Title: 30 Minutes' Difference

Author: Silver Blood

Disclaimer: See Chapter One. I Feel So is by Box Car Racer.

Chapter Six: I feel So

Sometimes
I wish I was smart
I wish I made cures for
How people are
I wish I had power
I wish I could lead
I wish I could change the world
For you and me

The first day of Rory's Sophomore year began no differently than any other. The same students, wearing the same colors, talking about the same 'important' people.

Her best friend was always one of those people. She wasn't.

Until today.

Standing at her locker, shifting through her books, the brunette was totally oblivious to the stares she was getting. It wasn't until Paris Gellar approached her that Rory even sensed that something was off.

"Gilmore. You're in the rumor mill today."

Rory stopped what she was doing and glanced around, noticing that several sets of eyes were on her. It had happened to her before, but usually with good reason. Like getting caught breaking into the pool with Tristan at three in the morning. This time Rory couldn't imagine why her classmates' attention focused on her.

"Would you like to tell me why?"

Paris shrugged and leaned against her own locker, which was next to Rory's. An amused smile played across her lips, her eyes full of mischief.

"Because you slept with Tristan at Tiffany's party, of course."

Groaning, Rory hit her head against her now closed locker. She knew that the blonde at her side didn't believe the rumors for a moment. It wasn't Paris's style to turn rumor into fact.

Unfortunately, very few students felt the same way.

"Of course I did. I slept with Tristan in the ten minutes I was alone in a room with him. What else could we have been doing with all that time?"

Paris watched her closely.

"Ten minutes? That's three that aren't required."

"Well, that's obviously when the hot, raunchy sex happened, Gellar."

Rory, glaring, looked over at Tristan, whose eyes were shining with amusement, and hit him on the shoulder.

"Ah, you wound me! Are you embarrassed about our sexcapades on Friday?"

The blush that spread over Rory's cheeks was enough to make Paris suspicious. The thought occurred to her that possible 'sexcapades' had taken place. She knew Tristan was in love with the girl. It was possible that Rory felt the same.

Which was why Rory's next words relieved the ache building in her chest.

"There were no sexcapades. Not funny."

Rory glanced at Paris, who didn't look quite so amused anymore.

"I'll explain later, Paris. Right now I need to kill blondie here."

She smacked him on the back of the head as hard as she could before turning back to Paris.

The blonde had apparently walked away.

"I hope I didn't hurt her feelings."

Tristan hugged Rory from behind, unable to resist moving closer to her.

"You can make it up to her later. But for now you should pay attention to me! I wanted to show you something. It should be fun."

The mischief in his eyes sent a thrill down Rory's spine.

"Oh no, don't even think about it, Tristan. Whatever it is you're planning, just forget it!"

Tristan smiled and advanced on his friend, taking her books and dropping them. The noise was enough to draw the attention of the students that hadn't already been staring at them.

"Tristan..."

Rory's voice was lowered in warning.

"Mary..."

He was taunting her. Slowly, he wrapped one arm around her waist.

"Let's give them some entertainment, huh?"

He didn't wait for her to respond.

In a move that shocked everyone in the hallway, excluding Tristan, he dipped Rory dramatically backwards, covering her protesting lips with his own. Whether for effect or just to tease her, Tristan kissed her earnestly, his tongue caressing hers lightly.

The world stilled.

Rory felt an ache deep in her stomach. Something she'd never felt before.

For thirty seconds it seemed to Rory that the hall fell silent. Then the bell rang, breaking the moment.

Tristan pulled the tiny brunette up, placing her firmly on her feet before picking up her discarded books.

Watching the shock on her face, Tristan grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Carrying her books in the other hand, he began to walk towards their first period class, pulling her with him.

He leaned down to whisper to her, lightly brushing his lips across her earlobe.

"We should do that more often, Mary."

Annoyed, Rory shoved him away.

Tristan just grinned and pulled her back into his side, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Jackass."

He could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't really angry.

And he could tell from her smile that she wasn't all that annoyed, either.

He couldn't stop the hope that was blooming inside of him.

"Ugh."

Rory plopped down next to Tristan in the cafeteria, her head throbbing. Her entire day so far had felt like torture.

Tristan watched his best friend rest her forehead on the table. Dropping his fork with a sigh, he moved closer to her and began to massage her shoulders. She started to relax and turned to face him, resting her cheek against the cool tabletop. He could tell she was enjoying his touch. It thrilled him.

"Feel better, baby?"

Rory groaned.

"Your fault. You are a not nice person, Tristan DuGrey. Not nice at all."

Grinning, Tristan returned to his food.

"I know, but you love me anyway."

Rory sat up slowly, her back cracking as she moved.

"Stop looking so pleased with yourself, today has been hell."

Feeling a little guilty, Tristan glanced at her. His voice gentled, letting up on the teasing.

"What's been so bad about it?"

Rory looked at him, incredulous, as if it were obvious.

"Tristan, everyone thinks we're together!"

In less than a second, Tristan's heart shattered. He felt his gut clench, supressing the urge to be sick. He squeezed his eyes tightly, pushing back tears that were rising with bile in his throat.

He'd allowed himself to hope. And completely out of the blue, with one harmful statement, the girl sitting next to him, the one with the beautiful eyes, smashed every inch of the hope that he had built up inside.

She didn't realize, even after the words left her mouth, how they might sound to Tristan. But when he didn't speak, she glanced up to see him looking down at his plate, not moving.

When he felt her watching, he locked his eyes on her. Tristan knew that every bit of what he was feeling was on display in his cold blue eyes, but he wanted her to see. For once, he wanted her to realize how much pain he was in. How she hurt him by just being there and not being his.

Rory opened her mouth quickly, wanting to take back her words, but Tristan spoke first.

"I didn't realize I was so miserable to be around. My apologies."

Rory's blood froze with his tone. She started to panic.

"That's not what I said, I-"

Tristan stood, his voice rising.

"Not in those words, no. But that's exactly what you said, Rory."

His heart was breaking, it felt like it had stopped beating all together and was now focused on busting his rib cage. Tears gathered thickly behind his eyes, but he didn't let them show. He would never let Rory see him cry again. For that to happen, he had to leave.

He watched her struggle for words, but after a few moments, she just gave up.

"Good to know I wasted twelve years of friendship on a girl that can't stand me."

Rory rose, now as angry as Tristan, and pulled him out of the cafeteria and into the hallway.

"How can you even say that! You know how much I care about you!"

Tristan pulled his arm from her grasp and turned on her almost violently.

"When you compare being with me to hell it sure doesn't seem like you fucking care!"

Rory wanted to scream at him. Her guilt was killing her, but she still didn't think she was wrong. Her attempt to explain just made things worse.

"Being your girlfriend would be hell! I know better than anyone how you treat those girls! I'd rather die than let you treat me like that!"

Tristan froze. It had been a long time since she'd seen him this angry, and never at her.

His muscles were tense and his voice deadly calm, though he sounded every bit as furious. His words came out at a dangerous growl, scaring Rory for the first time since she'd known him.

"You're not one of 'those girls' to me, Rory. You could never be. You're everything. You're my entire world and you're too fucking blind to see it. If you think I would treat you like that, then you don't know me at all."

They stood still, breathing hard, the anger slowly draining from them both.

"This morning you treated me like that."

She sounded so small.

Tristan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't look at her.

"No, Rory. This morning I kissed you. Because I wanted to kiss you."

She didn't know what to say, so she remained silent and stared at her shoes.

She didn't look up when she heard his footsteps retreat. Her eyes didn't leave the floor until she couldn't hear them anymore.

Her brain spun overtime, processing his words, his actions. She thought back weeks, months, years. He had always been affectionate with her... Touching her hand when she was nervous, holding her when she was crying, laughing... sleeping.

And now he was telling her that it was more than friendly. That his touches had been more intimate on his side than she realized. That he really, truly liked her.

For how long?

"Twelve years."

She looked up, seeing Paris beside her.

"What?"

"That's how long he's liked you. That's how long he's been waiting to do something about it. Whether you like the guy or not... He waited that long to make a move, and you yelled at him for it. How would you feel?"

Rory's heart clenched and she closed her eyes.

Like hell.

Paris put her arm around her friend's shoulders, squeezing.

"I always wondered if he'd ever tell you."

Completely confused, she let the blonde lead her to the restroom.

Looking in the mirror, Rory was startled to find tears streaking down her face.

A/N: Just a quick update... I have the entire story written already, but this chapter came out of nowhere. Short and sweet. The plot is kind of complicating itself without my consent... oh well. REVIEW! Please?