A/N: I don't own Gilmore Girls. Thanks for reading!

Friday was the day it all came crashing down. Incidentally, it was also the day I got the flyer. I had been rushing around everywhere: classes, the paper, and desperate runs to the coffee cart. As soon as I was finished, Paris dragged me forcibly into her apartment for advice about Doyle. By the time she was done spilling her problems, I had been there almost two hours, and was trying hard to not pull my hair out. I eventually stumbled up through my own door, grabbed The Subsect and sat down. Today, though, I couldn't focus. Maybe it was the utter silence of the room, maybe it was because I had been so busy, maybe it was even the long talk with Paris about relationships that had me spending more time thinking about the author himself than his book. I sat, lost in my memories, until I couldn't stand it anymore. Exasperated, I stood up and grabbed the mail. I flipped through, not really seeing it, until my hand landed on a thick piece of purple paper, different from the usual intake of mail. "Jess Mariano" was scrawled in the corner. A laugh bubbled out of me at the irony. So much for getting him out of my head. I couldn't help but feel proud of him as I learned that Truncheon Books was having its open house. He really made something out of himself. All he needed was a chance. I stuffed the flyer in my dresser and picked up the book again.

"…And I'm ready for this. You can count on me now. I now you couldn't count on me before, but you can now. You can!" My own "No!" echoed in my head, tormenting me. Yes, Jess definitely had his problems. But he had tried. He had tried to be civil to my mom, tried to impress me with the Distiller tickets, and had been supportive of me - even if he didn't use so many words. Running off to California had been a huge mistake, but people change. I knew that now. I only wish I could have known it at nineteen.

I didn't entirely regret not running away with him - my mom, not to mention my grandparents, would have probably killed me, and Yale was too important to leave at that point. That didn't stop you when you stole a boat and dropped out just a few months ago. Jess was the one who had to knock some sense into you. But at the very least, I wished I would have kept in touch a little more. A phone call or email here and there would have been better than the utter silence that was our relationship for two years. Tears started slipping down my cheeks. I missed him. I missed his witty remarks, his smirk, his notes filling all my books. I missed loving him.

The door clicked. Logan. I swiped my eyes.

"Hey, Ace."

"Hi." I kept my eyes down as I rushed to throw my arms around him.

"So, I thought we could meet up with Colin and Finn tonight. Get a few drinks, have a good time. How about it?"

"Um…"

He pulled me back a few inches, searching my face. I could only hope that all traces of tears were gone.

He frowned. "You okay, Ace?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You've been different lately. You've changed."

"No kidding." I mumbled. I so did not mean to say that.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I'm serious, Rory. Even when we're together, you're somewhere else. You're uptight, and you care too much. It's fine that you're back at Yale, but do you really have to stress about classes and the paper so much? You're in college - loosen up, have a little fun. This isn't you."

"I know you. I know you better than anyone. What are you doing? Why did you drop out of Yale? This isn't you, Rory, you know it isn't."

"Then you don't know me, Logan."

"Oh, don't give me that. I think I know my own girlfriend."

"No, you don't!" My voice rose. "If you knew me, you wouldn't make a big deal of me actually trying to pass my class! You wouldn't make me go to these stupid bar parties all the time!"

"It's all about you, huh? Life isn't just hard for you - I have problems too, but I don't let myself get all worked up. What's the point?"

"The point is, going out and partying isn't going to help in the 'real world'. I loved you, Logan, but very few good things have come of it. And there's been plenty of bad."

"Loved? I hang out with my friends every once in a while, and suddenly you don't love me anymore?"

"It's more than that. I stole a boat with you! Rory Gilmore does not steal boats!"

"That was your choice. Don't start blaming all of your problems on me." He began yelling, his voice growing louder with each word. "You're not perfect either, by far. I've stuck with you. The least you can do is try to do the same for me."

"Stuck with me? Am I that repulsive?"

There was a moment of silence. When he spoke, his voice was softer. "I didn't mean it like that, Ace."

The once endearing nickname felt cold and awkward. "Fine. But regardless, you don't respect me or the people I care about."

"I got along with your parents just fine."

"I'm not talking about my parents."

"Whoa, wait a second. This isn't about that Jess guy, is it? Because if it is -"

My brain scrambled for another answer. "Like Marty. You treated him like dirt. We don't even talk anymore because I started hanging out with you, Colin, and Finn."

"I already said I was sorry about the whole Marty thing."

I couldn't help myself any longer. "And yes, you were a complete jerk to Jess. He wrote a book. He made something of himself. If you had known him when he was eighteen…" My voice trailed off.

"So this is about him."

"This is about us. You've changed me into somebody I don't even recognize. And I can't live like this."

His jaw twitched. "Fine. We're done here." He stomped out of the room.

In the back of my mind, I knew I should be hurt, tearful, even. But all I felt was relief.