Rory looked at Tristan's trademark smirk and didn't know how to react. She was feeling something for him but knew that if he saw that he would believe he won. Admitting defeat to Tristan DuGrey's little game wasn't exactly on Rory's list of things to do. She thought about hurting Paris for putting these ideas into her head…Tristan wasn't worth even a second glance.

"I guess if you don't want this coffee, I'll have to drink it myself"

Tristan put the cup to his mouth as Rory grabbed it away from him.

"Don't contaminate my life juice!"

"I knew you'd see it my way, Mary."

Before Rory got a chance to respond, her cell phone started ringing in her pocket.

"Hello?"

"I have to talk to you…before your mother does," said the voice on the other end.

"Jess? What happened?"

"I was pissed, she was there, I yelled."

"At my mother?"

"Yes and now she hates me more than ever."

"I don't know what to say to you, Jess. What did you say to her?"

"I called her hatred for me and how she wanted you with Dean and I don't even know. It was all in anger, Rory, I love you…you know that."

"Yes…"

She didn't know what to say. She did love Jess, but she couldn't be with him – the sparks weren't in that kiss. Maybe she didn't want to feel the sparks…it was Paris again. Paris was starting to control Rory's thoughts the way she tried to control everything back when they were at Chilton. Jess knew that Rory wasn't going to say it back so he told her he had to go and hung up the phone. Almost as if on cue, the phone rang again...

"Hello?"

"I never want you to see that guy again."

"Dean? What the…"

"Jess. I heard him yelling at Lorelai, he blames me for every fight we ever got into. He thinks that…"

"Dean, you did always start it. He told me what happened on Thanksgiving…about how he walked away from you."

"Maybe divorcing Lindsay wasn't the right thing to do. I thought I had you to be with, but I guess I was wrong. You always wanted Jess over me…God, Rory, how was I this blind? Here goes history repeating itself, it's that fucking dance all over again."

"Dean, we're not together!"

Tristan couldn't listen anymore, he wanted to take Rory in his arms and comfort her. He started to walk away when he heard his name being screamed across the green.

"Yo, DuGrey!"

"Carlisle?"

A tall dark haired, green eyed, guy walked over to Tristan and saw the anxious girl on the phone behind him.

"Mary?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Maybe the hopeless puppy staring at her? Tristan DuGrey's gone soft on me…do we have to go back to military school."

Rory finally got Dean off the phone and her eyes started to tear. She went to her coffee for comfort and headed back to the dorm. She could feel Tristan's eyes following her and wondered who the attractive guy with him was. The walk back to the dorm seemed to take longer than usual for Rory, but when she got there Paris was waiting with most likely another lecture.

Paris saw her friend with tears in her eyes and hoped that they weren't caused by Tristan. Rory explained the phone calls from Jess than Dean and how she couldn't go back to Stars Hollow…it was mess with her mind even more. Paris tried to calm Rory down, but wasn't doing too great of a job since Rory believed she was the one who caused her twisted thoughts.

"Paris, I don't even know what I'm thinking anymore. I love Jess, but there was nothing in that kiss…maybe I didn't want to feel it. You keep pushing Tristan but I don't want him to hurt me."

"Give Tristan another chance. Behind that sarcastic smirk there's a great guy."

"There's something I never told you…or anyone for that matter…"

"Rory…?"

"Remember Madeline's party my first year at Chilton? You were itching to get out as soon as possible and Summer broke up with Tristan…"

"Yea…"

"It was the day after Dean and I broke up and I saw Tristan sitting at the piano and he umm…well, he…kissed me."

Paris was in shock, mostly over this being the first she was hearing about it. She started to understand why Tristan was so hell bent on getting Rory to feel for him. When he kissed her all those years ago, he felt something and was convinced that she didn't. Unrequited love was something very new to Tristan…Rory was more than just a mission to him. She told Rory just to give Tristan one more shot; maybe he can prove himself this time.

She then suggested the two girls go for a walk around campus to get more coffee since Rory was staring at the bottom of her empty cup. When they walked towards the coffee shop, they saw Tristan and that gorgeous guy that Rory had seen him with earlier. Paris noticed as soon as Tristan's eyes hit Rory, they never left her. The two boys started to approach them.

"Tristan."

"Paris. Mary."

"Hello, Tristan."

"Paris Geller, Rory Gilmore…this is my friend from military school, Noah Carlisle."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Rory sensed that same charm in Noah that everyone always saw in Tristan. He could manipulate any girl into sleeping with him…no wonder he was Tristan's friend.

Noah saw that Rory remained completely uninterested in him and Tristan, but didn't wonder why Tristan wanted this girl. She was beautiful and had a very innocent look to her…maybe it was those blue eyes.

Paris pulled Tristan off to the side, he of course knew why. Rory was wondering if Paris knew something she didn't…maybe Paris was helping with this little game Tristan was playing.

"I've almost got her convinced to give you another chance. Don't blow it."

"I owe you my life, Paris."

"I know. She's hurting now because of Jess…try not to play that you're taking advantage of it."

"Okay."

Paris and Tristan rejoined Noah and Rory who were sparring over whether or not she wanted him.

"Wow…two Tristans. I might have to kill myself now."

"Ouch, Mary, that hurts," Tristan said sarcastically clutching his heart.

"And I'm insulted," Noah added.

"You know you want to be me, Carlisle."

"I'll let you two settle this, come on, Paris, there's coffee calling my name."

"Didn't I just give you coffee?"

"She finished it and needs more."

"Mary...I mean Rory. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Rory reluctantly agreed and walked off to the side with Tristan. He asked her if he could take her out to get some coffee and without thinking she agreed. Tristan thought it was way too easy and Rory was confused over what she'd just agreed to.

Rory and Paris sat in their room before having to go to class and discussed Rory's second date with Tristan. Rory told Paris that she was willing to give Tristan another chance, but if he screwed up again it was done. She wasn't going to let herself be his prize.

"What was that all about?"

"I asked her out to coffee…and she agreed," Tristan said smiling.

"DuGrey finally gets his Mary. Maybe she won't be a Mary anymore by the end of the night."

"Fuck you, Carlisle."

"What?!"

"That's not what this is about."

"Remember that girl in North Carolina; the one you thought would get you to forget Rory? You told me that you really cared about her but as soon as she put out, you moved on."

"Because she wasn't Rory."

"Whatever, Tris."

The truth was Tristan did care about Taryn, the girl in North Carolina, he just didn't think it was fair to her. He was in love with someone else; he wasn't going to lead her on.

"By the way, Tristan, I left a surprise in your room."
Noah and Tristan walked back to Tristan's dorm to find the "surprise."

"Tristan!"

"Taryn…"

AN: I was thinking of making the story a Lit…opinions? Please review and let me know if you want to see a literati or a trory.