A/N: Please please please don't kill me! I know you'll probably have to re-read this whole story just to remember it. But please just know that I had UNBELIEVABLE writer's block on this! And it's a short chapter, but at least I got over the block, right?

"Jess!" Rory called, walking into the diner after school.

He came from the back, "Hey, what's up?"

She held up the picture, "THIS is what's up."

He nodded, "Yeah, I have one too, what about it?"

"No no, this is yours."

"What are you talking about? Mine is upstairs."

"Go make sure."

"Okay. I'll be right back." he walked upstairs, disappearing from view for a few seconds. Rory tapped her foot nervously. Jess came back down a few moments later, "Okay, so you have my picture that you have a copy of. Why?"

"I didn't take it. Shane did."

He laughed, "Why would Shane take it?"

"Um, cause she's a bitch maybe?"

"Okay, other than that."

"Because she hates me and I hate her."

"Really?"

"You didn't know?"

"No."

Rory stopped, smiling, "You think she's a bitch?"

"It's common knowledge, my dear."

"Well, the bitch took this from you, to give to Summer, to give to Tristan, to make him mad."

"Why would Tristan be mad that we barely kissed, if you can call it that, under mistletoe?"

"The mistletoe didn't get in the picture." she said, holding it in plain sight.

Jess' jaw dropped, "Ooh. That really sucks."

"Yeah, and now Tristan's pissed and he won't talk to me."

"Why?"

"Because he saw a picture of us kissing."

"We weren't kissing!"

"I know! But he left before I could tell him that."

"I'm sorry babe."

"Yeah, me too." she groaned, laying her head on the counter.

"But why was he so pissed?"

"That's what I can't figure out."

"I knew it."

"Knew what?" she raised her head to look at him.

"That he liked you."

"Tristan?"

"Yes Tristan."

"Tristan doesn't like me."

"Yes he does."

"No he doesn't."

"Yeah, hon. I hate to break it to you, but Tristan really likes you."

Rory sighed and dropped her head to the table again, "God this sucks."

The door opened and Shane walked in, "Hey baby." she kissed Jess over the counter.

"Hey." he looked down at Rory, who was shooting daggers at Shane. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah."

"Luke, I'm taking a break." Jess called.

"Ten minuets." Luke said from across the room. Jess nodded, putting his hand in the small of Shane's back, steering her out of the diner. Rory turned around, trying to see what was happening through the window. Jess held the picture up and Shane visible paled. Neither yelled, but it was clear that Shane was uncomfortable with the conversation. After a few minuets, Jess walked back in, and went behind the counter and put a cup of coffee in front of Rory, like nothing had happened.

Rory looked at him, confused. "Um..." she looked around, "so, what happened?"

Jess looked up, "We broke up." and he looked back down casually.

Rory stopped, shaking her head slightly, "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. You what?"

"We broke up." Jess said, without looking up. He walked from behind the counter to take orders. Rory was still for a moment before she stood up and followed Jess to the table he was at. "Okay, so, Taylor, a vegetarian omelet with a side of bacon and a water?"

"Yes."

"Miss Patty?" she whispered something in his ear. "Um, we don't serve whiskey. This is a diner." he said quietly.

She frowned, "Oh," she beckoned him down, whispering something else. Jess jumped slightly and stepped away, shaking his head as a no. Miss Patty smiled, "I'll just have what he's having."

Jess nodded and walked back to the counter, handing the order to Ceasar. "Jess," Rory followed him to Andrew's table.

"What?"

"You broke up with her?"

"That's what I said. What can I get you Andrew?"

"A coke."

Jess nodded, writing it down. He stood in silence, waiting for Andrew to continue. The teenager looked up after a moment, "That's it?"

"Yes."

"A coke?"

"Yes."

"Nothing else?"

"No."

Jess nodded, "Alright." he went to the next table, but Rory stopped and spun him around. "What?"

"Why did you break up with her?"

"Because, she hurt to you. And you don't like her."

Rory opened her mouth, but closed it and smiled, "You did that for me?"

Jess nodded and turned around, "Yeah."

"Why?"

He turned back around, looking at her quizzically, "Rory, you're my best friend. I'd do anything for you. And breaking up with Shane is not even a problem. You could have told me you didn't like her, and I would have ended it sooner."

"But you liked her so much." Rory whispered.

Jess smiled, "I did. Until she stabbed you in the back. Then her attraction level went WAY down."

Rory grinned at him and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you SO much Jess!"

He laughed, "I know." he stilled.

"What?" she asked, pulling away slightly.

"Um, Ror, you're vibrating."

Rory looked at her back pocket and laughed. Her phone was ringing. She picked it up, "Hello?" Jess looked to see if he could tell who it was. Rory held one finger up, "Hey Paris." Jess nodded and walked to the table he'd been headed to and began taking their orders. "Okay. Jess too? Good." she hung up and walked over to him, "Okay, so, I have to go. Homework. But tomorrow, we're going to Red Star-"

"The club?"

"Yeah. And you're coming."

"Okay..." he said slowly.

"So, I'll probably come in with my mom later today."

"Kay. Bye."

She kissed him on the cheek, "Bye."

NEXT MORNING, CHILTON

Rory walked to Landon's locker, leaning against the one next to it. He looked up from the girl he'd previously been playing tonsil hockey with, "Hey Rory."

"Hey." she looked at the girl and then back to Landon.

"Oh, Rory, this is Michelle. Michelle, this is Rory."

Michelle smiled, "Hi."

Rory nodded, "Hey." she turned to Landon, "So, you know how Tristan wouldn't talk to me yesterday?"

"Yeah. Did you figure out why?"

"Yes. And we have the lovely Summer to thank for it."

"Summer?"

"Yeah. Remember my friend Jess?"

"Yeah."

"Well, apparently his girlfriend was jealous of my relationship with him, and Summer was jealous of my friendship with Tristan, so Shane took a picture of me and Jess from his room and Summer gave it to Tristan."

"Why would a picture of you and Jess make Tristan jealous?"

She hesitated, "It's a picture of us from a Christmas party last year."

"And...?"

"We're under the mistletoe, but you can't see it in the picture, and it was barely even a peck, I mean, barley that. I was nothing at all! And my mom got a picture right when it happened."

"And Tristan is pissed because he likes you."

"Exactly. No, wait, what?"

Landon smirked, "Even you can't be that oblivious."

"About what?"

"Tristan likes you."

"No he doesn't."

"Rory, you've been here for almost two weeks, and Tristan is already head over heels, why else would he have gotten so worked up over that picture?"

"Because he thinks I lied to him?"

"Nope."

"I just don't want him to be mad at me."

"So give him a few days to cool down. You're going to Red Star, right?"

"Yeah."

"Talk to him then, explain it. He'll understand."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but what would be the fun in life if we didn't take risks?"

"We would have insurance."

"That's no fun."

"But it's safe."

"Okay, Rory, I've known you for..." he counted in his head, "eleven days. I'd tell you how many hours it is but that's too complicated. And even I already know that you don't want to live safe."

"Well maybe I should."

He laughed, "You'd die."

She smiled, "Talk to him tomorrow?"

Landon nodded, "Just give him two days to cool off. Trust me."

"I do." she cocked her head to the side, and said thoughtfully, "And that might be my first mistake."