The entire idea was absurd. I grinned lazily up at my friend Lance and nearly giggled. "A TV show? Are you nuts? What is it, the bachlor?"

"Tristan, describe yourself in an egotistic manner if you please." Lance sat down next to me and helped himself to my warmed-over pizza leftovers.

"Rich, handsome, suave." I wiggled my eyebrows up and down and grinned.

"Yes. Now, you know how hard ABC has been working to get a hit, si?"

"Si." I took my pizza back.

"This is the game show idea. Like The Bachlor, twenty-five women, one guy. The guy is supposed to be rich, handsome, suave, and a VERY VERY nice, polite guy."

"Ok...?"

"BUT the show is called 'The Jerk'. Meaning we pull the girls in making them think it's a show about love, romance, The Bachlor-ish. But the twist is, you are supposed to act like a total jerk. In real life you're nice and sweet and thoughtful, yadda yadda, but only the viewers know that. The twist is to see if girls can see past the fact you're rich, handsome, on TV into the personality you're faking as a jerk. That's the plot."

"Why me?"

"In military school you cleaned up. Right?"

"Dude, that was high school, I'm 23!"

"Yes, but you tell me stories about your Chilton days, you WERE the Jerk!"

"Yeah, so?"

"You're too perfect to let slide thought ABC's fingers man!"

"See what happens when I make friends with people who work with TV?" I finished the crust of the pizza and gave him a sidelong look. "You know my family is upper class, the whole community will be tuning in!"

"Tuning it to see if women are deep enough to see past the looks and money to see you act like a jerk. The point is, be a jerk, but find a girl you want to fall in love with. See if SHE'LL look past it all!"

The concept was interesting. I all ready knew from high school the majority of girls couldn't see past a smirk, red Viper, and limitless cash to hear the degrading comment. Most were only to willing to go out with me.

The idea was too intriging for me to pass up. I ran my fingers through my hair and smirked up at him. "I get to be the jerk again, huh?"

He grinned. "Sign on the dotted line my friend."

"Hey Rory, what have you wanted more than anything in the world." Lorelai bounced into the room and jumped onto the couch next to Rory.

"Sense and Sesibility signed by Jane Austin."

"..besides that."

"A million dollars."

"And that."

"The fifth dentist to cave in and recommend Trident."

"Let's go with my wish of anything in the world."

"To be on TV."

"Ba-ding! She wins!"

"So?" Rory shut her book slightly.

"Eligible girls between 21-27 for this new tv series on ABC! Find true love. And this guy is rich, handsome, and incredibly, incredibly-"

"Wh-wh-at? Mommy dearest, wishful thinking, but you're not between 21 and 27."

Lorelai stopped short and a gleam of slyness glazed over her eyes. "I knooowww, buuuut"

"No."

"Rory! You'll be on TV."

"So are America's Most Wanted!"

"But you don't get your name, age, and occupation in pretty lettering along the bottom of the TV if you do it that wa-aay!!"

"Oh, champion whiner. Only you could make 'way' a two syllable word."

"And only champion pastors can made God a two letter word. Goo-Od." Lorelai beamed. "So? What do you say? We can have fun! You love filling our applications! We can fillit out together!"

"Mom! There is a difference between a college application and-" She snatched the paper away from her mother, "-and what is your favorite color."

"Blue!" Lorelai clicked the top of her pen insistantly.

"Mom, you're so kidding me."

"Please! I want to see my daughter on TV!"

"Do you know how many girls try out for these shows?"

"Then filling this application out for me shouldn't be too big of a problem."

Rory sighed. "No! I have better things to do than fill that thing out!"

"I all ready filled it out!"

"What!"

"I know you like myself anyway."

"You're kidding"

"Sign on the dotted line my friend."

Short beginning chapter, but I'll bet everyone figuered out that Rory will make it on the show and she'll meet up with Tristan again. I know it sounds like a complete cliche, but "The Jerk" plotlinetwist will make contestant Rory see Tristan as she was at Chilton, the jerk.

R/R if I should continue!

-Thought's Pen