Authors note: Right. I forgot to put up a disclaimer. BTW, this disclaimer will have to stand for this story, and any other future stories that stumble into my brain.

Disclaimer: I, Maia Shazwan,… have little money. I don't have Amy Sherman Palladino's wit either, nor do I own her Gilmore Girls characters.

So, will that suffice? ANYWAY, for any of you secret Trory fans, go read indigo-chica's stories, she's getting really paranoid that her writing skills are disappearing, and so try to say nice things about her current story, "Summer Love." Please? And if you find it weird that a Literati story writer is advertising Trory stories, TOUGH! That's just what friends do for each other.

OH YEAH ----- Thanks to all the following people for reviewing:

Indigo-chica, jenn, smile1, helon, Thena, belle, Tye, Too Lazy To Sign In, ~*~*~, Julie!, fiola, and 3 anonymous reviewers!

Chapter 2: Opal

When your heart gets broken you sort of see the cracks in everything - Sally.

Rory opened her other eye in shock and mumbled something under her breath that sounded like 'Hi.' Jess ran his hand through his dark hair, making it even messier. He helped Rory get off the floor silently, and the two of them looked at anything except each other. Rory took note of the security camera that hung between the corner of the wall, surveying everything. She wondered what would happen if she covered the lens with her palm, but then decided not to do that very Lorelai-esque thing because she might get a lecture from Charleston himself.

The tension in the air was palpable, and neither one knew what to say to break it. Jess was staring at the ground as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world whilst Rory shifted uncomfortably displacing her weight from foot to foot.

"Jess!" shouted a dark haired boy around the same age as the two of them. Rory jerked at the shout, she was so surprised at the noise.

Jess turned around and greeted the boy. "Hey Ben!"

"C'mon, we have to get going."

Jess turned back to Rory. "I have to go now."

Rory nodded, unable to do anything else, and watched him walk away from her. Again.

Rory burst through the door that read "Supervisor: Mr. Daley".

Everyone currently in the huge room turned around to stare at the brown haired girl who was flushed to the tip of her roots. Rory wasn't used to exercise, and she sure as heck wasn't used to people staring at her. Rory glanced around the room and realized that there were around 20 other people apart from Paris and Brad currently in the room. That must mean that there were other private schools that signed their students up for this excursion.

"Sorry, I'm late," she mumbled.

Mr. Daley nodded kindly. "That's okay, I take it you're not an early riser."

Rory reddened more, if that was even physically possible. She walked and took the empty seat next to Paris.

Mr. Daley waited for her to seat herself and then continued. "I'm Mr. Daley. Please introduce yourself to everyone, miss."

Rory took a deep breath and tried to give a friendly smile but she suspected that it turned out a grimace. "My name is Rory Gilmore. I go to Chilton Academy."

Mr. Daley looked down at the checklist in his hand, and ticked off her name. " Good, now everyone is here. I have explained to everyone that you are volunteering to mentor and tutor our students. You will be assigned to a student for one-on-one visits to discuss meaningful life changing events, and if needed, you will assist them with their schoolwork."

Rory listened carefully. So far, so good. It didn't sound like work, but then again it didn't sound like fun either. "We currently only have 25 in-house students, so that works out very well. Ages range from 15-18. You will be obliged to writing a report at the end of the 10-week period about the newly-forged relationship with your assigned student."

Rory nodded, taking the information in fairly well. Mr. Daley turned to Rory. He looked down at his list and smiled at her. "I have already told everyone who their new friend will be. Now, Rory, you have been assigned to Jess Mariano."

Rory choked on the air that she was currently breathing, and she could almost hear the god(s) who controlled fate laughing their head(s) off.

The twenty-five private students were to meet their 'partners' in the Grand Hall. As they filed in, they saw the in-mates standing in a row with their names labeled on stickers pasted on their shirts.

Rory knew without even looking that Jess was staring at her. So he knew that she was his mentor/tutor. With a silent groan, Rory thought 'This was going to be hell.'

She walked up to him, and they walked out of the Hall onto the grassy field, sitting down beneath a tree. The silence between them was still thick. Rory couldn't believe how she got stuck into this situation, and even worse; she didn't know how she could get herself out of it.

Finally, he talked. "I should have known you would be the one assigned to me." He chuckled sarcastically under his breath.

Rory frowned. "I'm sorry - what exactly are you talking about?"

Jess didn't move. "Nothing." He pulled off the sticker that read 'Jess Mariano' on it, and began shredding it.

"Oh. So, what subjects are you taking?"

"Maths, Physics, Computer Application, English Literature, Gym, Art."

"Umm… do you need any help with your schoolwork?"

"No."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"How are your classes?"

"Okay."

"Can you stop giving me one-word answers?"

Silence again. "What do you want me to say, Rory?"

"We're supposed to be discussing meaningful life-changing events."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I would rather not."

"Stop being so difficult, Jess," said Rory; frustrated at the way the conversation was going.

"Why?"

"Because I want you to talk to me."

"We are talking."

"But we're not conversing. We're just exchanging words."

"Okay then, what do you want to converse about?

"Anything."

"That's rather vague, isn't it, Rory? Narrow it down."

Rory twisted her hands. "Fine then. I want you to tell me why you left Stars Hollow without saying goodbye."

Silence again. Finally, Jess sighed. He could never refuse Rory when she was near him anyway. "Rory, I was the town's hooligan. Everyone hated me." He spoke patiently, almost as if he was talking to a child.

"I didn't."

A pause. "Well, you're the exception."

"I don't think Luke hated you either."

"He hid his feelings well then."

"My mother didn't hate you."

"She didn't like me very much either." He stopped. "Anyway, I left because it was time for me to leave."

"Oh." Rory took the information in. "Where did you go after that?"

"New York."

Silence again. "How did you end up here?"

Jess stilled, his body tensing as his hands unconsciously drew themselves into fists. "Ah - that's a long story."

Rory leaned against the tree and clasped her hands together in her lap. "We have plenty of time."

---"And then the cops busted in, saw me chugging down beer and I got charged with alcohol problems and sentenced to this juvenile hall."

Rory didn't know what to say. During his whole explanation, she was astounded as he relayed to her his experiences of life, which were so different from hers. "Wow."

Jess glanced at her. "That's another way of putting it," he said bitterly.

He closed his eyes. "Anyway, that's my life. Once a screw up, always a screw-up."

"Jess, it's not your fault your so-called friends just ditched you like that."

"Yes it is, and Rory, they're not my friends. They're just acquaintances."

"Right." She halted. "And you're not a screw up."

"Whatever, so that's why I'm here now," he said sarcastically. He frowned. "I guess that it's not so bad here, I at least get to finish off my high school courses."

"Oh."

After a pause, Jess spoke up again. "How's Uncle Luke?"

"He's fine, although he is still although he is still oblivious about his feelings for my mum and vice versa."

"I wonder if they'll ever get together."

"They will someday."

"Hmm. How's bag - uh, Dean?"

"He's… with Lindsay."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

"Yeah, so…" he mused. "We're really supposed to discuss meaningful life-changing events?" There were notes of laughter evident in his voice.

Rory grinned. "That's right."

"Sounds kooky to me."

"Yeah, I know." She paused, looking thoughtfully at the brooding dark-haired boy. "Has any meaningful life-changing event taken place in your life, Jess?"

He looked back at her, his brown eyes intense. "Honestly?"

"Yeah, honestly."

He shrugged nonchalantly trying to make his next words sound casual but to Rory, they were anything but.

"Getting to know you."

Rory spluttered. "WHAT?"

"I know that sounds really weird, but you're the first person to not look at me with prejudice. You actually gave the impression that you cared about what happened to me."

"Why are you talking in the past tense?"

"I don't know."

"Oh." She glanced at her watch, and saw that it was ten o'clock. "Time really flies, doesn't it, when you're enjoying yourself?"

"Are you?"

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's rude to answer a question with a question?"

"The only thing my mother told me was to keep my dick in my pants until I was ready to take the risks."

Rory was taken aback. His mother sounded so different from Luke. "Sorry."

"No, don't be."

"I am, anyway."

He turned to face her, and gently touched her cheek. Rory stopped breathing, all of her nerves seemed to have flown over to the spot which Jess's finger was currently touching. She became very heightened and aware of Jess and how close he was currently sitting next to her. His finger ran down to her lips, and he traced the outline of her soft lips ever so lightly. He leaned forward slowly, but before his sensual lips could touch hers, she heard a shout from behind her.

"STOP THAT!"

To be continued…