Sunday afternoon, Rory sat on her bed, silently crying, tears streaming down her face, staring at the ring Dean had given her just a few days ago.
Furious, she took it off and tried to throw it down on her night stand. It missed and fell on the floor. The tears streamed even more.
"Hey," Lorelai said knocking on the door, and then walking in.
Lorelai looked at Rory, confused. "What's up? Why the waterworks?" Lorelai plopped down on Rory's bed.
"Me and Dean are over."
"Really? Why?" Lorelai sounded concerned.
"He gave me a promise ring!"
"Oh, yes...I broke up with my first boyfriend because he gave me a promise ring, too. Rory, what's that have to do with it?"
"Jess kissed me."
"Really, he did? What about the ring now?"
"Dean gave me a promise ring and I was scared and Jess kissed me."
Lorelai sighed. "Spill it, Rory."
"I kissed Jess back. And Dean saw."
"Rory, sweetie, I'm so sorry." Lorelai hugged Rory tightly.
"Dean hates me." Rory mumbled.
"Honey, Dean loves you, and you know that. Don't you love him?" Lorelai arched an eyebrow.
Rory hesitated for a moment. "I don't know...at first, it was so great, and I loved him and spending time with him. But now...it feels like everything I felt before is slowly but surely fading." Rory sighed. "What do I do?"
"I can't tell you what to do," Lorelai said, running her hand through Rory's hair. "I know it's a cliche, but follow your heart."
Lorelai stood up and walked over to the door.
"My heart is broken," Rory said sadly.
"It will mend. Give it time."
"What about Jess?" Rory asked suddenly.
Lorelai stared at her only daughter for a minute. "Do you like Jess?"
"Maybe?"
"Does he know this?"
"Maybe?"
"Well, he obviously likes you, at least enough to try and play tonsil hockey with you..." Lorelai hesitated. "I don't know what to say, Rory."
"That makes two of us." Rory groaned.
"Want to go to the Stars Hollow Dinner Party tonight at the inn?" Lorelai hoped to cheer Rory up.
Rory shook her head no.
"I need to think," Rory said.
She really did need to think...