Disclaimer: I do not own anything. If lines seem familiar, it's probably because it was in the original.

A/N: I am updating, editing, and expanding the chapter I've posted. I tried to find Marty's last name but to no avail. I don't think he had one so I'm just going to use the name "Wilcox" because the actor that portrayed him has that last name and I think Martin "Marty" Wilcox has a ring to it.

Chapter 5

"Hi, I'd like a large caramel macchiato with an extra shot and some whipped cream." She said to the barista around 3:30 that Sunday afternoon during a study break.

"Coming up." Said the friendly guy behind the counter. Rory was craving her caffeine fix and decided to head to her favourite stand and get one. Having ordered what she usually gets, she dug in her wallet for change.

"Umm... Hold on. How much is that?"

"Four twenty-five."

"Better drop the extra shot. How much will that make it?"

"Four twenty."

"Better make it a small. What does that make it?

"Three-thirty."

"Better drop the whipped cream. What does that make it?"

"Less calories."

"Just a plain, old, small coffee." Just as she said this, her wallet tumbled out of her hand, spilling all her change on the ground. "Dope!"

"This would definitely define a 'cute-meet' if we hadn't already met."

There was Marty, helping her pick up her change. She could not help but smile. Marty stood up and told the guy to upsize her order and make his the same. Then, like a gentleman, he paid for both drinks and handed her hers.

"Goodness. I've been so klutzy all today. I can't even concentrate anymore. My brain, I think has given in for now."

Marty smiled at her like he always did. He was the man who just bought her an upsized coffee. He was like a knight in shining armour.

"Coffee break?"

"Yea I needed my Mocha Java to get me through my notes. So much to study, so little time. I can't believe they insist on giving us midterms right before Spring Break. It is cruel, yet effective. I guess."

She paused to drink some of the hot beverage.

"So what are you doing for Spring Break?"

"I am going back home to Chicago, well a little town outside the city, Small town life, there's nothing quite like it."

Rory could not help but agree. "There sure isn't."

"What about you?"

"I'll be visiting my mom in Stars Hallow, my small town. Outside Hartford."

There was a moment of silence. Both realized that they were alike in more ways than they previously assumed. Rory took the opportunity to slip her hand into Marty's. it felt nice and warm. Marty acknowledged it with a smile. I can't believe that she picked ME over that douche, Logan.

"How come you are so calm about midterms?" Rory questioned suspiciously.

"Because I have only one more paper to hand in and then I get to board a coach bus that will take hours to get me home to see my folks."

Rory suddenly felt her privilege about having a car to commute with. "You are so lucky. So, what's your paper for?"

"Ethics."

"Ooh well, then I'm dying to read it. To know whether you are for it or against."

Marty protested whilst smirking at her enthusiasm to get to know him better. "Oh no you don't." he swatted her hands playfully away from his bag. "It's too risky. It goes from my hands to the professor's."

Rory stared in disbelief. "As if I'm going to lose it."

"Well, there are a whole bunch of coins that would be disagreeing with you, right now." He tried to tease her further intellectually as he added. "Plus, it would be like Hemmingway and his wife. He gave her the only copy of his novel and she lost it."

"That's not what happened. I read somewhere that he left it on a plane and she had nothing to do with it."

"That's not the way, I heard it."

"Well, you heard it wrong." She grinned up at him.

"How much you wanna bet?" He countered. Marty was enticed by the look in her eyes.

"All the money in my purse, plus a million dollars." She teased.

"Okay, you are on."

She beamed, "I'll see you later. And thanks for the coffee."

"I will. Plus, you should have that money ready for me when I get there. And I don't accept coins."

"No promises." She winked. And she pushed him into the bushes to the secluded stone wall. She playfully tugged on the scarf he was wearing and pecked him on the cheeks. Marty felt colour rise to his cheeks, and shifted his gaze to the ground.

When he left her dorm this morning, he thought this was too good to be true, and it was a one-off kind of night. But when he could not stop thinking about their lustful kisses during work, he decided to ask her out as casually as he could muster. He thought of a Chinese place that he frequented and thought over dinner he could charm her. He was bewildered that she had agreed on the phone earlier. But fate had intervened with this interim coffee meet-up. And she was again willing to physically show him emotions. This must be a cosmic joke. I never get the girl. And she's certainly out of my league.

When Rory pulled away, he was still wallowing internally about his previous misfortunes and stacking them up with the current situation at hand. "What's wrong?" Rory looked into his eyes.

"I'm so confused."

"About what?"

"What this means…"

"It means that I am hungry, Mr. Wilcox. Can we eat earlier?" Rory tried to tease. Honestly, she just wanted more of Marty's company

"Okay."

"Listen," she looked up at him, sobering from her lustfulness, "Now if you want me to, I can wait till six when our hang out time officially begins. But"

"Hmm?"

"But Paris is gone again, and I could use some company…proofreading." She let her doe eyes shine. She knew this was a coy move.

"Proofreading?"

"Yeah, I- I need someone to proofread my essay on Henry David Thoreau."

He raised his eyebrows and felt that this was a ploy, but just answered, "Let's go."