Chapter Two: Forgotten

**In the memory you'll find me

Eyes burning up

The darkness holding me tightly

Until the sun rises up**

It was now nearing twilight, and Rory lifted her chin towards the sky, looking for stars. She was searching for the brightest one to wish on when she ran right into someone walking the opposite direction.

"Oh sorry!" She stumbled.

Rory looked up into dark eyes and felt her stomach drop to her toes. Her eyes widened and the whole world fell from under her, her head spinning. Her toes and fingers tingled with anger and she froze.

"Hi."

She didn't say a word. She didn't even acknowledge that he'd spoken to her. She looked into his eyes for a second, and started to walk away. She didn't want an explanation. She didn't want to hear his voice. She definitely did not want to kiss him.

"Rory…"

She wondered why he was calling after her. The shadows were getting darker now, and she was a little frightened at the sound of footsteps behind her. She started walking a little faster and the footsteps matched her pace. Her blue eyes gleamed in the night as she started to run. Even knowing that it was Jess behind her, following her, she was still scared. Possibly more so than if she hadn't known who it was at all. The footsteps faded away, but she kept running through the darkness. She didn't stop until she was safely inside her house with the door locked.

She paced back and forth in her living room, wondering if Jess was going to follow her. She felt like she was being beaten on the head with hammers. She walked cautiously towards the front door, walking as quietly as she could so as not to disrupt the quiet of the house. She crouched down and approached the front door, slowly lifting her head to peek between the curtains.

"Shit!"

Jess was standing on the other side of the door, looking straight at her. He called her name just loud enough for her to hear as she ducked away. Slowly she turned and walked towards the door. She took as long as was humanly possible to turn the knob, but all too soon she was face to face with the bad boy that had been lingering on her mind for almost a year.

"Hi."

Rory swallowed. She couldn't seem to find any words inside her head. Her thoughts were too jumbled. She opened her mouth to speak, but found that she couldn't, and remained silent.

"Look, I know you must hate me, but I just have to- I just . . ."

He sighed in frustration.

"I just want to say I'm sorry, and-"

Rory started to close the door on him. She knew if he said one more word she'd lose it, and either start crying or screaming. She could feel it welling up in her chest.

"Rory I love you!" He said in a rush.

Rory froze. Shadows fell across his face, partially obscuring his features. She had to see him; she had to know that he looked the same, that he felt the same. She had to taste him. She opened the door slightly so the light from inside could spill upon his face.

No! Are you crazy? This is Jess! He left with no goodbye. You don't like him! You hate him. It doesn't matter that he loves you! Get a hold of yourself!

"I hate you."

Jess's features tightened, like he was trying to control himself. From doing what, she wasn't sure.

"Well I still love you."

Rory didn't reply. She stood facing him, one hand on the doorknob, the other playing with the hem of her jeans. His eyes caught hers, and she was entranced. She always felt warm with his eyes upon her. She always knew when he was looking. The silence between them filled with tension, and she wasn't sure it would ever be broken. Maybe her mother would come home in a few days to find Jess on her doorstep, staring into her daughter's eyes with a passion he'd never expressed before.

Suddenly he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Rory's waist, pulling her towards him. Her whole body tensed and she froze. She was pressed up against him, his chest molded perfectly with hers. She felt a tear threatening to escape and she slowly slid her hands up his back, pulling him closer.

"I'm sorry. I want to make this right," He whispered into her hair.

Suddenly she knew he couldn't. In one lightening-quick motion her hands slid up his chest and pushed him away with all her might. He wasn't expecting it, and crashed into the wall. She watched his jaw muscles tighten, transfixed. He truly was beautiful.

He pushed himself away from the wall and walked out the front door, slamming it behind himself.

She slid down the wall, tears slowly making their way down her face, and dripping off her chin one by one. She looked down as the teardrops stained her shirt, the tiny droplets expanding after they'd hit the fabric. It was only then that she noticed that she was wearing a Distillers T-shirt. One she'd bought at the concert she'd attended with Jess. She laughed hollowly, the sound reverberating through the empty house.