Disc: I don't own anything. If I did, I wouldn't be wiping out my savings account to pay for tuition.

AN: One day in Psychology we were talking about the physiological affects of intense love and intense hate on your body. That is how a fic was born...

Blurred Lines

It was another regular day at hell. Rory Gilmore banged on her locker, pleading with it to open up.

"Mary, Mary, Mary." Tristan said, sauntering up behind her. "I can take care of that for you."

She spun around and glared, her hands on her hips. "I don't need your help! Go away!"

"Why don't you just admit you need my help?"

"Because I don't!" Rory fumed, extremely aggravated with him.

"Come on, Mary. It's not that hard. Just say, 'I need you, Tristan.'" He teased her, a sparkle in his eye. He loved getting her all riled up.

Ever since their kiss at Madeline's party they had been arguing more than ever. Her cutting words of hatred towards him in front of Dean when he tried to take her to the PJ Harvey concert had steeled him against her. He couldn't let her see how much he cared. So he teased her. Mercilessly, completely, constantly: He teased her.

The two argued and debating everything under the sun. If they yelled and screamed at each other last year, it was nothing compared to now. If she said the sky was blue, he would argue with her about it. If he said that the sun was shining, she would debate him. Neither gave the other an inch.

"Tristan, GO. A. Way!" She shrieked, leaving her book in her locker and heading towards her first class. She would be unprepared for one day. It was better than having to deal with him.

She couldn't stand him. She never could, but it was ever worse than ever before. She stupidly kissed him at some party, and then got back together with Dean. Both were mistakes in her opinion. Her relationship with Dean lasted all of a week before she felt smothered, and broke it off. Now, she was settling into another year of hell with Satan himself: Tristan DuGrey.

He was the bane of her existence. He made her school life hell. Any chance at friendship they had ever hoped to achieve was gone. They argued too much. All she could feel for him was true, intense hatred. It was the kind of hatred that was set deep within her. It made her shake with fury. She wanted to rip his head off his shoulders and scream at him. But of course, she couldn't. Her only consolation was dishing it back to him as good as he gave it.

She walked into her first period history class, sans book. Sitting down beside Paris she groaned when Tristan took his seat behind her. The class began, and she started taking notes on American life in the 1920's, and the women's movement.

Rory felt Tristan begin to play with her hair, twirling it around. "Grrr…" She mumbled under her breath, annoyed.

"Rory… oh Rory…" He whispered, taunting her.

She rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth, determined not to take the bait.

He watched in amusement as her body stiffened. He knew she wouldn't give in that easily, so he pulled her hair lightly. He had to hold in a chuckle when she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Rory tightened her fist, near her limit. She didn't know just how much more of him she could take.

"Ouch!" She hissed, feeling him yank her hair hard. She couldn't take it anymore. Turning around in her seat she smacked his hands away, causing him to laugh at her.

"What can I say Mar, I just couldn't keep my hands off you."

"Stop it!" Rory growled, swatting at him.

"Make me." He teased her, thoroughly enjoying himself as he trailed his fingers through her luscious chocolate colored locks.

She raised her pencil to stab his hand away.

"MISS GILMORE!"

They both froze.

Turning around, Rory faced their teacher, Mr. James.

"Sorry." She muttered meekly, feeling her face heat up.

"Mr. DuGrey, if you're done with your foreplay with Miss Gilmore, and Miss Gilmore, if you're done attempting to inflict bodily harm on Mr. DuGrey, then may I continue?" Mr. James asked, glaring at the two.

Both nodded.

Paris, Madeline, and Louise looked on in interest, waging bets on who would kill who first.

Neither said another word all period.

Thirty more minutes late their class was over. Thankfully. They only had their first and last classes together.

Rory hurried into the hall, hoping to avoid Tristan. Her wish wasn't granted.

"Mary! I didn't know you like it rough." He smirked, referring to the stabbing incident.

"R-O-R-Y! RORY! That is my name you idiot!" She screeched, walking away and blushing furiously, not paying attention to the students who stopped to watch them.

For the next two periods Rory managed to avoid her tormentor. Tristan had classes on the opposite side of the school, and wasn't able to bother her. Unfortunately, lunch came.

She walked into the cafeteria and took a seat by Paris, Madeline, and Louise. The girls had been eating together since the beginning of the year.

They started discussing the Franklin when Rory noticed someone sat down beside her.

"What do you want now?" She asked him, crossing her arms.

"Lunch." Tristan said, grabbing her sandwich and taking a bite.

"That was mine." Rory dryly told him, glaring.

He shrugged. "Want a bite?"

"No. Now what do you want?"

"You." Tristan replied, not missing a beat.

"Hmmm… you know Trissy?" She asked, donning a seductive smile. "I want you… to go to hell!"

She saw something flash through his brilliant blue eyes before he scowled at her.

"Believe me babe, if I'm with you it'll be an out of this world experience for both of us… but nothing hellish." He growled into her ear, his hot breath tickling her neck. Standing up he took leave of the group, throwing back a quick wink. He walked away, sandwich in hand.

-GG-

Rory glanced around her shoulder the rest of the day, avoiding Tristan. She wasn't sure how, but by some stroke of luck she managed to avoid any further scenes with him. Until Psychology, that is. Their last class of the day, Psychology with Mr. Mason, they had together.

Rory grabbed her book and slowly walked inside, taking a seat beside Paris. Madeline sat behind her, while Louise sat behind Paris. At least Tristan wouldn't be able to torment her in this class today.

Tristan watched her throughout the rest of the day, laughing as she glanced over her shoulder to look for him. It wasn't that he wanted to be an ass to her… it was that he needed to be one. If he wasn't taunting and tormenting her, then he would leave himself open for her to hurt him again. She could never know how much it hurt him to hear her say she hated him. That was the worst day of her entire life.

He finally walked into his last period psychology class, smirking when he saw her already seated. He took a seat a few rows away from her, leaning back in his chair.

Mr. Mason called the class to order and began.

"Today, we are discussing emotions. Why is someone angry? Happy? How do these emotions affect our physiological responses?"

Mr. Mason continued to speak, and some students began taking notes.

"Now, you will see that intense love and intense hate have many of the exact same physiological reactions. Your body doesn't know the difference. In fact, many other emotions are closely related in the way your body interprets them. For instance, a common trigger to anger is sexual frustration. Your respiration deepens, cortisol is increased, and your heart beats more rapidly. A strong desire to yell is present. Now, you can see how easily it is for you to confuse emotions. With your body handling these feelings in much the same way, lines sometimes get blurred. That's where the whole 'Thin line between love and hate' thing comes from."

Tristan smirked, "See Mar, your body thinks you love me."

Rory slammed her pencil down on her desk. She simply couldn't put up with him anymore!

"Shut up Satan!" She retorted, spinning around in her chair to face him.

"Tsk Tsk Mar, it's ok to love me. You don't have to deny it anymore."

"You are such a pompous ass!" She yelled, standing up, and placing her hands on her hips.

The class watched in interest, barely blinking. Now this was entertainment.

"And you're an uptight bitch!" He yelled back, now standing also.

"I hate you!" The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Something inside of Tristan snapped. He couldn't take it anymore. "Well that's too damn bad, because I love you." He hissed, stepping as close to her as possible. Nothing mattered anymore. Not his reputation, not his friends, nothing. He couldn't keep playing this sick game with Rory. He was laying it all out on the line, here and now, for everyone to see.

She was flabbergasted. Her mouth hung open, and she gaped at him. "What?"

She shook her head and flailed her arms about her. "You can't just say things like that!"

"I just did! I love you!"

"Stop it!" She stomped her foot.

"I love you Rory!" He roared, pressing her buttons. He had gone this far, he was going to finish their argument here and now. No matter what.

"Shut up!"

"I love you!"

"Stop saying that! Just shut up!" She demanded. It wasn't true- it couldn't be!

"Make me!" He challenged her, his eyes narrowed, pupils dilated.

"Fine!" She screamed before pushing her lips to his.

His arms immediately wrapped around her waist. All thoughts of where they were vanished.

The class was silent. No one paid attention to anything except the couple in front of them, kissing. No one paid attention to Paris' face filled with shock, or the teacher's amused face.

Mr. Mason tried clearing his throat to break the couple up. A pencil dropped. As soon as it hit the ground everyone was awoken from their trance.

Loud whispers floated through the room.

The kiss finally ended. Rory's eyes slowly blinked, her blue eyes still fogged.

Tristan rested his forehead against hers and gasped slightly for air.

Looking around, Rory realized where she was. He held her tightly at her waist.

"Don't, just don't." He pleaded, not letting her go.

Her face flushed as she saw her fellow students gawking. Madeline and Louise were keenly watching and taking notes, no doubt so the little details wouldn't get lost later. Rory knew as soon as the bell ended all of Chilton would know what had occurred in their psychology class. She even saw a few students texting with their cell phones.

"Rory, look at me!" Tristan told her, taking one hand from her waist to force her to look at him. "Don't run away from me. I love you. You know it, and I'd bet you love me, too. Just don't run away from this. Don't run away from us."

Rory looked into his eyes, seeing his sincerity. He wasn't Tristan DuGrey, cocky, arrogant King of Chilton. He was just Tristan. A guy who stood before her, bearing his soul. A guy who was scared she would run away from him, yet again. He stood there before her, pleading with her.

The class eagerly awaited her response. The teacher didn't say anything. He was sick of the arguments and tormenting in his class. Maybe if he let them sort this through now there wouldn't be another confrontation in the middle of one of his lectures.

She was scared; terrified actually. He paraded through girls in an endless string, yet here he was, begging her. He was in front of his friends who would never let him live it down. He was in front of students who would laugh if she shot him down. Hell, they would probably get detention.

"You don't have to love me back yet, just let me love you." He pleaded, looking into her deep blue eyes.

Madeline's mouth opened, and she put her hand on her heart. "So romantic!" She whispered, causing Louise to nod at her.

"Damnit Rory." He growled, frustration evident. "I love you, don't you dare say I don't. All I want is a chance. Just one chance."

Rory shook her head. "Why, so you can hurt me?"

"I won't. Just please, give me one chance."

Rory took a deep breath, realizing he wasn't going to give up. "Saturday at 7." She finally said, sighing.

Tristan grinned. "See Mary, I told you that you loved me."

She narrowed her eyes. "I never said that."

He smirked, winking. "Yet." He told her, plopping a quick kiss on her lips before retaking his seat. He got a date with the girl he loved. He could wait as long as she needed him to for her to say it back. She was giving him a chance. It was a start.

As Rory sat back down, her face a violent shade of red, Mr. Mason cleared his throat again.

"Well, I think the blurred lines of love and hate have been perfectly demonstrated today. Any questions?" Mr. Mason asked, grinning.

No one raised their hands. They were all too busy watching as Rory's ears became even redder and she slid in her sit, hiding.