Fortified with 3 cups of coffee and a semi stale pop tart Rory made her way to the high school hoping to find Dean. She walked slowly, thinking as she meandered across town, sorting words into sentences in her mind that she knew would never come out the way she wanted them to once he was there in front of her. Maybe she should have just written him a letter. She stopped walking, closing her eyes in frustration. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Jess's face came to mind and she couldn't help but smile. Some complications were worth the effort. She blushed as she thought about the way he'd kissed her last night. He'd set her entire body alight. She'd never felt that way with Dean. Her blush deepened when she thought about him leaving and his half finished sentence as he'd stepped away from her. What might have happened if he'd stayed? Was she even ready to truly contemplate the possibilities? Determinedly she quickened her pace, soon arriving at the playing field behind her old school. She could see a group of teenage boys near the small grandstand and easily enough spotted Dean's head towering over them. Taking a deep breath she made her way across the grass, not slowing until she reached the bleachers.
"Rory? What are you doing here?" Dean asked, happily surprised.
"Seemed like a nice morning for a walk," Rory answered nervously.
"Is something the matter?" Dean was suddenly concerned. Rory was a little thrown as he wasn't usually the most insightful guy.
"Um, everything's okay. I'm okay. Are you okay? You look okay, fine, fit, healthy. Yes, no..." Rory rambled causing Dean's face to crease further. "Can we go somewhere and talk?" she finally managed to ask.
"We were just about to start practice," Dean answered cautiously. He knew something was up, Rory could see it in his eyes.
"I promise it won't take long," Rory pleaded. She knew if she didn't do this now she'd have to do the whole nerve summoning act all over again and she didn't think she had the energy for it. This had already dragged on far longer than it should have and she needed to do this now.
Dean shrugged his shoulders and excused himself from his friends before following Rory as she walked toward a shady tree on the edge of the field.
"What is it Rory?"
"Okay," Rory let out a sigh before doing what she'd come here to do. "First of all I want to say you have been a really amazing boyfriend. We've been through so much together. I couldn't have asked for a better first boyfriend than you. I'm pretty confident my mom would also agree. I love you Dean but things aren't the same between us anymore and they haven't been for a while. No matter how hard we try we just don't seem to be able to get back to how it was."
"Are you breaking up with me?" Dean asked incredulously.
Rory nodded silently, looking him in the eye.
"Yes Dean. I'm breaking up with you."
Dean shook his head, speechless.
"I don't think this is that surprising do you?" Rory asked him.
"Is this because of him? Jess? Are you dumping me for that jerk?" Dean practically spat out the words.
"No Dean, this isn't about him. You know things haven't been right between us. It's not like we haven't tried but I'm just sick of trying. It shouldn't take so much effort to be happy!" Rory was becoming frustrated and her tone was beginning to give her away. She took a calming breath before continuing. "Be honest with yourself Dean, are you really happy with me? Because I've given this a lot of thought and I'm not. I'm not happy and I'm sorry that I'm not and I'm sorry that it's taken me this long to admit it to myself and to you but this is it Dean, this is me letting you go because you deserve so much more than this. So do I."
Dean looked at Rory, the expression in his eyes inflicting more pain than words ever could, then turned and walked away.
"I really did love you," she called out to him as he left. She didn't know if he'd heard her. She didn't even realise she was crying until a tear splashed onto her hand. She ran all the way home, collapsing in a sobbing heap on the lounge when she got there.