Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

A/N: So, I bet you thought I'd forgotten all about this fic, and I know it's hard to believe, but I didn't. I had the story in the back of my mind all this time, but didn't have the will to work on it. I kinda lost my appetite for the show and its characters. I've been really into the LOST fandom these past months, so if you want to read something other than GG stuff from me then you know where to go. For now, I hope this chapter'll do.

Misconceptions

When Rory made her way through the crowded halls the next day, rumors in the form of knowing smiles and roguish whispers tracked her every step, though she didn't hear about anything until lunch. She took a seat next to Paris, an immediate target for the other two girls at the table. Paris shot them a warning look, but knew it wasn't enough to keep them from spreading around their newfound gossip; it was their life, after all.

''So, Rory, did you hear?'' Madeline subtly kicked off their conversation, twirling a strand of her pitch-black hair around her finger as she waited.

''Hear about what?'' Rory replied, still oblivious to what was going on around her.

''About Tristan?'' Louise sighed when there was still no reaction from the girl across her. ''Figures.''

''It's okay, though; I mean, we'll fill you in, right Louise?''

Louise rolled her eyes, but leaned in towards Rory a little more anyway. ''Let's start off easy. Do you know Brooklyn?''

''As in Brooklyn, New York?''

''No, silly,'' Madeline said with a smile. ''Brooklyn Parker.''

''I've seen her around,'' Rory offered. ''Why?''

''Well, according to Brooklyn, Tristan offered her a ride home yesterday.''

''Only they didn't make it that far, if you know what I mean,'' Madeline fell in.

They ended up at Tristan's house instead,'' Louise continued her story. ''Now, I don't know all of the details, yet, but I do know that she's been going on about how good Tristan was and how he didn't disappoint. You do get what I mean, right?''

Rory nodded, though her mind was no longer on the gossip. Her troubled expression triggered Paris to jump to her defense. ''That's a lot of talk for someone who probably didn't get any.''

''Would she brag if nothing really happened?'' Louise countered.

''Yeah, what would be the point?'' Madeline helped.

''There is none, but that's how rumors get started.''

''Well, now that we know your opinion, what do you think, Rory?'' Louise turned all of her attention on Rory, putting her in the spotlight. ''Do you believe something happened? We know Paris knows Tristan, but you know him on this whole other level.''

Rory shrugged, trying to make her answer seem more casual than it was. ''I don't know.''

''You don't know? You're on the debate team and you don't know?'' Louise asked.

''It's not any of my business.''

''It isn't?'' Madeline asked, a surprise face backing up her question.

''Right,'' Louise chipped in.

''What?''

The blond shook her head. ''Nothing. It's just obvious that something's happening between you two, and personally, I wouldn't want my boyfriend all over some other girl.''

''We're not together, Louise.''

''Oh, okay, sure, if that's how you're gonna play it.''

''I'm not playing it any way. Tristan can do whatever he wants; we are just friends, we always have been.''

''Yeah, maybe back in the day when you still wore your hair in a ponytail,'' Louise commented.

''I still wear my hair in a ponytail.''

Louise sweetly smiled at her. ''My bad.''

''What's wrong with wearing my hair in a ponytail?''

''Nothing, if you want to be plain-Jane all your life.''

''Hey, don't take this the wrong way,'' Madeline intercepted. ''We're just trying to help.''

''How?'' Paris questioned.

''Well, just look at Brooklyn; she doesn't wear her hair in a ponytail,'' Madeline cleverly pointed out.

''What are you saying?''

''She's saying that Tristan tends to go for the girls who stand out,'' Louise said.

''Yeah, stand out by hiking up their skirts and opening their legs for anyone who's willing,'' Paris mumbled under her breath.

Rory didn't say anything as she quietly gathered up her things and got up.

''Rory, wait,'' Madeline stopped her. ''We didn't mean to make you feel bad.''

''Thanks, Madeline, but I'm just going to my locker.''

''Okay, just as long as you're not mad.''

''I'm not. I'll see you guys later.''

''Yeah, great, leave me alone with them. If my IQ decreases within these next few minutes then I'm blaming you!'' Paris called out to Rory before she exited the cafeteria.

Her footsteps echoed through the empty hallways, giving the couple pressed up against her locker more than enough warning, though her pace slowed down to a full stop when she saw that it was Tristan who had some girl pushed up against her locker. Her shoulders fell in disappointment when she recognized the girl as someone other than Brooklyn; they didn't even have their hair color in common, though she could see what Louise meant with 'standing out'. She was nothing but ordinary compared to the girls Tristan usually pursued, and it did hurt now that she knew how he saw her.

They were friends, but then again, they had always been just that

Putting her turmoil of feelings aside, she took the last few steps towards her locker, her voice just above a whisper as she tried to get their attention. ''Excuse me.''

''Wait your turn, honey,'' the redhead said, her breath ragged and lips bruised as she came up for air.

''Yeah, wait your turn,'' Tristan chimed in before continuing his assault of feverish kisses on the girl's throat.

''I just want to get to my locker, Tristan.''

At the familiarity of his name dropping from her lips, he immediately turned.

''Wow, you were right, Tris, she is serious about all of this school stuff.'' The redhead gently pushed Tristan off of her, allowing her full access to the petite brunette in front of her. ''Don't worry, sweetie, we won't keep you from your precious books.'' She reached out for Tristan's hand. ''Come on, Tris. See you around, Rory,'' she said, both her tone and smile fake.

''We'll talk later,'' Tristan promised her before letting the redhead lead him away from her.

x-x-x

Rory made it to class just in time, though Tristan made her look good by entering the classroom even later, his hair and shirt disheveled. The teacher let him off with a firm warning and he found a seat right behind hers. When the teacher's back was turned once again, he leaned across his table and pulled at one of the sleek locks that hadn't gotten wrapped up in her ponytail. ''Hey, I'm sorry about before.''

Rory shrugged. ''It's fine.''

''Still, I want to make it up to you.''

''Tristan.'' She brought up her hand to push away his. ''We're in class.''

''Relax, Mary, Mrs. Lee doesn't have eyes in the back of her head,'' he said with a roll of his eyes, though backed off slightly.

''Maybe not.'' She turned around in her seat, her blue orbs not fully meeting his as she went on. ''But you know how serious I am about all of this school stuff.''

''Hey,'' Tristan said while tipping up her chin with a push of his thumb, forcing their eyes to cross paths. His stood worried while they did a quick scan of her hooded ones. ''What's wrong?''

Rory pulled back from his touch, no longer looking at him. ''Like I said, Tristan, it's fine.''

But he knew that it wasn't by the way she turned her back to him, and he sat back and took it, until the bell rang and she walked off, no looking back.

He hurried after her, not caring what others thought, though he hardly did care. He snatched her by the elbow as soon as he came up behind her. Rory knew it was him by the gentle way he spun her around and assured her of a soft and safe landing as he closed the door of the janitor's closed behind them.

There was no need to tug her arm free; he knew better than to touch her at such a moment, nor was there a lot of space to make her own, assuring him their intimacy for the time being.

''I have classes, you know,'' she tried to find her way out.

''I think your free period'll buy us some time,'' he wisely cracked.

Rory crossed her arms, out of excuses. ''Fine, just tell me what you want?''

''I want to know what's up with the cold shoulder?''

''Cold shoulder?'' she played innocently, a game that made him sick to his stomach. ''Don't even, Rory,'' he struck out at her.

''I'm not doing anything, and my shoulder's anything but cold.''

He snorted at her attempt to joke her way out of it. ''I hate to break it to you, Ror, but the innocent act doesn't usually work on me. I see right through your big eyes and-''

''I get the point, Tristan, but you didn't leave me with much of another choice.'' She uncrossed her arms and brought them up to her locks. ''I mean, yesterday, for the first time in a while, I thought that everything was okay again between us, but then you started to act all distance-y again.''

''How? I did everything I could to put you back at ease. I even offered you a ride home like I used to, one you politely declined.''

''I did, but you know I like the bus,'' she said with a pout.

He hid a smile. ''I know, and I accepted your decision, didn't I?''

''Well, yeah, but you hardly even waited for me to say no before you moved on.''

''What do you mean?''

Rory dropped her hands back down. ''How do you not know what I mean?''

He shrugged. ''I don't.''

''I'm talking about Brooklyn. The girl I heard took my place?''

''You heard? From who?''

''Louise and Madeline,'' she mumbled.

''And you believed their gossip?''

''Is it? Come on, Tristan, I heard practically the entire school talking about you and her and how she was apparently all over you, and that was a different girl from the one you had pushed up against your locker, unless Brooklyn decided overnight that blondes do have more fun!''

''Are you jealous?''

Rory shook her head. ''No, I just don't get why you spent so much time hurting me, and when you finally have me again and I think everything is alright again, you try to hurt me all over again!''

''You're jealous,'' he stated.

''No, I just... Forget it. I just want to go, okay?'' She gave him an intimidating look before passing him, her hand already on the door when he reached out for her once more. He placed his hand on her shoulder, his touch and tone of voice soft enough to will her back around. ''I'm not trying to hurt you, princess.''

''You're not trying hard enough.''

''Come on, Rory, I hate fighting with you.''

''And yet you're here yelling at me.''

''I'm not yelling at you,'' Tristan said through gritted teeth, close to losing his patience. ''Just tell me what you want me to do?''

Rory shook off his touch. ''I don't know. I... I guess I'm confused.''

He sighed. ''By what?''

''By you.''

''Why, Rory, why?''

''Because I really want to fully trust you again, and we are on our way to being friends again, but I'm not sure if I want that.''

Tristan clicked his tongue a couple of times, his eyes not on her as he spoke, ''Look, Rory, I know I hurt you, but I'm sorry and-''

''I know.''

''Do you!'' Tristan raised his voice for the very first time as he looked down at her. ''Because I have apologized to you over and over and still you manage to make me feel even more guilty than I already do each time you remind me of what I did.'' He paused, thinking over his next words as he wet his lips. ''If it's so hard for you to be around me, then maybe...''

''Tristan,'' she whispered.

He looked her in the eyes. ''I don't know what else to do, princess.''

''I don't want to lose you.'' Rory swallowed. ''I already lost Dean.''

''And whose fault is that?''

''Yours.'' Tears sprung to her eyes as she said that, knowing that it wasn't his fault, but wanting to make him believe that anyway. She wanted to hurt him and pay him back for what he made her feel these past few hours.

''Seem like everything's my fault, isn't it?'' he returned bitterly. He ran a hand through his hair, looking right through her instead of straight at her for once. ''I think we need a break, I need one.'' He lowered his hands. ''Now, I'm the one who wants to go.'' He chuckled at the irony, though she didn't see the humor of the situation, and stepped to the side so he could pass.

Tristan took the hint and opened the door.

x-x-x

''Welcome to detention,'' was Mrs. Lee's chipper welcome as both Tristan and Rory entered the classroom. Tristan gave the teacher a nod while moving on to his usual seat at the back of the class. Rory followed, her books pressed to her chest as she dragged her feet to a seat in the front row.

''Now,'' she began, loudly bringing her hands together, ''you both know why you are here.'' She shot Tristan a knowing look. ''In your case, Mr. DuGrey, it's no surprise, but I didn't expect it from you, Rory.''

''We were just talking,'' Rory weakly defended, knowing how it must have looked.

''Maybe, but the janitor's closet is off limits to students nonetheless.''

''We're sorry, Mrs. Lee. It won't happen again.''

Mrs. Lee took Rory's apology with an appreciative smile, seeing how nervous she was. ''I know it won't, but it did and because of that, you two will spend the next 60 minutes in this room. Now, if you're wise you'll use this time for homework, but since I can only hope when it comes to you Mr. Dugrey, I'll settle for an hour of silent reflection. You got that?''

Tristan nodded while Rory opened up one of her books.

''Good. I'll be back in an hour.'' Mrs. Lee headed for the door, throwing a quick look back at Tristan. ''I'll be in my office, so don't even think about leaving this room for anything other than a short trip to the bathroom. Got that, Tristan?''

''Yes, ma'm,'' he saluted.

Mrs. Lee couldn't help but smile as she stepped out of the room.

They were alone.

Please review? (: I know I've been out of 'this' for a while, so I hope I still managed to do this story some justice. I think I did okay. There was a lot of dialogue, but there had to be in order to get this chapter the way I wanted it to be. I hope you'll leave behind a review and pointout the good and the bad and everything in between. If there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, let me know and I'll get on 'em. :) Thanks for reading and for waiting. I've my fingers crossed that people are still willing to read. :)