Paris stepped outside of the Chinese restaurant. She spotted Rory in the window of the liquor store next door. After a moment, Rory exited the store with a small paper bag in hand.

"You're not getting me all liquored up and reckless. If you think you're going to take me back to the room and do Jello body shots or something..."

"Relax, it's just Gummi Bears and a Kit Kat."

"Oh."

"We have all summer for Jello body shots." Rory paused, her mind lingering on the words that just escaped her lips.

Paris absently adjusted her ponytail. "Oh, how I look forward to that debauchery. I draw the line at spitting on the sidewalk, by the way."

* *

"Are you sure this place isn't too seedy?" Paris glanced around the coffee house. "I think that guy in the back is selling marijuana."

Rory ignored her and picked up two drinks off the counter of the coffee bar. "Two Iced White Chocolate Mochas to go." She handed a cup to Paris. "One with soy milk for the future of out nation."

"How much do I owe your for this?"

"I've got it. It's my social experiment, anyway." Rory sipped her drink.

"That sentence unnerves me."

"Ah, good. Phase one is complete." The taller girl held the door open for the blonde as they stepped back out onto the sidewalk.

"Oh, the hilarity." She checked her watch. It was only seven thirty.

"Don't make me take that watch away from you, Miss Gellar."

"I like to know the time, okay? It keeps me grounded."

"And that's exactly what we're protesting tonight."

"Great, I bring my VP to Washington and she's staging sit-ins already."

"Hey, I didn't even want to run. You badgered me into being your running mate because you needed someone charming to soften the edges."

"Well, if anyone can take the edge off, it's you." Paris hesitated, suddenly slightly reserved. "Plus, you're cute. That definitely bought us the hormone ridden teen male vote."

"You didn't need me for the hormone vote. You could have gotten that on your own."

"Please. I'm the brains, you're the beauty. Not to imply that you couldn't be brains... you are. Dammit, you've got it all. Maybe you should be president. Not that I'm offering it to you, because you can't have it." She tossed her empty cup into a trash can. "Unless, of course, you really do want it. I'd rather hand it over than have you rally together some kind of bandwagon to have me removed from power. But if you did replace me, I'd try and influence you on the issues and live vicariously through you... which I kind of do anyway, since you seem to have this perfect little life in a perfect little town with a-"

Rory wasn't entirely sure why'd she'd just done what she'd done. She was sure she wanted to do what she'd done, she just didn't know why. She also knew that at that moment, she was kissing Paris. At first, the blonde girl's hands reached up in automatic protest, but they quickly slowed to a halt, hovering on either side of her body.

After a moment, the brunette pulled away. "STOP THINKING SO MUCH."

Paris wavered, dazed. "I-I think I drank that coffee too fast... my heart's racing."

They stood, facing each other, awkwardly. Neither were sure what had just occurred and both were afraid to ask.

To be continued...