"Tristan." Rory's glance was staring strait over my shoulder.

I turned where Dean was glaring at me. His smoldering gaze was boring a hole into me. "Tristan."

"Bag boy." I repeated and smirked.

"You're dancing with my girlfriend."

"You're very astute."

I stood between Rory and Dean, looking at Dean with casual eyes. "You haven't danced with her all night."

"That would be none of your business."

"Touchy touchy. Was there a shortage of baked beans or something at the market?"

"Ooh, you're so dead."

"There is irony in this. Wasn't I the one confronting at my dance last year?" I looked around where a few dancers around us watched with avid interest.

"This is amusing because I still win." Dean reached around me and grasped Rory's arm.

"Win?" Rory's tone was confused.

"Tristan here thinks he can get whatever he wants. But he can't. I win. Period."

Dean was practically signing his own execution papers. I smirked.

Rory's eyebrows dove into a frown. "Dean, we talked about this. I am-"

"About to leave." Dean slipped his arm around her.

"No! About to talk!" She frowned. "Who are these new guys you insist on hanging out with? They're not like happy-go-lucky guys like you used to hang out with. They're like, like, they're players."

"So? I can be cool like them. Are you saying you don't like my choice of friends?"

"It's not cool."

"Are you saying you don't like the competition other girls are giving you?" He smirked.

I watched Dean's face and saw it. Dean's smirk was my own. His hair was touseled lazily and tie loosened. Dean was changing, he was becoming more like me.

"No, I'm saying you're a jerk."

"Burn dude. Burn." Came a laugh. Rory's gaze matched mine where Dean's supposed "friends" were watching with big grins and smirks.

"Dude, Dean, that's horrible!"

"Kiss the cat, man."

"Kiss her!"

"Do it! Do it!"

Their catcalls created a rippling effect. Red slowly crawled up Rory's cheeks. This wasn't a shy embarrassed flush that I got for the gifts. This wasn't the annoyed anger I got when I provoked her. This was humiliation. Everyone was watching.

Dean's arms were around her and he pulled her into a crushing kiss.

His whole gang hooted and cat called even more. It's a move I've done so many times to girls. It humiliates them and makes everyone laugh till their sides hurt. I had done it to Summer a few times to save pride.

I ripped him off her.

I slipped my arm protectivly around her shoulder and hurried her to the door. She wasn't responding, I kept my eyes on the door weaving through dancers and chaprones who were clueless on what was going on.

Dean had skidded into the other dancers causing everyone to scream and cuss and watch at the same time. Dean's gang was howling with laughter. It was obvious they were half drunk. They took it as an excuse to begin socking anyonenear them.

"I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You're the one I wanna chase
You're the one I wanna hold
I wont let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul"

"Young man! Young man stop!" A teacher was yelling after me.

I didn't care.

I flew out the door, we were running now.

I ran to the Viper and opened the door. She slid in her side and I slid in mine. She was shaking. I revved up the engine and hurried the car out of the lot and onto the street.

"Do you want a coffee or something?" I finally asked.

She buried her face in her hands. "He isn't like that."

"He fell into a new crowd." I replied shortly. "It happens to a lot of people. What they heck do you think happened with me, Duncan, and Bowman? Starbucks?"

"Why did you stop him?"

"Because he's a jerk and he didn't deserve to kiss you." I pulled into the driveway of Starbucks. "Two Irish Creams."

"Thanks."

"I'll drop you off at home."

I looked over at her for the first time since we'd gotten in the car. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line of humiliation. Her hair was pulled messy and undone from the series of complicated clips that had held it captive. They'd been ruined when we ran to the car. Her dress was bunched around her when she swung quickly in the car. Her eyes held tears.

She was beautiful.

I slid the car up her driveway and glanced at her. "See you at school Mary."

"Tristan...um."

"Yeah?" I looked at her, my eyes searching her face. I was hoping, waiting...

"Never mind." She slid out of the car. "Thanks."

She opened her door and went inside.

I leaned my head against the steering wheel and sighed.

"You're back early." Lorelai came in holding a pint of ice cream and two spoons.

"Tristan brought me home."

"Wait, Tristan brought you home from the dance you went to with Dean?" Lorelai sat down on the couch next to Rory and handed her a spoon.

"Dean's changed ever since he met those new friends of his. He's turning into Tristan."

"If he's turning into Tristan, and you hate Tristan, why did you come home from the dance with Tristan? And...what was Tristan doing at your dance? I thought you went to the Stars Hollow dance!"

"I did. He was there."

"Strange."

"Yeah."

"So answer my other question?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows.

"Dean's always been jealous with Tristan and Jess and all that. But..."

Lorelai remained silent.

"Dean has become a pimp-wanna be ever since he met those new friends at the dance. And ever since Tristan got back from military school...he's...he's...."Rory sighed.

I know, I know, This story is coming across like one big cliche. BUT I have plans. You don't think that whole military intro was just for kicks do you? Oh, it's all coming back. I'd like to thank all the people who left me messages and comments. They are the whole reason these updates go up so fast.