Friday afternoon, just as classes let out, Rory ran across the school garden to meet Paris, "Erm...you know what...Paris? I just wanted to say...well...I don't think it would be suitable if you came after all with Tristan and I...I mean, he didn't invite you and...well, yeah." she rubbed her neck awkwardly. Inside she was thinking, 'I can't give up this chance to get to know Tristan better.'

"How could you take it back! I bought a dress just for the occasion!" Paris screeched.

As Rory whirled around in disbelief, saying, "You bout a dress yesterday afternoon? But, you hate dresses! Besides...it's just a casual dinner!" the cogs and gears started to whir in her head, and a green-eyed monster took charge.

Paris looked down at her feet, embarrassed, "Well - it's about time I bought some dresses," she reasoned.

Rory looked at her with an anger she was unaccustomed too, "You like Tristan, don't you?"

Paris' face whipped up, and she stared defiantly at Rory, "So what if I do? Don't you have Jess as your boyfriend?" Her defences were fully up now, and Rory could tell that she suspected Rory's 'infidelity' towards Jess.

Inside her head, Rory argued that she was just mildly attracted to Tristan...nothing more than that - girls were allowed to think other guys were hot, right? There was no law against that...true...but she had invited Paris to sit in on her and Tristan's date, but then suddenly retracted the offer when she realised she'd wanted to spend the time alone with him.

Rory groaned. What had gotten her into this mess in the first place? Paris was still looking at her disgustedly, "At least if I do like Tristan," she began hotly, "I don't have a boyfriend. It would be okay for me to pursue him! Not like you - you - you...backstabber!"

Then Paris continued, her hair flying around wildly in the cold winter wind, giving the effect of a fairy coming to give an evil stepmother (in this case, Rory) her come-uppance, "Look, fine. I don't care. I won't go tonight for dinner...I'll sleep better knowing I'm not the bitch that cheated on her boyfriend." Then she'd turned her heel and walked away huffily.

Rory was left standing in the deserted garden grounds just outside her school. She hugged herself as she slowly sat down on one of the seats and cried. Paris was right. Right about everything...she was the biggest bitch ever. She didn't deserve Jess - and she didn't deserve Tristan either.

Rory's face was black as thunder as she stepped into Lorelai's car after school that Friday. The biggest fight that she'd ever had with Paris had just occured...as she recalled all the unfair things she'd said to Paris...she groaned and buried her face in her hands.

The question now was if she was going to go out with Tristan that night...then she thought about Jess' invite for dinner too. And she groaned again.

Lorelai, preoccupied with something else, did not notice when her daughter looked out the window and a solitary tear slid down her cheek. The icy cold wind bit into Rory and Lorelai's skin as they thundered home in Lorelai's car.

But neither cared to roll up the windows. They sat there, mother and daughter, lost in their own thoughts.