going back out side and getting in her moms jeep. Its a week before school starts. She knows she's going dislike (Hate is a strong word) it here, but its a week before school starts. So, you never know.

Uhhh, I guess it's a prologue. Not sure if I'm going to continue it, but hey who knows right?.