A/N: Rory is still with Dean. Rory and Jess are good friends. Jess is doing better in school.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my Season 1 Gilmore Girls on DVD, and you're not getting that! ;-)

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Luke's Apartment

Jess is lying on his bed reading Kafka's The Metamorphosis.

Luke asks, "Since when do you read hard covers?"

Jess drops the books and shrugs. Luke picks up the book and a goofy grin covers his face.

"This is a library book," Luke observes, "a school library book. You're reading a book for school." Luke looks pleased.

"It happens. You can stay here and ponder that. I'm going out."

Jess picks up the book and tries to fit it in his back pocket. He realizes that isn't going to work, so he sighs, drops the book again and hastily chooses a random paperback off his shelf and exits the apartment.

He begins wandering around the streets of Stars Hollow and notices Rory and Dean sitting on a bench talking. They seem happy enough, but Jess knows better. He has nothing better to do but approach the couple, so he does.

"Hey Rory." Jess quite intentionally avoids saying anything to the person on the other end of the bench.

"Hey Jess." Jess turns around so his back was facing Rory, acting as if he were looking for something or someone, which he obviously wasn't; he had already found her.

"What are you reading?" Rory begins. As she speaks she starts to grab for his back pocket. The sound of her voice causes him spin around causing Rory to lightly brush his most sensitive area before she knew what happened.

Rory turns sixteen different shades of red and becomes flustered, she begins to do what she does best, ramble, "I'm so sorry, I didn't want, I mean I didn't mean to grab, well I didn't grab… but you turned around and I was trying to get to your back pocket, not that I was looking at your butt, but the book was there, and I just wanted to see what you were reading. Ok, well I have to go." Rory runs off completely neglecting to so much as glance at Dean.

Jess walks away from Dean with a huge genuine smile on his face.

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Stars Hollow High

"Mr. Mariano, can I see you for a minute after class?" Jess's teacher requests.

After class, Jess approaches the desk, "You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah I wanted to talk to you about your recent work and the essay you just turned in."

"Look, I'm sorry if you don't agree with me, but I worked hard on this paper and this is truly how I feel."

His teacher chuckles and drops his essay down in front of him.

Jess is shocked.

100/100.

Perfect paper.

"Wow, that'll look nice on the refrigerator," Jess remarks.

"It was insightful, and beautifully written; you have talent Jess. It opened my eyes to aspects I've never considered before, and I've been doing this for twenty years."

"Thank you."

"I would also like to suggest a more advanced book than The Metamorphosis for your next assignment."

"Thank God, I've actually heard people saying that Gregor really turned into a bug. It's not Sci-Fi. Have they heard of a metaphor? I don't think I can take it."

"That's debatable," Jess's teacher smiles and chuckles to himself once more; it is obvious he felt the same way. "Ok, well how would you feel about Atlas Shrugged?"

"Ayn Rand?"

"Yeah, if you'd like."

"Okay."

"Great, then later we can talk about a possible second semester transfer to Chilton if you're interested." Jess nodded that he understood and left. He might need some help with this assignment so he heads over to Rory's.

He knocks and she answers, "hey."

"Hey."

"I need to borrow a book." Jess says.

"Alright, come in."

"Look if you're still embarrassed about yesterday, it's fine, nothing to be concerned about. Get over it."

"Thanks but Dean saw, and I touched your, well you know."

"Yeah I do know. Geez, if you get embarrassed over this, what are you going to do when you're married?"

"When I'm married, people will know that I touch… well, they'll expect it and hopefully I won't have a boyfriend who's watching me."

"You married me."

"What?"

"In your example, you didn't marry Dean, you married me."

"Wow, I hope you can fit through the door with that head of yours." Rory tries to contain her laughter… and maybe Jess and a point.

Rory and Jess stand in her room and look at one another, Jess takes a step forward and pretends to trip over a book and loses his balance and puts his hands out to break his fall and they land directly on her chest.

"Jess!" Rory shrieks through her laughing.

"There, we're even."

Jess tries to regain his composure and remembers the reason why he came.

"I need to borrow Atlas Shrugged."

"What? Why?" Rory asked through her laughter.

"It's for school."

"You're reading this for school? I read this for school."

"What does that mean?"

"It's just a fact that Chilton's curriculum is more difficult than Star Hollow High's."

"Uh huh, and you don't think I'd make it at Chilton." Jess wanted to make her squirm and stutter.

"Jess, you know that's not what I meant." Yup, she felt guilty.

"because, I'll have you know my teacher is discussing my transferring later this week."

"Seriously?"

"Yep," Jess says quieter.

"That's great! I would love you to come to my school!" Rory is elated. She gives him a huge hug to congratulate him on this amazing accomplishment. Jess feels guilty holding on to her so tight, be he can't help it when she is pressing her body up against his; he is enjoying it too much. He knows that soon she will realize and regret this hug.

She pulls away but isn't embarrassed and doesn't look regretful. She is wearing a one sided smirk, signaling that a plan is underway.

A/N: Any suggestions about where you would like this story to go would be much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read!