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Chapter 4

Olivia smiled as she saw a red 'B' written on her paper for the English paper. She had worked really hard on it and a 'B' for her was really good. She glanced across at Rory who was staring down at her paper looking extremely upset. Olivia frowned and glanced over and was shocked to see a 'D' on hers. She never normally does better than her sister in anything. The class came to an end and she heard Paris deliberately baiting Rory. "Hey Paris?" She spoke up.

"What?" Paris glared at her.

"Back off." Olivia said as she saw Rory get up and rush out of the room.

"Not my fault she's not up for this school." Paris said spitefully.

Olivia just shook her head and rushed after her sister. "Rory, wait!" She called catching up to her. "It's not the end of the world." She said.

"It's a D! I've never had a D in my life before!" Rory exclaimed.

"It's not the end of the world. Rory, we've just started here. We were bound to be behind to start with. We knew we'd have to take some time to catch up." Olivia said.

"Yeah, so how come you got a B then?" She retorted.

Olivia sighed. "I don't know." She admitted.

Rory sighed. "I guess you've always been better at remembering facts than I have." She said.

"Come on Ror, Mr Medina said there will be a test on Friday. If we really study a lot for that, you'll forget all about your D." She said.

"Hey!" A familiar voice said.

"And it just keeps getting better." Rory said.

"Oh you look sad." Tristan said.

"Tristan, just leave it." Olivia warned.

"What, bad grade?" He said. "Well I'm sure you'll catch up."

"No, it's just me with the bad grade so it's only me who's the disappointment." Rory snapped before walking off.

"Well done." Olivia told him.

"What? I didn't realise she'd be that down about one grade!" Tristan defended himself.

"Well then maybe you should think before you speak next time." Olivia said. "I've got to go."

"Olivia..."

"No, Tristan. Right now, I've got to be there for Rory! We've got to study for the next test. I've got to show Rory she's not a failure because right now that's exactly what she's thinking. So I'm sorry I can't hang around to play your games with you but I've got to be there for my sister." She said before walking off.

Rory and Olivia were sat at the diner after school that day. Olivia glanced at Rory who was sat eating her burger not really saying much. "Ror, come on. It will be ok." She said.

"Yeah and what about when mom finds out? She's got that parent's day at the school this week." Rory said.

"She won't be disappointed in you if that's what you're thinking. She would never be disappointed in you." Olivia said.

"Disappointed about what?" Jess said coming up to the table to refill their coffee mugs.

"Nothing." Rory said glumly.

"Ok..." Jess said.

Rory sighed. "I've just got a bad grade for a paper, that's all." She said.

"Hey, we're going to have a study night on Thursday, the day before our test. Why don't you come over and help us study?" Olivia said.

"Oh..uh.." Jess said glancing at Rory. "It's ok. I'm sure you won't need me there." He said. "I should..uh..go take some orders." He said walking off.

"What was that about?" Rory asked confused.

"I don't know..." Olivia said although she had a good guess. "I'm going to go pay ok?"

"Ok." Rory said.

Olivia walked up to the counter where Jess had gone. "Ok are you trying to make it obvious?" She said.

"What?" He said.

"Rory could really do with your help right now. So could I! Thursday night is going to be crazy and we could do with a friend." She said.

"Why don't you ask Dean then? She'd probably much rather have him there." Jess said before walking off.

Olivia sighed, left some notes on the counter and then she left with Rory.

A couple days later, the two of them were sat at Luke's again and they were busy studying for the test, waiting for their mom to return from Chilton. Olivia glanced at Rory. "Mom's not going to be mad, you know..." She said knowing she was nervous.

"I know..." She said quietly. "I just...I feel like I've failed already."

"It was one paper, Ror. It was you first paper. You'll be fine." Olivia assured her.

Rory glanced at her and gave her a small smile. "Thanks for studying with me, Liv. I know you don't really need it but..."

"Hey, I'm here for you ok? Wherever, whenever." Olivia smiled softly.

"Here." Luke said placing some pie infront of them.

"What's this?" Rory said.

"You looked like you needed pie." Luke said.

"We did?" Rory asked.

"You've been studying ever since you came into here and I saw you throw that pencil earlier so I figured you might like some pie." He said.

"Thanks Luke." She smiled softly.

"Don't work too hard ok?" Luke said before heading back to the kitchen just as Lorelai came in.

"Hi mom." Olivia smiled as she sat down with them.

"Hey." She said.

Rory glanced at her. "I wanted to tell you..."

"Then why didn't you?" Lorelai said softly.

"I don't know. I just felt...stupid." Rory admitted. "I've never got a D before. Ever."

Lorelai sighed. "I know." She said. "But you could have told me. I could have helped. Or tried to."

"I know." Rory said quietly. "I just...I didn't want you to worry. Besides I had Liv."

Lorelai smiled softly at her other daughter. "I know. But it would have been nice to know before I acted like a complete goofball at the meeting today."

"Sorry." She said.

"So what's next?" She asked.

"We have a test on Friday. We've already been studying for it." Olivia said.

"A test? Ok good. Well let me help. Oh wait, urgh, damn!" Lorelai said. "I've got to work late at the inn on Thursday!"

"It's ok mom." Rory said. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah we already have a plan." Olivia said. "We know you'd help if you could."

"Are you sure?" Lorelai said.

"We're sure." Rory said.

"Ok. Well I'll help you study tonight ok?" She said. "I'm just going to get some food first though." She said getting up.

"Hey mom?" Rory said.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." She smiled softly.

Thursday night came and Olivia and Rory were sat in the living room, Olivia asking Rory questions and Rory answering them.

"The sonnets are 154 poems of 14 lines." Rory said.

"Except?" Olivia said.

"Except for 126 which is 12 lines." Rory said.

"Yep!"

"They are written in iambic pentameter."

"Except?" Olivia said.

"Except 145 which is in tetrameter." Rory said.

"You got it." Olivia smiled.

"Really?"

"Not one mistake." She said.

Rory let out a breath. "I finally feel like I'm getting there."

"Well you are." Olivia smiled.

"I don't know how to thank you. I've been acting so crazy and you've just been there for me." Rory said.

"That's what sisters are for, aren't they?" She said.

"Well...I appreciate it." Rory said softly just as the doorbell rang.

"Let's take a break and then we can go again." Olivia said.

"Sounds good." She smiled.

Olivia went to answer and was surprised to see Jess standing there. "Jess!" She said. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought a peace offering for being jerk." He said holding up a takeout bag from Luke's. "And..uh..if you guys still need help studying, not that I will be much help, but I'd be happy to try and help."

Olivia smiled softly. "Come on in." She said.

Olivia walked from the kitchen back to the living room but stopped when she heard laughter suddenly coming from the living room. She peeked in to see Rory and Jess sitting opposite each other on the couch, Jess holding the book with all the facts and asking Rory questions from it.

"Well I think you're ready." Jess said.

"You do?"

"You're word perfect." He nodded. "You'll be top of the class in no time."

Rory laughed. "Yeah right. Thanks for the faith though."

"I will always believe in you." Jess shrugged.

Rory smiled softly. "Thanks for coming over. I..uh..I've missed you lately."

Olivia saw Jess look a bit guilty but gave Rory a small smile. "I've missed you too." He said. "I..uh..I'm sorry for being a little distant recently. You know..uh..school and work and stuff..." He trailed off.

"It's fine." Rory said. "I'm just glad you're here now."

Jess smiled. "Yeah?"

"Of course! We love you, Jess. I really needed my best friend tonight and you came through for me. I won't forget that." Rory said.

"I'll always be here. No matter what." Jess said.

"Thanks." She smiled softly.

Suddenly the doorbell rang again. Olivia glanced at her sister and Jess before making her presence known. "I'll get it." She said going to the door. "Tristan?" She said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I figured if you two were killing yourself with revision tonight, the least I could do was provide some snacks." He said holding up some bags.

"You came over just to give us some snacks?" Olivia said surprised.

"And..uh..to apologise." He said.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day." Olivia teased slightly.

Tristan smirked slightly. "Look, I may not know why this is so important to you both but I'm sorry if I upset either of you earlier this week. I didn't mean to."

Olivia smiled. "Apology accepted." She said.

"So..uh..English is actually one subject I actually don't suck at so if you do need any help...?" He said hesitantly.

Olivia glanced through to the living room where Rory and Jess were chatting and laughing softly in the living room and smiled slightly wistfully at them. "Uh..well our friend's actually come over and he's been helping..." She said.

"Oh. Right. Well ok..." Tristan said.

"You know what? I've been focusing on questioning Rory and helping her, I've not actually tested myself." She said after a moment. "I could probably do with some help with that..." She said.

Tristan smiled. "Lead the way." He said.

Olivia led him through the living room where she saw Rory and Jess glance at them, Rory looking more surprised at seeing Tristan, and towards the kitchen. "So...what snacks did you bring?" She grinned.

Tristan smirked. "Help yourself." He said handing the bags over.

"So Tristan's from you school?" Jess asked Rory.

"Yep. He annoys the hell out of me but for some reason, Liv actually gives him the time of day. I don't understand why but...yeah." She shrugged.

"Huh." Jess said. "So do you think he likes her?"

"Oh he definitely likes her." Rory nodded. "That's what I'm worried about. He has this rep at the school of being this big woman's man. Apparently he's with a different girl every other week."

"Sounds like a jerk to me." Jess frowned.

Rory shrugged. "I trust Liv's judgement." She said.

Jess just nodded. "You want another drink?" He asked.

"Yeah ok." She nodded.

"I'll go grab some." He said. "You get reading those facts again and I'll test you for the last time before we should probably call it a night unless you want to sleep through your alarm tomorrow." He smirked.

Rory laughed. "Good point!" She said, picking up her point again.

Jess walked through to the kitchen but stopped suddenly, shocked by what he saw. Infront of him, sat at the kitchen table, were Olivia and Tristan but they didn't notice him as they were too busy kissing. He cleared his throat loudly which got their attention.

"Jess!" Olivia exclaimed jumping apart from Tristan. "I..uh.."

"I...was just going to grab Rory and me another drink..." He said slowly.

"Jess..." Olivia tried again.

Jess went over to the fridge and grabbed two sodas. He glanced at Olivia. "Don't mind me.." He said.

Olivia put her head in her hands after he disappeared back into the kitchen. "Ok, I think you should go." She told Tristan.

"What, why?" Tristan said confused.

"Jess just caught us! He caught us kissing!" Olivia exclaimed.

"So?" He said still not understanding.

"So...it's embarrassing!" She exclaimed.

"Why do you care what he thinks?" He frowned.

"He's my friend! He shouldn't have had to find us like that. It will seem like I've been hiding something from him." She said. "You need to go. Please!" She begged.

"Fine. But I don't understand why." Tristan said but he did reluctantly leave, leaving Olivia to collapse down on a chair, putting her head in her hands.

"I feel so much happier! Did I already say that?" Rory said as they walked towards the diner.

"Just in every other sentence." Olivia smiled slightly.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly. "Have I thanked you though? Last night really helped. You've been amazing." She said.

Olivia smiled softly. "Well I've told you, I'm always here for you."

"And I really appreciate it." She said.

"And...I thought it was sweet that Tristan came over to help you as well. Seems like he's not always a jerk." Rory said.

Olivia shrugged. "Guess not." She said glancing at her. It was obvious Jess hadn't told her about the kiss and she didn't know why.

"And how sweet was it that Jess came round to help? I felt like...it seems so stupid now...but I felt like he was deliberately avoiding me lately but after last night, I felt like I finally had Jess back. Our best friend." She smiled softly.

"Right." Olivia nodded.

"Are you ok?" Rory asked glancing at her.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" She said.

"Because you've barely said a word all day." She said.

"Sorry." Olivia said.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Rory asked.

Olivia glanced through the diner window and saw Jess standing behind the counter. She suddenly saw him glance up at her so she looked away quickly. "Actually, I've just remembered I need to go ask mom something. Grab me a burger ok and I'll meet you back home?" She said.

"Uh..sure..ok..." She said. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine." She said giving her a small smile. "I won't be long."

"Ok." Rory said before heading into the diner.

Olivia watched through the window as Rory headed up to the counter. She watched as Rory started chatting with Jess and she saw them laughing together. She sighed before turning around and heading away from the diner.

So I hope you liked it! A whole lot of different feelings going on in this chapter! ;) Let me know what you think! I really do love reading your reviews so keep them coming! Thanks again for your continued support! :)