Changed

A/N: Italics represent thoughts, as you all probably know by now. By the way, thanks to all the reviewers - you are all very sweet and I love your comments!

Chapter 5: Complications

Rory spent the remainder of the day trying to stay clear of Paris. She breathed in a sigh of relief when the last bell rang. All she had to do was go to her locker to get all the stuff that she needed then she could get on her bus and head home.

Yes! Rory made it onto the bus. She took her seat in the back and pulled out a book that would keep her occupied for the ride home.

* * *

She took in the smell of her cozy home as she set down her backpack in her room. She then walked up the stairs that led up to her mom's room. "Mom? You in here?"

"Bathroom." Rory followed her mom's voice to the bathroom. "What's up, babe?"

"Well, Paris dragged me into an empty classroom and screamed at me after she found me and Tristan almost kissing in the hallway."

"Oh, my God…where do I even start?" Lorelai's voice was now full of shock. "You almost kissed Tristan again?"

"Um, yeah. After we talked for a few minutes we…yeah."

Lorelai stood there in the bathroom looking at her daughter through the mirror. Then she turned abruptly. "My little baby's growing up!" Lorelai stepped towards Rory, pulling her into a big hug then kissing her on the cheek.

"Mom!" Rory pushed out of her mom's hold then ran down the stairs.

"What? You are!"

* * *

Rory was in her room finishing up her homework when the phone rang. She got up and headed towards the living room, in search for the phone. After a couple more rings, she answered. "Hello?" After a few moments of silence, she was about to hang up when she finally heard a familiar voice.

"Rory?"

"Dean…um, hi," Rory said a little surprised.

"Hey. I was just wondering if you would help me study again tonight. I'm never going to get that History stuff down, but I'm kind of getting there."

Rory sighed noticeably. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Ok, thanks. Now, what's wrong?" Dean asked referring to her huge sigh.

"It's nothing really."

"Ah, something to do with that guy I saw you with the other day, huh?"

"No, not at all." Rory wanted to avoid the subject of her and Tristan with Dean.

"Oh, come on. I can tell that you're lying."

"I guess I'm going to have to work on that. I am lying a little, but I don't really want to talk about it."

"Ok…" Dean wanted to know; he wanted to know who was going to be in her life; he needed to know.

* * *

Rory sat on the couch of her living room reading a book, waiting for Dean to come for their study session.

As she heard the doorbell ring, she called out, "Finally! I thought that you would never get here, De-" Rory paused after she opened the door, finding Tristan there, instead of Dean.

"Wow, I didn't know that you wanted to see me this bad." Rory laughed as she saw a smirk grow Tristan's face.

"Yeah, I just thought that you were someone else."

"Someone else, huh. You wouldn't happen to be seeing someone behind my back, now would you?" Tristan asked in a seductive tone.

"Um, actually-"

"Hey, Rory. Sorry I'm late." Dean ran up the stairs to her door, not noticing Tristan there, who was starting to get a little mad. Dean cleared his throat, "I'll just be inside."

Rory looked up at Tristan, expecting to see his face red with anger. "Tristan, we're just going to study."

Tristan looked at her blankly. "Sure, you don't have to explain. It's not like you have to check in with me whenever you're going to do something with another guy."

Rory looked at him with confusion on her face. "I know, it's just with what's happened between us lately, I-"

"'What's happened between us'? Nothing has happened between us, so you don't have to worry." Tristan turned his back to Rory and walked away.

* * *

Why did you say those things? You're such an idiot, DuGrey! Tristan continued to drive, until he arrived in the front of his house. He then walked in and headed up to his room. He walked over to his bed and fell onto it, hoping that sleep would wash over him, allowing him to forget what had happened.

* * *

Rory opened her eyes to a somewhat sun-lit room. She felt so tired. She spent three hours the previous nights trying to stick history facts in Dean's head. But that was not tired her out; the whole time, Dean kept on insisting that she tell him everything about her and Tristan. She couldn't take it anymore, so she just sent him home. She wanted more than anything to just not think about how Tristan had acted and Dean's pushing of the subject wasn't helping.

Rory reluctantly got up out of her bed to take a shower. After she was done and dressed in her Chilton uniform, she went to see if her mom wanted to go with her to get some coffee.

After 30 minutes, the mother and daughter found themselves in Luke's drinking coffee.

"Sorry, mom, but I got to head out to school now." She gave her mom a hug then headed out to the bus stop.

* * *

Rory stepped into the halls of Chilton, unconsciously making sure that Tristan was nowhere in sight. With a sigh, she walked to her first class.

The school day was long - way too long. She hadn't talked to Tristan or seen him except in the classes that they had together, and even then, it seemed like he was trying to ignore her.

As the last bell rang, Rory headed to her locker - something that she mindlessly did as her hand put in the combination. As she was about to open it, she noticed that Tristan was walking in her direction. She stopped and looked at him. As soon as he noticed that she was watching him, he stopped and turned to head out the door.

Rory was mad now. She ran out the door, finding Tristan near the side of the school where his car was parked. "Tristan!"

He knew that she would come after him. He stopped, acknowledging her presence, but didn't turn around.

"Tristan, look at me." Tristan slowly turned around, finding her close to him. "Why are you avoiding me?"

Tristan just shrugged his shoulders and looked at her expressionlessly.

"God, I can't believe you! First you practically accuse me of being with Dean when I'm not, then you say that there is nothing between us at all!"

"Rory-"

"No! I mean, how could you even say that?"

"Rory-"

She once again cut him off. "Or do you always do this with girls? Pretend that you want to kiss them, pretend that you want then, then cut them out of your life-"

Rory's rant came to an end as Tristan's lips came in contact with hers.