The rest of the week went by as a blur, making a lot of phone calls to her mom, grandparents and her Californian posse, who decided that despite pretty much being together 24/7 all needed personal calls from her, Finn started accusing her of favouring the others whenever she called their cells instead of his so to prove she loved them all equally she called all their phones individually.

Besides being on the phone for hours, Madeline, Louise and sometimes even Paris had decided to take advantage of her new found secret identity. Madeline and Louise dragged her on the school's organised bus trips to the town; shops near beaches supposedly had the hottest summer wear and the most original bikinis, although Rory was determined not to wear anything 'un-Mary-like' there were a few items she couldn't help but buy, ones that had Madeline and Louise's approval, maybe she could wear them when she visited California for real over some kind of holidays.

Paris was excited, discovering that Rory may be able to help her out with Derek more than she thought, so she was battering Rory for advice. Rory thought that Paris would take her 'deception' hard, and somehow hold it against her, but was pleasantly surprised when Paris told her it was cool because she now had someone to go to advice for with hard teenage stuff that was difficult for her and she knew Rory wasn't a whole lie, she acted as herself and was still smart.

In between her busy schedule, Rory had managed to complete and hand in her application form, and have time to spare to flirt with Tristan, she wasn't with him as much as he hoped but he lapped up the attention she was willingly giving him. They hadn't covered any seriously serious topics of conversation since the pool but they were having fun.

"There's a pre-last-night-til-we-have-to-work party tonight and you're coming," Louise told Rory,

"Actually I can't,"

"But you promised,"

"Well if you gave me more notice I would, but tonight I have been rented out to three guys and a girl and I can't bail,"

"Oh that sounds really kinky, thought you said you weren't currently screwing around?"

"I'm not! They're friends, away from here and we're having a movie night,"

"Boring…come party!"

"I honestly can't, plus you won't ever see me partying with a bunch of Chiltonites,"

"Oh yeah, they don't know you, but still, please,"

"I promise to go to the last-night-til-we-have-to-work party if you let me skip the pre party,"

"Fine," Louise sighed dramatically and went to get ready in her own room.

Rory was heading for the familiar bush path when she bumped into-

"Ouch, Bibleboy!"

"Mare, you're the one who keeps bumping into me like a magnetic force is pulling you in," Tristan smirked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders,

"Well, I'm gonna have to turn around so that both our south poles meet and I'm going to be flung into there," she pointed at the bushes,

"You're not coming to the party? I thought for sure the other girls would've forced you into it,"

"Louise tried, but I promised the gang I'd hang out with them, just a movie night,"

"Yeah, they seem like they miss you,"

"Well…I better get going; I'll be at tomorrow's party though,"

"Great, though I hope to see you before then,"

"You just might," she smiled before planting a light kiss on his cheek and walking away while Tristan headed to the party.

There was the same car waiting for her on the side of the road, as she got closer the window wound down,

"Get in loser, we're going shopping," Rory laughed as Logan mimicked the line from 'Mean Girls',

"I can't believe you just said that, anyway why are we shopping?"

"This is one of your Gilmore movie nights, we need supplies and you're the one with it imprinted in your mind,"

"You've been to enough; you should know it as well as me,"

"But you always change it slightly, and then throw a tantrum when something's wrong,"

"I do, don't I?"

"Yep, whenever me and the other boys screwed it up you and Steph used to yell like a couple of angry monkeys and start an indoor water fight, how did you two always coincidently have water handy anyway?"

"Oh, the water was so not coincidental," Rory smirked,

"Finn knew it! We told him he was a crazy and you both backed us up,"

"Finn said we prepared the water by filling the bottles, we actually ordered in bottled water, it takes too long to fill twenty," Rory smiled at the memories.

Logan and Rory had bought the supplies and were unloading the car at Finn's house,

"Ace?"

"Yeah?" then Finn ran out,

"Love!" he picked her up and carried her into the house leaving Logan to bring in all the bags, Logan shook his head but carried them all anyway.

They were on a time limit tonight so they only got through one movie before Finn decided to bring out the Monopoly board. Ten minutes into the game,

"I'm bored," whined Finn,

"You're the one who wanted to play," Steph informed,

"I know, but isn't it the last person who is left with money the winner?"

"Something like that," Logan replied, Finn gave a little girly giggle before moving his arms around like a maniac taking everyone's money including the bank's,

"Ha ha I win!" he exclaimed cheerfully,

"But that's because you cheated," Rory told him gently,

"You're just a sore loser," Finn pouted, then started throwing the pretend money in the air and in a sing-song voice, "Iwin, I win, I win," he stopped once he noticed everyone looking at him weirdly, "I need a bloody drink," he declared then took off for the bar, everyone else burst out laughing at his quick change of moods,

"And I need one more coffee before I head back,"

"I'll make it," Logan said and headed to the kitchen while Collin went to help Finn with drinks,

"So..." Steph said as she sat next to Rory on the couch,

"What?"

"What's going on with you're blonde hottie?"

"Absolutely positively nothing," Steph gave her a pointed look, Rory sighed, "Really nothing, just casual flirting, a little touching and hugging but we're just temporary friends,"

"And you're an idiot, I know you like him and you're just giving him a taste of what it could be like, and then as soon as you all go back to Connecticut you're pulling away," Rory just shrugged and stuck her tongue out.

The rest of night was pretty laid back until it started getting late so Rory took Logan's car back to the resort.

Rory was heading back to the room when she heard a very off-key version of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', she followed the voice that lead her to the fountain where she found Tristan singing with a bottle of alcohol in his hands, he was sitting on the ground, his back up against the cement statue.

"Damn Bibleboy, had a little too much to drink?" he looked up at her,

"Mary?"

"In the flesh, what are you doing?"

"Well I got bored at the party and you weren't there so I made friends with drinks and now I'm here,"

"Well you're an idiot and there is no way you can make it to your room like this without getting caught, it's on the other side of the property," Tristan looked at her and laughed,

"I don't want to go back there anyway, I'm gonna camp right here, look," he pointed at the sky, "Twinkle, twinkle little star," he started singing and she clasped her hand over his mouth,

"You're coming to my room, get up," she ordered,

"If you wanted my body, all you had to do was ask," Tristan slurred,

"Oh I don't need to, you'll probably pass out straight away then I can do whatever I want with it and you won't even remember," she helped him off the ground.

Tristan stumbled all the way to her and Paris' room, and collapsed on their couch, the noise he made woke up Paris,

"Is he drunk?"

"Yep,"

"Then why is he here?"

"Because he's stupid and can't get back to his own room,"

"Okay then," Paris yawned and turned back around to go back to bed,

"You're not gonna yell?"

"Too tired from the party, I'm fine with it as long as he doesn't make noise, which would be hard because he's passed out, but if he snores I'm smothering him with a pillow, goodnight" Rory just shrugged, threw a blanket on him and went to her own bed.

The next morning Rory got up to find Paris had already gone and Tristan was still asleep, she went about her normal morning routine, showering and getting changed, once she was ready she found Tristan was still asleep and decided it was time to wake him up, she ran and body slammed him laughing,

"Shit!" he shot up straight, "Oww, my head," he complained and glared at the girl perched on his lap,

"My bad," she giggled, "Now get up I need a coffee fix and if I don't get it soon I'm gonna kick your ass," she pouted,

"You're mean in morning, why am I here again?"

"I found you drunk last night, and I'm such a great friend that I made sure you were safe, far away from bears," she said as she pushed him out the door and started dragging him to the dining hall,

"What bears? There aren't any bears,"

"They've got koalas,"

"But they're not scary,"

"You never know what they're like at night, I hear those leaves they eat have some kind of drug in them, now get me coffee," she pointed him to the direction of the coffee line and sat down at a table.

After the coffee, Tristan went to his room to attempt to cure his hangover and Rory went to hang out with the girls.

Rory stayed true to her word and went to that night's party, she dressed conservatively, just the way she had to, Paris was expanding her fashion horizons tonight, going with a low cut top and short but not too short skirt and Madeline and Louise stuck to their normal revealing fashion.

The girls were standing their talking then Tristan, Austin, Derek and Mike made their way over, joining the conversation.

Summer was watching from afar, her blood boiling as she watched Tristan's arm rest on Rory's back, 'what the hell?' she thought and decided to take action. She walked at a quick pace towards the groups, made it obvious as she pretended to trip and spilled her drink all over Rory's jacket,

"Oh my god! I am so sorry, that should wash out easy," she used a napkin pretending to try and clean up the mess, Tristan felt Rory's body tense under his hand and started running soothing circles on her back,

"No problem," Rory said through gritted teeth, attempting a polite smile,

"Oh well, you should probably go rinse that in the bathroom," Summer suggested,

"Maybe," Rory mumbled,

"Don't worry I'll look after Tristan while you're gone," she place an arm around his waist looking at him seductively, Rory just rolled her eyes, removed her jacket and threw it in a nearby bin,

"That's okay, I don't need it, thanks anyway," Rory said in fake politeness and stepped closer to Tristan, Summer got fed up and sighed in frustration then made her way so she was standing just feet away from Rory,

"Listen hoe-down girl, you don't belong here, this is the world of money and popularity, you don't have either, so I suggest you take you're hick-town ass and get out of here before I humiliate you like you never thought possible,"

Rory held her blank stare on Summer, took a deep breath, nodded and turned around to leave the party,

"Oh, and farm girl," Rory turned to Summer again, "Tristan's mine," Summer then proceeded to pull Tristan into a hard kiss, he immediately pulled away and followed Paris, Madeline and Louise as they went after Rory.

They found her sitting on a bench,

"Oh Rory, we are so sorry, we should of known she'd be a bitch," Louise said,

"Don' be sorry," Rory said then started laughing,

"What are you laughing at?" asked Madeline,

"Summer really doesn't recognise me,"

"You knew her before Chilton?" asked Tristan,

"Yeah, we hang out with the same crowd on Spring Break beforehand,"

"I feel a story coming on everyone sit," Louise commanded and they all obeyed,

"Well…" Rory started,

FLASHBACK

Rory was searching the house, full of partying teens looking for her long time boyfriend Mark, she reached his room and thought maybe he came there to get some privacy, she opened the door to reveal her boyfriend having sexual intercourse with none other than Summer Lanly,

"Slut!" Rory screamed and slammed the door.

"If I was screwing a guy and his girlfriend walked in yelled one word and slammed the door, I doubt I would have had enough time to get a good look at her enough to remember her," Louise pointed out confused at why Rory was finding it so hilarious,

"Oh, but you see I can be a major bitch too, I, in return screwed the only guy that everyone knew she really liked before she could," Rory looked down ashamed of her past actions, Tristan looked around uncomfortably,

"Well you obviously really liked your boyfriend, and she messed that up for you, you would have been expected to do something to retaliate,"

"She got over him pretty quickly, but she held it against me and we were sworn enemies over that break,"

"And?" Louise prompted,

"Can you say major catfight?"

"Yes! Of course I can, but details?" Madeline asked,

"Well…"

FLASHBACK

They're were a bunch of people hanging out on a beach, Rory was sitting by herself near the bonfire when Summer and two of her cronies stormed up to her,

"Hey slut, I think we have some unfinished business,"

"Oh really, you fucked my boyfriend, I fucked the guy you wanted to be your boyfriend, I don't see the problem," Rory said innocently,

"No one gets into my business and gets away with it," Summer sneered, a group started forming, attentively watching the interaction,

"But you entered mine first," Rory stood up to match Summer's height,

"And you should have just walked away,"

"Like you should just walk away now?" Rory kept her voice calm although she was fuming inside,

"No, like you should now,"

"But you came here and entered my personal space,"

"No I'm taking your space so move,"

"I don't think so princess, I don't move for no one," Rory stood her ground firmly,

"I said move bitch!"

"I said no, skanky hoe! And don't even bother trying to rhyme back, I don't think you're brain could handle the pressure"

Summer thought about it for a moment, confused,

"Are you like calling me stupid?"

"Well I'm sorry princess, but the queen's crown don't fit, you're wearing the stupid hat," Rory smiled, Summer couldn't think of anything else to say so she slapped Rory,

"Bitch! Tell me you didn't just do that," Rory hissed,

"Oh, I so did," Summer smiled proudly, thinking she had won,

"Wrong answer you're going down!" yelled Rory and she tackled Summer to the ground, the two were wrestling on the ground for a while, a couple slaps here and there and a bit of pulling hair. Finn and Logan saw what was going on and broke it up, Logan grabbed Rory and Finn grabbed Summer, neither boy let the girl go until she calmed down.

The girls stood there locked in a stare; Rory grabbed a bottle of tomato sauce from a nearby table and squeezed some onto Summer's top who gasped,

"Oh seems like you have to go now and get cleaned up," Rory said feigning disappointment, "It was great to see you,"

"Listen up, I'm the queen of Chilton and I bet that overrules whoever you are so I suggest you leave," Rory laughed at her,

"Whoever I am? I'm Lorelai Hayden, queen of Waterview which totally overrules queen of Chilton," Summer was stunned,

"You'll regret talking to me next time Hayden," she said, her voice quavering, her cronies followed her as she stormed off. Everyone laughed at Summer's attempt of a comeback.

"And well that's pretty much it, we just glared at each other for the rest of break, and then never saw each other again, I'm just surprised she doesn't recognise me,"

Paris laughed, "You got into a catfight with Summer and poured tomato sauce on her clothes, that's a classic," Soon they were all laughing.

"You guys might as well go back, I'm cool, just need to chill before I start shit with her and tap her memory," Rory smiled once they all calmed down,

"You sure? Because we can stay with you if you want," Paris asked,

"Yeah, go have fun,"

"I'll walk you to your room," said Tristan and he guided her away.

They walked in silence, Rory lit two cigarettes and passed one to a frowning Tristan,

"I know you could of taken her on back there, why didn't you?"

"She'd remember me then everyone would know who I was,"

"What's so bad about that, the girls don't seem to mind,"

"They were my friends before they knew, if the whole school knew as well I'd make a lot more enemies here and a lot more pretend friends, have a lot of gossipers and be cornered by girls in bathrooms,"

"Why would they corner you in bathrooms?"

"Wanting to know what happened, asking if I could hook them up with one of my friends, I dunno, stuff like that,"

"Why'd you tell me everything, at Chilton you always acted like I was one of them, some one you hated?"

"I never hated you but I've seen the way you act with them, the mask, I can do it to, but I wasn't sure if you could remove it…okay probably not making sense here," she smiled,

"No, I understand, but what made you tell me?"

"I just trust you,"

"Why?"

"I don't know I just do so shut up," she shoved him sideways,

"No need to attack Mare," he chuckled wrapping an arm around her shoulders; she in turn put hers around his waist.

"Okay, change of subject," said Tristan, "Where are you working tomorrow?"

"Promise not to laugh?"

"No," she glared at him, "You'll tell me anyway,"

"True, McDonalds," he laughed at her blush,

"What did you do to get stuck there?"

"Nothing, I chose it, I love my junk food!"

"Well I'm working there too,"

"Why?"

"Punishment for making fun of Mr. Fend because he takes a part time job there for extra money,"

They reached her door,

"Oh well, at least I'll have a friend," she smiled, "Night Tristan," she gave him a quick hug,

"Night Mary," he smirked, kissed her forehead and sauntered off but not before leaving another comment, "You don't have to admit it, but I'm pretty sure you would of naturally taken advantage of my intoxicated state last night, I'm sure it was great," she laughed at him,

"Oh, that wasn't me I was asleep, if you remember anything happening it must've been Paris, it was pretty dark, anyone could have made the mistake."

Tristan smiled, suddenly looking forward to the next day.

Rory collapsed on her bed, 'ugh, I'm getting way too comfortable with him, this is breaking my own rules, I need to get back in the game'.


PLEASE READ A/N: woot woot i wrote a chapter, i don't really think it's anything special but i already wrote the next one, and i'm proud of it so if i can get fifteen reviews on this one i can post what's making me so happy. Also i have a lot of notes with bantering things that i can't wait to put in, but can't until a little later in the story, until i reach there i've got some space to fill so i want suggestions of what you want to see happen, no matter how weird or stupid they may seem and i'll do my best to add it somehow... oh and someone said something about myspace lol so i put my URL up on my profile lol ...sad.

Plz review and i love u!