A/N: This was a really fun chapter for me, I hope you guys enjoy it too.

He studied her face, surprise showed all over her as she looked at Micheal, and then back at him. Micheal seemed kind of surprised that he called her 'bench girl' because; obviously he thought that he never had even seen this girl.

'You know each other? I don't believe this crap…the one time I find a real wholesome chick with real eyebrows and everything and you know her.' Micheal threw his hands up in defeat. 'You win, dude.'

Jess smirked and leaned into Rory. 'He's really sensitive deep down.'

'Deep, deep down.' said a short guy that was standing next to him. She guessed he was a friend of Micheal's too.

She turned to Micheal, 'We didn't date or anything…we barely met each other. I don't even know his name. So, he doesn't win. Okay?' She said nervously, looking at Micheal.

Micheal wiggled his eyebrows. 'Oooh..tension. Come on, Parker, Mr. Brown, chips are awaiting.' He put his arms around the two guys and they trotted off to another isle.

Jess smirked, and turned to the girl. 'I didn't think that our next meeting would be in a gas station.'

'I didn't even remember you at first…it was a year ago. I don't remember these things so easily as you do.' Rory stated clearly, walking as she talked meaninglessly looking at all of the junk food. 'Plus, you had all of the signs of a sexual predator--,'

'And now that you've met my friends you think differently?' He asked, smiling. Rory shrugged, and picked up a bag of Pringles. 'You know, their really not that bad. I'm sorry about the whole Micheal thing. He's just…immature.'

'Uh-huh.' She nodded unconvincingly. 'So, going to Fiji?'

'How long did you and Micheal talk? I should warn you, spending too much time with him can kind of ruin the part of your brain where you actually have the sense to not slaughter him in public.' He smiled.

She barely gave him a smile. 'He told me that you were going to Fiji…I'm in Chilton too.'

'Wow, so, book girl is going to Mexico?'

Rory looked at him wisely. 'I thought I was bench girl.' She glanced at his back pocket, 'Plus, you don't seem completely stupid. What are you reading?'

Jess took the book out of his pocket and handed it to her. It was a brand new copy of Howl. 'It's really good, actually. I don't read much, but at least it's something…right?'

Then, she smiled. And he couldn't stop staring. 'It's a lot. I don't know why, but I think it makes me trust you a tad more. Howl is great. I've read it a thousand times.' She looked at him unconvinced, 'I don't believe you.'

'What?'

'I don't believe that you don't read a lot. This is a good book,' She gave him the book back, 'I don't think that someone that hasn't read much can pick this out.'

He shrugged, 'I have a natural gift for picking out books.'

'Uh-huh.' She smirked.

He could tell that he was definitely growing on her.

'Rory!' Louise appeared in front of them, giggling. 'We met these three guys, and one is really funny. Oh yeah, the Micheal one said that you two were probably making out here.' She frowned, 'Hey, Rory, your shirt is still buttoned up…why?'

Jess looked at Rory with a smirk on his face. 'Yeah, Rory, why?'

She rolled her eyes. 'Louise, this is Jess. Jess, Louise.'

'Paris is about to pepper spray Parker. So, we should get going.' Brownie ran down the isle to inform them.

'Who—you know what? I don't want to know.' Jess shook his head. 'Are you going to buy the bug repellant or are you ready too?' He asked Rory, who glanced at what was in her hand and blushed. 'We're ready.'

They all made their way to each of their cars. Rory was driving in the girl's car, and Jess was driving in the other. She was about to steer out of the gas station, when Jess beeped at her.

'Hey!' He yelled, 'Race!'

Rory raised an eyebrow at him, 'Excuse me?'

'Race to Fiji! Whoever wins gets a hundred bucks. Is that fair or not?'

He could see her eyes bugging out. 'I'm not going to race you guys to Mexico. We're taking the same roads, it'd be pointless!' She yelled back.

'Oh, come on, Rory. This will totally entertain us until we get there. And that's a long time from now. It'll be fun…' Louise begged, glancing over to Madeline for her to help her.

'Yes, Rory, please!' Micheal stuck his head out the window, and stuck out his bottom lip.

'If you get it past Paris, fine. But I don't think that's going to happen.' Rory said smartly, leaning back calmly. They all pointed their eyes at Paris, who was slurping her soda loudly.

'What do you say? Are you scared to loose?' Parker mocked.

Paris turned red with anger, and she put on this really competitive face on. 'Rory, you better not be a slow driver. I am not loosing to Parker.'

'Yay!' Louise and Madeline echoed.

Rory stared at Paris nervously. 'But, Paris, what if--,'

'You heard her! Let's go!' Jess yelled.

Parker smiled and said, 'I'll do the countdown! All cars ready…' Rory groaned, but nodded. 'On your marks, get set, Go!' And the only thing Rory heard before she took off, was two shots.

'Don't even wanna know where he got that gun…' She muttered under her breath.

-0-

9 hours later, the girls were somewhere in Tennessee and they were completely exhausted. Louise had already fallen asleep, leaning on the window. She had been like that for an hour now. Rory was still driving, and Paris was completely hyper on beating the guys. Personally, Rory wanted to take a break and stretch out her legs. Plus, her arms were completely sore. It was dark, and she could barely see a thing.

'Rory, your going at snail speed. Come on, don't you want to see the guys faces when we arrive much earlier than them? It'll be priceless.' Paris tried to keep Rory going.

She groaned and sighed, 'Paris, the men will be taking a sleep break. You don't really think that I'm not going to sleep tonight just because your obsessed with winning victory. I need my bed.' She whined.

'Sissy. We can't stop now, we're going to win!'

Rory's eyes were drooping and she could hardly keep her head up. 'No more soda for you. Now, I don't care what you say, I am going to stop at a motel so we can get some sleep. K?'

'Ugh, fine. But when the slugs win I'm going to blame you…'

Rory nodded tiredly, 'Uh-huh.'

She heard Madeline snoring, and knew that they were both asleep now. And they were making her want to crawl into bed even more. They arrived at a broken down motel, the big bright letters that said "Motel" were fading, but Rory didn't care. She was barely watching where she was going as she parked. But, when she got of the car, she was not pleased.

'You've got to be kidding me…' She muttered under her breath. The huge van of the boys was stationed right next to the place where they had parked. Paris had already ran inside to get the best room, so she just woke the girls and took her bag out of the trunk. 'Out of all the places, we had to pick this one' She kept on saying to herself as she entered the place.

To her displeasure the guys were standing in front of the reception talking to the man who was in charge of the rooms.

'Oh come on, you were only two seconds in front of us…we will get there first easily. You guys drive too fast and carelessly. You'll never get there alive.' Paris preached to them, mostly convincing herself.

'We'll see.' Parker smirked.

Rory slung her bag over her shoulder and approached the men. 'Hi. It's getting annoying how we keep on running into each other.' Jess nodded at her and then turned back to the man.

'That's two bedrooms, then. These girls are with us.' Jess stated, putting more than enough money on the table.

'Oh, you don't have to…' She gestured to the money.

He smirked, 'I'm not. Your paying for us when we get to Fiji. I do not do charity cases as you think I do.' Rory rolled her eyes. 'The extra cash is for anything we want or need.'

'it's only one night, for god's sake.' Paris mumbled.

Micheal shrugged, 'We're very needy.'

'Here you are.' The man handed the two keys over to Micheal.

Louise and Madeline ran into the motel, shrieking. 'Ah, my favorite girls.' Micheal smiled, and put his arms around them.

'Wow, I can not believe our luck.' Louise beamed.

'I'm exhausted. I think we should just head to bed now.' Rory proposed, taking the key of the room out of Micheal's hand. They nodded and she followed them out of the lobby. She guessed the guys did the same thing, they looked pretty tired also. She collapsed on one of the queen beds and sighed. The longest day of her life had just flashed before her eyes.

Paris dropped a bag next to Rory. 'Madeline snores…you sleep with her, and I sleep with Louise. It's only fair.'

'How is that only fair?'

'Because it is, alright?'

Rory, too tired to argue, simply nodded and crawled out of her bed.

When she finally got out of the bathroom, with her pajamas on, she could only see the lights off and Paris secure in her bed. She could see that neither Madeline or Louise had actually gone to bed. Rory sighed, groaning. They were too old for her to be babysitting them. She slumped out to the hallway, and knocked on the guys' door. The door soon opened. She would have not been so speechless if Jess had not shown himself completely shirtless and only with boxers on. She had to catch her breath for a second before she could speak.

'Louise and Madeline? Are they—Are they here?' Rory stuttered, crossing her arms over her chest uncomfortably. She swallowed hard, 'Their not in bed, and…so, I thought that here…they might be here.'

Jess looked amused. 'Their not here, no.'

'Oh. Well, I thought…'

'Parker and Micheal went out about five minutes ago, so, I think that maybe they went out with them. The keys to the van are missing.'

She sighed, 'As long as it's not the keys to Paris' car, it's fine.'

He nodded, leaning against the doorframe. 'Do you want to come in? Brown's sleeping, but he's usually a heavy sleeper.'

'Uh, I don't know. I mean, I left Paris in the room…our room and I'm really tired. So, I think that maybe it would be best if I could go and sleep. In my own bed, I mean.' Rory rambled.

He rubbed his eyes, nodding his head tiredly. 'Yeah, okay. I'll see you tomorrow when we beat your asses.'

Rory smiled. 'Over my dead body. If Paris gets coffee tomorrow, then your dead meat.'

She bid a small goodnight to Jess and then walked to her room. Maybe the whole looking for Madeline and Louise thing was worth it after all. Shirtless Jess, priceless.

A/N: Okay, I have something fun for all of you to do, we're going to take kind of a vote? I want everyone to tell me who you would rather win…the guys or the girls? And I'll choose who'll win by who wins the votes. I really couldn't decide, so, I'm having you guys choose. Lol. Okay, well, can't wait to see who wins.