Authors Note: Someone asked me why I was using Summer as the evil Chilton girl since she broke up with Tristan, and I'm asking anyone who cares, can you remember another one of Tristan's "girlfriends" other than Cissy? Plus Summer was a complete bitch to Tristan in "The Breakup Part 2" I think it only makes sense that she's just a bitch in general. Plus I figure maybe Summer didn't like the fact that he obviously didn't care about her to begin with but obviously cared about Rory...

Chapter Nine

"Rory come on we have to go to Doose's and pick out baskets!" Lorelai exclaimed loudly and excitedly from the living room after Rory had gotten home from school Thursday afternoon.

Rory groaned loudly. "I'll be there in a minute ok. I really want to change my clothes."

"Oh well hurry up and I'll meet you there!" Lorelai yelled before running out and in the direction of Doose's.

Rory sighed and flopped down on her bed. She wondered how obvious it was that she didn't feel like doing this. The girls at school had backed off some, Summer leaving her alone for the last couple of days, and she couldn't have been happier. She regretted letting Paris know she knew anything at all and she especially regretted letting Paris see her affected by it at all. She wiped her eyes furiously as thoughts of Tristan flitted through. She was so tired of crying. She didn't even know why she was crying. She knew that talking to Lane should have helped but if anything it made it worse. She couldn't help but wonder if Lane was right and that her sudden epiphany of her feelings towards Dean hadn't been caused by Tristan. She knew that Lane didn't know everything because she made sure she left out almost everything to begin with and she couldn't stop herself from thinking that maybe she should have told Lane everything. But at the same time she pushed that thought out of her brain, knowing that telling Lane everything would force her to admit things she knew she wasn't ready for. Sighing she got up and headed out the door towards Doose's. When the store came into sight she couldn't help but think that the Welcome sign on the door should say Welcome to Hell.

xxxxxx

"Not that one." Dean's voice came from behind her

"You get no say in the basket." Rory said hoping that she sounded upbeat

"I have to bid on it." Dean said patronizingly

"And you have to eat what's inside it and you get no say in that either." Rory said

"Hey?" he said making her turn around and look at him

"Yeah?"

"Is Taylor behind me?" Dean asked cryptically

"No." Rory said unsure why he was asking until he leaned forward and kissed her. Rory had hoped that it would be a short kiss but Dean clearly wanted it to be more than that. Hearing footsteps approaching behind them she thanked God for whoever was there.

Rory pulled away confusing Dean until she pointed behind him. "What? Taylor?" he said before turning around and coming face to face with Jess. "Jess."

"Sorry to intrude." Jess said clearly lying

"Then why did you?" Dean snapped

"Well you're having your vertical From Here to Eternity moment right in front of the super glue."

"Oh." Rory said smiling at him slightly

"Not that it's not an appropriate place to be doing it in front of..."

"Here's your glue." Dean snapped throwing the glue at him

"Thanks. As you were." Jess said winking at Rory

After he watched Jess walk away he turned back around to face Rory. "I really hate that guy."

"He didn't do anything." Rory said annoyed that Dean was acting jealous again

"He's here, he's breathing, that's enough." Dean said furiously restocking the shelves behind him

"I really wish you two could start over."

"Why?"

"Because he lives here and we run into him. He goes to school here. I just think it'd be easier. Plus he's my friend and I hate to think that I have to avoid him like the plague just because the two of you don't get along."

"I'm fine with the whole hating him thing, thank you." Dean said curtly not appreciating her defending Jess

"I just think it's a waste of energy."

"You know I'll have a power bar." he said sarcastically

"Fine forget it."

"So uh, I should probably get back to work. Are we still on for tonight?"

"Tonight?" Rory asked anxiously

"Yeah, I mean it was nothing definite. We talked about seeing a movie or something after work."

"Oh, it's just Paris." Rory said suddenly happy that she had told Dean that Paris was a study freak too.

"What about Paris?"

"She's been trying to be nice to me lately and I kind of made plans to study with her." she said lying

"But.."

"And like you said the plans weren't definite or anything."

"Fine. Have fun." Dean said obviously angry. He leaned down to kiss her only to interrupted again by Jess.

"God!" he snapped

"Sorry, two for one sale." Jess said smiling and grabbing another tube of glue. He laughed when Dean walked off and followed Rory to the cash register. "You ok?"

"I just lied to Dean." she said softly so no one would hear her

"About what?" Jess asked curiously before putting both tubes of glue down on the shelf next to her.

"Aren't you going to get those?"

"No." Jess said looking at her like she was insane. "What do I need super glue for?"

"I don't know." Rory said before handing her basket to Lorelai. "That's the one."

"It's tiny." Lorelai said grumpily

"Point?"

"None." she said then noticing Jess added gruffly, "Hey Jess."

"Hey." he said before turning back to Rory, "You wanna go to the bookstore with me?"

"Sure." she said thankful for the distraction. "I'll see you later?" she said to Lorelai

"Sure meet me at Luke's for dinner."

"OK."

xxxxxx

The next day at school was relatively normal. She noticed the teachers were watching her closely. She assumed they thought she was depressed or something. After the day ended she went home and waited for Lorelai to get there so they could go to Friday Night Dinner. Hours later they were standing in front of the Gilmore's door staring at it while they both waited for the other to ring the bell. "They are your parents." Rory said whining

"They like you better."

"Ring the bell." Rory said starting to get aggravated

"Fine." Lorelai said reaching out and ringing it. The door was immediately opened by Emily Gilmore.

"Took you long enough. I've been standing here for ten minutes."

"Sorry grandma." Rory said walking in and taking off her coat.

"It's fine darling."

"Why are you answering the door, did you fire the maid again?" Lorelai asked snidely

Emily rolled her eyes and walked off both girls trailing behind her.

xxxxxx

Three hours later the two walked out of the Gilmore's both exhausted. Neither said a word until they passed Chilton. Lorelai saw the crestfallen look on Rory's face. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." she said softly

"Is Chilton really that bad lately?" she said trying to get Rory to tell her something that was going on

"No it's fine." Rory said barely above a whisper

"You'd tell me if something was wrong right?"

"Yeah. Of course." Rory said her voice filled with obvious disbelief

Authors Note: This chapter originally had to the whole picnic auction but it was way to long in my opinion... read and review