He awoke in silk. It was cool against his naked skin. The pillow beneath his red was also of soft black silk. He sat up brusquely, taking in for the first time his surroundings. Books were everywhere in beautiful antique bookcases, everything from Chaucer to Faulkner. The only books not residing in these ornate, elaborate shelves was a pile seemingly tossed on the floor--text books which read Game Theory and Advanced Trigonometry. There were several of those. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why they were there.

He heard her voice and snapped back into the moment. She wasn't in the room that he could see, but Jess could hear her talking to someone. He wrapped the sheet stragetically around his waist and ventured toward her voice.

"Alright. Yes, you're right. We need to talk, Logan. Eight o'clock?" There was a drawn out silence. "I've been thinking about you too."

His heart felt like it had been popped like a basketball, all the air inside bursting in a cacophony. It hurt like hell; it stung, but immediately replacing that was intense rage.

He stood behind her and scoffed loudly.

"I've got to go. Bye." She turned to face him. She was already dressed for the day and her makeup and hair had already been done.

He shook his head and looked down.

"What!" Rory demanded.

"Are you serious? You can't imagine--you know, forget this. I shouldn't have wasted my time. You're different, and yet you're exactly the same."

"Jess--"

"No! It's the same thing all over again. First it was Dean and now it's some Yaley--"

"His name is Logan," she interjected quietly.

His anger flamed anew. "I don't care what his name is Rory, it doesn't matter. It's the same person--someone who's always better than me, someone you're proud to be on the arm of. I'm not that guy! I'm never going to be that guy and you never wanted me to be."

She looked down sheepishly, but said nothing.

"Not even going to deny it, huh? We just had sex, Rory. Did it mean anything to you, did you just do it to shut me up?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "I just...I always wanted to, so I did."

He stared at her, incredulous.

"Jess."

When she repeated his name again, he said: "Always wanted to, huh? That's not really true, now is it? You remember the party? You practically cried rape to...who was now? Oh that's right, Dean." She tried to interrupt him, but he held up his hand for silence. "You know, everyone in this town always thought I was a parasite and that you were a saint, and yet, who kissed me when she had a boyfriend? Who flirted with me, lead me on? Who insisted we drive her boyfriend's car and also said to keep driving around? And the looks you always gave me, Rory. You messed with my mind so much. You'd practically undress me with your eyes, then skip off Dean like the perfect girlfriend."

"It wasn't like that, Jess."

"Oh, it wasn't? Really? How about when we were dating and you were ashamed to be seen with me, to kiss me in public? Was that my imagination? Well, was it?"

She looked down. "No."

"Admit it, you have used me since you've known me. Everything was always take, take, take. Whatever Rory wants, never has to decide. If you wanted something, like now, you just took it, and the whole time everyone looked at me like vermin. And I didn't care at the time because...nevermind."

"No! You make me hear this whole diatribe about what a horrible person I was to you. So tell me, why didn't you mind?"

"Because...because I loved you. Because I still love you, Rory. What just happened meant a lot to me and it didn't mean anything to you."

Rory's mouth hung slightly agape. She slid down the wall slowly, her eyes welling up with tears. He stared down at her.

"Oh, this is new. I never thought you were one to resort to waterworks."

"Just leave," she said quietly. "Please just leave."

"Leave? Huh." He hunkered down beside her. "What's going on with you, Rory?"

"What do you mean?"

He hesitated a moment before saying, "The textbooks. Quitting Yale."

"Don't forget getting arrested for stealing a yacht."

He balked. "What?"

"Oh, you mean Lorelai didn't mention that? Funny, she's told you everything else."

"Rory--"

"Oh, don't Rory me. I'm tired of being 'Roried'. Can't anyone just leave me alone and let me live my own life?"

"No! You're doing a piss-poor job of running your life...or is someone running it for you?"

"No one is running my life for me. This was my choice and I wish everyone would respect that!"

"Rory, do you even hear yourself! You stole a yacht. I'm the one who looks like a should have a rapsheet, not you. And the idea didn't just come from you, did it? Was it the guy on the phone?"

"I don't have to answer your questions. I don't answer to you, or anyone, Jess."

"I'll take that as a yes." He forced himself to calm down and be more reasonable. "Rory, you were going somewhere with your life. Remember in the car, you told me you wanted to be Christiane Amapour. What happened to that?"

She looked as gray and solemn as the sea. "That's not realistic. It's not going to happen."

"Yes it will, but you have to still want it."

"I do want it!" she burst out. In a quieter tone: "I'm not cut out for it."

"And who told you that?"

"You don't think I could figure anything out on my own? Gee, thanks."

"Rory, I know you. Someone says something even slightly deflating and you completely derail yourself. You cannot take constructive criticism whatsoever. Anything little thing--"

"You don't know the--"

"What about Harvard?"

"What about it?"

"As long as I've known you, and from, well, everyone, you've wanted to go to Harvard and be Christiane Amapour since you were six."

"So?"

"So you go to Yale."

"I went to Yale."

"Rory--"

"Jess. I've gotta go. Don't let my grandparents see you on your way out." She stalked out of the poolhouse. He watched helplessly as she got in her car, slammed the door and speed off. That didn't go as it should have. He'd seen visions of---well, it didn't matter. He trudged back to his clothes and cast off the red silk. He got dressed and snuck out of the house.

He couldn't get through to her anymore. She wasn't the same person.

Sorry I didn't update sooner. Other things. Feedback is welcomed and appreciated and PLEASE, let me know what you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters!