After a few minutes of searching, she found all three drunken ex-Chiltonites sitting at a small table by the pool
"Tristan was not sexy," Paris argued slowly, not talking in her usual brisk pace. It was entertaining, slightly, to watch as she shook her head before starring back down at her half-empty cup of punch.
"He looked like a movie star," Maddie said dreamily. Then they all seemed to notice the tear-streaked face slightly to the left of Louise's shoulder.
"What's wrong with you?" Paris asked suddenly.
"That idiot…he's here. And he caught me and said I was stupid."
"Ex-boyfriend?" Madeline turned to Louise.
"Definitely." She turned to Rory. "He's stupid, just let it go."
"Was it Dean?" Madeline asked in her gossip voice, handing Rory one of the mysterious cups of punch. Rory suspected that whatever it was, it would be punching her in the morning. She drank it anyway. "God, he was gorgeous."
"No, Jess."
"The bad boy one?"
"Yeah, sure, except he's not so bad anymore."
"Whatever happened to Dean?" Madeline asked slowly, still stuck on his gorgeousness.
"He got married."
"Yeah, so his head would fit under the ceiling. One more year, and the church would be getting some new skylights." Paris angrily interrupted.
"He was tall," Louise giggled. "What about Jess?"
"Well, I didn't have to stand on a box to kiss him, if that's what your asking." Rory laughed too, starting a trend with the girls who were out of it enough to keep talking about the guys until late that night.
"Sorry, Rory, someone took your bed," Janet whispered when they got back to the room. They've all claimed the cots and couch…so there's always the floor. Goodnight."
Rory wandered aimlessly down the hallway, eventually aiming herself towards the reception desk where a man in a pink and white uniform sat, head on table. "Hi, can I have a room?" She asked, awaking him from some kind of nap. She said it in one breath, as she was starting to feel dizzy.
"That'll be $90. We have three rooms left." The man looked at her suspiciously.
"Oh, crap! I left my wallet in my room. Let me go get it." She looked back at him, waving her hand in a reassuring way. "Save it under the name Tookie Clothespin. I'll be back." Rory stumbled back down the hall, bumping straight into the guy from the pool.
"Hi," he said, walking alongside her. "What are you doing?
"Got kicked out," Rory said, hoping he didn't remember the awful kiss.
"Want to stay with me? We have an empty couch." He smiled, and she thought he looked trustable.
"Sure, why not? It's Spring Break."
"So…your girlfriend broke up with you?" He asked when they started back towards the room. They could still hear the faint remains of the everlasting party going on outside.
"Yeah, sure." She decided to play along anyway, what was the point in arguing? They came to the room and he began digging around for the key. It came upon her to ask him name, but what did it matter. She let the thought go and focused on standing.
"So what's her name?" he asked, pulling open the door. It took Rory a minute to realize who was standing across the room.
"Jess," Rory said, watching Jess mouth 'we can talk later.'
"That's my roommates name. From Philly."
"What's your name?" She asked sitting on the couch. It was old and worn, like most of the hotels furniture.
"Rob." Oh. She already knew that. Rory instinctively looked over Rob's shoulder at Jess, who looked confused.
"Cool name," Rory shook he head slightly.
"What?"
"Just a little dizzy. Sure it was nothing. I'm going to bed." She shot Jess another meaningful look, saying 'Later.'
"Yeah, me too," Jess fake yawned. "I'm going to sleep too."
"Okay, goodnight," Rob gave a confused look then headed over to his bed in the room.
Rory felt the tap on her shoulder about half an hour later and sat up quietly, being careful as she could to make no noise. She was drunk, after all.
"You're a bad actor," Rory said to Jess as she stumbled outside the door.
"You are too," He stepped back slightly. "But you're drunk, so I guess you have an excuse for it."
"Your roommate thinks I'm gay." He stepped closer, she stepped back. They were playing the old relationship game, one step forward, one step back. Never closer but never farther away.
"'Bout time you came out of the closet," Jess said jokingly, before Rory hit him lightly on the arm.
"Try and keep up, won't you? I thought Dean was a girl when I first met him…" Rory flirted, or at least attempted to.
"The hair does do that to people," Jess whispered, kissing her softly.
"Good boy. You get a treat." Rory closed the gap this time, kissing him harder against the wall. Jess stumbled backwards for a minute before grabbing her hands and shoving her away.
"Not now," Jess said quietly, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and passing them from one hand to another.
"But I'm ready now," Rory said quieter. "I have to make everything up to you."
"You're drunk, you don't know what you're saying," He backed up again, just out of reach, escaping her hard gaze.
"You said earlier that I never know what I'm saying. Why is this different?"
"Because it just is. Life sucks."
"I'm sorry for everything that's happened. Can't you see that?" When he didn't respond, she continued. "I guess not. Just go."
Jess stomped off this time in the other direction down the hall. Rory wanted to go back to sleep, but realized too late that he had the hotel room key.
