DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Gilmore Girls...

A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed. One little problem, since I'm new at this there are some expressions that I don't understand...literati??

CHAPTER 3

After leaving New York behind Rory just drove. She passed through Pennsylvania, Maryland and continued through Virginia. The only time she stopped was for coffee and for food. Driving helped her think and the more space she put between her and Stars Hollow the better.

Before Rory knew it she was entering North Carolina. She was tired of driving, tired of running. Maybe she should stop running and stay put for a while. Money was running low and she couldn't use the credit card too much. Her family would track her down if she used it again and she knew that they'd make her go back. That was the last thing she wanted.

A hotel looked like a nice place to stay but she had to find a cheap one. She'd get some sleep and figure out how to make some money. Maybe she'd stay in North Carolina for the summer. She could get an apartment, get a job and change her life around. Then when school started again she'd go back to Yale and...

Rory didn't feel like she could ever go back. She couldn't bear the thought of facing Dean, even worse face Lindsey. But if she stayed away forever, what would happen to her college education? Sure there were others but not Yale. She was all mixed up again. She just needed sleep. Since leaving Stars Hollow three days ago she'd had barely any sleep. The night in Syracuse was spent dreaming about Dean, which left her feeling more tired than rested. Sleeping would help; it would make her forget...maybe just for a little while. It was 6pm; she'd have supper and then get to bed.

At 3 o'clock the next day Rory woke up. She felt refreshed and, for the first time in the last 4 days she knew what she was going to do. She would get dressed, go out on the town and look for a job and then for an apartment. Her summer would be spent in Raleigh North Carolina.

For hours she walked. She'd been in restaurants and coffee shops, clothing stores and electronics boutiques and even pharmacies. Nobody was looking to employ someone. Maybe it was just her, maybe it was her lack of experience or maybe they just didn't need anyone.

Finally she came to this humongous bookstore. When she walked in she was amazed. There were racks and racks of magazines, thousands of bookcases filled with every genre and every book possible from kids' books, to New Age, from Science Fiction to romance, from horror to poetry. Rory was in book heaven. This bookstore also had a coffee shop and a music and video section. She just knew that this was the place for her.

She went to the man at the counter.

"Excuse me?"

"Hello, how may I help you miss?" the man asked with a smile.

"Would the manager be around?" Rory asked him.

"Yeah, he should be in the music department."

"Thank you." And she headed for the music department.

As she walked she thought about what she was going to say to him. "Hi, my name's Rory and..." No not right. "Hello my name is Lorelei and I was just wondering...." Just as she was entering the music department she stopped dead in her tracks...Was that...? No it couldn't be... Oh my God! Tristan...!! Just as he looked her, way Rory turned and ran.

Sorry it's so short. I'd still like to know what you think. I was thinking a little bit of Tristan's thoughts for next chapter. Any ideas? Reviews?