Rory sat on the bus, holding an Irish cream coffee.

He's a jerk. He's messing with my mind. I'm another conquest. He's just trying to show up Dean because the dance. He's making fun of me. He's trying to buy me.

The bus pulled up and she got out. A million thoughts swirled through her mind.

"Mini-me."

Rory looked up to see a worried Lorelai. She smiled softly. "Mom, why aren't you at work?"

"When you want to miss school, I know something's wrong." She enveloped Rory in a warm hug. "And you sounded worried too!"

"It's just-" Rory began

"Shh. Let's get a whole shopping cart of junk food and worry about it at home." She took the Irish cream away. "And this is mine."

"Tristan!"

My name is going to be really annoying by the end of the day. Why did I even want to come back?

I turned. Todd, my old buddy walked up.

"I heard 'Return of the King' was happenin' and had to check it out for myself."

"Yo, Todd, what's crackin?" We knocked fists in the typical macho way.

"Well, well, well. My man, DuGrey, hath returned." He grinned and ran his fingers through his midnight black hair. It's a trait he picked up from me.

"Alive and in one piece. What's the scoop?" I used a familiar term.

"Um. I'm goin' with Summer. Paris is the top of the class."

"Something not completely obvious if you don't mind."

"Party at Louise's tonight. No chaprones, plenty of bedrooms, a couple of kegs." He winked. "You know what that spells."

I did know. My thoughts returned to Mary running away from me. Getting drunk to block the image out sounded tempting.

"Listen, dude, Summer's got this friend from Trinity. Blonde. You show up to the party at nine, k?"

I smirked. "Yeah, fine. I gotta go to class, see ya at lunch." I knew what kind of parties began at nine. I shoved my hands in my pockets and shuffled back to my classroom.

"You're going to class?"

"Next thing you know I'll be a hall moniter." I smirked.

Serves Mary right if I go to the party....

I sighed.

I knew I wasn't gonna go to the party.

Lunch:

"Hey Tris." A petite red-head twirled a lock of my hair. "How'd you fair at Military school?"

I smirked. "Hey Trina."

"You're lookin' fine." She batted her eyelashes.

"You too."

"Maybe you can tell me about it sometime?"

"Anyday now." I picked at my fries. "I'll talk to you later."

Todd slid onto the bench, placing his tray next to mine. "Who was that?"

"Freshman. Knows me by reputation." I shrugged. "Don't they all?"

"I just flunked my vocab test."

"Why? I mean, why did you expect anything different?"

"I share a table with Rory Gilmore. She's such a Mary."

"You cheat off Mary?" Though I did it all the time last year, not on Mary but other innocent chicks, it was almost shocking it was being done off my Mary.

"She doesn't notice, I get a B, it's a win-win situtation." He grinned.

"Only you can cheat off a 5.0 student and only get a "B"." I teased.

"So, you still meeting Summer's friends or is the verdict that fine lookin' Trina? She looks like a senior to me." He ignored my joking jab.

"Which one's hotter?" I asked before thinking. An old habit.

"Blonde. See you at nine?"

I sighed. "Listen Todd, I've gotta, I got...I've got homework." I finished lamely.

"Since when did that matter?"

"Since I got my hindparts kicked into a military school."

"Though it probably did wonders for your body." A sultry voice cooed in my ear.

Summer slid in next to Todd. "Nice to see you're back."

"Au contrair. It's better to be back."

"You're coming to Lousie's party tonight? We can kick it into high gear." Her brown hair fell in soft folds around her ears. She was prettier than when I left.

I never cared too much for her, it had been a fake pick-up line for Rory's sympathy. I'd been thinking about Mary when I said it to her.

Summer was hot, don't get me wrong. She'll probably get some type of award before she turns into a trophy wife.

She blinked innocently at me,

"On a school night? You guys are bad." I smirked.

"Only one guy I know can be badder." She sipped her iced mocha and smiled slyly. "That being you."

"Well." I looked over at Todd. "I may drop by."

That was the cue for my old gang to take their seats, chattering enthusiastically.

"So Tris?" Arlene, donning her self-hemmed skirt, leaned foward on her elbow. "You free Friday night?"

"Hopefully not."

"I can help you with that." She offered coyly.

"Or, you could take one of these slobbering idiots." I winked.

Covering an ugly pout she took a sip of her diet Pepsi and looked away.

My sleek car was out of place in the small, village like town of Stars Hollow. I could feel the judgemental and jealous stares.

I passed the grocery store Dean worked at. I wasn't sure if he saw me, or if he was even there. I didn't care. I didn't want Rory just to gloat.

I passed a diner. Luke's. It was vaguely familiar, maybe Mary had mentioned it or held a cup from it at some point. I double parked and went inside.

"Two large coffees?"

A guy in a tacky flannel shirt eyed me suspiciously. "All right." He glanced at my uniform being I'd come strait from school.

"Yes?" I asked.

"You go to Chilton?" He asked gruffly.

I paused. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Who are you?" He poured the steaming coffee.

"Tristan DuGrey."

His hand froze over the coffee. "That name gives me ominous chills." He said bluntly.

"General effect." I smirked. "You've heard it before, then?"

"Who's the coffee for?" He demanded sharply.

Surprised I frowned. "Um, two friends. The Gilmores, Lorelai and-."

His hand whipped and out and snatched the coffee away. He grabbed two cups filled with tea and plunked them in front of me. "Tell them to drink tea. Coffee will slowly kill you. The way they're going, it won't be slow."

"I need the coffee!" I argued. "Otherwise I on't be able to weasel my way into their house, then swindle their life savings!"

"Lorelai has no savings." A little smile cut his features.

"Well? Can't I have two large coffees for me?"

He rolled his eyes and returned the two cups to me. "Don't tell Lorelai I caved."

I took the coffee and slapped a twenty on the counter. "Keep the change."

"And he just vaporized!" What am I gonna tell Dean? He was thrilled when Tristan left!" Rory took a big bite of Mr. Goodbar and sipped her Pepsi. It was her fourth candy barl, second Pepsi, and all of that was on top of a few slices of pizza.

"It's not your fault!"

"I know. But I talked to him on the phone, and enjoyed it!" She took another bite. "Thoroughly enjoyed it."

"I talked longer then you did!" Lorelai argued, munching her own pizza, and waving a bread stick like a director's baton.

"You don't have a Dean."

Ding-Dong

"Who's that?" Lorelai asked.

"Probably Lane, she's ungrounded today." Rory sighed. "I need to talk to her now too anyway." She went to to door to check.

"IT'S HIM!" She hissed, and ran from the room.

"Really? I haven't gotten a good look at him yet except for the yearbook pictures."

"Don't let him in." Rory ran into the hall.

Lorelai skipped to the door and peeped through. "But he's got coffee!"

A/N: Hey you guys, sorry it took so long! I got a really long complaint about my spelling so I spent forever combing through and looking for erros. Found a lot too! :D. I'm sorry for those my terrible grammar deters, but I can't do too much. So...sorry

R/R

I go I go, look how I go, faster then the arrow from a Tarter's bow.