Authors Note: This was sort of a filler chapter, so please don't be disappointed if this is not what you had hoped for. The best is yet to come. Thanks for all your reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter anyways.

Wait a second. She did not just feel butterflies from one of Tristan's pick-up lines. She quickly cleared her mind. She was vulnerable. The man she had been with for over a year, the man she had called her first love had just broke her heart. She was overwhelmed. Her emotions were playing tricks on her.

WILLYWONKAFAN: I have to go Tristan.

DUGREY345: You know Mare, you don't have to use proper English with me a simple g2g would have been fine.

WILLYWONKAFAN: Whatever Bible Boy, See you tomorrow.

Oh my gosh, did she just call Tristan Bible Boy. That was her and Loralei's nickname for him. Great, now he's gonna think I spent time coming up with a pet name for him. She quickly signed off before he had a chance to reply. Before she could worry herself even more she heard the door open. Loralei was home.

"Oh hey honey, where's Dean?" Loralei asked confused

"Home I guess." Rory replied.

"Ok, let me rephrase. Why is Dean not here with you right now, I gave you guys the house to yourselves?"

"Dean broke up with me mom. It's over."

Rory didn't realize how much it would hurt to say those words out loud. As much as she tried to hold them in tears came streaming down her already tear-streaked face. Loralei immediately wrapped Rory in a tight embrace.

"Honey what happened? Was it a stupid fight?" Loralei asked.

"It was nothing I guess he just doesn't love me anymore."

Loralei was never one to hide her emotions. In fact Rory could read her face like a book and she knew her mother had that look. The look that meant Dean you better start running. Rory knew she should have told her mother what happened, but she knew if she did Dean would not live to see tomorrow. She figured she could keep her secret a little while longer, until Loralei cooled down a bit.

"Rory hon, it's his loss and I know every mother says that to their heart broken daughters but usually their wrong. You are the smartest, prettiest, sweetest kid in the world and if Dean couldn't see that, then he doesn't deserve you."

"Thanks mom, I think I'm just gonna go to sleep it's been a long night."

"Okay, g'nite babe."

The next morning Rory woke up feeling coffee deprived, but this was normal broken heart or not. The sun was shining, it was a beautiful day and Rory almost smiled that is until all the events of the previous night came rushing into her brain. All of a sudden coffee didn't seem like a priority, instead all she wanted to do was crawl back into her bed and sleep. Just as she was about to shut her eyes again Loralei came parading into her room.

"Rise and shine, oh lovely daughter of mine." She chirped.

"You're especially cheery today" Rory said with playful disgust. "How much coffee have you had this morning?" she asked

"Only one cup!" Loralei argued. Rory looked unsatisfied with that response. "Okay, plus four. Besides what does that matter, you have to get up for school young lady."

Rory quietly dressed into her Chilton Uniform, she kissed her mother goodbye and because she was running late she had no time to stop for coffee. Not a good start to her morning. The bus ride to Chilton seemed to take forever. She kept replaying last night's events over and over again in her head. She needed a distraction.

The bus finally arrived. She raced to her locker even though she had twenty minutes before her first class. She fumbled with the lock that would never open. She stared up at the ceiling silently praying that her locker would open. Suddenly she felt a surge of electricity run through her body, and chills ran up and down her spine. She looked over towards the lock and saw his hand resting on top of hers.