Rory was flushing nearly as scarlet as her dress, as she spun away from Jess and walked lightly away to the toilets. She swayed slightly with dizziness and her head throbbed with entangled emotions. Excitement scuffling with confusion, desire battling it out with guilt.

Jess just stood, paralysed where he was, gazing longingly and yet bitterly at her retreating figure. He frowned with frustration when he was reminded of how she always ran away from him.

Jess' POV

She's toying with me…why does she do that?

I'm not going to keep on following her like a lost, pathetic, drooling puppy while she leads me on…and then runs away!

Meanwhile Lorelei had spotted Dean sitting in the stands, his elbows on his knees, eyes on the floor broodingly.

"Oh, hey Dean, the silent watcher! How long have you been there? Rory's dying to see you!"

"Is she really?" Dean answered readily and as cheerfully he could put on for Lorelei, although it was through gritted teeth.

"Yep, and I'd hurry up and find her if I were you… I mean, there's only ten minutes break left and I need her there, uh here…on the dance floor…there, for me! Did I mention that we have to win!"

Dean laughed sincerely this time, almost forgetting his troubled thoughts of Rory, "How much coffee have you had?"

"uh…not enough, we're not even half way through yet, and look at me!" Lorelei yelped.

"I agree, you look an absolute wreck!" Kirk put in.

"Um Kirk, just between us girls, you're mascara is beginning to run!" Lorelei whispered mockingly.

"…It's stage make up," Kirk stammered embarrassedly, as he darted away, dabbing with concern at his face.

"He must have sneaked it off of Mother," Luke suggested, dryly as he sidled up to Lorelei and Dean.

"…Which incidentally is why she isn't here today, because Mother can't be seen outside the house without her rouge!" Lorelei continued.

"All dancers, you have seven minutes of recreational time left, I repeat…" Taylor announced pompously from his podium.

Rory had sat in a cubicle with her head in her hands for the past few minutes. She knew exactly what she wanted, but she was angrily trying to suppress all that…and it was a cruel and painful process, so she let out a few stressed tears. She could hear Taylor's announcement even from where she was, so she roughly wiped her eyes, took in a deep breath and stepped out of her cubicle.

She was exasperated to be suddenly thrown with her splotchy reflection in the particularly unflattering toilet mirror. But she soon smiled warmly and with relief when she saw Lane's unsatisfied reflection as well as her own. She turned to Lane and threw her arms around her, giving her a long and friendly hug.

"Lane, Lane, Lane…words can't describe how happy I am to see you!"

"You read my mind, my mom has reached a whole new level of insanity and I don't know how much more I can take…She measures the sandwiches that I make with a little pocket tape measure…and if they're just slightly too small…she accuses me of being selfish…Oh, and looking into a boy's eyes counts as flirting now, can you believe it? Flirting!" Lane rambled with irritation.

Rory thought absent mindedly, looking into Jess' eyes is more than flirting…

She shook her head and then grinned with appreciation at Lane's normal quirky self. At least someone was acting remotely normal!

Lane suddenly stopped moaning and smiled herself, "Wow Rory, that dress looks amazing and oh, how is the dancing going?"

"One word…ends with mare and begins with night!"

"That bad ha?"

"Worse!"

"What, has Lorelei been trying to toss you up in air again like she was yesterday?"

"Yes…but not just that…" Rory inhaled and prepared to confide in her best friend, "Jess is dancing."

Lane looked blank for a few seconds…then she looked confused, "Ok, my reactions are all slurred together here…I can't decide whether to laugh hysterically…or cry with horror!"

"I'd go with cry," Rory meekly replied.

"Why?" Lane wondered aloud.

"Why what?" Rory probed, startled.

"Why is he dancing?"

"Oh, Luke dragged him into it at the last minute…I think it was because he thought he was going to dance with my mom…and then he was pretty desperate so…"

"And?" Lane prompted.

"And what?" Rory asked, unsure.

"My first "Why?" had a double meaning…"

Rory sighed with tiredness and looked puzzled.

"I give up!" Rory declared helplessly.

"Why does it matter so much to you?" Lane asked innocently, although she clearly knew the answer, and Rory was now perfectly aware that she knew.

They conversed now, in silence with their secret, knowing best friend stares.

Outside in the gymnasium, Jess was interrupted from his bewildered reverie by a sharp pinch on his butt. He called out in surprise and he turned around to see Shane thrusting herself close to him. He sank inwardly with disappointment as he took in her admittedly pleasing figure.

It then stuck him that Shane and Rory were so completely different. Shane was pretty and she flaunted it well. Her tight jeans, skimpy mini skirts or enhancing sweaters immediately drew any person with a smidgen of testosterone's eyes to her. But, it felt like that wasn't enough anymore. There was nothing intriguing, mysterious or inspiring about her. She was hot and that was it, whereas Rory became more and more captivating and beautiful as you got to know her. And then, sometimes, she'd do something…say something…wear something that would surprise you into falling in love with her.

While Jess was thinking this, he was also kissing Shane with what would appear like a hungry passion to an outsider…but was really a helpless release of tension.

It was quite unfortunate really, that Rory chose that moment to emerge nervously, from the toilet. It was like a sixth sense, as she immediately saw him…and her.

Rory's POV

I should know this by now…all he does is string me along.

He obviously gets some sort of sadistic thrill out of playing on my emotions.

Rory clenched her fists and Lane linked arms with her in moral support, as they made their way over to Lorelei, Dean and Luke.

Dean looked awkwardly at the floor when he saw Rory, but he barely had time to think before Rory affectionately hugged him. She rested her head against his chest and looked up at him lovingly, with her deep blue eyes…and although his mind struggled, his heart (and other parts) fell for her again.

She kissed him lightly on the lips and when she broke away she spoke quietly, "Hi."

Dean smiled tenderly back, "Hi."

"Thank you for coming, it means a lot."

"I know," He whispered, holding her hands and imploring into her eyes, to try and work out if she loved him. He was satisfied with what he saw, but he was blissfully ignorant to the feelings just beneath the smiling surface of Rory. Only two people could always tell what Rory was thinking…one was her mom and the other was…

Jess had broken away from Shane by now, and he couldn't contain the sickened scowl that spread across his face, as he saw Dean and Rory gazing adoringly into one another's eyes.

"What is it?" Shane asked impatiently, before returning to nuzzling Jess' neck.

"Nothing." Jess shrugged her off.

"All dancers return to the floor immediately, I repeat…" Taylor's penetrating voice bellowed across the gym.

"Gotta go," Jess mumbled.

"What? Where are you going?" Shane asked, confused.

"Jess, my dainty partner, I've been looking all over for you, let's go!" Luke interrupted.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Shane sniggered.

Jess looked over and saw Rory hugging Dean before she walked over with Lorelei. As they passed, he replied to Shane, "I know, it's completely lame…but the only reason I'm here with these losers, is because I'm doing Luke a favour and they're desperate…why don't you stay and watch?" Jess pulled Shane to him and he fiercely kissed her. She responded lustfully.

Lorelei made gagging noises and Luke tutted and clucked with irritation and embarrassment.

When Jess had broken away, he smiled coldly at Rory, a gesture that she returned readily, as Shane strutted away, swinging her hips, to sit down.

The horn blew, and the music started.

Jess' POV

Let the…

Rory's POV

…games begin!

A/N – I am extremely sorry for not updating in a while…for an excuse I will just say, I HATE SCHOOL! I am also sorry if some of you are extremely bored because you think I am prolonging Jess and Rory. It's just that, I want the rising tensions and emotions to be fully explained. Basically, I think it's better this way…it makes the end more exciting. But if you disagree, PLEASE say so in your review, and give me some pointers! Thank you!