CHAPTER 8

Rory was a million miles away from where she should be right now: her room. She was naked, except for the bed sheet wrapped around her torso. She knew what she did was unforgivable but she had to get it over with.

She had to get rid of Tristin.

She looked at the sleeping form next to her. It was someone whom she used to think was hers. Now, she was unsure. His dark head slumbered peacefully on her pillow. He was oblivious to the thoughts that ran through her head.

He was getting a divorce. Then what?

It was not supposed to be this way. She never imagined that she would be where she currently is when she left Tristin hours ago. She thought it was ironic that she tried to sleep with Tristin to get rid of Dean from her system once and for all. Who would have thought that it was going to end up the other way around?

The vice grip on Rory's heart seemed to tighten the farther she drove away from Hartford. Breathing to her seemed laborious. Thinking was nonexistent. She could not focus on the road beyond her white knuckles clutching the steering wheel.

Rory can't seem to understand why she was upset. Wasn't she supposed to rejoice his riddance? If that's what she wanted, why does she feel like she just lost her best friend? In less than a month, Tristin has transcended from the tormentor to confidant. She trusted him, believed in him. And because of her tendency to develop foot-in-mouth disease, the taste of boot polish and an aftermath of heartache left a bad taste in her mouth.

Tristin's voice still rang in her ears: the mockery, the vile words. His taste still lingered on her lips. In different circumstances, she'd admit that she had become addicted to him. She can count in one hand how many men she'd kissed and none could come close to Tristin. He always left her wanting more. She could feel his hands on her. His scent still lingered on her. Rory tried her best to hold back her tears. He did not deserve them and she was tired shedding them. A tear or two escaped but she held the dam brewing in her.

"And don't you forget it," he said. How could she when those harsh words etched itself to her brain?

Rory tried to form a plan in her head. What's she supposed to do? Who's she supposed to turn to now?

Rory was back to familiar surroundings in twenty minutes. She drove out of her personal hell so fast, she didn't care if she got pulled over. She parked the car in front of the house and slammed the car door behind her. Her frustration was making her mind work into overdrive. She took quick steps into the town to clear her mind from the chaos that erupted.

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Dean was waiting for her. He was anxious to show her what he held in his hand; papers for him to fill out to divorce Lindsey.

It was clear to him that when he spoke to Luke, Lindsey deserved more than what he could offer. Sure, he dropped out from college because he had to work. But he knew that he wasn't that great of a student and he'd still end up in a blue-collar job if he lingered in Stars Hollow. College was a no-win situation. He was not Rory.

He waited as he watched Lane run across the lawn to get to her. They stopped and hugged each other. Lane handed her a tissue paper that she used to dab her eyes out with.

"Hey, I got your message. What happened?" Lane asked as she rushed to Rory's side.

"Everything. Everything went wrong," Rory said, giving in to the urge to cry. "I talked to Graham and he asked me to check up on Tristin because he thought something was wrong."

"I think that's pretty obvious," Lane stated.

"But I don't think Tristin told him about my slip up," Rory elaborated. "Oh Lane. If I thought this was going to be a boring summer, I have underestimated it by leagues."

"Thanks for that analogy, Einstein, but I need more than a commentary to help you out," Lane explained.

"He was mean, Lane. Angry. I've never seen him this way before," Rory said. "All I wanted to do was say I'm sorry and it turned out so differently."

"Did he even talk to you?" Lane asked.

"Not really," Rory responded. "He kissed me and told me to leave."

"Was it a good kiss?" Lane asked.

"Lane, focus. This guy just mauled me!" Rory said getting upset all over again. "Seriously, you got to be checked out for ADD."

"Hey, who here's the one who screwed up the names?" Lane rubbed in, hurt from her friend's comments. "When I asked about how good of a kiss it was, I meant how was it? Hard? Soft? Mean?"

"Mean. Painful," Rory muttered. She didn't bother to tell her though that he left her wanting more.

"Rory, this may be the wrong time to say this, but, I think you really hurt him... And not just in the name-calling sense... No pun intended, of course," Lane said quickly. "What does he mean to you?"

"Tristin?" Rory asked.

"No, the Preamble to the Constitution. Of course, Tristin," Lane asked.

"What he did to me..." Rory started saying, "was so painful, he might as well have ripped my heart out and stomped on it."

Lane gave Rory a serious look. "Oh boy, you're in deep kimchee."

Dean witnessed the animated discussion between friends. Hands flew, feet walked in circles. He was getting impatient. He wanted to share his news with Rory.

Soon, the friends parted. Rory still looked upset. Dean huffed. He shook the tension off of his body and walked towards her.

"Hey, Rory," Dean greeted as he matched her speed walking.

"Dean," Rory hissed. "You know we can't be seen walking and talking like this. People will talk!"

"They already are," Dean said, noticing that Rory still has to look at him.

"Well, what do you want?" Rory asked, crossing her in front of her, not slowing her pace.

"I've gotten my divorce papers to complete," Dean informed her.

Rory's eyes knitted. She glanced at Dean quickly and said, "Meet me at home."