A?N – I'm really sorry that the chapters are quite short, it's just that I barely have time to write when I get home from school, what with homework and coursework and blah blah blah! But, I'll try to make it short and sweet!

Rory's POV

I don't hate Shane. I mean, Shane is a mindless, brainless robot and she's practically programmed to be a bitch. It's just that I thought that I saw something deeper and more intense in Jess…maybe I'm wrong and the rest of Stars Hollow really is right. Perhaps Jess really is just a complete jerk.

I've had such a bad day…Ah, but I know how to take away my pain! I'm going to get home, immediately change into my PJ's, to make me feel all calm and warm and settled, and then I will not set foot outside the house all evening. I'm looking forward to some major solace time…I think there's some ice cream left in the freezer…

Oh no, Dean…

Dean was leaning against a tree outside Rory's house and when he saw her approaching, his face split into a wide charming grin. That just sums Dean up, Rory thought, a dashingly, handsome good-natured prince! Whereas Jess is an unpredictable, daring knight who could instantly bring adventure and excitement to your life…as well as passion and poetic love, Rory thought and then sighed…

"Hey Rory, you took your time!" Dean smiled.

"Hi Dean, oh…bus…late."

" Rory Gilmore not using full and proper English sentences! Are you feeling ok?"

Rory smiled weakly, not in the mood to be teased again, even if it was gently.

"Actually, I've had a really bad day…I think I wanna just…"

"Do you want to go to Luke's or something?" Dean interrupted, interlocking with Rory's hands and slowly and affectionately pulling her to him. "We haven't talked in ages."

That was the thing with Dean. As good natured and sweet tempered as Dean was, he just didn't listen, there'd never been any depth to their conversation. Then Rory instantly found her mind hinting… Jess always listens, and he always seems to understand exactly what you mean, want, and what you're thinking.

"Dean seriously, I feel really ill and right now, all I want to do is curl up at home on the couch…alone."

Dean's face fell, but he tried to smile to cover up his disappointment, which looked unbearably sweet, and consequently gave Rory a sudden pang of guilt.

"Ok Rory, I guess I'll see you later then." Dean cupped Rory's face in his hands and lightly kissed her on the lips. Rory broke away a few seconds later and smiled as genuinely as she could muster up.

Dean looked slightly puzzled and then started to walk away.

"But, I'll see you at the dance marathon tomorrow right?" Rory called after him.

Dean smiled widely, "Sure, wouldn't miss it for the world!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was around 6 o' clock, and Jess was pacing around the apartment above the diner, with Rory's book in his hands. He couldn't stop going over in his mind, that daunting look of hurt and disappointment that had gleamed with sorrow in Rory's deep blue eyes.

He couldn't believe how he'd screwed everything up so much, and with the one person that mattered to him. It wasn't until now that he realised the extent of his protective, passionate, loving, caring, everything feelings for this one girl. From the day he'd met her, he'd made mistake after mistake. He just couldn't seem to get anything right and it tortured him when he went over all the things that he should have done, that he should have said…

Jess' obsessive, self-pitying thoughts were stopped abruptly by Luke bursting through the door, humming and clicking his fingers. He hadn't seen Jess, and it wasn't until he'd done a feeble turn and slide, dancing away to his own little beat that Jess couldn't control himself anymore and he snorted.

"Yeeeeee..sh," Luke jumped when he realised he was not alone.

" Smooth, now let me see those jazz hands!" Jess sarcastically probed.

Luke pointed at Jess, trying desperately to maintain his tough, authoritative dignity for this mocking, cynical, smirking teenage boy. "Now look hear…you…You can laugh about it tomorrow, when you're serving coffee for 24 hours, to the thirsty Stars Hollow community. And you know, it's not exactly a requirement for the staff to dress up, but I've let Taylor know of your enthusiasm for that matter."

"What? What have I done? Is this another punishment for something that I didn't do?"

"Of course not, I'm just giving you an opportunity to ingratiate yourself into the Stars Hollow community a bit more! In case you haven't realised, you're not "Mr Popularity" around here."

" So I've noticed…well why can't you do it?"

Luke coughed very loudly and then muttered very quickly, "Because I'm dancing…"

Jess stared at Luke for a few seconds, deadly serious, and then started to snigger. That snigger soon sank into full on hysterical laughter, as the thought of Luke dancing was replaced by an image of Luke dancing. "Oh come on! You've got to be kidding me…because if you are by some teeny, tiny chance telling the truth, then any remote smidgen of respect that I may have had for you, is gone…zip!"

"What was that, you respected me at one point? So was that before or after I found your girlfriend's (if you can call her that) bra in the back of my car?"

" Hey don't change the subject here…my God, you're not kidding are you…huh! So who will you be "dancing" with then?"

"Lorelei."

"Oh, well that explains everything!"

Luke blinked, and looked at Jess curiously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it means that when I ask someone exactly why they are going to do something that they obviously loathe and despise, and they reply, "Lorelei," then that one word explains everything."

"Well, it really doesn't matter what you think, because you are going to be there, 10 minutes before 6 AM with a smile on your face, ready to do something useful for once!"

"Hey, you know I might not be able to control myself from spitting in the coffee at some point…"

"Why would you do that? I mean…Rory's going to be there…and you're friends with Rory so…"

Jess' POV

This guy doesn't have a clue…and anyway, after today, me and Rory are definitely not friends…not anymore…

"Yeah yeah yeah, but what's in it for me?" Jess queried with mock sincerity

"Rory's gonna be there," Luke simply replied.

Now it was Jess' turn to blink, and he looked at Luke, startled at this sarcastic, yet accurate comment.

Jess' POV

Ok, this guy does have a clue!

I wonder who Rory's partner for the dance marathon is going to be…

A/N – Woo Hoo! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, with all the Luke/Jess interaction going on. I thought that those parts were some of the funniest in the show. Please review this, and tell me exactly what you think (no softening up please!). And, advice on where this story should go would be appreciated!