A Different Life

Senior Year

Rory and Logan's third year at Yale passed quickly and by the time August of 2006 came around, they were getting ready to start their last year of college.

The Saturday before their first day of classes, Rory went to have dinner with her family.

"Hey" Lorelai said and hugged Rory. "No Logan tonight?"

"No, he wasn't up for it" Rory said. "He's had a depressing day"

"Yeah, you also seem depressed, what's going on?"

"Logan has to go to London after graduation" Rory said. "His dad wants him to spend 'a year or two' running his company's office in London. We get 6 weeks after graduation and then he's leaving"

"He's making you guys break up?"

"No, no of course not but it's not like the long distance thing is gonna be easy" Rory said.

"You'll make it work" Lorelai said. "He'll visit you, you'll visit him. And you said it's only for a year or two, right?"

Rory nodded.

"And you still have some time before he goes" Lorelai said. "Enjoy that time and worry about the long distance thing later"

"Yeah" Rory sighed. When she got home that night, Logan was sitting on the couch with his laptop. "Hey" she said as she sat down next to him.

"Hey" Logan said and put his laptop on the coffee table to he could put his arm around Rory. "How was dinner?"

"It was fine" Rory said. "My mom offered to buy me a plane ticket to come visit you next year"

"It's not necessary" Logan said. "The company will pay for it"

"Your dad approved that?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him"

"Do you really have to go?"

"Ace, you grew up in that world, you know what it's like" Logan said. "But I promise I'll come visit as often as I can, weekends, holidays, whenever I can"

Rory leaned her head on Logan's shoulder.

"Hey" Logan said and wiped the tears that were falling down her face. "No tears, ok? We don't have to worry about this yet"

"I don't want us to break up because your dad is making you move"

"Ace, the only way you're getting rid of me is if I'm dead" Logan said and kissed the top of her head. "And I'm not going anywhere yet. We've got the whole year"

——

One afternoon in October, Rory was just walking out of her last class for the day when Stephanie grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?"

"I slept with Colin" Stephanie said.

"Shut your mouth"

"I know. I know. It's insane" Stephanie said. "And I wasn't even drunk, you know, I always figured if I ended up in bed with one of the guys, it'd be because I drank a little too much"

"I can't even process this" Rory said. "You and Colin? You...and Colin?"

"Helpful advice, please"

"Was it...good?"

"Is that relevant?"

"Yeah, kinda" Rory said. "If it was bed then you know you don't want it to happen again. If it was good, you need to figure out what it was and what it means"

"Not helpful" Stephanie said. "I came to you because I thought you'd be helpful"

"What do you want me to tell you?" Rory asked. "That you're in love with him? I don't know that, only you do. And you need to talk to talk to Colin"